I have just been given a model 1894 12ga. sxs ser# 108515 It is hammerless, has ejectors, and the barrels have a damascus pattern. Is there any way to know if the barrels are damascus or is the fact that there is a pattern enough? Were the chokes marked on the barrels? Each of these barrels has a P and below it a small triangle followed by a star shape. Right beside the hook are 6J5. The watertable has Patoct301894 stamped on it twice but I could not see any other marks. Any information on this gun would be of great help. Iwould like to shoot Kents bp with it
Thanks
model 1894
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Remington Model 1894
If you can see a pattern it is real Damascus. No U.S. makers are known to have used a fake pattern. That only seems to have occured on the very cheapest of Belgian imports. On 98% of the Remington Model 1894s the chokes were not marked as such, but the pellet count for the test patterns fired at the factory were stamped on the bottom of the rear barrel lug. If the number is only two digits, a leading 3 is implied. 12-guage guns were normally patterned with 1 1/4 ounces of #8 shot, which 511 pellets. So if the numbers on the lug are 358 to the right side, and 364 to the left side (as on one of my guns), the patterns shot were 358/511 = 70% for the right barrel, and 364/511 = 71.2% for the left, essentially full and full.
Number 108,515 would be a Remington Model 1894, made in 1898. Two patents were issued on the same day, No. 528,507 pertaining to the milling of the frame to R.C. Fay, and No. 528,508 pertaining to the automatic ejectors, to R.C. Fay and G.E. Humphreys.
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.
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.
Number 108,515 would be a Remington Model 1894, made in 1898. Two patents were issued on the same day, No. 528,507 pertaining to the milling of the frame to R.C. Fay, and No. 528,508 pertaining to the automatic ejectors, to R.C. Fay and G.E. Humphreys.
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.
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.