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Stevens 5100, how can you tell when it was made?

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#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi, I have a Stevens 5100 side-by-side shotgun, but I've been unable to determine when it was made. Can anyone out there help out? Here's what I know. On one side it says Springfield J. Stevens Arms Co., Chicopee Fall Mass, USA. On the other side, it just says 5100. On the bottom, there is a small circle behind the hinge that looks like it has an 11 inside it. The person who stamped it did not have the tool square, and the bottom of the circle and numbers or letters did not stamp. I was told when I bought it that they thought it was made in the 50s, but I've also heard that the J in J. Stevens was dropped in the 40s. On top of the barrels, it says Selected Forged Steel, and Proof Tested 16 Gauge 2-3/4 Chamber. All of the metal is excellent, and the walnut shows typical wear but is nice. Nice cut checkering too. Someone back when put one of those red rubber recoil pads on it that say Red Head co, Chicago. Nice looking, but it would be nice to have the original plate. Oh well. Anyway, I'm dying to know when this gun was made. Does anyone know?
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the Forum

I bought a mint Model 5100 in 16 gauge a few months ago. These older shotguns often did not have serial numbers. They were not required on rifles and shotguns until passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 on December 16, 1968.

I have been trying to narrow down the years of production for the Model 5100 without actual success. My guess is that they were made in the 1940s. I can recall the 1950s and was hanging around gun shops and do not remember seeing them as new guns at that time. All the best...
Gil
 
#3 ·
Gil Martin said:
I bought a mint Model 5100 in 16 gauge a few months ago. These older shotguns often did not have serial numbers. They were not required on rifles and shotguns until passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 on December 16, 1968.

I have been trying to narrow down the years of production for the Model 5100 without actual success. My guess is that they were made in the 1940s. I can recall the 1950s and was hanging around gun shops and do not remember seeing them as new guns at that time. All the best...
Gil
Hey Gil, Thanks for the information. How in the world did you find one in mint condition? I envy you. If you have a chance some time, would you mind measuring your stock? I'd like to see if they cut mine for the Red Head recoil pad. If not, maybe I can locate an original out there somewhere. Thanks again! Can you believe how little information is out there on this popular gun? It baffles me.
 
#4 ·
Stevens 5100

BoelterHomes said:
Hey Gil, Thanks for the information. How in the world did you find one in mint condition? I envy you. If you have a chance some time, would you mind measuring your stock? I'd like to see if they cut mine for the Red Head recoil pad. If not, maybe I can locate an original out there somewhere. Thanks again! Can you believe how little information is out there on this popular gun? It baffles me.
BoelterHomes,
Good post. My Model 5100 showed up in a local gun shop. I know the shop owner very well and he realized that 16 gauge guns do not sell well around here. I happen to prefer them.

I measured a few stocks to determine the length of pull and arrived at the following data:

Stevens 5100 with recoil pad 13 1/2"

Remington 870 with recoil pad 14"

Remington 870 without recoil pad 14"

Stocks and buttplates may be available from Gun parts Corporation at www.gunpartscorp.com. Hope this helps. All the best...
Gil
 
#5 ·
Gil Martin said:
BoelterHomes,
Good post. My Model 5100 showed up in a local gun shop. I know the shop owner very well and he realized that 16 gauge guns do not sell well around here. I happen to prefer them.

I measured a few stocks to determine the length of pull and arrived at the following data:

Stevens 5100 with recoil pad 13 1/2"

Remington 870 with recoil pad 14"

Remington 870 without recoil pad 14"

Stocks and buttplates may be available from Gun parts Corporation at www.gunpartscorp.com. Hope this helps. All the best...
Gil
Gil, You might find this interesting. Its a quote from someone else on the 5100 age from another site.

"Should have been made sometime between 1931 and 1941. If you really need a more exact date, search other answers for the Stevens Historian's address. This is one of those things I have in my notes but didn't document the source. Stevens introduced this gun as the Model 5000 in the early 1920's, changed the designation to 5100 about 1931, and changed it again about 1941 to the Model 311. Some were marked with both 5100 and 311."

I have another question for you. Does your 5100 have a center bead? I'm curious if mine was added. Tom
 
#6 ·
Tom

BoelterHomes said:
Gil, You might find this interesting. Its a quote from someone else on the 5100 age from another site.

"Should have been made sometime between 1931 and 1941. If you really need a more exact date, search other answers for the Stevens Historian's address. This is one of those things I have in my notes but didn't document the source. Stevens introduced this gun as the Model 5000 in the early 1920's, changed the designation to 5100 about 1931, and changed it again about 1941 to the Model 311. Some were marked with both 5100 and 311."

I have another question for you. Does your 5100 have a center bead? I'm curious if mine was added. Tom
My Model 5100 has a center bead and real cut checkering. Thanks for the tentative production dates and that seems reasonable. I just bought a Winchester Model 12 in 20 gauge with 2 3/4" chamber. The serial was checked on the Old Guns Board which says the gun was made in 1929. It too has real cut checkering. Just love those traditional guns. All the best...
Gil
 
#8 · (Edited)
Stevens date codes.

Below are the date codes for Stevens double barrel shotguns from the Standard Catalog of Firearms.

Steven Date Codes
Collectors will find a date code stamped on every double-barrel shotgun in the Stevens brands produced between March 1949 and December 1968. Usually it is behind the hinge pin or ahead of the trigger guard on the bottom of the frame. It will appear as a small circle containing a number and a letter. The letters correspond to the years shown in the following table. Significance of the numbers is not known. It may be the month. If it does not have a code it is pre 1949.
A-1949 B-1950 C-1951 D-1952 E-1953 F-1954

G-1955 H-1956 I-1957 J-1958 K-1959 L-1960

M-1961 N-1962 P-1963 R-1964 S-1965 T-1966

U-1967 V-1968 W-1969 X-1970
These codes can be found in the Standard Catalog of Firearms.
 
#20 ·
Below are the date codes for Stevens double barrel shotguns from the Standard Catalog of Firearms.

Steven Date Codes
Collectors will find a date code stamped on every double-barrel shotgun in the Stevens brands produced between March 1949 and December 1968. Usually it is behind the hinge pin or ahead of the trigger guard on the bottom of the frame. It will appear as a small circle containing a number and a letter. The letters correspond to the years shown in the following table. Significance of the numbers is not known. It may be the month. If it does not have a code it is pre 1949.
A-1949 B-1950 C-1951 D-1952 E-1953 F-1954

G-1955 H-1956 I-1957 J-1958 K-1959 L-1960

M-1961 N-1962 P-1963 R-1964 S-1965 T-1966

U-1967 V-1968 W-1969 X-1970
These codes can be found in the Standard Catalog of Firearms.
I know this is an old thread and sorry if resurrecting ancient discussions is a "no-no" on this forum site (some I'm on frown upon it) but HowBeck sir I am so grateful for your knowledge and for posting this! My dad bought me this shotgun when I was 5 and wanted me to have an heirloom gun to pass to my kids and this was the gun he chose mostly because I'm a southpaw and he gave my brother one of the old Mossberg 500 pumps that chambered full 3" shells, instead of the ones today that only take 2 I/4". I'm glad he gave me this shotgun it's been my love and pheasant slayer for over a decade, it is my favorite bird gun to take! I have friends with new 870's that want to use my double barrel when we go out in the field 😀😀😀, again thank you for the information I will post later today what year mine is, it's been one of my most reliable guns ever! The only other shotgun I hunt with is a 1954 Browning A5 Auto or a Winchester lever 30-30 my paw paw gave me I appreciate you so much and am truly glad I stumbled across this forum, I too have been looking for over a month on info about my 5100and was not very successful with an actual year just a roundabout guess my elderly friends who hunt with me sometimes said their dads had one but couldn't remember if they got it new or used mine is checkered on the stocks and has the engraving of a man and a dog on one side "I'm pretty sure if I'm able to figure it out I'll post pictures
 
#9 ·
Springfield J. Stevens Arms Company 5100 16 gauge

I have a 5100 stevens 16 gauge shot gun that matches the markings you are all talking about almost perfectly. it has the following markings:

Right side of gun says: 5100
Left side says:
----SPRINGFIELD----
J. STEVENS ARMS COMPANY
CHICOPEE FALLS, MASS.U.S.A

Right Barrel says:
SELECTED FORGED STEEL

Left Barrel says:
PROOF TESTED --- 16GAUGE
---2 3/4 INCH CHAMBER---

Underneath the barrel is stamped:
XC B (the B is in a circle and makes me think it was built in 1950 but there is no number in the circle with the B)

also underneath is stamped with a design that has a P over a T with an S intertwining them all in a circle... proof tested steel i suppose... and stamped more heavily over this is a 7.

there is also a CM design on the barrel where the spring loaded front wood grip fits.

the front wooden grip has the XC B-in a circle stamped on it in a number of places.

Barrels are 28 inches long.

i found somewhere that the 28 inch barrels were all modified/full choked.

The gun has no stamped patent number or date and has no serial number that I can find.

I am seriously wondering if this was built in 1950 or before and if anyone can varify the choke sizes for me.
 
#10 ·
date code confusion

i have a 12 ga model 5100 that my grandfather bought when he was about 16, so about 1947 maybe a little later. mine has four letters in a row and im not sure which one to use. left to right: G (not circled), D (not circled), A (circled), D (circled). below and inbetween the circled A and D there is a number 7. any help would be appreciated!
 
#11 ·
olympic arms company model 5100

I recently inherited a gun and have been trying to find out some information on it and cannot find anything. This forum was the closest I was able to get to finding anything out about it.

The gun is almost the same as the one described by danielhcool, except that instead of it reading Springfield, J Stevens. . . . on the left side of the gun it reads Olympic Arms Company.

The right side has the 5100 on it.
The top of the right barrel says selected forged steel.
The top of the left barrel says proof tested 16 gauge 2 3/4 inch chamber.

Underneath the barrel it reads 15 EM and also has the P and T intertwined within a S with a heavier 7 stamped in.

Where on daniels gun it has a CM this gun has a B instead.

The wood foregrip also has the 15 EM stamped into the metal and also pressed into the wood itself on the underside.

Barrels are 28 inches long.

Like I said, I found no information on this specific gun, any info I can get would be greatly appreciated.
 
#13 ·
I received a 12 ga side by side from my father-in-law. He said he got it in 1953 and it does have an 'E' under the barrels.

Here is where in lost with the research of this gun. It has a heart stamped forward of the trigger just behind the hinge. Does anyone know about this?

I have added a picture below.

Greg
 
#14 ·
stevens 5100

dear sir I have one myself that i recently recieved from my father who got it from his father. after getting it i looked it up. it was made only one year then the war broke out and all metal was needed for the war effort. are you ready????? 1941 was the only year that model was made. and if you decide to sell it please send me a letter. I have hunted with mine since I was about 12 years old.
thanks and have a great day..
 
#15 ·
Stevens 5100

I just inherited a Stevens 5100 'coachgun' in 20 gauge, 2 3/4", 28 inch barrels(bead is 7/16" from end) with the following markings.

Frame -
left side:
---Springfield----
J.Stevens Arms Company
Chicopee Falls. Mass. U.S.A.

right side:
5100

bottom of frame near hinge pin:
# (no number, just the pound sign) no marking near the trigger guard

top of frame above the hinge pin:
right side - a small square just below firing pin
left side - M (no circle) H (no circle) A(in circle) F(in circle), small '1' just below firing pin

Barrels-
topside right - Selected Forged Steel
topside left - Proof tested 20 gauge
---2 3/4 inch chamber

bottomside right -M (no circle) H (no circle) A(in circle) F(in circle)
bottomside left - nothing
center support - a very beautiful/stylized letter 'D' with a small 'c' in the center

foregrip pin - X (no circle) H (no circle)

wooden foregrip - M (no circle) H (no circle) A(in circle) F(in circle) on both wood and metal parts

It has a Pachmayr WhiteLine recoil pad that is in much better condition than the stock so I have no idea if it is original.
Any ideas on a date would be greatly appreciated.
 
#16 ·
Stevens 5100 16ga

Hello All, I know this is an old thread but need some assistance with an old dbl bbl shotgun, a Stevens Model 5100 16ga.

My Stevens 5100 has a bird dog picture and "Stevens" on left side of receiver, 5100 & J Stevens Arms Company, Chicopee Falls Mass. U. S. A. on right side.

Under left bbl on breach end : A in circle, J in circle, Q, M, these markings are repeated on the wood of forearm and metal latch.

On the lug is a "S" with P stamped in upper curve and another letter in lower curve, but can't make it out. The latch lug for forearm under bbl has a large R over smaller A which is in a circle.

28" bbls with solid rib with grooves full length and metal middle bead and front bead. The nice walnut stock is checkered as is forearm, no grip cap. Butt plate with white spacer is marked Fajen, either replaced or maybe stock was.

Trigger guard is aluminum(?) painted black with a threaded lug on front into frame and wood screw for rear into stock, spacing between screw & lug = 3 3/16", with a "tab" at rear inside of guard as if a trigger stop. It is double
trigger with RH trigger to rearward.

Now with all that said.........I need to find a replacement trigger guard as the "threaded stud" in front has broken off. Tried Numeric & they sent one that was not correct, returned it (they are VERY Good about returns) and they said nothing to fit in stock at this time.
None listed at Jack First nor Wiesners either.
ANY SUGGESTIONS on where or how to find one???? Thanks for any help with this search.
 
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#17 ·
I think the trigger guard for the newer Savage Fox B (double trigger model not the B-ST which was a single trigger) would fit. last replacement for me on one of these was in 1964. The gloss black paint was always chipping of the alloy trigger guard. today I'd get the trigger guard CeraCoted black.
 
#22 ·
Neither of the gentlemen you are speaking to, have logged in, since they posted those questions a decade ago.......
 
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