need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge

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nevets78
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:10 pm

need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge

Post by nevets78 »

Hi - I am looking for help Dating this remington 20 gauge. it is serial # 7148 has engraved ducks on one side and engraved pheasants on the other. it also says "the sportsman" on one side. I am going through the thousands of posts on this side now but I am hoping someone would be willing to help point me in the right direction. thank you
remroc
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:44 pm

Re: need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge

Post by remroc »

I believe what you have is the three shot version of the model 11. That is a strange serial number, but I also have one with a similar number. I believe your gun was made in 1935 or 1936. There is a date code on the barrel. It is on the left side near the receiver. The first letter is the month, the second the year. D is for 1935, E for 1936. This only works if you gun has the original barrel. Make sure the barrel has the same serial number as the receiver.
Researcher
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:06 pm
Location: Washington and Alaska

Re: need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge

Post by Researcher »

"The Sportsman" was introduced in 1930 as a three-shot version of the five-shot Model 11 20-gauge also introduced that year. Model 11 20-gauges had serial numbers beginning at 1,000,000 and "The Sportsman" 20-gauges had serial numbers beginning low, 1?, 100?, 1000? The old between the wars factory ledger, available on our web site, is missing the first page of "The Sportsman" 20-gauges. Page 94 begins in March 1937 at serial number 14,149 and ends February 14, 1938, at serial number 16,753. In 1931, the 16-gauge Model 11 was introduced with serial numbers beginning at 1,500,000 and "The Sportsman" was introduced in 16-gauge with serial numbers beginning at 200,000 and 12-gauge with serial numbers beginning at 500,000. "The Sportsman" serial numbers were usually preceeded by an S.

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In the early 1930s, "The Sportsman" had a three-bird roll-stamping on the sides of the receiver and the name "The Sportsman" was roll-stamped on the side of the receiver.

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In the 1937-8 time frame, Remington Arms Co., Inc. revised the roll-stamping to one bird on each side of the receiver and started putting it on the
Model 11 receivers as well, and they began roll-stamping Model 11 or "The Sportsman" on the breechbolt at about this time.

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They also dropped the separate serial number sequences for "The Sportsman" and began numbering them right along with the Model 11s.

Bottom line, I'd estimate your 20-gauge "The Sportsman" was made in the 1933-34 time frame. When combined Model 11 and "The Sportsman" 12-gauge serial numbers reached 499,999 on August 1, 1943, they jumped to 700,000 and continued.
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