Eyemissum,
The $700 to $800 end of the range was for a Savage Fox Model B or BSE, right? From what I've seen, there's a pretty big step up in quality between the 311 and the Savage Fox Bs: real walnut stocks with pretty nice pressed checkering, ventilated rib, mid-rib bead, single trigger on the BSE, engraved fox head on the underside, etc.
By contrast, the Stevens 311s I've seen all had birch stocks, solid ribs, and plain metal--solid, utilitarian guns that you wouldn't be afraid to march with through brambles and swamps. I seem to recall that you could buy them new in the early 70s for about $119. My point is that I just don't see the value in paying more than $300 for a used utilitarian gun like the 311 when a new Stoeger Uplander can be found on sale for far less than its $350 MSRP and has real walnut stocks, cut checkering, and screw-in chokes.
Neither of these guns is light, but I don't think any entry-level double is. I think I heard Savage stopped making the 311 in 1983; its replacement today, the Savage 411, is imported from Turkey, I believe. The Stoeger probably is, too.