New to this forum, with great joy have read comments and accounts. Although I desire to own a double rifle I would like to post this account that happened to me involving a double shotgun. Thanks

A Stevens Story, new to forum but please bear with the shotgun story,

This one began life as a Stevens Model 335 16 Ga. Side by side with 28 inch barrels. Although this one was a low end shooter it had greater hunts to record. I have with envy read this forum and looked at all the pictures posted and thought one day I might have a true side by side rifle. That may not happen anytime soon and while this is a double rifle forum I felt compelled to submit this account.
The Stevens held hidden in its buttstock an old piece of tattered paper with a history of initial purchase and to whom it was handed down through the years. I won’t mention the last names listed however the first are: Dock C/Gregory S/Ronald D/Ronald D. Jr. / Robert W/ Thomas E/Caleb M/ and Susan D. I can say it was purchased new I assume, in 1940. The Stevens was passed a total of eight times before I lay claim to it at a pawn shop. In 1968, the Stevens passed to what was apparently the final family member. This owner was not happy with the configuration of the factory gun and a series of changes were made.
The barrels were shortened to 25.5 inches, sling swivels, and a ramp front sight installed. Inlayed into the existing rib with a single fixed blade rear is a quarter rib of graceful design. The trigger guard was replaced with a LC Smith trigger guard (checked serial number); the stock (fiddle back maple) was refinished as was the forearm (both recheckered). The entire action was re-cased and the remaining metal furniture was rust blued. The only external markings on the gun is engraved on the quarter rib that simply state;
“Regulated Rem Slugs”
TB Kirkland
For what I thought was a fortune at the time I made my first firearms purchase of this Stevens in December 1978. I was 18 years of age, I am now 47 and just three weeks ago removed the original hard rubber buttplate and found the paper. Upon my purchase I also bought a box of 25 Remington slugs (no 5 packs at that time), figured that’s what the writing on the quarter rib was for. At that point in my life I didn’t have a clue about regulation (still don’t know much), all I knew was to load up and head to the range. Well by now you have figured out the old gun shot them slugs like a rifle at 50 yards. Right/Left groups to point of aim and consistently 2.5 to 4.0” groups (young eyes) slightly larger groups as my eyes have aged. I have hunted with this gun every year since then. I could never explain this guns performance except that it was a fluke. However I was reading a post on this forum and someone mention relieving the barrels on one side or the other, I thought that must be it so I checked the muzzles to see if they were squared. After much examination I could find no indication that had been done however I did note the gun had an odd crowning appearance. When looking at the muzzles it appeared that each barrel left more than right had been recessed, but only on the internal bore. I don’t know why I had never noticed this before but after all these years of shooting the ole gun I had ignored this particular trait. Finding this made me more curious so I began to research the last owner of this gun and found that she, (Susan) was still alive and kicking and had very intimate knowledge about the gun and its workings. She confirmed the markings and the regulation ammo being Remington slugs, or as she said “the cheapest I could find at the time”. She also explained that TB Kirkland was a machinist formerly employed by the government to build aircraft parts during World War II. By the way TB Kirkland is “Tonya B. Kirkland” also a lady. Susan explained she loved to hunt deer and always wanted a side by side slug gun. After many discussions with Tonya the two decided it could be done and at a reasonable cost. Subsequently the sight selection was made; the quarter rib (design came from a picture in a European Gun Catalog) was machined and installed as was a set of sling swivels. The two ladies set off behind the barn and started working at 15 yards. The best I can tell they shot and shortened the barrel one half inch at a time hoping this would accomplishment the desired result. Finally at 25.5 inches they decided it wasn’t going to work and the recoil was taking its toil. Susan said they shot 46 slugs that first day. One week passed before they returned to make another attempt, this time with a new idea. Tonya brought a 6” half round file that closely matched the inside bore of the gun. Susan explained the single leaf sight was returned to center and a line scribed as a point of reference to start at. They started at 25 yards and fired two slugs from the right barrel; the result was two shots touching 5” to the left and 2” low. Tonya then took the half round file and removed an unspecified amount of metal from the inside bore end of the right barrel on the right side. Two more shots were fired and this time, still touching they were only 2” to the left and 2” low. Once again Tonya removed an unspecified amount from the same location of the right barrel and fired two more shots. Success, the two shots cut the outer edge of the bull at thee o’clock and still 2” low. At this point they began work with the left barrel, this one proved a little more challenging however after 14 shots the left barrel was one-half inch off the bull at ten o’clock. The two ended the shooting session for the day and returned the following morning to address the elevation. The following day Tonya filed a shallow V in the rear blade, no particular depth and shot two four shot groups R/L, R/L. The result was 2 inch groups at 25 yards and 3.5” groups at 50 yards. Susan said by the time they finished working with the gun hunting season was over. During the next few months cold blue was applied to metal parts and plans made for the next hunting season. Unfortunately Susan would suffer a stroke the following year and never fulfill her dreams of taking a whitetail with her double. In 1971 Susan gave the gun to a friend who had a small gun shop and ask if he would sell it for her. The friend sold it two days later for $125.00. Of course Susan had long since forgotten about the gun until I called. I got to tell you talking to her made tears come to my eyes. Anyway after relaying some deer that I had taken with the double over the years I offered to send the gun to her as I felt she should have it, she refused and said she was happy to know the gun had served its purpose well. Anyway we exchanged addresses and said good-bye. I was off from work this particular week so I made a few careful calls and showed up at Susan’s house the day before thanksgiving with gun in hand. Her love for that gun was unbelievable, she held it for hours telling of all the details we had gone over the week previous. I again told her of the deer hunts that I had shared with the Stevens and offered her the gun one more time. She refused and said for me to keep enjoying it as she felt it was with someone who truly loved what it was. Later that evening I left on my journey home and had a feeling that I still can’t describe. I live in Georgia and will be using the gun with a renewed vigor this year. Sorry for being long winded however I felt many of you enjoy this account.