Stevens Serial Number Lookup
Nomenclature
The model nomenclature and identification of the various Carcano rifles and carbines varies wildly and confusingly in both Italian and foreign literature. While it may be preferable, in the long run, to stay with the 'official' Italian army nomenclature, it is not always clear itself and often too ambiguous.Apr 13, 2018 A good friend of mine gave me a Stevens Favorite.22 rifle for my birthday. I am trying to figure out the date or approximate date of manufacture. It has a serial no. 326 under the lever. It is a full octagonal barrel with walnut stock and fore end. The markings say J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. The takedown screw has a metal 'D' ring attached. Pick a model from the left hand menu.
- first by their phenotype, that is either long rifle, short rifle, cavalry carbine, or special troops' carbine.
- second by their model/sub-model number, e.g. M91, M91/41 (the two long rifles), M91 TS, M91/24 TS, M91/38 TS (all these are full-stocked special troops' carbines)
- third by their caliber, id est 6,5 mm or 7,35 mm.
While an argument could be brought forth that it be sufficient to use the model number alone to also identify the caliber, this is very obscure even for the specialist, much more so for the non-initiated everyday reader.
Here is an example: stating 'I have a Carcano Moschetto TS Mod. 38 in 7,35 mms for sale' is a lot for clearer than just calling it a ' Carcano Model 38' and letting the reader wonder what it might turn out to be in the end (a short rifle ? a cavalry carbine ? a special troops' carbine ?).
An interesting other 'Carcano' model, in the wider sense, is the Tipo I, which was produced 1938/39 on foreign contract for use by the Japanese as part of Axis mutual aid pacts, and which is chambered for the 6,5x50 R Japanese. Unlike the other Carcani, which have a 6 round charger-clip magazine, the Tipo I, has a 5 round box magazine (for stripper clips). Stocks and sights also differ from the Italian type in that they closely resemble the Japanese Type 38 Arisaka long rifle from 1905.
Sub-Models
In addition to the basic models, there are sub-models identified by the year when revisions to the basic model were introduced. For example, the M91/24 T.S. is a rework begun in 1924, converting the M91 Fucile to T.S. specification. The M91/28 (special troops' carbine) and M91/41 (long ifle) are sub-models were introduced in 1928 and 1941, respectively. A slight exception to this rule is the - already mentioned - M91/38 which was actually introduced in 1940. The M91/38 derived it nomenclature from it being a M38 chambered in 6,5x52 Carcano, instead of the originally intended 7,35x51 Carcano. M91/38's are often also referred to as 'M38 in 6,5x52 Carcano'. Incidentally, there is no evidence to support the often-read and repeated rumour that any M38's were converted from 7,35x51 Carcano to 6,5x52 Carcano (by changing the barrel), according to Hobbs. But a number of M 38 guns in 7,35 mms were made using older 6,5 mms barrels and receivers, the markings of which may still be found partially visible e.g. on the barrel base.Regardless of the formal distinction which we undertook above, it is common to find the sub-models being referred to as models (i.e. M91/28 as M28; M91/41 as M41). Just keep this in mind when interpreting a reference.
Variants or Types
From these basic nominal 'models', several discernible variants existed: the Fucile, Fucile Corto, Moschetto Cavalleria (Cav.) and the Moschetto Truppe Speciali (T.S.).These are the denominations most helpful for you, and which Alexander Eichener had also called 'phenotypes' because they are immediately recognizable at sight.
Fucile (Long rifle):
Two long rifles exist, namely the M91 and the M91/41 (the preceding M 91/40 was a long trial rifle which was never distributed at large). They are distinguished in the following ways:
- Length
- Rear sight blades: M 91 graduated from 600 metres to 2000 metres, M 91/41 from 300 metres to 1000 metres
- Sling bars and swivels: only at the bottom for the M91, whereas the M91/41 also has side bars. A few M 91/41 may have their bottom swivels milled off after production.
- Buttplate: the M91/41 buttplate is slightly flatter and curves around the upper side of the buttstock, so the upper screw enters from above, vertically.
Fucile corto (Short rifle):
They exist in 7,35 mms (Mod. 1938 or 38) and in 6,5 mms (Mod. 91/38). Identical except for caliber and sight zeroing distance (7,35 mms at 300 metres, 6,5 mms at 200 metres). Only the very first M1938 short rifles initially had a different handguard and nosecap and no second barrel band (and these are not 'prototypes', as Richard Hobbs incorrectly named them, but regular production). Upon negative reports from the troops, these features were changed, and the old style rifles were almost all retroconverted to the later (common) standard, by exchanging the handguard and nosecap and re-milling the stock's front end to accomodate the new nosecap.
The Short Rifle is often confused with the Moschetto TS. Beware. See the explanation later on this page for a listing of the differences.
Moschetto TS
A short carbine, stocked almost to the muzzle, with a bayonet lug and a handguard. Comes as M91 (in various modifications), M91/24, M91/28, M38, M38 S (in 7.9/7.92/8mm Mauser) and M91/38.
Moschetto per Cavalleria
A half-stocked cavalry carbine, with the unmistakable triangular folding bayonet; it is fixed to a permanent muzzle mounting, but hinges back under the stock, into a slot there. Not infrequently the bayonet is missing. Exists as M91, M38, M 38 S, M91/38. One manufacturer, FNA Brescia, continued its previous M91 pattern throughout the Second World War and never made a M91/38 with fixed sights. Please note that the round barrel base (instead of the old half-octagonal configuration with five facets on the upper side and a round base) was already introduced way before 1938 for the last M91 carbines and is not a sign for a M91/38 model in and by itself.
How to distinguish a Short Rifle and a Moschetto TS:
- The Short Rifle has a gripping groove milled into each side of the wooden forearm; the Moschetto TS not.
- The Short Rifle has a buttplate with a small (hard-to-pry-open) trapdoor for its three-piece cleaning rod; the Moschetto TS has its rod right under the barrel, screwed into a channel like the Fucile 91.
- The Short Rifle is xxx cms (40 inches) long, the Moschetto TS only xx cms (36 inches).
How to distinguish the manifold Moschetto TS sub-variants:
Have you ever taken a broom and begon to sweep the forest ? *Sigh* The Moschetto TS underwent constant minor modifications and alterations like no other Carcano, and I find it very difficult to gain an overview. Collectors hould keep in mind that these were all undertaken man mano, that is, successively as soon as a gun would have to be repaired and came back to the arsenal. Many different stages and variants thus co-existed at the same time and to speak of 'introduction times' would mislead the reader. The changes mainly involve the following parts:
- bayonet lug on original nose cap altered from transversal TS shape to usual straight fucile shape
- handguard retainer hook added to nosecap; handguard accordingly loses its retaining inner front metal lip, like the fucile's handguard did earlier
- additional side sling swivel mounted into the forearm
- long curved nose cap exchanged to short fucile style
- second barrel band added (fucile style)
- side sling swivel added onto the fucile style barrel band.
There are other Carcano variants, but these tend to be extremely rare or conversions of other types. For example, there are the Guardie del Re (King's Guard) and Moschettieri del Duce (Mussolini's Guard) variants, both of which are rare, and are distinguished by the coloring (gilded ornamentation and black stock, respectively), and non-standard stock/bayonet treatments.
One conversion is the Tromboni Launchi Bombe (aka Troboncino Launcia Bombe), the Grenade Launcher variants of the M91/28 T.S., M38 T.S. and M38 Cav. The Tromboni Launchi Bombe is permanently attached to the right side of the gun. Guns with the Tromboni removed should have a small notch cut on the top of the chamber end of the barrel and the right side of the stock inletted. 1943 saw the introduction of a German style grenade launcher that fit underneath the barrel of the M91, M91/41 and T.S.'s.
There are also late war official German 8x57 IS conversions, undertaken as an emergency measure for the Volkssturm in both magazine and single-shot configurations (Heinrich Krieghoff branch factory in Tyrol). These are very rare, and must not be confused by the much more commonly offered following variant:
Some Moschetti TS M38 were chambered for the 7,92x57 Mauser (aka 7,9x57 Mauser; 8 x 57 IS; 8mm Mauser). We call them 'M38 S' here, because they usually bear a large 'S' mark on the receiver, and often also on the bolt handle; their receiver breech end has a half-moon cut to accomodate for the longer 8 x 57 IS cartridges (just as with the Norvegian Kar 98k converted to .30-06, and the Turkish M 1903/38 conversions).
Richard Hobbs thinks, based on an oblique and unclear remark in Italian army supply documents, that these guns were intended for Italian troops operating on the Russian front, and he thus calls this sub-model the Moschetto M38 TS Russi (Russian); but this appears to be a naming after the fact (unless further Italian sources be discovered). Others disagree, based e.g. on the argument that the term 'Fucili Russi 8mm' could as well and even more literally refer to two not uncommon RUSSIAN World War I bounty weapons: to the Austrian-captured Mosin-Nagants converted to 8 x 50 R Steyr and to the German-captured Mosin-Nagants converted to 8 x 57 IS. Besides, the Italian armed forces had enormous stocks of original Austrian M1895 rifles and carbines, and also used them in WW II. These critics identify those Moschetti either as post-war conversions done for Egypt, some of which were captured by Israel, or as direct war aid deliveries to Israel.
The most likely conclusion is therefore that at least two, maybe three different Carcano types in 8x57 IS exist; their history still remains somewhat unclear until now.
For those of you who are challenged by the Italian language, the table below is a translation of the model/variant nomenclature:
| English | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | |||||||||
| Rifle | |||||||||
| Short Rifle | |||||||||
| Cavalry Carbine | |||||||||
| Special Troop Carbine | |||||||||
| Type I | |||||||||
| S | |||||||||
| 91/24 | 91/41 | Cav. | T.S. | Fucile Corto | T.S. | Cav. | Fucile |
|---|
Other Markings/Features
Other markings and features you may find on a Carcano are:- Tiro a Segno Nazionale (Two crossed rifles superimposing a bullseye target stamped on barrel or stock).
The significance of this oft-encountered mark is still not totally cleared up. It is quite certain, however, that this was neither a unit mark denoting actual sniper usage, nor a sign for 'prize guns' in shooting competitions (as was the case with some Fucili Vetterli M 1870, which were not serial numbered, bore the same sign, and were given as prizes to the winners - thence the tradition is derived). Nor can one assume that all those many rifles (and cavalry carbines) were used by sharpshooters; rather, they may have been the pool from which proper snipers (tiratori scelti), as well as any unit's 'good shots' could select their guns.
Rather than actual usage, the 'two stylized crossed rifles' indicate that these guns were by the selected by the factories right after production, though I am not sure whether the grading was based just on barrel diameter gauging, or on the results of test shooting showing superior accuracy. Such a sign can be found on all models, also on short rifes, cavalry carbines and special troops' carbines. Incidentally, many guns with this sign have rather used or bad barrels now, and thus are not worth more. The stamping is, in my experience, more common than some think: I would say between 5 % and 10 % of the guns bore it. - Dual Target Triggers.
Some guns produced for competition have dual set triggers. - Regia Aeronautica (Letters 'RA' stamped).
These guns were issued to the Italian Royal Air Force. - San Marco (An anchor stamp).
These guns were issued to the San Marco Marines or to the 'San Marco' RSI infantry division (post-1943). - Finnish Army (Letters 'SA' in box, meaning 'Suomen Armeija').
M38 short rifles given to the Finns as war aid for use against the Russians have this stamp. In addition, the front sights have received higher blades to provide for a zeroing distance of only 150 m. - 'Large S' on 7.92x57 IS Mauser caliber gun.
Mauser caliber guns required slight reworking of the bolt and receiver to accept the 8 x 57 IS Mauser round, and are stamped as such. - German WaA Markings.
Guns used by the Wehrmacht and the Volkssturm may have these armed forces WaA acceptance markings and/or military proof marks. - Bavaria Police; Bavaria Rural Police.
The Bavaria Police used M91/24's after WWII as carbines. - Heinrich Krieghoff (Letters 'HK' in circle - 8mm conversion).
Guns reworked to accept the 7.92x57IS Mauser round. These guns were either repeaters or single shot and have original serial numbers crossed out and new numbers that start with 'H'. - Star of David and/or 'zahal' mark.
After the establishment of the Israeli state, the Israelis used any guns they could procure somehow. Some M38 in 8x57 IS found their way to Israel and are mark with the Star of David and the Israeli armed forces mark ('zahal'). - Tubato (Tubular rifling insert).
In the 1920's some guns were reworked via the Salerno method by boring out the worn barrel and inserting a rifled, tubular barrel liner. These guns are marked Tubato, letters running in a 'U' shape on the middle barrel facet, and may bear the additional date of the rework. The Finnish used the same method not much later for some of their Mosin-Nagants.
Specifications
The primary distinction between the models/sub-models/variants is made by the year of manufacture (indicated on the barrel up to roughly mid-1943), length, and the bayonet mounting. The table below shows the specifications for the models/sub-models/variants:| Caliber (mm) | Twist Type | Sights (m) | Weight | Length (cm) | Bayonet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjustable | Battle | Fixed | Barrel | Overall |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 450-2000 | 78 | Detachable | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 450-1500 | 45 | Attached/Folding | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 450-1500 | 44.9 | Detachable | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 450-1500 | 45.2 | Detachable | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 450-1500 | 45.7 | Detachable | |
| 7.35x51 Carcano | 200 | 53.5 | Detachable/Folding | |
| 7.35x51 Carcano | 200 | 44.7 | Attached/Folding | |
| 7.35x51 Carcano | 200 | 45.1 | Detachable | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 200 | 53.8 | Detachable/Folding | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 450-1500 | 200 | 44.6 | Attached/Folding |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 200 | 45.9 | Detachable | |
| 6.5x52 Carcano | 300-1000 | 69.2 | Detachable | |
| 8x57 IS Mauser | 200 | 45.6 | Attached/Folding | |
| 8x57 IS Mauser | 200 | 45.2 | Detachable | |
| 6.5x50 Japanese | 400-2400 | 78.1 | Detachable Arisaka bayonet |
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Double Barrel Shotguns ;Double barrels shotguns were 'the gun' for a good many years before the repeaters came into being. Some of these were 'Work of Art', Parkers, LC Smith, Fox Sterlingworth, Winchester model 21, while others were simply working guns, these Savage/Stevens fitting that category.
The two main type of hammerless double barrel shotguns are sidelock and boxlock. All the Stevens/Savage guns were boxlock.
The Savage company reserved their name to a more deluxe double, (a dressed up version of the standard model Stevens 311) and named it the Savage Fox model B.
Listed below is history of the two companies, which will help explain this article.
Stevens Armswas anAmericanfirearmsmanufacturer founded by Joshua Stevens in 1864 inChicopee Falls, MA. The company introduced the.22 Long Rifleround and made a number ofrifle,shotgun, and targetpistoldesigns. By 1902 they were advertising themselves as 'the largest producers of sporting arms in the world'. They were purchased byNew England Westinghouseon May 28, 1915 and again bySavage Armson April 1, 1920. As a subsidiary division of Savage, Stevens continued to produce firearms at their Chicopee Falls facility until 1960, but in a semi-independent status until 1942 . That plant was torn down in1960 and the Stevens production was moved into other Savage facilities. Savage dropped the Stevens name in 1991 but revived it in 1999 and still uses it today for a number of its low cost rifles and shotguns.
This merger made Savage the largest producer of arms in the United States at the time.
Savage Arms was founded in 1894 byArthur Savage inUtica, New York. Within 20 years they were producing rifles, handguns, and ammunition. Savage introduced the first hammerless lever-action rifle, theModel 1895, derived from Arthur Savage's Model 1892 rifle that he had designed forColt in a failed bid for a US Army rifle contract that instead was won by theKrag–Jørgensen design. The Model 1895 won aNew York National Guard contract, but the contract was cancelled due to political controversy.
Savage was one of six companies to participate in the United States Army trials for a.45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and was named one of the two finalists before losing out toColt's design, which would become theM1911 pistol. Savage marketed a series of.32 and.380 caliberpocket pistols, theModels 1907, 1915, and 1917 based on the same patents as their .45 caliber prototype.
Savage merged with theDriggs-Seabury Ordnance Company during World War I and producedLewis machine guns at Driggs-Seabury's former plant inSharon, Pennsylvania.Savage also producedModel 1899 muskets for the Montreal Home Guard during World War I.
In 1919, Arthur Savage was approached by Chief Lame Deer to buy rifles for his tribe in New York. Lame Deer offered to allow Savage to use his image as its logo in exchange for discounted rifles and an annual fee. As of 2018, Savage Arms was still paying the annual fee.
In 1920, Savage boughtStevens Arms ofChicopee Falls, MA. In July 1921, a mortgage securing five promissory notes, each for $21,416, was filed in the County Clerk's office inUtica showing that the Savage Arms Corporation had purchased a 'number of buildings erected by the government' duringWorld War I for increasing the output of Lewis machine guns at the plant. The notes were due in 1927. In 1929 Savage acquired the A.H. Fox Gun company ofPhiladelphia and moved production to Utica. Also in 1929 Crescent Arms was bought by Savage Arms Corp.
In 1939, Savage introduced theModel 24combination gun (a configuration uncommon in the U.S.), which sold over a million copies.
Ithenticate software crack free download. Savage was one of the few American makers of affordable double-barrel shotguns including theFox Sterlingworth, Fox Model B, and Stevens Model 311 and produced rifles and shotguns under house brand names for large store chains.
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CRESCENT F. A. CO. Norwich, Connecticut
The company made good quality inexpensive single and double-barrel shotguns at its Norwich works, beginning about 1892. It was bought by H&D Folsom of New York City, large importers and distributors of firearms and sporting goods, so they could add an American-made sidelock hammer, side-by-side to their extensive range of imported guns. The Crescent guns were offered in 12, 16, 20, and 28 gauges and later, 44XL shot caliber with Damascus twist laminated or Armory steel barrels depending on the shooter’s wants.
It was merged with Davis-Warner Arms Corp. successors to N.R. Davis & Sons Co. and became Crescent-Davis Arms Corp. Crescent Arms was bought by Savage Arms Corp. in 1929. In 1932 the operation was moved to the Stevens plant at Springfield, Mass. where some sidelock doubles were assembled, Crescent-Davis brand guns remained in Steven’s full line catalog until 1941 but from 1937 to 1941 the doubles sold in the Crescent-Davis brand were on either Stevens or Davis boxlock frames.
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Savage also sold these guns to mail order houses like Sears and Montgomery Wards which used their own model number.
Listed below are most of the Savage/Stevens/Springfield models produced. Springfield name was normally used on the lower priced,store brand models if that store did not have it's own trade name, or the order was small enough to not bother with a trade model. All are made on the same basic Savage model B frame.
Savage Fox B (Double triggers)
Savage Fox BST, BSTE, BDE, BSE-C, BSE-D, BSE-E, BSE-F, BSE-H (Single Trigger)
NOTE- Any model that has an E behind the model number indicated it had ejectors as compared to the common (economically to produce) extractor type.
Stevens 311, 311A, 311C, 311D, 311E, 311F, 311H, 311S, 311T, 315, 315S, 330, 331, 530, 530A, 530M, 550, (Double Trigger) (here the E series does not designate Ejector)
Springfield 511, 511A , 5000, 5100 (Double Trigger)
When Savage made any significant change in a firearm, they added a series letter behind the model
| Old Stevens sales prochure |
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This was some good information that I found from Gun Digest pertaining to serial numbers :
1. Stevens used plain numbers from their first double in 1878 until 1913.
2. Letter prefixes crept in on the serial numbers used on both hammer and hammerless doubles from 1913 to 1939. They always signified a change in mechanical design or manufacturing process which resulted in an interesting variant.
3. From 1940 to 1948 no serial numbers were used on doubles, only capital letters, usually in groups of three or four, the letter(s) sometimes enclosed in a circle, along with an inspector’s symbol ( a heart , a diamond, a spade or some such ‘shape’, on the bottom of the frame behind the hinge pin.
4. From 1948 to 1968 the letter symbols under the frame were changed to a ‘Capital letter with a one or two digit number’ in a 1/4″ circle. This was a date code which you will find illustrated in the Savage-Stevens-Fox pages of your Standard Catalog of Firearms.
5. From October 1968 to March 1988 Savage/Stevens/Fox B doubles are serial numbered in a completely new serial number range beginning at A000001. The six digit (always) numbers, stamped only on the left side of the frame, not on the barrels or fore end or on the wood, are preceded by capital letters from A to E. The letters do not correlate to production years. The letter prefix accompanied the Savage/Stevens/Fox B/Springfield serial number on every gun theymade from 1968 on.
Beginning about 1978 numbers 1 to 20 were also stamped on the three major components, frame, barrels and fore end iron, to enable the factory to keep 20 guns of like model together in a group for packing in the standard 20 gun shipping carton.
One collector only in double guns stopped looking for numbers on Savage/Stevens doubles after 1988 because that’s the year they shipped their last ‘Stevens Model 311′. The highest number I have seen was on 20 gauge Stevens
Model 311 Series H serial number E957971.
The Savage branded imported doubles, over and unders or side by sides, are numbered differently. Each model is numbered in the range created by its manufacturer. As you probably have heard, Savage/Stevens’ production records on their older models were destroyed in a sprinkler accident a number of years ago, according to officers of the company.
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The following are excerpts from a old shotgun forum.
Tenite stocks first appears in the 1940 Stevens/Springfield/Crescent-Davis illustrated price list on the Stevens No. 530M double. The No. 530 with a walnut stock had a dealer's price of $19.30 and a suggested retail price of $24.00. The No. 530M had a dealer's price of $18.20 and a suggested retail price of $22.75. For $3.25 extra either could be had with a non-selective single trigger. Offerings were the same for 1941 with prices up about $2 across the board.
Post WW-II the Tenite offerings expanded to include the Model 94 hammer single barrel, the now Stevens Model 311 double barrel and the Model 22-410 over / under. Also for 1948 the new Stevens Model 124 Cross Bolt Repeating 12-gauge Shotgun was introduced with the Tenite stock. Offerings were the same for Tenite stocked guns in 1949. By 1951 the only such stock still offered was on the Model 124 and the name Tenite wasn't mentioned, just 'durable service-proven molded plastic.' By the 1952 catalogue everything is walnut or walnut finished hardwood.
The various versions of the 20-gauge Fox Model B got 3-inch chambers in the 1964-65 time frame. The 12-gauges versions of the Fox B with double triggers got 3-inch chambers in 1973. From the catalogues it appears Savage never quite trusted their single trigger with 12-gauge 3-inch magnum recoil. I would imagine the Stevens No. 311S got 3-inch chambers about the same time as the Fox Model BS. Someday I'll get the catalogues out and look.
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I have a Stevens 311A made in 1963 , 20 gauge, with 3 inch factory chambers. I think that it was first chambered for 3' in that year (12 gauge 3' came about 10 years later). Hope this helps.
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Hi all, new to the board, great source of info. Currently restoring a couple of Stevens 311S and found this post. The 311A 20 gauge I have was made in 1957, based on the '17I' in the oval at the front of the receiver base. (also info obtained from this site!) and is chambered for 3' shells. The 12 gauge 311A was made in 1951 and has 2 3/4' chambers.
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311A's were made beginning in 1949 I believe. Is there a circled letter on the receiver? 'A' indicates 1949, 'B' 1950, etc. I own a 5100, the 311's predecessor. They are a great, quality American made shotgun. Welcome to the board.
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The fact that it has no serial # indicates that it was made before 1968, when the Gun Control Act of 1968 required that all firearms have serial #s.
The model 311 started as the Springfield 5000 around 1920 with model designation changing to 5100 in 1931. Around 1940 it became the Stevens model 311. It was discontinued in 1989.
If it was manufactured between 1949 and 1968 there should be a small circle with a number and letter stamped between the trigger and the hinge pin. The letter reflects the year of manufacture.
A to N = 1949 - 1961
P = 1963
R to V = 1964 - 1968
Yours, with a circled 'A', was probably made in, or very close to, 1949.
Value? Well, here we have a bit of a discrepancy. The Standard Catalog of Firearms values it at:
Model 311A - Hammerless Boxlock:
Exc. - $525
V.G. - $450
The Blue Book values it at:
Model 311 SxS (16 ga.):
98% - $295
95% - $240
90% - $220
Why the big difference? Your guess is as good as mine!
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The Stevens SxS's have a date code. It is a small circle (you need a magnifying glass) with a number followed by a letter inside the very small circle. A=1949 B=1950.. V=1968 etc. O and Q were not used. Do not confuse this with the mfg marks which are much larger, or the serial #. If it has a serial # it is post 68'.
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1. Stevens used plain numbers from their first double in 1878 until 1913.
2. Letter prefixes crept in on the serial numbers used on both hammer and hammerless doubles from 1913 to 1939. They always signified a change in mechanical design or manufacturing process which resulted in an interesting variant.
3. From 1940 to 1948 no serial numbers were used on doubles, only capital letters, usually in groups of three or four, the letter(s) sometimes enclosed in a circle, along with an inspector’s symbol ( a heart , a diamond, a spade or some such ‘shape’, on the bottom of the frame behind the hinge pin.
4. From 1948 to 1968 the letter symbols under the frame were changed to a ‘Capital letter with a one or two digit number’ in a 1/4? circle. This was a date code which you will find illustrated in the Savage-Stevens-Fox pages of your Standard Catalog of Firearms.
5. From October 1968 to March 1988 Savage/Stevens/Fox B doubles are serial numbered in a completely new serial number range beginning at A000001. The six digit (always) numbers, stamped only on the left side of the frame, not on the barrels or fore end or on the wood, are preceded by capital letters from A to E. The letters do not correlate to production years. The letter prefix accompanied the Savage/Stevens/FoxB/Springfield serial number on every gun they made from 1968 on. Beginning about 1978 numbers 1 to 20 were also stamped on the three major components, frame, barrels and fore end iron, to enable the factory to keep 20 guns of like model together in a group for packing in the standard 20 gun shipping carton.
Yours is one of these. Since I am interested only in double guns I stopped looking for numbers on Savage’Stevens doubles after 1988 because that’s the year they shipped their last ‘Stevens Model 311'.
The highest number I have seen was on 20 gauge Stevens Model 311 Series H serial number E957971. The Savage branded imported doubles, over and unders or side by sides, are numbered differently. Each model is numbered in the range created by its manufacturer. As you probably have heard, Savage/Stevens’ production records on their older models were destroyed in a sprinkler accident about 35 years ago, according to officers of the company.
To calculate an approximate number of ‘Stevens Model 311s’ that were made from 1968 to 1988 you could do this math exercise. Since Savage used 5 letters (A to E), each on 999,999 guns, they must have made about 5 million guns. Perhaps 40% were doubles in the various Savage Brands and Private Brands. That makes 2 million doubles of which I estimate 80% were Stevens 311's. And that’s not counting production before 1968. No wonder the “311? in its various variations is the all time favorite American made double.
And think how many Stevens 311s ( and Stevens made doubles that looked like Stevens 311s but carried private brands) had already been produced in the years between 1940 (first year of the ‘true’ Stevens Model 311) and 1968, during which time they weren’t serial numbered at all! There must be at least 4 million Stevens Model 311s, in one form or another, out there!
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Savage Arms no longer answers questions about old Stevens guns.
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Savage SS /DB / OU shotgun date code
A 1949 B 1950 C 1951
D 1952 E 1953 F 1954
G 1955 H 1956 I 1957
J 1958 K 1959 L 1960
M 1961 N 1962 P 1963
R 1964 S 1965 T 1966
U 1967 V 1968 W 1969
X1970
'Collectors will find a date code stamped on every double-barrel shotgun in the Stevens brands produced between March 1949 and December 1968. Usually, it is behind the hinge pin or ahead of the trigger guard on the bottom of the frame. It will appear as a small circle containing a number and a letter. The letters correspond to the years shown in the following table. Significance of the numbers is not known.'*
*From page 1101 of Ned Schwing's 2004 Standard Catalog of Firearms, 14th Edition, published by Krause Publications of Iola, WI.
I would like to add that I have found this circle, or oval, containing one or two numbers plus a single letter, just about anywhere and everywhere on the frame, but only on the outside of the frame, never inside. I have also found the circle or oval with letters and numbers on the barrel clusters, on the shot barrel or on the barrel assembly lug block. While the letter within the circle always match on factory matching barrel and frame, the numbers never match, or at least that has always been my experience. These Date Codes are also present on the Model 94 frames and barrels, and I am sure on many others.
The marks on the inside of the frame, where the lower barrel seats when closed, are what I would call assembly stampings, and match frame to barrel, found on underside of shot barrel near forend lug, and also sometimes found on the butt stock under the butt plate. ~EE
Gunsmithing Information ;On this series of shotguns, many parts will interchange, however here were some internal changes, like hammers that are different, along with parts for smaller gauges. Safeties and extractors usually interchanged. Trigger guards would interchange no matter the configuration. Trigger guards were originally a pot metal casting, then a simple stamped out sheet metal one. The Fox Bs were a more elaborate steel casting. Forends and the hanger brackets went through a lot of changes.
Frames were also different as the early ones at the rear had scallops on each side, where the later models the frame was flat vertically.
For those of you who do not understand the word Tenite when used in stocks. It was essentially a plastic molded, checkered stock, both buttstock and forearm, using a basic brown with a black swirly pattern, simulating wood. These buttstocks proved rather weak at the junction where the tang was, with most being cracked.
In the LH photos below, note the scalloped front contour between the receiver and stock. The RH photo below, this stock apparently came off one of the 311s that was shipped to the US Navy.
| Here a early 311 Tenite buttstock | Here a 311 Tenite buttstock branded US PROPERTY |
And in the lower photo the flat front. However on this receiver, the rear edges are tapered inward so as to force the wood in and less breakage. This is a later stained birch with impressed checkering buttstock.
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Originated 09-26-19 Last updated 03-02-2021
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