All About Pocket Knives

I picked up this little .410 SxS yesterday at an estate sale. I think it dates to around the late teens - 1920s. Riverside - made by Stevens - same as a Stevens 311 evidently. Needs some mechanical work. We'll see if between me and an amateur gunsmith friend if we can get it running. He's owned and worked on quite a few 311s. If not, it will be a wall hanger in my shop. I always tell my friends that the only thing a .410 is good for is to kill snakes, and even then you have to beat them to death with it. But only paid $30, so I figured it was worth that much for parts.

Unk wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:09 pm I picked up this little .410 SxS yesterday at an estate sale. I think it dates to around the late teens - 1920s. Riverside - made by Stevens - same as a Stevens 311 evidently. Needs some mechanical work. We'll see if between me and an amateur gunsmith friend if we can get it running. He's owned and worked on quite a few 311s. If not, it will be a wall hanger in my shop. I always tell my friends that the only thing a .410 is good for is to kill snakes, and even then you have to beat them to death with it. But only paid $30, so I figured it was worth that much for parts.

Unk,
I believe you probably got your money's worth for that little sxs.
I have a soft spot in my heart for 311's. I always liked firearms and according to Florida law back in the day, a person had to be 16 years old to legally carry a gun. My dear old dad said, "I will get you a gun when you are 16." When that special day finally came, I reminded him of his statement. He responded by saying, "Why do you need another gun, you've got a room full of them!" I did a lot of trading when I was a kid!
All that to say, Pop told me to pick out a gun that didn't mean much to me and he would help me trade it for a shotgun. He did and it was a 12ga. Stevens 311. I killed my 1st two deer with it, both 8 pts at same time!
My 311 has been beat to pieces over the years and it still is available if needed.
Treefarmer

Nice memories, TF

I am lucky enough to still have the first rifle (Remington 550-1) and shotgun (Remington Model 11) that I shot when I was a kid. They were the only two guns in the house when I was growing up, and I used them to hunt and plink. My Dad passed them down to me a few years before he passed away. They will go to my kids.

My buddy came over tonight and we went through the little 311. Looks like we have a gap / clearance issue on the cocking lever. Everything else looked in good shape. He took it with him to see if he can get it running.

My first gun was a 410 bolt action my dad had when he was a kid so that dates it to early 1930s. Killed a ton of dove, quail, and ducks with it. A few rattlers with it as well. I still have it. J.c. Higgins as I recall.

Unk wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:09 pm I picked up this little .410 SxS yesterday at an estate sale. I think it dates to around the late teens - 1920s. Riverside - made by Stevens - same as a Stevens 311 evidently. Needs some mechanical work. We'll see if between me and an amateur gunsmith friend if we can get it running. He's owned and worked on quite a few 311s. If not, it will be a wall hanger in my shop. I always tell my friends that the only thing a .410 is good for is to kill snakes, and even then you have to beat them to death with it. But only paid $30, so I figured it was worth that much for parts.

After tinkering with it for a few days off and on, we finally figured out why the little .410 would only cock occasionally. A little screw in the forearm was bent, and it had to have the bend going vertically instead of sideways, or else it would bind. Easy fix, just had to figure it out. I have a new screw on order from Numrich - they call it an "ejector screw". I am looking forward to taking it out to my buddy's ranch next weekend opening day of Dove season and putting a few rounds through it. The doves ought to be pretty safe. From what I can gather, Stevens made "Riverside Arms" as their "low cost" line from 1914 to 1929. Same barrels and receivers as the Steven's brand, but birch and beech stocks instead of Walnut (someone swapped a walnut stock onto mine at some point). They made Riverside Arms in 1914 starting with the 12 ga and 16 ga, and adding the 20 ga and .410 in 1925. So my little .410 dates to between 1925 to 1929.

Sweet piece, Unk. Glad you got it into firing shape. May it serve you well for years to come.
Hard to believe it's almost 100 years old already.

I kick myself for not buying a 410 double by CZ a few years ago. The bluing on the barrels was beautiful.

Unk wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:09 pm I picked up this little .410 SxS yesterday at an estate sale. I think it dates to around the late teens - 1920s. Riverside - made by Stevens - same as a Stevens 311 evidently. Needs some mechanical work. We'll see if between me and an amateur gunsmith friend if we can get it running. He's owned and worked on quite a few 311s. If not, it will be a wall hanger in my shop. I always tell my friends that the only thing a .410 is good for is to kill snakes, and even then you have to beat them to death with it. But only paid $30, so I figured it was worth that much for parts.

What a great little gun! Glad it is getting sorted out. I have a Stevens made JC Higgins branded 16 gauge it is also a model 311. Mine has a hollow plastic stock. It has been turned into a coach gun.

Thanks guys. I had to run down to Wally World and pick up some 2 1/2 inch .410 shells. All my stash of .410 shells were 3 inch (and they are probably circa 1960s and 70s ) The 3 inch .410 shell wasn't introduced until 1933, so the old girl is chambered in 2 1/2.

Super redhawk & Buck 112 w. elk.
had this ruger done in mid 90s. target crown, ported, slab sided, trigger/hammer work. dead on @100 yds. Gave it to the oldest son a few years back when I sold the ruger collection.

A most impressive revolver.

robpa wrote: ↑Fri Aug 30, 2024 4:34 pm Super redhawk & Buck 112 w. elk.
had this ruger done in mid 90s. target crown, ported, slab sided, trigger/hammer work. dead on @100 yds. Gave it to the oldest son a few years back when I sold the ruger collection.

Awesome Ruger and Buck Robpa!! What caliber is the Redhawk?

44 ..


I dunno where that round layin there came from?? It musta been laying on the loading bench when I took the photo and didnt pay attention??

robpa wrote: ↑Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:56 pm 44 ..


I dunno where that round layin there came from?? It musta been laying on the loading bench when I took the photo and didnt pay attention??

I thought it was a .44 ... Man. you got that thing dialed in to be dead on at 100!

First day of early dove season..... Zeus was hard at work this morning.....

Nice pics, Top Dog

I was doing the same thing! We got quite a few on opening day, but got rained out today. Had a good time at my friends ranch hunting with guys I have been friends with since childhood. I used one of my 12 ga in the morning (Remington Versa Max) and got a few, but used the little old 410 I bought a few weeks ago in the afternoon and managed to get one. She's a little finicky but I probably will be too when I am 100 years old. It was fun to shoot. The two triggers takes a little adjustment to get that second shot off in a timely manner!

We had great food, drank a few beers, got a nice pile of dove, dodged a few rain showers, and had a great time.

Glad to see others got out for some doves. Very hit and miss here in Illinois. Used to have access to a gravel pit always made for a fun day. Now it’s big money or state park hunting.
I drove 50 miles one way on Sunday. First time I didn’t get pulled in the lottery drove 50 miles home. Got my lawns mowed.
My son and I went back yesterday pretty quiet but whenever I’m with the boy or any of the kids it’s a good day.

Forgot to say we had one nice flock come in and for the second time in 50 years of hunting and fishing I was getting carded by the warden nice young guy doing his job. Check license foid card one of the Illinois things and making sure our guns had plugs.
Told the kid he missed by a year last year was a shoot fest

Topdogg looks like your ready for dove season

garddogg56 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2024 10:37 pm Topdogg looks like your ready for dove season

Thanks G-dogg , Zeus did most of the work, I just pointed and pulled the trigger. The best part is that it burns a bit of energy off him and he calms down for a while....

Unk wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2024 2:40 am Nice pics, Top Dog
I was doing the same thing! We got quite a few on opening day, but got rained out today...
We had great food, drank a few beers, got a nice pile of dove, dodged a few rain showers, and had a great time.

Very nice mike ... Wow, that metal building makes me want to move to Texas!!! ... I might be able to organize my knives if I had that! .... It is great to get out with friends and my bird-dog Zeus and beat the brush, so to speak. Of course when I made the gun safe and set it down and got out water for Zeus... that is the exact moment the largest group of dove flew bye about 25 feet over head....

That is a great 410 you have there! .... I wish I still had my old break-barrel 410, I was "down-seizing" a few years ago and let it go ...

LKSKNIVES wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2024 1:30 pm Forgot to say we had one nice flock come in and for the second time in 50 years of hunting and fishing I was getting carded by the warden nice young guy doing his job. Check license foid card one of the Illinois things and making sure our guns had plugs.
Told the kid he missed by a year last year was a shoot fest

Looks like a beautiful day out there! I am out in the desert, with a fair amount of brush and scrub trees. And... it gets hot out here ... this week one day will be 107 with 30% humidity... the mornings are nice, but by 9:00 AM it is hot! .... It looks like a perfect day in that corn field

Yes it was a great day. My son and I are both looking forward to chasing some pheasant thow they are not wild ones anymore.
Kind of missed the point.
Guns and related.
That being said my son is shooting my model 37 feather light 20 gauge Ithaca. I received for Christmas about 50 years ago +-.
My younger brother complained for the longest time. After he had moved out to the house behind my dad. Christmas one year he walks into my brother’s house throws down a new Ithaca 12 and says leave me alone. We still laugh to this day.
I have branched out I have a Browning OU I found with dad at a local gun show in the day and picked up my first semiautomatic Benelli last year.

GSPTOPDOG wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2024 12:38 am

Unk wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2024 2:40 am

Very nice mike ... Wow, that metal building makes me want to move to Texas!!! ... I might be able to organize my knives if I had that! .... It is great to get out with friends and my bird-dog Zeus and beat the brush, so to speak. Of course when I made the gun safe and set it down and got out water for Zeus... that is the exact moment the largest group of dove flew bye about 25 feet over head....

That is a great 410 you have there! .... I wish I still had my old break-barrel 410, I was "down-seizing" a few years ago and let it go ...

Thanks Top Dog,

My buddy and his wife bought the ranch a couple of years ago as a weekend retreat. 530 acres or so, with a 4,000 sq ft building on it. Half - around 2,000 sq ft is the barn, and the other half is a 3 bedroom, 3 bath house with kitchen and living room (they call them a "Barndominium" around here). Lots of deer, hogs, turkey, etc to hunt, as well as 4 or 5 tanks to fish. He is also growing his cattle herd, as unmarked cattle keep showing up on his property over the last several years. He has asked all his neighbors, but they say they aren't theirs. I think he now has 15 or 20 black angus. His wife made him buy a bunch of feeders and is making him feed them. Driving around this week, most of them seem to be uncut bulls. I guess one of these days he'll hire some cowboys to round them up and take them to the auction. Or his wife will keep them as pets.