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Old February 25, 2010, 07:43 PM   #1
mikern
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Join Date: February 25, 2010
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I want to know more about this double barrel

Hi Harley. We met at the hospital on 2/25/10. I have this Remington double barrel shotgun that my dad had forever. On the inside of the receiver it says "PATENTED OCTOBER 30TH, 1894" And what I assume is the serial number as it is the only numbers that I can find. 139344. It does not have the ears that we discussed. Any info that you can provide is appreciated. Thanks, Mike.
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Old February 27, 2010, 10:46 PM   #2
PetahW
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It sounds like you have Remington's first hammerless SxS shotgun, the Model 1894.

The 1894 was availabe in several different escalating grades, including better engraving as the grades progressed from the lowest up through B, C, etc.

All 1894's had at least some engraving, however - unlike the next hammerless SxS, the Model 1900, which was only available in a single grade.

If you remove the forend, then unhook the barrels of your shotgun from the receiver, the grade will be stamped into the action flat, along with other info.

.
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Old February 28, 2010, 10:41 PM   #3
mikern
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Thanks PetahW for your response and info. I did look for the grade letter and did discover the letter A stamped on the action flat like you said. Unfortunately I still don't know much about the gun, ie: manufacture date, value, whatever info available. Thanks.
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Old March 1, 2010, 10:24 AM   #4
Harley Nolden
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Remington Hammerless Doubles -- Two patents were issued on the same day, October 30, 1894. No. 528,507 pertaining to the milling of the frame was granted to R. C. Fay of Ilion, New York, assignor to the Remington Arms Company of same place; and No. 528,508 pertaining to the automatic ejectors, to R.C. Fay and G.E. Humphreys of Ilion, New York, assignor to the Remington Arms Company of same place.

If the gun is absolutely plain with no engraving, just "Remington Arms Co." stamped on the side of the frame it is an A-grade if a Model 1894. Model 1894 serial numbers were in the 100,000 range and often preceded by a P a Remington stock letter. Also perfectly plain was the lower priced Model 1900 with serial numbers in the 300,000 range, and often a stock letter of Q. These were also known as the K-grade.

A Model 1894 B-grade had just a bit of borderline engraving. As the grades went up C-, D-, and E-grade the engraving became more extensive, the stock wood and checkering finer, and the overall workmanship better. There is normally a grade letter stamped on the left side watertable, or on "bridge-frame guns" (usually 103,500 and lower serial numbers) on the bridge. Also, if you remove the trigger guard, the grade letter is often stamped in the wood after the serial number.

If a Remington Model 1894 is fitted with automatic ejectors the the written grade designation has a letter E added to it and if it has Remington Steel barrels an R or Ordnance Steel Barrels an O -- AE-grade (A-grade with ejectors and the regular Damascus barrels), AER-grade (A-grade with ejectors and Remington Steel barrels), BO-grade (B-grade with Ordnance Steel barrels) or CEO-grade (C-grade with ejectors and Ordnance Steel barrels). I’ve never seen these extra letters stamped on the gun’s watertable. In the Model 1900s things are reversed. Remington must have considered their Remington Steel barrels standard and appended a D if the gun was equipped with 2-blade Damascus barrels -- KD-grade or KED-grade. "Ordnance Steel" is normally stamped on the top of the barrels on AO-/AEO- and BO-/BEO-Grade Remington doubles and engraved on higher grades.

You need to check out Charles G. Semmer's book "Remington Double Shotguns." It is available from the author 7885 Cyd Drive, Denver, CO 80221, for $60 plus $5 shipping and handling. It is invaluable if you are going to shoot, invest, collect or play in the Remington double gun field. Remington supplied a number of different pattern Damascus barrels on these old doubles. A picture of their salesman’s sample of the various styles of Damascus available is shown on page 275 of Semmer's book.

Remington Arms Co. stamped the actual pellet counts of their test patterns on the rear barrel lug of their Model 1889 hammer doubles and their Model 1894 and 1900 hammerless doubles. If the number is three digits, that is the count, if the number is two digits a leading 3 is implied. From surviving hang-tags we know the standard load they used to target 12-gauge guns was 1 1/4 ounces of #8 going 511 pellets to the load. My 12-gauge KE-Grade Model 1900 is stamped 33 on the left and 24 on the right. That would be 333/511 = 65% left and 324/511 = 64% right, or about improved modified in both barrels. The chokes measure .027" in both barrels of that gun.


Description: Remington's first hammerless double barrel shotgun

Introduction Year: 1894

Year Discontinued: 1910

Total Production: 42,000 +/-

Designer/Inventor: Remington Arms

Action Type: Break action

Caliber/Gauge: 10, 12, 16 gauge

Serial Number Blocks: 100,000 – 142,000

# of Grades Offered: A, B, C, D, E, and Special Trap

Variations: Available with or without automatic ejectors
Available with ordnance steel or Damascus barrels

You may want to find out if it is a damascus barres. If so do not plan to shoot it. It will not hold modern loads, and probably not hold black powder either.

To determine if it is damascus, there may be some figure on the barrels themselves. Take it to the gun shop on Perry Lane Rd Brunswick. See gunsmith, Tim. he is a master gunsmith and will be able to determein the barrels. Tell him DOC sent you

Mr Harley
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