Info on model 1900 I just procured
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Fuzzyabe23
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Info on model 1900 I just procured
Hello! I just procured a model 1900 from a local armory in surprisingly great condition and would like as much information on it as y’all can provide. I believe I have figured out that it was produced in 1908. But the markings are very confusing outside of the serial number information. My hope is that after taking to a smith to have it inspected it will be fireable. The armory I bought it from had no idea how old it was and being a novice to the world of double barrels I bought it for bird hunting assuming it was in produced sometime around the 60’s or 70’s based on condition.
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gruntheron
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Re: Info on model 1900 I just procured
The Remington Model 1900 was made from about 1900–1910, so a 1908 date is very plausible if the serial number lines up. Markings on these can be sparse and confusing compared to later guns, which is normal. Definitely have a qualified gunsmith inspect it before firing, as many were built for early smokeless or black powder loads and may have shorter chambers. Once checked out, they can still make great light bird guns.
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Researcher
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Re: Info on model 1900 I just procured
The gun known as the Model 1900 or the K-quality Remington Hammerless Double was introduced with a flyer inserted in some 1899 Remington Arms Co. catalogs, the K-Grade with Remington Steel barrels and a plain extractor in 12- and 16-gauge with 28-, 30- or 32-inch barrels. A 1900 dated Remington Arms Co. catalog has never surfaced. By the first 1901 Remington Arms Co. catalog the K-Grade is shown on page 7 --
and the KED-Grade with automatic ejectors and two-stripe Damascus barrels is shown on page 6, said to be ready for delivery about July 1, 1901 --
In the 1903-04 Remington Arms Co. catalog they added the KD-Grade with plain extractor and the two-stripe Damascus barrels --
By the first 1906 Remington Arms Co. catalog they completed the line with the introduction of the KE-Grade with Remington Steel barrels and automatic ejectors.
While built on the same patents as the Model 1894, A- to EEO-Grade, with serial numbers in the 1xxxxx range, the Model 1900 had serial numbers in the 3xxxxx range and a snap-on/-off forearm using the Baker J-Spring while the Model 1894 uses a Purdey push button on the forearm (misspelled as Purdy) in the in the catalogs.
To tell you anything more we need to see good pictures of your gun including the watertable, barrel flats and the markings on the bottom of the barrel tubes.
and the KED-Grade with automatic ejectors and two-stripe Damascus barrels is shown on page 6, said to be ready for delivery about July 1, 1901 --
In the 1903-04 Remington Arms Co. catalog they added the KD-Grade with plain extractor and the two-stripe Damascus barrels --
By the first 1906 Remington Arms Co. catalog they completed the line with the introduction of the KE-Grade with Remington Steel barrels and automatic ejectors.
While built on the same patents as the Model 1894, A- to EEO-Grade, with serial numbers in the 1xxxxx range, the Model 1900 had serial numbers in the 3xxxxx range and a snap-on/-off forearm using the Baker J-Spring while the Model 1894 uses a Purdey push button on the forearm (misspelled as Purdy) in the in the catalogs.
To tell you anything more we need to see good pictures of your gun including the watertable, barrel flats and the markings on the bottom of the barrel tubes.
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Re: Info on model 1900 I just procured
To add a bit more:
Grade may be stamped on the bottom of the barrels. Consistent clear markings and shell lengths were still off in the future.
As for choke: Remington used a load of 512 #8 pellets fired at a 30" circle from 40 yards to establish choke. Usually two numbers are stamped on the barrel lug. In most cases a leading 3 is assumed. So if 28 and 31 are stamped the choke is 328/512 = 64% and 331/512 = 65% or Improved Modified.
Of course not even that is simple as each shot maker had their own size parameters. A #8 shot from Maker A was not the same as Maker B.
The 1900, 1889 and 1894 were all designed for nitro loads. I load low pressure rounds at about 7500 psi. Shooting black powder is fun but a pain to clean
Grade may be stamped on the bottom of the barrels. Consistent clear markings and shell lengths were still off in the future.
As for choke: Remington used a load of 512 #8 pellets fired at a 30" circle from 40 yards to establish choke. Usually two numbers are stamped on the barrel lug. In most cases a leading 3 is assumed. So if 28 and 31 are stamped the choke is 328/512 = 64% and 331/512 = 65% or Improved Modified.
Of course not even that is simple as each shot maker had their own size parameters. A #8 shot from Maker A was not the same as Maker B.
The 1900, 1889 and 1894 were all designed for nitro loads. I load low pressure rounds at about 7500 psi. Shooting black powder is fun but a pain to clean
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Researcher
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- Location: Washington and Alaska
Re: Info on model 1900 I just procured
The surviving hang tags for Model 1900s that I have seen show that the earlier 12-gauge guns were targeted with the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. SMOKELESS shell with Load No. 8 with #8 shot --
From April 1901 UMC catalog --
By the 1903 UMC Catalog they had dropped the SMOKELESS shell and later Model 1900 hang tags show they were targeted with UMCs NITRO CLUB shell with Load No. X8 with #8 shot --
The shot tables in the Remington Arms Co. catalogs show that 1 1/4-ounce of chilled shot contains 511 pellets.
From April 1901 UMC catalog --
By the 1903 UMC Catalog they had dropped the SMOKELESS shell and later Model 1900 hang tags show they were targeted with UMCs NITRO CLUB shell with Load No. X8 with #8 shot --
The shot tables in the Remington Arms Co. catalogs show that 1 1/4-ounce of chilled shot contains 511 pellets.
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