I'd guess something to do with military firearms training. Pilots were given Stevens .22/shotgun O/U guns as a survival gun. Maybe some were .410?? Not sure of the total period where they were issued Stevens, but for sure during and after WWII during cold weather training here in Alaska where a now deceased test pilot friend test flew P-51's and P-38's on skis out of Fairbanks. He still had his Stevens and sleeping bag till the end.
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