doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Remington 3200 trap gun for $979

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...2d488fe37fadbf8

I 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.