Remington Model 31 Skeet?
 

Five years ago I bought a gun that has all the features of a solid rib 12-gauge Model 31 Skeet except the barrel is choked Imp Cyl not SKEET. Also, my gun is stamped on the left side near the rear of the receiver with R.L.B. and the Ordnance flaming bomb. My gun has a barrel date code of August 1941, while the serial number is from the WW-II years. Since then I've seen three similar guns appear on Guns International with the sellers asking ever increasing fantastic prices --

https://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...n_id=101744554

Anyone know the honest facts on these guns?

Dave looks like one up for auction at RI
https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...ction-shotguns

It's probably a function of age and usage but almost every Model 31 I've seen while shooting vintage pump gun sporting clays events had failure to fire or feed issues especially when shooting simos. Not good when "Field Rules" are in place, bird is lost when the gun fails to fire for any reason. On the other hand the Model 12's keep pumping on. Just sayin .....

I have shot 31's for 40 plus years and have never encountered those problems. They are very worn and work great. You should check your shells.

Mine has been in the family since new (1947) and I agree with David

I don't have a clue why a military skeet gun would be worth so much, especially when they are not rare by any means. Military collectors are funny guys, each of them pumping up the value of guns owned by other military collectors. I was at a military show in PA last weekend and I can't imagine where these guys store all this stuff in between shows. The Model 31 is very reliable when pumped with gusto. If not pumped with gusto, the next shell will not always feed. Experienced shooters will never have a problem. I agree with Frank, the Model 12 does not have that problem.

I love the 31's. Had a very nice one for a while, but traded it off for something else because I did not use it. If I had one of these military 31's and someone was willing to pay $3k for it, I would sell it in a heartbeat and put the funds toward a nice Parker. Still, I love the 31's.

That is a strange gun on RI. That gun has the plain post 1937 Standard Grade wood. That receiver, 35560, was put in work during March 1940, the November 1940 barrel date code, and the roll-stamping including the chamber length are all right for that time frame. However, that is very late for that style banded barrel. The banded barrels seem to normally be found on the 1931 version guns.

I have a very similar 1934 version R.L.B./flaming bomb marked gun that must have been one that was cleaned en mass at an arsenal before the government sold them off as my receiver, barrel and trigger group all have different serial numbers and the stock is for a 1941 version Model 31. Surprisingly it works great and I shoot it pretty well on both skeet and doves. When my buddy from Virginia came to visit he shot pheasants with it. He figured it was the worst looking thing in my collection and he wouldn't feel bad if he got a ding in it.

I've got seven Model 31s and I haven't had any issues except breaking the tip of the action bar on my TC. Fortunately Numrich had new manufactured ones for 12-gauges. Breaking that tip seems to be the weak point in the Model 31s used in high volume shooting. Perhaps the reason Remington did the "twin action bars" on their Model 870. Five of my guns are the 1941 version, four post WW-II.

Thanks. Just reporting what I’ve seen while shooting vintage pump gun sporting clays events. In the future I’ll be sure to suggest that if someone on the squad has difficulty with a 31. I don’t own one myself and shoot Model 12’s exclusively.

I have a 20 gauge 31L. It has a crack going forward from the loading port to the front bottom of the receiver. I understand the lightweight alloy receivers were prone to that failure. Sure is light. It's my wet water grouse gun

Old Adage
 

Some of this discussion reminds me of an Older Well Respected and Very Successful Dog Trainer I knew when I was running an early Hunting Retriever Club here in TN.

He would always say, "Son every dog Breaks. Some just haven't yet!"

I believe that adage is also sage advice on shotguns.

Shoot well and often and pray you dog doesn't break!

Will

Here are pictures of the gun in question --

Attachment 100153

Attachment 100154

Frank is absolutely right. The 31 is prone to a failure to feed. As I posted earlier, it is because the gun is not pumped aggressively enough and doesn't release the next shell from the magazine. This fault goes away with experience, not neccesarily with wear on the gun. With the 31, you can't be hesitant in your pumping. It is a trait of the gun, and can't be solved by gunsmithing. Again, Frank is right, the Model 12 doesn't suffer from this problem.

I didn't realize that this was such an old thread.

There are a few shotguns in the collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps with the Ordnance Bomb and Inspector initials. Some are actual "riot guns" while some were purchased for recreational use. If I recall, there were 2-3 different Remington Model 11's in 12 gauge so marked and the artifact records mentioned that they came to the museum from the base trap and skeet range. I also remember seeing both plain, and checkered stocks on them. There is also an L.C. Smith Single-Barrel Trap Gun with USMC recreational services markings stamped onto the barrel. There may be a Model 31, I don't remember.

Roy Marcot wrote in his book that the U.S. Military bought a number of Model 31's for Aerial Gunnery training during WWII. I have no supporting evidence to back it up, but my guess is as follows:

1. Because of the war, Remington provided the contract with the guns/stocks/forearms/barrels that they had on hand. This may explain why some are IC and some are Skeet choked, and some have plain or checkered wood.

2. After the war many of these guns were turned over to bases and ships for recreational shooting purposes.

3. Many firearms were re-built at military arsenals, which may explain the differences in barrels and wood, or barrels/frame or receiver not matching up.

4. Like many military firearms, they get cobbled/assembled up to meet a certain criteria, and some sellers take advantage of this due to people paying crazy prices for U.S. Military firearms.

It could be any of these. Just an opinion.

I owned a 31 in 16 G. Constant fail to feed, finally figured it out, Cheddite hulls, weak rim bent on extraction. Quality hull never failed.

However repeaters that have close tolerances often have trouble with feeding. Rattling 1911 rarely fails, tight target 1911 is fussy. My 31 compared to 870’s & model 12s was much smoother and tighter. 870 loosest of the three never fails to feed.

William

Out of curiosity I checked with the museum regarding if they did have a Model 31. They have one. It is a 12 gauge; with a military type finish; Cylinder choke marked barrel. Plain walnut stock, ribbed type forearm. No Ordnance Bomb, Inspector initials, or any other military stampings. It does have a rack number stenciled onto the grip.

The artifact record only states "Found in the collection," so idea where it came from. Based on the description, it appears to be a Police Special or Riot gun. I doubt that this one was used for aerial gunner training.

In my years in the military, 1968 to 1980, I shot a lot of Cutts Compensator Model 12 Skeet Guns at military skeet fields around the world. The skeet ranges between Subic Bay Naval Station and Cubi Point Naval Air Station, was equipped with Remington Sportsman-48 Skeet Guns. I never saw a Remington Model 31 at any of the ranges I shot at.

I have a 16g 31 that I prefer over all my Ithaca 37's and over any 12 I've every handled. Ball bearing repeater is apt, it's just slick as warm butter on a corn cob. I would take another if I could find one. Never a failure to feed, but then again I've only ever used factory shells.

We had a 31 trap come in the shop recently for I assume cleaning and a new pad .

Here's my Rem 31 12ga mod made in 1936.

James, Nice mate to my 1936 Model 31A "Standard" Grade, 28-inch Full with an extra 26-inch cylinder --

Attachment 116951

Attachment 116952

The next year things changed. Remington introduced the Model 31AP "Standard" Grade with a plain stock and a ringed slide handle --

Attachment 116953

and the checkered guns became the Model 31AC "Standard" Grade --

Attachment 116954

By 1939 the gun with the plain stock and ringed slide handle was the Model 31A "Standard" Grade

Great thread, gentlemen! I picked up a Rem. M31L in 16 gauge not too long ago at a gun show in very good condition. I suspect it was used as a pheasant gun primarily here in IL back in the 50's and 60's esp. when we had a good population of them?

I had a new solid black pad put on and the stock refinished @ that time, also. The ringed forearm was in good shape yet. It has no rib and is choked FULL in 28". VERY smooth action...! IF I use GOOD ammunition, it works perfectly for me.

A great shotgun, in my opinion. Thank you for the ads, Researcher..!!

So far, the only Model 31 ammo problem I've had was my 20-gauge doesn't like RIO shells.

My first shotgun was a Model 31 20 ga. It had the beavertail forend, plain barrel and Polychoke. In recent years, I had been looking for another, but wanted a solid rib. I finally located one, a 20 ga Skeet model with a solid rib. Made in 1937. It needed a little wood work (split in wrist) and has honest wear. I have been shooting skeet with it and love it.