some photos of an old war horse Stevens 311...

S

Slugo

Moderator
this one is from the 50's. Has the better 5100 action and came with real black walnut furniture, not cheap plastic like tennite found in later 311's. 20ga with 28" barrels and even a factory installed mid-bead! Gun is in very nice condition and belonged to a local college history professor. I shoot it now and then, but hangs proudly on my home office wall most of the time... ;)

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Mike, Lebanon Valley College in Annville. So, you went to Dickinson! I still shoot on occasion at Carlisle Sportsmans Club. Sporting clays on Saturdays and skeet during the week. I'm a Penn State guy... :)

PS: I'm in the process of looking for a condo in Williamsburg. My daughter and SIL live in VA Beach. He's an EOD with ST10 located in Little Creek. I shoot at Oceana Naval Air Station when I'm there. Also, Old Forge Sporting Clays in Providence Forge, VA...
 
The 5100 was discontinued in 48 and was morphed into the 311 in 49. Some of the early ones carry both 5100 and 311 markings.
 
Yep, Dickinson College.

I grew up in Marysville, on the other side of the river from Harrisburg.

Great place to grow up, small town with access with easy access to woods for hunting, a decent local Sportsmen's Club with adequate ranges, and close enough to a "city" that you didn't feel isolated.

I shot a couple of times at the Carlisle club. Nice facilities.

Shot a lot of trap in Harrisburg back in the 1980s.

Always wanted a Stevens 311. Nice utilitarian shotguns, and they, for whatever reason, fit me well.

But, just never worked out. I'll have to go looking for one again.
 
Brings back great memories.

One of these was my high school sweetheart. That is to say that all through my junior and senior high schools years, I hunted exclusively with a 311 in 12Ga. Mine had the new "unbreakable" plastic stock that wound up in three pieces, one very cold morning. Replaced it with a walnut stock and kept on shooting till I got out of the service. Finally gave it to my nephew and it's now lost in time. ..... :(

These are just very serviceable shotguns and sure took my share of Pheasants with it. Yours is a real beauty and brings back great memories. Thank you for your post. ..... :)


Be Safe !!!
 
Mike, what part of northern VA do you reside? I usually travel 81 South to Winchester, then cut over to 66 and eventually 17 to 95 south. Then on to VA Beach.

BTW, I'm in the process of selling the Stevens! :o
 
I'm in Fairfax, outside of DC.

You're actively selling it, or you're looking to sell it?

If you don't have a buyer right now, send me a PM.
 
Haha feels like a small world sometimes. I grew up in boiling springs and now live in carlisle. Just became a member of the carlisle indoor range at the beginning of this year.
 
CLC, I was an architectural grad from PSU. I worked for Bixler and Bixler architects in Boiling Springs. We were located off the main drag in the old Grange building! I was one of the project architects on the design of the new South Middleton Twp. senior high school. That was back in 72! Wow!! :eek:

Small world, here's my old office in the Springs...
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Boiling Springs lakefront residence...
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old converted barn on the lake...
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Boiling Springs Tavern!!
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I have the same gun in 12 Ga that I use for Cowboy Action Shooting. Just last night I installed the Wolf reduced power spring set. It took me about three hours of cursing, four bandaids from poking myself in the finger with a screwdriver trying to get the screws back in and a plethora of profanity, but it was worth it. I see by the photo that your 20 Ga. has the same problem that my gun did. It only comes part way openand when you force it all they way open it has a tendency to try to partially close. That is not good for cowboy Action Shooting where fast reloads are required. brownells has the spring sets. In fact they have two sets. The Brownels brand is $10 more than the Wolf brand and Wolf makes both sets. Step by step instructions are here:
http://marauder.homestead.com/Stevens311.html
You'll need a pair of nedle nose pliers, a couple of screwdrivers, one of them about 8 to 10 inches long to get to the butt stock screw, a long 5/32" pin punch (or a finishing nail), a box of band aids and about six beers.
 
PSU = The Pennsylvania State University.


"I worked for Bixler and Bixler architects in Boiling Springs."

Oh dear...

I'm pretty sure that my Father worked on some projects with Bixler and Bixler. He was a Civil Engineer.

Dad, Grandpa, and Great Grandpa were all engineers, and were all PSU grads.

I'm not 100% certain, but that white house on the other side of the lake in the middle photo?

I think that might be the house where my ex and I had our wedding reception. We were married at the little Methodist Church in Boiling Springs, and spent a good portion of the evening before our wedding at the Tavern.
 
Mike, when I was with Bixler and Bixler there were only four people in the firm. Jack Bixler, Jr., his father (what a great man), myself and another architect. We subcontracted with other design professionals for the mechanical, structural, electrical and site development disciplines.

A very simple time back then. I used to take my fly rod to work and hit the Yellow Breeches either at lunch or after work! My wife and I still go to Allenberry for summer plays and dinner. Some of the best, but challanging years of my life...
 
I spent alot if not all my time on the yellow breaches as a child lol I even had one of the gentleman at the fly shop teach me how to flyfish. One of my greatest regrets was putting the rod down. Im also lucky to have family in the heart of steelhead country.
 
Whelp, looks like I'm going to be getting myself a new shotgun... Just have to figure out the logistics. :)

And, in discussing it with Slugo last evening, we discovered that we know a LOT of the same people in Central Pennsylvania.

Small world.

And Dave McC?

THIS IS YOUR DAMNED FAULT FOR ASKING ME TO WATCH OVER THE SHOTGUN FORUM WHILE YOU WENT TO PITTSBURGH! :D
 
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