I need your advice. A gun shop in southwestern Virginia has a Remington 3200 trap gun for $979.00. Nice wood and blueing is pristine. Locks up tight. I saw this gun at the Expo Center in Chantilly the other month. I am interested, but I need to know what to look for. I know that 3200s usually start at around $1500 and that Remington made some modifications to the gun. One of the improvements involve two allen screws in the face of action, but I am not sure what the improvements involved and what to look for.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopi...2d488fe37fadbf8I sent my '73 3200 to Pat Laib for full mods and he didn't feel all of them were necessary. Gun has done fine over the years. Gil
I appreciate your reply. I can see the modifications are very extensive. I need to know if I should buy the gun if it does not have these improvements.
If the gun was manufactured after 1973, no need for mods if memory serves. If a '73 gun with no mods three choices:
1) walk away
2) use need for mods as negotiating tool
3) send off to Pat Laib and see what he says and go from there. Gil
Remington Model 3200 -- The Model 3200 was introduced in a special fold-out center spread in the 1973 Remington catalogue, in Field ($450), Skeet ($470), Trap ($490), Special Trap ($540), and One of 1000 Trap ($1050).
The 1974 Remington catalogue had the one of 1000 Skeet offered in either 26” or 28” barrels offered at $1050. Prices were up across the board – Field $485, Skeet $530, Trap $550, Special Trap $600. April 1, 1974, prices up again -- Field $530, Skeet $560, Trap $595, Special Trap $645, one of 1000 Skeet $1150. On July 1, 1974, prices were up again -- Field $555, Skeet $590, Trap $625, Special Trap $680, one of 1000 Skeet $1150.
The 1975 Remington catalogue introduces the 3" Magnum, order nos. 3241 (30" full/full) and 3243 (30" mod./full) as being available June 1, 1975. List price was $620, a $25 premium over the $595 Field Grade.
In the 1976 Remington catalogue the Special Trap is gone and the Competition Trap ($865) and Competition Skeet ($835) are introduced. Also the choice of RK-W or Satin finish is beginning to appear. The Field Grade had increased $100 to $695, the 3" Magnum to $720, and the Skeet to $735.
In the 1977 Remington catalogue 32-inch barrels appear for the various Trap versions and prices are up again. Field $750, 3" Magnum $775, Skeet $795, Trap $795, Competition Skeet $950, Competition Trap $950, and the Special Trap is back, now at $850.
By the 1978 Remington catalogue there are only four basic offerings for the Model 3200 -- Skeet, Special Trap, Competition Trap and Competition Skeet. I don't have any price lists from 1978 on.
For the 1979 Remington catalogue the only change is the addition of the (New) 28" Imp. Mod./Full (Live Bird Gun) in the competition Skeet Satin Finish column.
New for the 1980 Remington catalogue we have the addition of the Skeet set, 20- and 28-gauge and .410-bore skeet barrels and a luggage case (order No. 3299) to a 28-inch Competition Skeet Gun (order No. 3237). Also, the number of barrel length and choke combinations on the various Trap guns is reduced.
No changes in the 1981 Remington catalogue.
In the 1982 Remington catalogue the Skeet and the Special Trap are gone, as are 26-inch Competition Skeet guns. The Competition Trap choices are down to 32" Imp. Mod./Full, 30" Imp. Mod./Full and 30-inch Full/Full, all three either with regular or Monte Carlo stock.
In the 1983 Remington catalogue the Model 3200 isn't even pictured but down in the bottom right corner of page 15 the same six variants of the Competition Trap, the one 28-inch Competition Skeet, the Skeet set, and now in the Competition Skeet column order no. 3207 is listed as 28" Imp. Mod./Full (Pigeon Gun).
The Model 3200 is gone entirely from the 1984 Remington catalogue.
If the gun was sent back to Remington for the updates, there should be a dimple in the serial number
Early guns that were sent back to Remington had a center punch dot added between the OU and the serial number, which makes it a little crowded. Later guns that were built with the modifications had the dot included as part of the serial number, so it is not crowded in. Early guns had two pins through the action, but the modification eliminated the need for one of the pins. Frames in process that had already been drilled for two pins got dummy pins in the extra holes. After all the two pin frames were used up, there is only one pin.
Well, the Chantilly Show is this weekend and no one there knows what a 3200 Trap is, so you may get a second chance. I have seen the gun, but don't recall what I thought of it.
The biggest problem I ever had when I was shooting 3200's in high volume was stocks cracking not with the gun operating as needed. Check the gun for cracks behind the tang and on the sides of the fore end. Cracks can be repaired with epoxy and only are cosmetic concerns after repair. These are heavy target guns that take a lot of use without major issues if taken care of but they are way to heavy to carry in the field.
It's interesting that these guns have such a following. They seem to have design and other problems that would make them undesirable.
Poor mans Krieghoff to some. As to the design problems I shot a non updated gun 400K and never had a problem. Even my stock did not crack because I epoxied it to spread the recoil stress. Not all recalls make things better in my book.
Think back when these 3200s came out. You had the Krieghoff 32 which was a slightly improved Remington 32, a Browning Superposed which was a 50 year old design, the P-guns were just being imported by Ithaca and had no major following yet, the Winchester 101. Yet to be released were the Citori, Berettas, Kolars, Rottweils and all the other O/Us we take for granted these days as clay target go to guns. Heck if you shot four guns in Skeet you shot a K-32 barrel set, Browning with super tubes, four pumps or four different auto loaders.
The 3200 O/U came out just when tube sets started to dominate Skeet and mechanical triggers that they had were very good. I bought my first one for just over 400.00 and still have it. The problem Remington had with the 3200 is that they have always been too slow to make changes and bring out the next new configuration. If they bought out the four barrel set and retailed it for the 3K price point their goal was when the bought out the gun, they would have sold hundreds of them the first year. Instead by the time they brought them out the day of the four barrel set was done. If they had just reduced weight by a pound before people got use to shooting ten pound tube sets they would have sold a lot of them.
Remington has been trying to replace the 3200 for 35 years. The trail of failed guns is a sad one. Remember the Peerless, 396, Premier, Remington Baikal, 300 Ideal and SPR 310. That is a trail of despair. All failed attempts to sell O/U. With modern machining I think the 3200 could be make cheaper and lither than the original. Ruger redid the Red Label why not Remington and the 3200?
Jon, I acquired my 3200 in a gun swap. I had about $300 in the other gun and swapped in the late 70's. I sold the 3200 to a buddy about 25 years ago for $250 and bought it back from him about 4 years ago for $250. Sometimes I never say "goodbye, forever" to a good gun, or so it seems.
Gil
It's interesting that these guns have such a following. They seem to have design and other problems that would make them undesirable.
I agree there brother!! Just give me an old Model 12, I'm happier than a pig in slop.
Latest update. I just came from the gunshow and I noticed the following: price increased to $999 (I can live that), buttstock replaced with wood that does not match forearm, buttstock not finished same as forearm, buttstock not checkered, and lever to open action is to left of top of action. I didn't talk to anybody from the store. Ran into a shooter who shoots Benellis and we went over the gun. Saw a Winchester Select Energy with 30" ported barrels, screw in chokes, and hard plastic case for $1100. Much better looking gun.
What do you think: should I walk away and go looking for something else? It doesn't make sense to re-stock a gun and not finish the work, along with using a piece of wood that doesn't come anywhere near to matching the forearm in terms of color and grain. Are replacement buttstocks available for 3200s thru Remington or somebody else? What about the lever to open the action being to the left of the top tang? What does this involve? Your comments have been very helpful.
Find yourself a nice used Charles Daly Miroku or a Winchester 101 Olin Kodensha. They are out there for $1k or less in great condition. I bought a 101 this summer for $700, 1964 model year.
Walk away. More and better gun will be along soon. Used guns are like trolley cars. If you miss one another one will be along soon and in the case of guns better than the one you bought on impulse.
Forget the portly homage and just buy a model 32.
CHAZ
I am surprised to hear of cracked stocks on 3200's. I have owned at least five, and all I had were glass bedded at the factory behind the tang. I have seen a number of them that had cracked fore ends because the owners kept shooting them after the fore end iron developed a crack, which was a design problem. The 3200 was a popular gun with some of the top shooters of the day, and I think that most moved on to other guns after the 3200 was discontinued due to lack of parts availability.The 3200 was a target gun that sold in lower numbers than other Remington guns of the time, and Remington apparently didn't think it was worthwhile to keep in the line up. They also made and discontinued the model 32 which was picked up by Kreighoff in the 1960's and which has become one of the premier target guns in this country.
Never owned a 3200 with the lever to the left. I have shot them since 1984. I would not buy that gun. If you need wood, it's out there, but not cheap.
Eightbore,
Check your p.m. board, please.
SRH