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30 years ago I bought a 16 Ga. Stevens 5100 for my wife and at the time was told that the gun was built in the 40's.
The gun is in its original condition and I have used it to help train 3 different dogs and my wife has shot the occasional target with the gun. What impresses me is the wood, while still plain, is much better than that found on many of today's entry grade guns.

Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 88

indeed it is! would love to see more pics of that gun...impressive.

Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 280 Location: Clemson

Oddly enough, I have the 5100 in 12,16,20,and 410. All but the 20ga have the birddog on the the receiver left sign. The 20ga has 2 barrels. Thanks for posting the pictures of a nice old double! Maybe I can take a picture of mine.

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

A gal I worked with, who shot on our company trap league, shot one that her Dad had bought for her in the 1960s. I'm sure it was bought second hand. I cleaned the gun every fall for over 10 years, she shot trap with it, and would hunt for a few weeks each fall in South Dakota, where her brother had relocated to. She hunted ducks and pheasants with it, more carrying than shooting, but, the gun was sound as the dollar the last time I saw it.
No engraving or stampings, 16 gauge 28" barrels, modified and full. Walnut, not hardwood stock.
Hers was in nice shape, a lot of them I see are really beat up.
I dated her very briefly. I wonder what happened to her and her old gun?
Just not enough to pursue it very far.

Best,
Ted

My 16ga Stevens 5100 was my first double gun; sometimes I still think I shoot it better'n any of 'em...

The 5100 20ga was the second sxs I bought...

The little 5100 .410 is the highest condition of the three; some have called these Stevens .410's terminally ugly. Maybe so, but this one's been fun...

Joined: 11 Jul 2011 Posts: 38 Location: Missouri

How do these stack up as a better shotgun than the CZ Ringneck made today.

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1114

The CZ Ringneck and the 5100 are entirely different critters. The Ringneck is a classic Anson and Deeley action with V type springs powering the hammers and a double underlug lockup bite in addition to a Greener crossbolt. The Ringneck uses modern steels for a fully machined receiver. The Ringneck uses a single selective trigger, where the 5100's are double triggers Modern stock dimensions result in a gun that more easily fits most shooters. The Turkish walnut stocks are generally a lot better quality and figure than the 5100.

The 5100 uses a one piece casting for the receiver and coil springs to power the hammers. The design lends itself to mass production with little machining required. The lockup consists of a single lug that is part of the top rib that is engaged by a tapered rotating catch. Stock dimensions on most 5100's, 311's and Savage model B's have significantly more drop at the heel than the Ringneck which can make them difficult to shoot well for some people (me for instance).

For my preference, the 5100 wins hands down on vintage nostalgia, however the Ringneck, particularly in the smaller scaled frame models wins for handling and esthetics.

Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 696 Location: WA/AK

The first gun pictured appears to be a Stevens Model 311 from the 1950s.
Some years the catalogues said the Model 311 had walnut stocks and some years they said "walnut finished."

The guns Fin2Feather pictured are J. Stevens No. 530s from 1936 to 1947 or Stevens Model 530s on to 1954.

Appearances can be deceiving. The gun is stamped 5100.

Researcher has posted in the past that there is no such thing as a Model 5100; that the 5100 stamp is a designation for the action (or something; I forget what). I certainly yield to his knowledge which is much greater than mine. That said, there are a lot of folks out there referring to them as Model 5100's, including me.

None of mine have a serial number or a date code, which as I understand it dates them pre-1949.

Thank you, that is interesting.

Joined: 15 Dec 2015 Posts: 34 Location: Ontario, Canada

How do the 16 ga 311's & 5100's do in the categories of weight and scaled-to-the-gauge?

Compared to my AyA, my 5100 is heavy, but points okay.

My 16 is dead nuts on seven pounds, with 28" barrels and a vintage recoil pad. Not a lightweight, but not outrageously heavy either.

I believe they all are built on the same basic frame.