doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Remington 1889 Question

Original chamber length?? For a 12ga..

Thanks

Charles Semmer's Remington book has nothing to say concerning chamber lengths on the 1889. I'd measure mine but the barrels are at Mike Orlen's. Maybe Researcher, or someone else, has an old catalog or advertising that mentions chamber lengths.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Maybe Paul can measure his for you.

SRH

Generally speaking, the Remington Arms Co. doubles in 12-gauge had 2 5/8 inch chambers. On the Remington Hammerless Doubles, if they were ordered for a longer shell, the chamber length was stamped on the bottom of the barrel tubes just forward of the barrel flats. I've never seen a Remington Hammer Double marked for a longer shell. Here is a hang-tag for a Remington Hammer Double of 1902 vintage --

Interesting. Note the drop. That gun could have doubled as a hockey stick.

I have two Remington 1889s, one made in 1891 and the other made in 1903. The chambers on both measure 2 5/8". I think that is typical of 12ga guns from that era.

(update on 3/15/18) Oops, sorry, let me correct my above statement - The chambers on the 1903 M1889 measure 2 3/4". I doubt if it left the factory like that, my guess is the chambers were lengthed at some point during the gun's long history. I have four Remington Model 1900s and a Model 1894, all of them have 2 5/8" chambers. They were made during the same era as the Model 1889.

Drops from 2 7/8 to 3 1/8 inch were kept in stock for the entry-level Model 1889 No.'s 1, 2 and 3. Any deviation in stock dimensions incurred an additional charge of $5.

What Researcher said



But what were they thinking?!? "For Nitro Powder"!!

No, that drop is just right. Years ago my friend bought a Lefever with 3" of DAH and he said it was just right. I ask why and he replied " I can't lift my head, it's already up ". After that I quit looking for guns with modern dimensions and if they didn't have 3 to 3 1/4" of DAH I bend them down to 3" or so. Works just great for me.

My 12 gauge Remington 1894 Model CEO, made in 1906, has original 2 3/4 inch chambers, so marked on the bottom rear of the barrels. I believe that the higher grades, especially those with ordnance steel barrels had the longer chambers. All of the Damascus barrels I have seen in the Rem 1889, 1894 and 1900 models appeared to have 2 5/8 inch chambers. I would like to know if this is a difference between the Damascus and solid steel barrels on these models.

Remington Arms Co. catalogue in October 1894, which introduced the Remington Hammerless Double Barrel Shotgun stated �The Remington Guns, both Hammer and Hammerless, are especially adapted to all nitro powders, and every gun is thoroughly proved, tested and targetted, before leaving the armory.�
(Courtesy of David Noreen)

The Remington (hammer) Model of 1889 No. 1 with �Decarbonized Steel� was offered until 1908.

The Remington No. 3 Model of 1893 single was listed with �Blue Steel� and No. 9 Model of 1902 with �Special Steel�.
The No. 9 hang tag (courtesy of David Noreen) states: �The barrels of this gun have been THOROUGHLY TESTED and are guaranteed for all standard brands of Smokeless and Black powder, when properly - but not excessively, loaded.� The maximum load was 3 1/4 Dr. Eq. of Bulk or Dense Smokeless powders.

It is assumed the Remington Steel used on the A Grade Hammerless Model of 1894 starting in 1897, K Grade (Model 1900) Hammerless, and Model of 1894 Hammerless Grade �F.E.� Trap Gun (introduced in 1906) is similar to Marlin �Special Rolled Steel� and Winchester �Rolled Steel�. The April 1897 Remington catalog stated �Remington blued steel barrels are manufactured in our own works� and the Sears catalog No. 112 c. 1902 states the K Grade has �fine Decarbonized steel barrels�.
The 20g Model 17 introduced in the 1920 Remington Arms - Union Metallic Cartridge Co. catalog was listed with �Remington Steel� barrels. Later Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalogs did not specify the barrel steel.

Remington introduced Ordnance Steel for the (Model 1894) Hammerless Double in the April 1897 catalog.
The 1902 catalog stated the Remington Ordnance Steel tensile strength was 110,000 psi. �Ordnance� was stamped on the top of the barrel tubes on the AO-/AEO-Grade and BO-/BEO-Grade guns. On the CO-/CEO-Grades and higher the words �Remington Arms Co.� were engraved on top of the right barrel and �Ilion, N.Y. U.S.A.� with �Ordnance� below on the left barrel.
In 1909 Remington offered an Ordnance Steel barrel in place of the regular Remington Steel barrel on the �Pump Action Repeating Shotgun� (later No. 10) and �Autoloading Shotgun� (No. 11) for an extra $6.75.
(Courtesy of David Noreen)

Tensile strength:
Twist and Crolle Damascus - 55,000 psi
"Cold Rolled" Decarbonized Steel - 65,000
Remington Ordnance Steel, introduced in 1897 for the 1894 Hammerless Double - 110,000 psi with an elastic limit of 60,000 psi