doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com So I bought one...Stevens 20ga

Does it say J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. or J. Stevens Arms Co. on the gun? The J. Stevens records are long gone, so even the Savage Historian can't give you an exact date on the gun from the serial number. Best we can do is say if it is marked J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. it is from the 1914-16 time frame and J. Stevens Arms Co. 1917 to 1923. But, how many already marked guns were in inventory when the company changed, and how long was it before they got a new roll-stamp to mark the sides of the receivers?

J Stevens arms co. When did 2 1/2 inch shells fall out of fashion?

Our North American ammunition companies offered 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shells up to WW-II. At the time the No. 345 was introduced the heaviest loads offered in the 2 1/2 inch 20-gauge shell were 2 1/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 18 grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite pushing 7/8 ounce of shot. In the 2 3/4, 2 7/8 and 3-inch 20-gauge cases they offered 2 1/2 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 20 grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite pushing the same 7/8 ounce of shot. There were several 3/4 ounce 20-gauge loads offered as well.

The 2 3/4 inch 20-gauge shell gained in popularity when Western Cartridge Co. introduced their high velocity, progressive powder, Super-X, 1 ounce load, put up in their 2 3/4 inch FIELD shell in 1922.





The other ammunition companies followed suit and put their one ounce progressive burning powder 20-gauge loads up in 2 3/4 inch cases as well. Also, Remington Arms Co., Inc. introduced their Model 17 20-gauge pump in 1921, chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells. Apparently as a service to their customers with older 2 1/2 inch chambered 20-gauge Model 12s, Winchester managed to stuff the one ounce progressive burning powder load into their 2 1/2 inch case --