THESE WERE MADE IN THE 1950'S ERA
1955
Pull down on forearm. It should come off. Then break open shotgun, barrels should hinge off.
The Stevens date code usually appears on the bottom of the frame behind the hinge pin. I dont believe the marks you have on the water table are the date codes. The Z was not used, the (A) is 1949 and the (I) is 1957, but these usually have numbers in the circle with them. sales@countrygunsmith.net
Before attempting to fire this shotgun with ANY ammunition, you need to have a gunsmith check the hinge pin, headspace and rim recess. sales@countrygunsmith.net
fitted the hinges but door drops
Possibly. Have a gunsmith check the headspace and the hinge pin. sales@countrygunsmith.net
There will be a date code stamped on most every Stevens double-barrel shotguns produced between March 1949 and December 1968. Usually it is behind the hinge pin or ahead of the triggerguard on the bottom of the frame. It will appear as a small circle containing a number and letter. The letters correspond to to year. The significance of the number is unknown. The lettering starts with A - 1949, B - 1950 etc up to N -1962, P - 1963 R - 1964 on through V - 1968.One is listed on Gunbroker right now, in near mint condition, for $450. (Sept 2009)
installing a double action spring hing
A serious hardware store should have a wide throw hinge.Ask for butterfly hinge or parliament hinge.
It is a Stevens Model 311. Dates are found behind the hinge pin, ahead of the trigger. Remove the barrel to see. It will be a circle with a letter in it. A is 1949 and each letter adds another year. B-1950, etc.. there is no "0" or "Q". X is 1970.
No you won't break a 12 gauge shotgun if you only do it once or twice. If you flick a shotgun's action open or closed to often. You can {1} loose other nut's & screw's that are holding different part's on to the shotgun. But {2} in most cases you will end up with a very loose front hinge pin. And that loose hinge pin causes both of the barrel's to become misaligned with the shotgun's frame. Making it harder for you or anybody else to close the shotgun.
If it is marked with both the Stevens and Savage names and the 311 designation, it was made sometime after 1948. There should be either a letter and number in a circle between the trigger guard and the hinge if made between 1949 and 1968 or a serial number if made after that. The letter codes for 49-68 are A through V, so your Z does not fit in that sequence.