The Sportsman is essentially a 3-shot version of the 5-shot Model 11.
When The Sportsman was introduced in 1930-31 their A, B, and C grade receivers had the three-bird roll-stamping on either side --
The Sportsman early style.jpg
and the Model 11A, B or C still had a plain receiver. Also, The Sportsman had its own serial number sequences with 20-gauges beginning at S1, 16-gauges at S200000 and 12-gauges at S500000. The Model 11 12-gauge serial number sequence continued with that started with the Remington Autoloading Shotgun in 1905. Model 11 20-gauges serial number sequence began at 1000000 and 16-gauges at 1500000.
Once DuPont took control during 1934, things began to change. They quit the S prefix of The Sportsman serial numbers. Then they reduced the roll-stamped scene to one bird on each side, and put it on the Model 11 receivers as well. They removed
The Sportsman from the left side of the receiver and began stamping
The Sportsman or
Model 11 on the bolt. On Aug 24, 1937, they quit the separate serial numbers for the 12-gauge The Sportsman at 515506. On February 24, 1938, they quit the separate serial numbers for the 20-gauge The Sportsman at 16753. On September 28, 1937, they quit the separate serial numbers for the 16-gauge The Sportsman at 215364. From then on The Sportsman and the Model 11 were serial numbered together.
Model 11 and Sportsman.jpg
During WW-II when the 12-gauge serial numbers reached 499999 on August 1, 1943, they skipped to 700000 and continued. Also, the size of the patch of checkering on the grip kept getting smaller through the years.
I've seen a lot more The Sportsman D "Tournament", E "Expert" and F "Premier" Grades than I've seen B "Special" Grades and C "Trap" Grades.
There were of course a lot of RAS No. 3 and Model 11 C "Trap" Grades in the early days when they were winning the GAH in 1907 and 08. They get much more scarce after WW-I. It seems from then on Remington pushed their pump guns in several trap versions.
Model 10T Target Grade, Remington Arms Co., Inc. 1920-21 catalog.jpg
Model 29 folder Trap Guns.jpg
Early style Model 31TC.jpg