Cutting a double barrel

N

nixterdemus

New member
Well, I'm going to ask you gents a few questions concerning shortening the barrel length on a Stevens 311-H.

It appears they made a couple of million and this one is a post-68 serial number, A w/roughly 3/4 million number following.

I guess it was manufactured close to middle 70's. Twenty gauge w/3" chambers and 28" barrels.

This 311 is claimed to weigh in @ 7 1/2 lbs. It hasn't arrived so I have no idea how accurate that claim may be. I'm thinking about having the barrels trimmed to 21" and cutting the butt stock.

I have no problem shooting a youth mod and I'm wishing to bring the weight down for a handy brush/atv gun.

I see 24" barreled shotguns advertised as turkey guns, so I figure what's a few less inches when I'm trying to shave some weight.

I guess I could leave the right barrel cylinder and have the left threaded for choke tubes to keep cost to a minimum.

I see myself mostly shooting 7/8" loads w/1oz on occasions, maybe in the left side trying to stretch out a bit.

Any thoughts, ideas or words of wisdom?
 
If you're planning on shooting trap and skeet, the longer barrel is supposed to be better. I'd advise on not cutting. But for other purposes: we'll wait for more advice.
 
The barrels are not perfectly cylindrical IIRC, but have a slight taper from breech to muzzle. IF that is the case, trying to cut each square may present some challenges. If not properly done your POA/POI might be adversely affected.

My Savage/Fox BSE is supposedly the uptown first cousin, and if it weighs anything at all, it's at least 7-1/2 pounds in 20.

Good luck, post some pics
 
I have a sneaky suspicion that this one will weigh @ least 8lbs, possibly w/o the forestock.

I'd like to end up around 6 1/4.

I'm probably gonna let my ffl/gunsmith cut the barrels.

I want the POA/POI to remain the same.

I understand the 311 is a proven performer, albeit a tad husky, so I'd rather alter it to what I want than buy a coach gun.

Do you think that due to the taper the barrels will be too large, from cutting back 5", for choke tube threads?
 
I have seen tubes installed on VERY thin Euro barrels - Briley has a line called thin walls for exactly that purpose. That being said, I imagine there will be enough wall thickness on the Stevens to be easily threaded. I don't know how much they charge, but you might ask Briley for a quote on the cutting also. They do top-notch work
 
I strongly recommend shooting it first. I've cut a few barrels and regretted it about half the time.

311s are good guns, but they do run a bit heavy.

You may want to search for an old thread of mine about a building a Lupara....
 
I read the Lupara thread and can appreciate loppers remorse.

That's why I think this 311 would be a good candidate.

No family history, nothing out of the ordinary and quite common.

I have a M-37 that was Dad's. 30" full choke and a skinny, hard piece of black plastic for a sans recoil pad.

Fond memories are associated w/that gun and the LOP is too long for me, but I wouldn't dream of cutting the stock or barrel.

You're right about the 3" in a 18.5" brl making a nice fireball.

I found that in my HD 12 gauge that the 3" 000 patterned tighter than the 2 3/4" 00 @ 14 yards.

For the most part I'm a 2 3/4" kinda guy.

Anywho, I need to lop the barrels to lose some weight or so I think.

This is where synthetic stocks would be wonderful.

I know they're ugly and would change the balance, yet they help keep the weight down.

I'll definitely shoot it first and maybe whittle on the buttstock before committing to cutting 4-7" off the barrels.

Anyone ever see a 311 w/splinter forestock?

A straight stock would help some w/weight, but I'm not thrilled w/idea of dropping 60 clams there.

This could escalate into a little money pit if I'm not careful.

Such is life when you decide you want a custom sumpthin'.

If it was 26" barrels I would consider leaving them alone, however @ 28" if I'm going to cut I might as well cut 4-5".

That would give me 3-4" more than a coach gun & help a little w/noise.

I'm just talkin' out loud, feel free to jump in...
 
Greetings, nixterdemus and welcome aboard

I'm with Dave McC and recommend you give it a chance to prove itself before doing the lop-a-lupara. Since you've read Dave's old thread, there's nothing more to add. Don't expect to be as lucky as he was in maintaining a reasonably regulated POI.
 
Sell the 20ga, then buy a real short barrel shotgun. I'll bet a brand new mossberg or 870 will cost less than the profit you get from selling the 20ga + paying the gunsmith to ruin a servicable bird gun.
 
Beware of baltz526… you know how these 10-ga guys work: First they'll try to talk you into trading your 20-ga in for a 12-ga. Soon after that, he'll be suggesting that you swap your 12-ga for a big bad 10-bore! ;)
 
I'd have to affix the 10 gauge on a swivel mount and bolt it to the ATV front rack while passing myself off as a nuevo Vic Morrow straight outta 'Combat!'.


I bought a budget O/U & semi-auto so the 311 is the final tier of my 20 gauge trifecta.

Can a youth pump be far behind for the perfecta?
 
Nixterdemus, if you're old enough to remember ABC's Combat then you're ready for the old goats' locker with the rest of us curmudgeons. After Combat, ABC gave us The Rat Patrol with more swivel mounts.

ratpatroltop1.jpg
 
I had me an Australian bush hat mate. I seem to recall it being a dark green, devoid of any fancy band or pin and coming quite possibly from T.G.&Y five & dime that had added two bits by the sixties.
 
you might want to check "carlsons". i had them cut and add choke threads to my auto 5 barrel. good people and a good price too !
 
[Anyone ever see a 311 w/splinter forestock?] -

Yep, I made one by rasping down an issue forend.



[A straight stock would help some w/weight, but I'm not thrilled w/idea of dropping 60 clams there.]

It doesn't cost anything except a little time, stain & stock finish, to rasp off the PG and hammer the tail of the TG straight.

I did exactly that to three 20ga Model 311A's, when a local dealer had them on his rack @ $140 each.

One also got a barrel lop, followed by an easily-renewable 20" long strip of white medical 3/16" wide adhesive tape applied down the barrel/rib top as a night sight.

.
 
PetahW, that handiwork sounds too kewl.

You wouldn't have a pic or two to share, would ya?

I happen to have a Stanley rasp that'll eat wood faster than a beaver.

Well, not w/me shoving it, but I can take some healthy shavings...
 
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