Author Topic: Side by side dress up (Read 875 times)

Mainspring · « **on:** January 27, 2003, 09:40:10 AM »

Howdy all,

I can't even say that I'm new to CAS, since I haven't started yet, but I'm working on it. Going through all of the old threads here has been very helpful.

My first (of MANY) question here is, what should I do to my new (previously owned) 12 ga SxS to make it Cowboy Correct? I just got an old beater Stevens (Western Field) double trigger non-exposed hammers SxS. I got a pretty good deal on it, since the forearm, and to a lesser degree the stock, have been worked over pretty good by a hungry chipmunk. I'm guessing that I can sand/fill most of the damage in, and have some wood that just has some cool "battle scars". Any hints here would be greatly appreciated, since I've never done anything like this before.

Also, the barrels are (2 3/4") 28" or 30", but not for long. What's everyone's idea of the perfect CAS SxS barrel length?

Next phase of the same question...what can I do to slick up the action? Along those same lines, is there anything I should do to the chambers to facilitate spent hull removal / loading?

Anything that you guys could pass on would be greatly appreciated.

Capt Hamp Cox · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2003, 10:51:18 AM »

Go to
http://www.chipengelmann.com/Grips/Articles.html and check out the two downloadable articles on "Slicking up the Stevens 311 Shotgun". There are also lots of other good CAS related articles there.

I've worked on two of these (one double trigger 20 with barrel cut to 20"for my wife, and one single trigger 12 with barrel cut to 22" for me). My advice regarding the barrels would be to try a couple of matches with the barrels "as is". You may find you like it that way. If not, you can always bob the barrels with a hacksaw (you WILL LOSE any choke in the barels, ending up with a cylinder bore), even up the cut end with a file, fill in the resulting hole between the barrels with automotive body filler, reinstall the front bead, and cold blue the shiny cut edges. I have ordered and just received two sets of Wolff springs that I plan to install in our two guns. Supposedly, that will reduce the effort required to open the action, and reduce the tendency of the barrels to close partially when you are trying to reload. I used an automotive brake wheel cylinder hone, an electric hand drill, and plenty of brake fluid to smooth up the chambers. Go slowly with this process, and take just enough metal off so that Fired Win AA empties (only kind I reload because they extract the easiest) fall out of the chambers when the action is broken and the barrels are slightly elevated.

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2003, 12:09:50 PM »

Let me offer a site that I've found very helpful. Ol' Capt George has a wealth of knowledge for the new CAS shooter. Check the Marlin and Ruger section and you can get some ideas about slickin' the chambers of your SxS.

http://www.curtrich.com/cowboyphotos.html

Jose Grande · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2003, 08:42:10 PM »

Whoa up there!! Don't be bobing & honing just yet. I use a Stevens 315 with 28in. barrels & it works great for SASS. Slick up the chambers with fine steel wool wrapped around a small wooden dowl. Polish chambers to a bright finish & no more. Try the gun. Break it open as you bring it up & throw the empties out over your shoulder. Use AA hulls for loading shotshells. Failing that Rem.sts. Nothing else extracts as well. AA's are the best .Do not remove metal,polish only. You will find you get a smoother swing with the long barrels.
To fill holes in the stock use wood putty ( of close to right color) that is sandable. Some of it is not.
DAP Wood Dough is the best I've found in my area. You can saw,sand, paint,stain or anything else you can do to wood after it gets hard.
Last, after polishing,if AA's don't come out very easily after firing,polish a little more. It is easy to remove metal but very hard to replace. So please be conservitive in all things. :-) Good Shooting!!!

Capt Hamp Cox · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2003, 11:42:39 PM »

I found that installation of this part did result in some improvement in the barrels staying open for reloading.

http://marauder13.homestead.com/Stevens311.html

And, here's more food for thought (checkout parts 1 and 3 of the following site also).

http://www.marauder13.homestead.com/Double2.html

Mainspring · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2003, 04:32:43 AM »

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll take all that I can get, so keep it coming!

Capt Hamp Cox · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2003, 09:03:43 AM »

Mainspring,

Here's another potential fix. NOTE: I haven't tried it, so can't personally vouch for it, but plan to try it when I install new springs in the near future.

http://www.icehouse.net/jimj/stevensmod.htm