doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stevens 311C disassembly & choke question

Hi Folks,

I recently picked up A nice little 3" 311C .410 with 26" bbl. I'm trying to remove the barrels and can't quite figure out how to do so.

I've removed the Foreend but can't remove the BBLS by just breaking the gun open like my other doubles.

Also, I need to remove the Foreiron from the bbls as Forend Insert screw has backed out of the Insert and I can't get at the screw to reinstall the Insert without doing so.

And lastly, I don't see any choke identifying markings that I can interpret. One bbl has a 5V in a circle and the other has a 7V in a circle stamped on the top / back of the bbls just ahead of the action. I've heard that 26" .410's were F/F but would like to confirm this.

Sorry for all the questions, but this seemed like the best place to ask for knowledgable replies.

Thanks in advance for any info you may have.

YB

As I understand it the the wood is off the forend iron so you should just be able to pull down on the muzzel end of the iron to remove it. Its easier to do if the wood is still attached to the iron.

Bill- seems strange that you can't pivot the barrels with the lever moved over to the right ( from 6 O'clock bottom center towards 4:30- And recock the hammers first, always the best proceedure- whether you have a Parker or a Smith or a Stevens- If you read Field & Stream- about a year ago Phil B. the shotgun editor picked his best 50 shotguns made- I don't agree with all of his choices (human nature) or the order, but he put your gun in his list-a solid "using gun like a Parker Trojan or a Fox Sterlingworth- so welcome to the double forum- there are a lot of guys here with a world of experience with doubles- both side-bys, over/unders and drillings-enjoy!! RWTF

Not sure I understand your question, but you can't remove the barrels without taking off both the fore-end wood and the fore-end iron. If the choke isn't stamped on the barrels, you'll just have to measure, but they'll almost certainly be full and full if they're like they left the factory...Geo

Thank You for the warm welcome and the replies Fella's.

Just to clarify, I have the wooden foreend pulled off, but now need to take the foreend Iron off and am not sure how that's done.

I'll try to explain it a little better:

There is a screw that comes down thru the foreend Iron from the underside of the bbls(the slot of the screw head is facing the underside of the bbls), which holds the the foreend insert (a solid U shaped 1/8" thick piece of metal stock w/ threaded hole that receives the screw and rides in a channel cut inside the wooden foreend to keep the wood tight against the bbls.).

This screw has backed out of the foreend insert so I need to get the foreend Iron off to be able to get at the slot of the screw w/ a screwdriver.

I hope this isn't even more confusing .

Thanks again for the input guys.

YB

yankeebill

The fore end iron is held on with a spring. It is somewhat of a J shape and pushes against the back side of the steel lug welded to the web on the underside of the barrels. This provides the tension that holds the fore end in place.

To remove, simple pull down, away from the barrels. If the fore end iron is so close to the barrels that you cannot get your finger between the iron and barrels, it may be necessary to use a wooden wedge or some other object to pry the iron away from the barrels. Just don't use something that will scratch up the barrels. Once you are past the tension point the iron will just pop off.

Welcome to the forum.

The forend iron just snaps off from the gun. It is held snugly by a J shaped spring which goes over center. It will be much more difficult to snap off without the wood for grip. You may have to use some leverage under the tip of the iron to pry it up till it pops over center in that direction. Just be sure to use something non-marring as you don't want to be scarring up the bottoms of the bbls. Once the iron is off the bbls should then just unhook from the hinge & can be lifted out & of course the wood can be remounted.

Okay, I got the foreend Iron off via the use of a Cedar shim... popped right off

Cleaned her all up and gave her a good slathering of RIG in all concealed areas and all put back together.

Quite a bit more involved than just popping the foreend off my Sterlingworth's and Uggie to take the bbls off. I guess next time it'll be a bit easier.

Thanks again for the help Fella's, I wouldn't have used so much force on the Foreend Iron w/out y'alls help, and probably would still be messing with it.

Looks like she's gonna be a fine little gun for chassin' Bunnies & Bushytails


YB

Glad you are all set with your .410-the Cedar or soft wood (pine) tapered wedge is a great way to pry the snap-on forearms off w/o marring the barrels. I think they make those springs to "set" with extra tension- from the possible recoil of a 12 ga. and am guessing the spings are basically the same for the snall gauges- I can't say- as I own 7 12 gauges and one 20 (older Model 12)-if you get a chance to read Phil B.'s 50 best on the F&S website- besides your nice Stevens 311- he also mentions a high-end german Merkel-forearm was fitted so tightly that the gunsmith in Germany told him to "hit it very hard" to get the forearm on the barrels! Almost sounds like the old shop mantra "Never use force-just get a bigger hammer from the tool crib"!! Welcome aboard!! RWTF

YB
Welcome to the board. You might find this article interesting http://www.4-10.freeuk.com/TheTwoFacesOfThe410.pdf
Steve