Need help identifying shotgun...

[massnee]

This is a side by side double barrel shotgun I recently acquired from my 87 year old neighbor. This was either his dad's or his grandfather's shotgun (his grandfather was a civil war veteran).

The only marking on the shotgun I can find is:

J. STEVENS ARMS & TOOL CO. CHICOPEE FALLS MASS USA

There appears to be no serial number.

Can anyone give me some information about this firearm? When it was possibly manufactured?

Thanks

 

[depicts]

NIce gun Steve. Are the barrels Demascus? Twist Steel? I love the exposed hammers.

Afraid I can't tell you anything about it. It's older than the oldest shotgun in my Numrich catalog. Way before the 311 Savage/Stevens and that was early 30's.

 

[massnee]

NIce gun Steve. Are the barrels Demascus? Twist Steel? I love the exposed hammers.

Afraid I can't tell you anything about it. It's older than the oldest shotgun in my Numrich catalog. Way before the 311 Savage/Stevens and that was early 30's.

Thanks for looking the shotgun up. I do not know what "Demascus" is...I also do not know how to identify "twist steel"

All I know about it is that I would not want to fire magnum shells in it.

 

[RIFLEMAN1000]

A lot of the older Stevens shotguns didnt have any serial numbers. This makes them real hard to date.

 

[Arioch]

Those barrels look like either damascus steel or they have a really nice, but heavy patina on them. In either case, I wouldn't shoot it without having a gunsmith check it.

 

[56/50]

1- have you taken the barrels off the frame?? If not, on the bottom of the foregrip is a lever to remove it, pull on it to remove it, if there's no lever pull down on front of the foregrip to remove it, next put hammers at half cock and open the action now you can remove the barrels, here you should be able to find any no's or proof marks, many guns I've worked on are sometimes made in Belgium, Germany, England, even though they have U.S. Company markings!! I have 4 external hammer shotguns, 3 cartridge and 1 a front stuffer, 3 are Damascus and are American named but proofed in England and Belgium!! If you have done or already know these procedure's I apologize for sounding high and mighty, but I know all my guns inside and out and don't mind sharing info. when I can help!! Post if you need any more help! Joe L.

 

[PatMcD]

Stevens started making shotguns about 1877. I'd say that one you have could be anywhere from 1877 to 1915 or so. You'd have to find a dedicated Stevens collector to find out the exact model and date.

 

[56/50]

2- Damascus barrels are ribbons of highly heated steel hand forged around a solid bar(mandrel) of the bore size one wants for the gun, in days gone by it was considered the safer and stronger barrel making procedure of the two known ways to make a barrel, plus it was condidered better looking. As far as using it today I think it would depend on many things the most important one being how was it taken care of in it's past as with any aged mechanical device be it a car, boat, appliance,etc. I'm in the process of making my reloads for my Spencer and Sharps carbines(original) and having checked out and lubed them have no doubt about their being able to shoot!!

 

[theGringo]

I don't know what it is but, damn, I wish I owned it. I also wondered, at first glance, if it's a Damascus barrel. This gun is a thing of beauty. Where the heck is the :green with envy: emoticon?

 

[bob68]

j stevens company is the predecessor of the fine line of the savage company. the stevens company was located in chicopee falls ma. they were there until some time after ww2 as i have a few stevens shot guns and a .22 that were made under the stevens brand. hope this is of some help.