Found my Superposed

[jetjockey]

 

RST's are great shells.  And very easy to get.  You can also use 2 3/4in data for 2 1/2 shells if you roll crimp them.  You could also have the chambers opened up to 2 3/4.  But you'd definately want to have a good smith inspect the gun then.  Then again, if hue gun is marked for 2 3/4 in shells, it's not an issue.  Check the water table or the barrels.

[AWS]

2 3/4" hulls cut down to 2 1/2" with low pressure duck loads for my old sxs.



They work very well.

[quadrafire]

They are not marked 2 1/2 or 2 3/4
What is the water table?

Sorry to the OP for Jacking this thread.

[AWS]

If the barrels aren't marked you have to assume they are 2 1/2" as there was nothing else available.  The Water Table is the flat area between the hinge pin and the face of the breech where the flat part of the barrel rests when the action is closed.

European shotguns are marked in metrics 65mm=2 1/2", 70mm=2 3/4" and there also if it is not marked it is usually the short shell.

[merkelman]

On the water table you should have some sort of proof markings. Due to your gun being a 20 ga., most often the bores have been left alone due to higher pressures in the gauge. 

[AWS]

The US had voluntary proof laws and had no proof marks.  Water tables on American doubles usually only have serial numbers and company inspection /assembly marks.  I just looked at a Stevens 235 sxs from the late 20's early 30's and there are no chamber lengths, chokes or even gauge markings on the barrel flats, water table or anywhere on the shotgun.

[jackmaster]

The US had voluntary proof laws and had no proof marks.  Water tables on American doubles usually only have serial numbers and company inspection /assembly marks.  I just looked at a Stevens 235 sxs from the late 20's early 30's and there are no chamber lengths, chokes or even gauge markings on the barrel flats, water table or anywhere on the shotgun.

speaking of that, i was looking at my 16 ga last night, i cant find what year the gun was made, is there a way to do that?

[jetjockey]

What kind of 16?

Try here.

http://www.cornellpubs.com/serial-numbers.php

[jackmaster]

its an old stevens, i want to say it a 3H11, i was looking at it last night and cant remember, i swear i got alzheimers and i am 41 or maybe it said 9E11, i will post the right info when i get home, sorry for being an idiot fellas, i will check out the site you posted as well, i do know i need to refinish the whole gun, when i was a kid my lab bit up the stock a little, and the barrels need to be completly re blued, however on the break action part the steel looks so cool it looks like an oilsheen on the water, how it gets all those differant colors, i dont want that to go away if i re blue it though, i need to post a pic and get some good ideas from you guys, i would like to do all the work myself, i can work with wood pretty good, but metal work idk    thanks again

[AWS]

You only have to reblue the barrels not the whole shotgun.  Most older shotgun barrels have to be "Rust Blued" instead of "Hot Blued" as the bluing salts in hot bluing will attack the solder joints. The oil on water look is called case color.  Google "images of case color hardening" to see some stunning firearms.

Original case color on the Savage 219 22 Hornet I gave my niece.

[jetjockey]

 

Make sure whoever does it knows what they are doing.  And understand that case coloring and re blackening will cost about $300+ each.   Depending on the gun, it might not make sense financially.

[jackmaster]

That colors is awesome is there a way to make the barrel like that as well, can a novice do that

[AWS]

Case color on a sxs is not possible as the heat needed will melt the solder joints holding the barrels together.  I doubt a novice could do it with out a lot of practice on non critical pieces of steel and lots of study in technique,.  That's why there are so few people that can do it successfully.  One of the big problems with case color is the heat required, warping of the steel is a serious byproduct of the process.

[jetjockey]

You don't want the barrels case hardened!  It would actually look ridiculous, plus what AWS said is spot on in regards to the solder.  The receiver is another story though.  IMO case hardened reviewers with nice blackened barrels are a thing of beauty. There's lots of smiths who can re color case harden, and re blacken the barrels.  But again, you have to compare the money you want to spend, with how much the gun is worth.  I don't believe the old Stevens guns are worth a heck of a lot.  But, if it's for the pure enjoyment of owning the gun, go for it. Just make sure a hack doesn't do the work.  There's not a ton of good smiths out there that really understand old doubles.

[jackmaster]

Excellent insight guys thank you, I will post a pic when I get home and go with what you guys recommend, I want it to look good cause my granpa gave it to me when i was real young and he has since passed, thanks again