My new 10 Bore - Remington 1894 B grade

[Pete Lester]

Just got this today and I am more than pleased :clap:. 8 3/4 pounds, 32" F/F Remington 1894 B Grade 10 gauge. Extractor gun. Interesting that Remington stamped the pattern number on the barrel lug as I understand it. Shot with 1 1/4 ounce 8 it shot 334/511 and 368/511. Looks to be all original and it fits me perfect (but I don't know why) 14 1/8 LOP, 1 3/4" DAC and 3" DAH.

Looking at the forend iron it looks to me like it was designed to have ejectors and I wonder if they were all built that way. According to the Blue Book extractor guns (Rem 1894's) bring a 15% premium over ejectors (scratching head).

From the information I can find a B grade Rem 1894 in 10 Bore is just slightly less rare then hens teeth.


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[scott kittredge]

nice, the money is flying free at the lester house:eek: now new barrel finish on the NH :rolleyes:

[Dave Suponski]

Pete, Congratulations on a great gun! Real nice buddy!

[Brad Bachelder]

Nice gun Pete
The barrels are Boston 2S.J. pattern, commonly found on B grade guns. The gun was originally an ejector gun. The ejector parts are missing. If you are interested in restoring the ejectors, I know a Remington collector that should have the original parts, let me know.

Brad

[charlie cleveland]

are the barrels wire twist or damascus...nice gun i like the rem. 94s..i have a 12 ga 94 with ejectors and 26 inch ordance still barrels...thats a nice 10 ga you are luckey to have found it iun any kinda shape.... charlie

[Pete Lester]

Thanks Brad, I want to get my NH barrels out to you too.

I wished I knew more about Remington doubles. I found this Remington cutaway from one of Dave Noreen's posts on the Remington Collectors site, shows a 1894 extractor gun (10) with the cut out in the forend iron for ejectors (19) but no ejector parts are shown that I can see or recognize, although perhaps it's a schematic of both? I am hoping others who know Remington's will chime in. I really like this gun!

Maybe Dave Noreen can add some insight.

The gun is so tight and unmolested if it was converted from ejector to extractor it would seem it may have been deliberate.

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2566&view=previous

[Dave Suponski]

Pete, You need to buy "Remington Double Shotguns" by Charles Semmer. It's available through the Double Gun Journal. A wonderful book on Remington doubles. I thoroughly enjoy my copy.

[Marc Retallack]

Pete

A few weeks ago, I came across your 1894's twin. It has a bit less condition than yours but it is also a 32'' barreled 10ga BE. At 9lbs 14oz, it's a bit heavier. Also, the Damascus type is different. Etoile 3 B.P. (thanks Drew). I'm looking forward to getting it in the field one of these days.

Cheers
Marcus

[Mark Ouellette]

Those are nice Remingtons!

[Dean Romig]

Pete - what a great gun!! Unbelievable condition too!! Must have sat in a closet for generations without so much as a 'wish' to shoot it but only a few times.

[Pete Lester]

Thanks Dean I said the same thing to Scott when he stopped by after work to look at it. If only the guns could talk. It is not going to suffer the same fate at my house :)

[Richard Flanders]

What a gorgeous Remington Pete! The buttplate looks like it sat for years on a carpet that was degassing high end hydrocarbons that degraded the rubber. Gorgeous gun. Dimensions would be perfect for me.

[Pete Lester]

Interestingly enough I have read that Remington "usually" stamped an E on the barrel tubes with the grade to indicate an ejector gun (mine has no E). However they were reported to be inconsistent with that practice. One fellow on the Doublegun site reports having seen two other 1894 extractor guns with ejector forends and no E stamping. Here is another one. I am getting a sense some extractor model 1894's may have left the factory with ejector forend iron.

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=10156213

[Dean Romig]

That could be Pete but look at the ejector slote on the underside of the rib extension... the barrels appear to have been intended for an ejector gun too.

[Pete Lester]

From the Doublegun BBS:

"Originally Posted By: Ithaca16
I have collected Remington 1894 and 1900 for over 35 year's.And also gunsmithing work on them all that time. The forend look's normal on this gun. The large opening at the end of the forend is on both extractor and auto ejector gun's. The ejector forend has some more milling that must be done to the back sides and at the end the fit the ejector parts,hammers ,springs, etc. Some time's an extractor gun will have a forend iron on it that is milled out for the ejector parts. Maby one in 20 gun's. The extractor is normal on this gun,those two slots are on both extractor and auto ejector guns. Terry"

I Just got back from the local gun club where I met Scott who measured the gun and we put a couple of off hand test shots on paper.

Chambers 2 7/8"

Bores - L .796, R .803

Chokes - L .045, R .048 Both chokes start their taper 6 to 7 inches before the muzzle.

Wall thickness 6" ahead of breech R - .128, L - .127

Wall thickness before the chokes R - .040, L - .042

Shot offhand with 1 1/4 ounce lead 6 74% at 40 yards. 72% with 1 1/8 ounce 7.5's

[charlie cleveland]

those ducks are in trouble with that gun.... charlie

[Dave Noreen]

I agree with the post quoted from Terry (Ithaca16) that this gun has always been an extractor gun. That is just the way Remington did it, using the same forearm iron for both extractor and ejector guns.

By a few years into the production of the Remington Hammerless Double Barrel Shotgun, the extra cost for ejectors was down to $5. When the guns were introduced in the October 1894 Remington Arms Co. catalogue, ejectors were $22.50 extra, and were still that in the November 1895 catalogue. I don't have a catalogue for 1896, but by the April 1897, Remington Arms Co. catalogue, that introduces Ordnance Steel and Remington Steel barrels, the price of ejectors is dropped to $5. The catalogue in the fall of 1897 adds the 16-gauge guns to the offerings. From beginning to end, the Remington Arms Co. catalogues state that the B-/BE-Grade came with "Fine three-stripe Damascus barrels". But, here we have B-/BE-Grades with "Etoile 3 B.P." and "Boston 2 S.J.", while my BE-Grade 12-gauge of 1895-vintage has "Chain J." barrels --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Ansleyone/Remington/08.jpg

[Pete Lester]

Thanks Dave, your knowledge of such things is appreciated. Beautiful pattern on your barrels. In spite of the lack of ejectors and Boston 2S.J on my gun I realize that my 1894 10 bore B grade is on the rare side and in high condition. I have gained a lot or respect for the Remington 1894 after owning and shooting this gun for a little more than a year. Remington built a quality double yet somehow missed being recognized as one of the American classic's.

[Mark Ouellette]

Pete,

Remington dropped production of their SxS's in favor or those new fangled pumps and the Remington built Browning Auto 5, the Remongton Model 11. At the time it was probably a good business decision. Look at all the Remington pumps and autoloaders that have been built at a profit for Remington!

I've recently gained an appreciation for the Remington 1894 SxS after seeing a friend's Bachelder-restored 1894's, a 12 gauge chain Damascus and a 10 gauge. Wow! Those long actions look fantastic with new case colors!

Mark