newbie, questions about remington sportsman 12 pump

[sam05]

i've been registered for awhile now but this is my first post, been doing alot of reading and learning, lots and lots of good knowledge here. i've seen several things that say the remington sportsman 12 pump is for all intents and purposes and 870, that was sold through kmart or maybe sears. i was wondering if anyone could confirm this, and also let me know if they are in fact the same so that i will know what to get if and when i need to get replacement parts, and another barrel. thanks in advance.

sam

 

[Milkmaster]

Read this!

http://www.remington.com/library/history/firearm_models/shotguns/sportsman.asp

 

[sam05]

hmmmm, i think that my gun was made in the mid 1980s, and it phsyically looks like an 870, so i don't think that information is what i was looking for, i appreciate you taking the time to help. i have looked all through remingtons firearm history and haven't been able to find anything. i think i might give remington a call tomorrow on my lunch break with the gun in hand and see what they say. thanks

sam

 

[Fred Fuller]

sam,

Remington has a long history of applying the 'Sportsman' monicker to its shotguns. It did indeed start with the Model 11, the Sportsman being a version with a reduced magazine capacity. Later there was a Sportsman 48, a latter day version of the semiauto 11-48. There was a Sportsman 58 also, followed in modern times by a whole raft of shotguns and rifles bearing the Sportsman name.

Then there were the Sportsman 12 Pump and the Sportsman 12 Auto (see http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=120633074 , couldn't find a pump for sale). These were less expensively finished versions of the 870 and the 1100, made in the mid-1980s for only a brief while (84-86?). The Sportsman Pump is indeed an 870, with a magnum receiver and 3" chambered barrel. They had a brushed blue finish and wood furniture. Far as I know, they were pretty much a midpoint to the eventual development of the Express line. I don't know if they were sold through specific stores, I never saw one for sale when they were new and have only seen a couple for sale in used condition since.

hth,

lpl

 

[sam05]

lee,
thank you, that bit of knowledge was exactly what i was looking for. good to know what i've got, and it is in about 98% condition, can't wait to get out and shoot the thing.

thanks again
sam

 

[jmr40]

It is a regular 870 Wingmaster with a cheaper hardwood stock. This was Remingtons budget 870 before the Express which has the same hardwood stock but without the polished metal of the Sportsman 12. Put a walnut stock on it and you won't be able to tell it from a Wingmaster.

I had one for a while during the 80's. They were not specific to any particular store. I have an old Remington catalog around here somewhere that have them in it. Like others have said they only made them for a few years, and not many were sold. They were not that much less expensive than a Wingmaster at the time. Most who wanted a Remington paid a few dollars more for the Wingmaster. Those wanting a budget gun bought the Mossberg.

 

[sam05]

very interesting stuff jmr40, means it ought to be a pretty good gun i suppose, i like the idea of it being basically an 870, only with a different more rare name on it.

sam

 

[JohnBT]

A buddy of mine used his Sportsman 12 Auto for duck hunting until he wore it out a couple of years ago - the stock finally gave out in the wrist/receiver area from bouncing around in the bottom of the duck boat and soaking up seawater, gas & oil. We talked about gluing it all back together or getting a replacement stock, but I had a synthetic 1100 I seldom used (after buying an SX-1 and an SX-2) so we didn't bother.

They're fine guns unless you simply must have a walnut stock.

John