Up into the 1929 Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalogue the Model 17A "Standard" Grade is pictured with the plain stock and ringed forearm --
As to when Remington actually changed to the checkered wood on the factory floor I have no information. There isn't a notation in the old "between the Wars" factory ledger. From 1930 on the Model 17A "Standard" Grade is pictured like this --
Remington didn't seem to ever bother to change the catalogue text to mention the checkering. Guess they were more interested at that time in getting their smallbore Model 31s to the market. The Model 17 last appears in the 1933 retail catlaogue, and the 16- and 20-gauge Model 31s are in the August 12, 1933, Illustrated Retail Price List and the Model 17 is gone. Supposedly Remington continued to sell Model 17s out of inverntory up to WW-II. In 1934 J.L. Galef, 75 Chambers St., NYC, was closing out Model 17As out at $27 with plain barrel and $31 with a solid rib. By J.L. Galef's September 1936, catalogue Model 17As are $25 for a plain barrel and $28 with a solid rib. In the 1937, J. Warshal & Sons, Seattle, Washington, catalogue they still have 30-inch barrel solid rib Model 17As (prepaid to you) $34.95.
The catalogue texts always say the Model 17A "Standard" Grade had an American Walnut Stock, while the Model 17B "Special" Grade had an imported walnut stock and forearm. I have only seen a very few B "Special" Grades in any of the "between the Wars" Remington shotguns, and the only one I am really sure about is this fairly early "The Sportsman" B-Grade which is clearly marked --
