Stevens 311a help

[Micheal Fortune]

Greetings,

   I have a Stevens model 311a 12ga. Side by side and am experiencing problems with the chambers staying open full while I'm trying to reload.

   There is a lever in the bottom of the action that cocks the hammers and pulls the firing pins back to fire and it has a lot of tension in the last quarter of an inch of travel which causes the barrels to pivot back up and blocking the chambers for the reload.

   Does anyone have any experience with the 311a and can you help me out?

Thanks in advance,

Fortune

[Silver Creek Slim]

I see Driftwood answered on TFS.

Slim

[Micheal Fortune]

Yeppers, parts been ordered and on it's way! 

Thanks!

For the rest of you, http://www.marauder13.homestead.com/Stevens311.html

The phone number and part number is good, $12.23 with shipping!

[Micheal Fortune]

Got them parts in yesterday, put them in today.

It helps a bit but it's not a fix.

Have to tear her down I guess and see what I can do with the inside of the action.

Unless any of you have any ideas?

[john boy]

Michael:  give these polishings a try:
Where the forearm frame fits into the front of the receiver is a fraction point...
...put some valve grinding compound in both areas
...put the muzzle end of the barrels on the floor
...hold the tang lever open
...open-close the receiver a hundred times or so

Another suggestion to reduce friction ... more grinding compounding to the pin areas of the extractors. 

...and slobber up the plunger too... gets the burrs out of the plunger hole

Wipe and clean the grinding compund off, hit it with some of your favorite oil, put a couple of DUMMY shells in and see how it works when you pop the receiver

Stevens 311's are notarious for not fully opening.