Anyone familar with these? It's an old hammerless, side by side, 12 gauge, 2 3/4" with a top tang safety. I'm guessing the barrels are choked different. It doesn't say on the barrels. Also guessing the front trigger fires the right barrel since it is positioned to the right. Won't know till I pattern it I guess. Any info would be great. I know it's not worth anything but I would like to take it pheasant hunting.Thanks, Brad
Springfield Chicopee falls double barrel
- Thread starter takem23
- Start date
The "Springfield" name was put on "price leader", or economy, model shotguns by J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co of Chicopee Falls, Mass, later known as Stevens A&T Co, then Stevens Arms, and finally aquired by Savage Arms in the 1920's - who also applied the "Springfield" name to rifles.
IIRC, at the time, Savage had moved from Utica NY to West Spingfield or Westfield Mass - and evidently liked to local flavor that Stevens had given their guns.
At the time your shotgun was made (Pre-WW I), Stevens was the largest firearms manufacturer in the world, having several multi-storey mill buildings devoted to firearms and tool manufacture in Chicopee Falls.
The same basic design is seen later in the Stevens 311 and Fox Model B doubles.
AFAIK, Stevens never made any shotguns with damascus/twist barrels, making them all of "fluid steel" with the barrel lumps forged in one piece with the barrels - a superior design.
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IIRC, at the time, Savage had moved from Utica NY to West Spingfield or Westfield Mass - and evidently liked to local flavor that Stevens had given their guns.
At the time your shotgun was made (Pre-WW I), Stevens was the largest firearms manufacturer in the world, having several multi-storey mill buildings devoted to firearms and tool manufacture in Chicopee Falls.
The same basic design is seen later in the Stevens 311 and Fox Model B doubles.
AFAIK, Stevens never made any shotguns with damascus/twist barrels, making them all of "fluid steel" with the barrel lumps forged in one piece with the barrels - a superior design.
.
If you have had it checked by a smith and it locks up well I would start with 1 low brass shell. Fire it, then see if the second trigger has released. Then do the same for the other barrel. I have a number of these older doubles and occasionally both barrels go off when the first trigger is pulled. I have heard people say they were designed to shoot 2 w/ 1 pull and others say that is a not correct. Either way 2 booms on 1 pull will wake you up if you are not prepared. If it has an old and weak sear the second boom could be a safety issue.
[Do you think it is safe to shoot high brass out of it?] - Nope
[Did they have high brass when it was made?] - Not AFAIK
[[/i] It's an old hammerless, side by side, 12 gauge, 2 3/4"[/i]] -
I would have a gunsmith check the chamber length, since it may have been chambered for shells shorter then 2 3/4".
Just because an unfired 2 3/4" shell will seat in a shorter chamber doesn't mean it will be safe to fire in one - since the modern shell (high OR low brass) is 2 3/4" long only after firing.
When fired in a short chamber, the shotshell material expands into the short chamber's forcing cone, raising pressures astronomically when the charge/etc has to pass that additional constriction.
When that's combined with un-modern steel, you could end up with a hand grenade.
Low pressure shells are available from the likes of Kent cartridge Co, IIRC, and others.
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[Did they have high brass when it was made?] - Not AFAIK
[[/i] It's an old hammerless, side by side, 12 gauge, 2 3/4"[/i]] -
I would have a gunsmith check the chamber length, since it may have been chambered for shells shorter then 2 3/4".
Just because an unfired 2 3/4" shell will seat in a shorter chamber doesn't mean it will be safe to fire in one - since the modern shell (high OR low brass) is 2 3/4" long only after firing.
When fired in a short chamber, the shotshell material expands into the short chamber's forcing cone, raising pressures astronomically when the charge/etc has to pass that additional constriction.
When that's combined with un-modern steel, you could end up with a hand grenade.
Low pressure shells are available from the likes of Kent cartridge Co, IIRC, and others.
.
oneounceload
Moderator
More importantly is to have the chamber length verified. Many of the older guns were chambered for 2-1/2 shells, NOT modern 2-3/4. Remember, the length is the length of the FIRED shell, so a 2-3/4 will fit in a 2-1/2" gun. That would be dangerous causing a pressure spike that the old gun might not be able to handle. Somewhere on there it should have the choke - probably under the barrels - they may be marks, letters or something else.
Have a smith who KNOWS old doubles and knows what to look for as far as trouble signs give it a good going over.
You might also want to ask over at doublegunshop.com - those folks have a wealth of knowledge
Have a smith who KNOWS old doubles and knows what to look for as far as trouble signs give it a good going over.
You might also want to ask over at doublegunshop.com - those folks have a wealth of knowledge
Our own Harley Nolden's research section is also a good place to pose these sort of questions...
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=19
Brent
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=19
Brent
If the barrels are marked for the 2 3/4" shells, you might be OK firing low pressure/older ammo in it - but I wouldn't fire any modern ammo, i.e. NO high brass, and NO low brass that uses plastic hull and/or shotcups, unless their box was specifically marked low pressure - safe for older guns.
I would additionally check that the hinge isn't unduely worn, before firing it.
The hinge fit is checked be removing the forend after first ensuring the gun's empty, turning the gun upside-down, and try to wriggle the barrels side-to-side while holding the opening lever "open" with the butt under one arm.
(Some of those older guns have been shot so much that their barrels do a hula dance every time it's fired.)
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I would additionally check that the hinge isn't unduely worn, before firing it.
The hinge fit is checked be removing the forend after first ensuring the gun's empty, turning the gun upside-down, and try to wriggle the barrels side-to-side while holding the opening lever "open" with the butt under one arm.
(Some of those older guns have been shot so much that their barrels do a hula dance every time it's fired.)
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Thanks. I might get some low pressure ammo. If not I won't use it. Got plenty of shotguns to use. It's my fathers gun. He used it in the 70's and early eighties lightly. It's been cleaned and oiled several times a year since he stopped hunting. I know it's perfectly safe to use. I just wondered about the ammo.