I have been going over the article on that nice BE-Grade Remington in the latest The Double Gun Journal. As I see it the only unusual thing about that gun is the 2 3/4 marking on the bottom of the barrels. The amount and style of the engraving is purely time period to my mind. My BE-Grade is 4200 guns earlier and has a bit more and nicer scroll florishes and a somewhat fancier treatment in the space behind the breechballs. Also, my gun has a beautiful set of the "Chain J" 30-inch Damascus barrels with the normal 2 5/8 inch chambers. I'd also say mine has a fancier piece of Juglans regia, but that is kind of subjective.
I never thought the "bridge frame" was nearly as unusual as Charlie Semmer seems to believe. I've lived with my Father's bridge-frame 12-gauge AE-Grade in the 103xxx range all my life. Over the years I spent a lot of time talking with Art McKee when he would have his wonderful display of Remington doubles at the Forks of the Deleware Gun Show at Allentown, PA., and he indicated to me that he thought the various lug styles were just a time period thing. Now it says in this article that some records have been found to say that only 631 such Remington Hammerless Doubles were built with this style frame!
BE-Grade at the top, FE Trap in the Middle and CEO-Grade front.
CEO-Grade circa 1907, AE-Grade circa 1896, and a KE-Grade circa 1909.
Researcher, Here is one for you. I have a Model 1894 serial number
1225xx (1901) grade C straight stock 30" damascus barrels 12 ga.
stamp 2 7/8 chambers in front of barrel flats yes a 12 ga. 2 7/8 .
It is special order. What is your thoughts?
Sounds like a wonderful gun. How about posting some pictures.
Most all of the American double gun manufacturers would chamber a special order gun for any length cartridges the customer desired. However, I've never found any mention of chamber lengths pertaining to Remington's doubles in their period catalogues, but we know from available guns that they did longer chambers on order. Here is some of the text from an Ithaca catalogue "... Longer chambers are furnished if ordered on new guns without extra charge, but it should be remembered that shells of standard length do not give quite as good results in chambers which are longer than the shells and it should be remembered that extra long shells are more expensive and it is much harder to find a dealer who carries extra long shells in stock."
During the time frame the Remington Hammerless Doubles were being manufactured, paper 12-gauge shells were available in 2 5/8-, 2 3/4-, 2 7/8-, 3-, and 3 1/4-inch cases; 16-gauges in 2 9/16-, 2 3/4-, 2 7/8-, and 3-inches; and 20-gauges in 2 1/2-, 2 3/4-, 2 7/8-, and 3-inches. Those longer cases didn't hold a heavier load, just more a better wadding which some serious Pigeon shooters believed to be an advantage in giving a better gas seal and hence better patterns and more consistant velocity. A 3 1/2 dram equiv. powder charge with 1 1/4 ounces of shot was the heaviest available factory loaded 12-gauge shells in those days, though it appears that the 3 1/4 dram equiv. 1 1/4 ounce of shot was considered a more "balanced" load. I'm equally sure that many old timers did stuff heavier loads in these long cases when they hand-loaded.
The rise of the repeaters like the Winchester Model 1893 which required 2 5/8 inch shells and their Model 1897 and Remington's Autoloading Gun which were made for 2 3/4 inch shells did much to curb this array of shell lengths. And WW-I seemed to do the rest.
Regards the 631 bridge frame recorded. The Double Gun Journal made a horrible editing mistake!! Mr. Hovenkamp is writing them to retract the statement and correct it in the next issue. The article should have said, " Mr. Semmer stated recently that of the 631 HE HAS tabulated of these guns". That is a complete error on their part. There are no such records at Remington. Shows you what an editing mistake can do! I have read Mr. Hovenkamp's draft, and that wording in the DGJ is absolutely wrong.
