need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge
need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge
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
Re: need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge
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.
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Re: need advice on dating a remington 20 gauge
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.