How to disassemble a Stevens 311D?

[Sgt. Saywut]

So I picked up a Stevens 311D SxS today for a good price, considering its very good condition.  I googled how to take it apart, and every hit said, “Pull down on the hand guard and it will come off.  Then open the action, tilt the barrels all the way down, and remove them.”

 

I know how this works on the Weatherby O/U I have, so I’m familar with that process of removing the barrels.  However. 

 

This 311D has a hand guard fixed in place with a screw.  Once I remove the screw, I can remove the hand guard. Here’s where it seems to deviate even more from the online instructions; tilting the barrels all the way down simply causes them to come to a hard stop.  No amount of tugging, tilting, wiggling, body English, tongue poking out of the corner of the mouth, or choice words will get the barrels to come off. 

 

One set of instructions I saw was for the 311A.   Is the 311D constructed differently?

[John Boy]

Quote

Is the 311D constructed differently?

No - just means it was made in 1952

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/savstevspgfld/shotguns-sav/311-series/311d

[Sedalia Dave]

Guy is an idiot because not all SXS disassemble this way but this is how all Stevens 311 models disassemble.

 

[Sgt. Saywut]

I don’t follow; when I remove the hand guard, this pic shows what’s exposed.   Is that curled spring on the underside of th barrels supposed to come out with the hand guard?

 

[Smokestack SASS#87384]

1 hour ago, Sgt. Saywut said:

I don’t follow; when I remove the hand guard, this pic shows what’s exposed.   Is that curled spring on the underside of th barrels supposed to come out with the hand guard?

 

You are not supposed to remove the wood. You pull the whole thing down and that spring will toggle to the free position then the Forbes comes off as one piece, metal and wood. After that you move the lever and open the barrels until they unhook from the action. 

[Sedalia Dave]

Based on what you have in the picture you need to use a padded screwdriver and pry that metal piece away from the barrels.

With the action closed; Insert the padded screw driver between it and the barrels with the tip facing the receiver and the handle towards the muzzle.

Gently lever it off the same way the video shows removing the forearm. Now you need to reinstall that piece into the wood.  You have likely stripped a screw or two that will have to be repaired.  When I can get pictures I'll post them showing where the screw(s) go.

[Sgt. Saywut]

Thanks for the responses - I overthought the issue when I saw the screw on the underside of the hand guard.   I’ll tackle the issue of prising off the metal after I see the video again tonight, with 311 in hand. 

[Smokestack SASS#87384]

A word of caution, unless you are really good at reassembling difficult things under heavy spring pressure, I don’t recommend that you remove the hammers from a 311. They can be put back in, but it can be very difficult. 

[Sedalia Dave]

1 hour ago, Smokestack said:

A word of caution, unless you are really good at reassembling difficult things under heavy spring pressure, I don’t recommend that you remove the hammers from a 311. They can be put back in, but it can be very difficult. 

 

+1000

 

[Goody, SASS #26190]

Here is some very good information on these. They were in wide use when I started in 1998.  And Marauder kept these pages up that were a gathering of hints and tips on making guns run a lot better. This was before short strokes and the proliferation of really good gun tuners and parts we have available today. Hope you find something of use on his pages. Be sure and read all the way through, there are some very good instructions in the PDF's at the bottom of the page.

 

http://marauder.homestead.com/Stevens311.html

 

[Sedalia Dave]

2 hours ago, Smokestack said:

A word of caution, unless you are really good at reassembling difficult things under heavy spring pressure, I don’t recommend that you remove the hammers from a 311. They can be put back in, but it can be very difficult. 

 

Here is one method if you want to remove and replace the hammers and springs. If you are going to shoot a 311 in CAS it is worth the effort to put in lighter hammer springs.  Factory springs are 90 lbs. Reduced Power (RP) springs are 60 lbs.

I installed this set in a total of 4 guns.  Without the benefit of the home built tool in the below video. Definitely not a job for those that lack mechanical aptitude, complex problem solving abilities and a lot of persistence.

 

Wolff Shotgun Performance Pack Stevens 311 Series includes 5100, 530, A, 311, Springfield 511, Fox BDE, BSE, BST

 

 

[Sgt. Saywut]

Well, it certainly looks like I have my work cut out for me with this “good deal!”   It’ll be a backup shotgun as I plan to use primarily a CC 1887 followed by a Winchester ‘97, but it could be a fun project. 

[Sedalia Dave]

With a little practice the 1887 can be a lot of fun. Just be aware that when things go wrong it is usually on an epic scale.  I bought one for style points. I like it so much that it is now may main match SG. I still have the 311 I started out with 4 years ago. I also have a race ready Baikal that I got just before I picked up the 87 I am currently shooting. My 87 was done by Lassiter.

 

make up dome dummy rounds and practice a little and have fun.

 

Here is a tutorial on loading techniques for the 87 by Deuce Stevens.  Strong hand loading works best for me. Others load weak hand. Try both and see what works for you.

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Here is him showing a left handed 97 technique.

 

 

 

Widowmaker Hill

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

More Widomaker

 

 

[Sgt. Saywut]

Thanks for posting those videos.  I’ve seen them, but they’re still cool to watch! 

 

[WARNING:  THREAD DRIFT]

 

I’m also going for style points, to the extent I’m using a bandolier    It’s a challenge to learn how to load an ‘87 from the bando using the strong hand style.  I just don’t care for holding the ‘87 by the lever while loading weak hand, especially if I want to go any faster than a snail’s pace.  So I have to pull two from across the chest as I reach for the ‘87 with my weak hand, then reach under for two more.  It takes practice and lots of practice to come up with the shells held properly, that’s for sure - and I have a lonnnnng way to go.   It’s much easier with the ‘97. 

 

Which reminds me; does anyone reading this who has an IAC ‘87 find it to be fussy about the load-two method?  Mine is an early 06 SN from Coyote Cap that I bought from an estate sale, and I have to be very careful loading two shells.  A touch too much pressure, and the shells drop too deep such that the upper shell hits the lower lip of the chamber when I work the lever, and a touch too little pressure leaves the upper shell catching the upper lip.  Ditto the forward/back placement of the shells; a tad too much in either direction leaves the shells angled up.  It’s tricky,  especially compared to just throwing the shells into the port of the ‘97. 

[Sedalia Dave]

Yep the CC 87 will do that. It takes practice to get it right. The Lasiter 87s are modified such that there is no way for the carrier to be pushed too low. The down side is it is all but impossible to load rounds into the magazine. It can be done but it is not easy.

 

That is why practice is so important. BTW I have a CC Special 87 as well but for CAS I prefer the one with the Lassiter drop 2 mod.

 

If you are right handed, try your Bandoleer over your left shoulder with the shells placed low near your right hip. Might work better as you wouldn't have to reach over the gun to reach the shells.

 

Just in case you are not aware; the butt stock on an 87 has to be a lot shorter that other shotguns so that you can easily cycle the lever through its full range of motion.

[Cahawbakid]

I have a CC 87. I improved the two drop just a little by taking out the magizine end plug and putting a dummy shell in the tube on top of the spring. This puts a little more pressure on the system And makes the two drop a little less sensitive 

 

 

[Sgt. Saywut]

6 minutes ago, Cahawbakid said:

I have a CC 87. I improved the two drop just a little by taking out the magizine end plug and putting a dummy shell in the tube on top of the spring. This puts a little more pressure on the system And makes the two drop a little less sensitive 

 

 

 

I’m trying to envision this modification with the dummy shell. If you can see the mod in a picture, could you post one, please?

 

SD - I tried wearing the bando over my left shoulder, but the shells end up the wrong way in my right hand, and I have to angle them as I pull them, to avoid hitting the 1887 on my shoulder.  So wearing it over my right shoulder, and pulling from the other side of the bando, works better for me.   Interestingly, I found that wearing the bando over my left shoulder works great for weak hand loads over the top of my ‘97. The shells pulled from the bando end up in my hand in the correct alignment. 

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

On 11/20/2017 at 11:37 AM, Sgt. Saywut said:

Thanks for the responses - I overthought the issue when I saw the screw on the underside of the hand guard.   I’ll tackle the issue of prising off the metal after I see the video again tonight, with 311 in hand. 

 

Howdy

 

Hope I'm not too late.

 

Screw the forend back onto the gun. Do not try to pry off with a screwdriver. It is designed to be taken apart pretty much how that kid described it in his video, except he was fumbling a bit because he was really not familiar with the gun. Use the wooden fore end for leverage, placing a finger under the groove in front of the fore end. Pull up and the fore end will rotate up with the metal part attached. Be careful, some of these are really old, and if the screw strips out of the wood, you have a problem.

 

I had to laugh at the kid trying to reassemble his Stevens. With the forend still assembled, place the rounded cutout onto the rounded section of the frame, then pivot the forend down. The spring will compress, snapping the forend down in place. That is the way they were designed. Go a little slow, you may need to wiggle the forend slightly when replacing it to get everything to line up.

 

If you take the wood off first, it will be much more difficult. I have owned one of these since around 1970.

[Sgt. Saywut]

Hi DJ,

 

thanks for the comments, but you’re a bit late - I already have the wood off, and the metal off as well    I noticed the ejector screw was broken in half, and from the looks of it, the break happened some time ago so I needed it apart anyway to replace the screw.    I’ll be ordering one from Numrich, then will research the daunting task of replacing the mainsprings with reduced power versions.    Know anyone who has the jigs for making the job easier?  A rental of the jigs would be handy!

[Sedalia Dave]

38 minutes ago, Sgt. Saywut said:

Hi DJ,

 

thanks for the comments, but you’re a bit late - I already have the wood off, and the metal off as well    I noticed the ejector screw was broken in half, and from the looks of it, the break happened some time ago so I needed it apart anyway to replace the screw.    I’ll be ordering one from Numrich, then will research the daunting task of replacing the mainsprings with reduced power versions.    Know anyone who has the jigs for making the job easier?  A rental of the jigs would be handy!

 

If you were a little closer I would gladly help you change out the springs. I live a little NE of Dallas.

[Sgt. Saywut]

10 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

If you were a little closer I would gladly help you change out the springs. I live a little NE of Dallas.

 

 

Thanks, much appreciated.   I’m four hours away, though!  I’m confident I can get it done with the proper tools like in that one video with the aluminum jigs and forked screwdriver.    If I was doing a bunch of 311’s, making my own tools would be worthwhile, but I suspect this will be my one and only. 

 

You planning to attend the SW Regional match in OKC in April?

[Sedalia Dave]

If you decide to cut the barrels; about 23 inches is as short as I would go. You need the weight to ensure it opens reliably.

[Sgt. Saywut]

48 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

If you decide to cut the barrels; about 23 inches is as short as I would go. You need the weight to ensure it opens reliably.

 

I was thinking 24”.   But I’m concerned about the center rib if I cut it; I can’t imagine there’s a continuous weld from one end to the other, or if it’s a solid rib all the way. 

[Sedalia Dave]

4 hours ago, Sgt. Saywut said:

 

I was thinking 24”.   But I’m concerned about the center rib if I cut it; I can’t imagine there’s a continuous weld from one end to the other, or if it’s a solid rib all the way. 

24" is a good length.

 

Upper and lower ribs are a continuous weld. After cutting, clean and de-grease then fill the gap with JB Weld.

 

You can buy a replacement bead kit with the correct drill and tap from Brownells.

[Sgt. Saywut]

OK, so today I managed to disassemble the receiver using the instructions at this link:

 

https://www.gun-tests.com/special_reports/long_guns/Inexpensive-Fixes-Savage_Stevens-311s-gunsmithing-14242-1.html#.WiGYSqZMGhA

 

However, I’m stumped when it comes to removing the spring that loads the top snap.  I know some folks say to leave it alone, but on my 311, the effort to unlock the barrels is a bit stout, so I’d like to try the reduced power spring that came with the kit from Brownells.   I removed the screw that goes into the top snap from the inside of the receiver, but the top snap doesn’t seem to want to lift out even an iota.   What do I do next, and how is the new spring installed?  Here’s a pic of where I am now...

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

First put that screw back in.  It doesn't need to be removed.

 

You have to pry the spring loose from the fixed boss on the tang.  If you look at the boss you can see that it is "C" shaped.  This is where that little forked tool from the video comes in handy.  You can make your own from an old screw driver or go to the hardware store and buy a brad nail puller and modify the slot. Once you have the spring loose the other end of the actuator rod will slip out of the locking bar assembly.

 

Take care not to bend that rod as it has a unique geometry.

 

If you want to disable the feature that turn the safety on every time you open the gun you will need to shorten that rod enough so that it no longer pushes against the safety. 

 

You can get the little forked tool from Ace hardware in addition to other places. Square up the slot so that it is a little wider than the rod.

 

Lots of good information on the 311 and other guns can be found here.  http://marauder.homestead.com/irons.html  (Thanks Marauder for maintaining this page. )

[Sgt. Saywut]

1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said:

First put that screw back in. 

 

Why do I suddenly feel like I need to go to confession and say penance?  

 

I see how it works now, so I'll pick up one of those forked tools.  Much obliged.

[Sedalia Dave]

4 hours ago, Sgt. Saywut said:

 

Why do I suddenly feel like I need to go to confession and say penance?  

 

I see how it works now, so I'll pick up one of those forked tools.  Much obliged.

 

Every one of us that has ever worked on a gun has been there and done that at least once. 

[Sgt. Saywut]

Alright, so I replaced all the springs and installed a flat-sided cocking lever in the barrel assembly, and the action is now considerably lighter and the barrels drop a bit more without bouncing back.    So far, so good. 

 

Now I’m looking at cutting the barrels from 28” to 24” - it is rather unwieldy trying to open the action and shuck spent shells one-handed with those mile-long barrels 

 

I noticed the muzzles on both barrels are beveled on the inside.  I can’t imagine that makes much difference other than from an aesthetic standpoint, but I wanted to check with you folks before I started cutting.  I plan to use a cold cut chop saw and afterward a sanding sponge to dress the sharp edges.   Do you folks do anything different when it comes to cutting or finishing the cut edges?

[Sedalia Dave]

Go slow cutting the barrels and have plenty of cooling lubricant. The outside profile is tapered so you will need some wedges to jet then straight in the saw clamp. I use the plastic door and window frame wedges as you can cut right through then.

It will not hurt to chamfer the insides of each barrel slightly to ensure there are no burs.  Once cut clean the space between the barrels with a non-chlorinated brake cleaner. Then rough up the inside with  small piece of sandpaper. Re-clean with brake cleaner and then some JB weld into the void.  Cover with tape and let the barrels sit muzzle down until the JB weld cures. Clean up with sand paper and you will be good to go. 

[Sgt. Saywut]

SD, thanks once again for your comments - they were most helpful.   I’ve got the shotgun cut down and am now waiting for the JB Weld to cure so I can finish up the mods and try a range session. 

 

One thing I learned is to make sure the plungers that sit inside the hammer springs are aligned correctly with the concave faces seated properly against the hammer spurs.   I got one turned 90 degrees but didn’t realize it, and it took me an hour or two to figure out why the barrels weren’t opening all the way.  I kept tinkering with the cocking lever, and belatedly thought of the plunger.   Went back and removed the right-hand hammer which meant I had to pull the pin all the way out to the right-hand receiver wall.  By the way, a nail of the proper size with the point ground down makes a great place holder to keep everything together if you only want to remove the right-hand hammer.  Then I turned the plunger, and put it back together.   Voila!