doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stevens 311A, not high class but strudy

I disagree about the sturdiness of 311's. I have owned 4 311's and 1 511. They only lock up on the top snap, there are no locking under lugs, a 12 gauge will only last about 3000 shells before it will be loose and start to vibrate. Top snaps are readily available. From numerich, which means to be its a common occurance, i have replaced at least 8 of them. The stocks also tend to crack out under use.

They may be fine in a subgauge, I never shot my subgauges enough to really test them out, but I am sure they will shoot loose too, may just take longer.

They also dont open fully unless you hold them open to load or replace the hammer springs with reduced power springs.

The only good thing is they are cheap. If you want a cheap SxS to say you have one, and not shoot it a whole lot, they will get you by.

I have sold off all of mine, and I have no regrets, which says a lot, I have trouble selling guns.

I didn't like mine because of the weight. While deer hunting it was no big deal as that weight was a benefit as it would soak up the recoil from a slug but, while bird hunting with it most of the time its was cracked and slung over my shoulder while walking. I wouldn't buy another because of that.

I have no reason to doubt you on the 3000 rounds killing the gun on a 12 gauge, but;

A lady shooter on our trap shooting league had a 16 gauge 311 that her Dad had purchased in the 1950s, used pretty hard, and gave to her in the mid 1960s. She hunted infrequently, but, at least once a year, for ducks and pheasants in North Dakota with her brothers, and, I can say without doubt, I witnessed more than 3000 rounds through her gun in the decade and a half we were sponsored by our employer on the trap league. I dated her, briefly, and just assumed cleaning and maintenance chores for the entire time we shot together.
It was a nice gun when we ended the league, after a decade and a half. I couldn't find anything wrong with it when I cleaned it up for her over the years. At least one sub gauge out there was well used and still going strong.

Another thing comes to mind. Once you get off this board, and are dealing with the typical Wal Mart shopper, 3000 rounds is MORE than a lifetime of shooting! Otherwise, we wouldn't see so many of them that look just like new and aren't worn out.

Never owned one myself, my cheapies have been Nitro Specials, and a Western Arms Long Range, and I haven't managed to break or wear them out.

Best,
Ted

If you've never owned one then why the argument ?

Did you see where I said I had no reason to doubt his figure on 3000 rounds for the 12?

I'm NOT arguing, you are just too simple to understand that.

I didn't own one-but, cleaned and serviced a lady friends 16 gauge 311 gun for a decade and a half, once a week, and a strip at the end of the year. You are, again, too simple to understand that I got a feel for how the gun was holding together over that time. The original poster had nothing to add with regards to subgauges, and I did. So, I added it, for what it was worth. It is a conversation with multiple people adding their experiences, good, and bad.

And then, the village idiot shows up-guess who?

Since you had nothing to add regarding 311 guns, good or otherwise, why did you post anything? Are you displaying your stupidity in full bloom for everyone to see?

You are too simple to understand most things. Really.


Best,
Ted

I agree 3000 rounds is a lot of rounds for many people, depending on the particular top snap i could sometimes get more rounds, but I wouldnt bet very high on it.

I was using it, well 2 of them, as I alternated as they needed repairs, as my regular trap and sporting gun.

Have moved on to shooting Browning BSS's now. Not any more svelt then a 311, but handle a bit nicer for me, and way stronger. 23,000 rounds, was well used when I got it, and so far only trouble was a broken ejector trip, something I believe was a defect in that specific part, not the design.

I'm not going to be getting in any line to run out a find a 311 or 511 or a 5100. Most of the people who I have met who owned them were not die hard shooters, or, if they were, they moved on to something else after a 311 got them going.
If you want a low buck gun to figure out if the sport is for you, a 311 is a good start, and can likely be moved along if the sport isn't your cup of tea, or you jump in with both feet (and, your wallet) and move onward and upward to bigger and better things.
A salesman where I work, who could definitely afford a much better gun, has used a Savage model B in 16 gauge his entire life, and has killed bushel baskets of grouse with the thing. His family owns a multiple thousands of acre ruffed grouse shangra-la near Lake Vermillion in northern MN, and he has owned only one gun since he was a teenager, maybe 60 years ago. No problems, no skeet or trap, just grouse hunting, maybe a dozen times a season, but, it has always worked well for him and still does.

Best,
Ted

It only takes "ONE" bolt to hold a double shut. Most doubles of moderate price & downward when fitted with multiple bolts have one which actually does all the work. The top bolt is further from the hinge pin than an underbolt thus has a mechanical advantage.
A couple of guns of renown using a single underbolt are the Parker Bros & WW Model 21.
Some guns of note using only a top bolt are Lefever Arms Co, D M Lefever, Baker, Fox, L C Smith, Syracuse Arms, Ithaca NID & Nitro Special (branded Lefever).
Nothing at all wrong with the concept of a single top bolt. Any shortcomings of the 311 are likely in the mat'l or fitting, not the fact it is a single top bolt.

'

Easy to see who he is....


Just look in the mirror Mr. Sniffle'bean.

Uh Huh. Exactly what info per 311s and their ilk have you added to the conversation?

Nada. Same as always. The only post I can find concerning input from you per a 311 was where you low balled a seller who had one here a few weeks past, with the excuse that your grandson needed a demonstration of how cheap you really are.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=429664#Post429664

The little feller would be so proud.


Best,
Ted