stevens 1956 m311

Question
i have a 1956 stevens m311 that i am trying to look up the history on, and i have only just recently found out that it was made in 1956 because of the H code on it. is there a website that you know of that you can point me to so i could find out maybe who this gun came from it was a gift and my father won't exactly tell me who gave it to me. if you could help that would be great thank you

Answer
Hello Justin.

If you are interested in confirming the date of manufacture for your firearm then you need to know the exact words, symbols, and numbers that are stamped on the gun along with the complete serial number. If you have this information then you can look up the firearm in the following document:

https://store.bluebookinc.com/Firearms/Serialization.aspx

Check by manufacturer first, then by serial number. This will give you the exact year or at least a narrow range of years when it was made.

If you want to learn more about the company that manufactured your firearm then you will need to look up the specific manufacturer in this index:

https://store.bluebookinc.com/InstantAccess/Manufacturer.aspx?product=5&id=S

You can select other letters of the alphabet in the top right hand corner of that site to see the other manufacturer names. Once you select a specific manufacturer then it will tell you a little about the company history.

If you want to find out the different variations and features for your specific model, or if you want an estimate of the current value then you will need to purchase the section for that specific manufacturer. Some sections are free but most cost $5-$10. Here is the link to buy the Stevens data which is available for the model 311 section only for $4.95 or the complete Stevens section (all models) for $14.95:

https://store.bluebookinc.com/InstantAccess/Price.aspx?product=5&id=12166

If you are looking to find out who originally purchased the firearm or who gave it to your Dad then your best bet is to talk to your Dad. Most firearms companies did not keep such records back then and many records were lost over time as companies closed or were sold and renamed. Your Dad should at least know who gave it to him and maybe they told him something about it.

I hope this helps. If you need more information then please ask me another question and tell me more about your gun including all the markings.

Good luck.

Bob