It’s very satisfying to me when a story comes full circle. When that story involves a cool gun, my ears perk up. Over the years, I’ve developed a love of vintage guns. I’m fascinated with the workmanship and quality that could be put into a budget shotgun or rifle. Equally, I love the stories those guns hold.
The Story
Floyd Metts was a WW2 B-17 pilot. He received the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters (denoting 4 times total) and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He owned Metts Hardware on the courthouse square for 45 years. One day, in the early- to mid-70s, Mr. Metts called my dad. His shotgun supplier (back in the day when it was normal for guns to be sold next to bins of nails) was getting out of the business and gave Mr. Metts a great price on some new old stock. Dad bought a Stevens Model 311A 16 gauge side-by-side for somewhere in the vicinity of $125.
A few short years later. My dad met a young man, probably a teenager at that time, who needed a shotgun for dove season. Dad sold the Stevens for $75.
Fast forward to present day. That young man grew up, had a 20-year career in the Navy, and came home. Not only did he still own the 16 gauge but he and his dad had collected every gauge produced in that model. He and Dad ran into each other for the first time in decades and started talking about that gun. He offered to sell the Stevens back to Dad for what he paid with the promise it would stay in our family or come back to him. Dad dropped it off with me immediately.
The Gun
The Stevens 311A was part of a group of guns built to be solid, dependable, and cheap for the everyday man. Savage and its subsidiary, Stevens, were common in this market. They, along with many others, sold guns both with their corporate name and proprietary “store brands”.
The 311 series of shotguns was produced from 1940 to 1989. To streamline manufacturing, chokes came standard according to barrel length. A 26-inch model was likely to IC/M. Chokes in the 28-inch model were probably M/F and F/F possibly in the 30-inch barrels. This makes sense because a hunter buying a shorter barrel was more likely hunting closer ranges. Quail over dogs or grouse in thick cover. Whereas a goose hunter might prefer tighter chokes and could take advantage of the longer barrels.
These were “utility grade” guns. No checkering, basic wood, nothing fancy in the finish. But fit and build were top notch. They will function flawlessly decades after their manufacture as long as they aren’t abused. Dating this type of gun is notoriously difficult. Most companies didn’t serialize their products until much later. Guns usually carry very few markings completely indicative of their birthdate. It seems this era of American gunmaking played pretty fast and loose with the bookkeeping.
My gun is a 26-inch model. The action bears the location Chicopee Falls and was probably built in 1951. Patterning with #6 shot bears out the standard IC/M choking. Weighing in at around 7.25 pounds it is slightly heavier and beefier than my British-built Webley 12 gauge. It shoulders naturally and points solid. All told, a fantastic piece of American gunmaking legacy that my son will be carrying afield one day.
