Obsolete shotguns

[Labguy47]

Anyone ever spend an entire weeks worth of free time searching the entire nation for a spare barrel to my Remington Sportsman 48 20g. I’ve exhausted my limited knowledge of spare parts organizations, with no luck. Perhaps one of you (maybe Oldfuff) can steer me in the right direction.

 

[entropy]

Try Ahlman's yet? Jack First?

 

[WestKentucky]

Yeah, parts are tough on the 48s. I had an 1148 that needed minimal parts but they were rare-ish so that barrel got choke tube treatment. What is the issue with the current barrel?

 

[Kendal Black]

You can "save this search" on eBay and check back now and then. There are no 48 barrels at the moment, just stocks, bolts, trigger groups, a bolt handle...

 

[loose noose]

You might try Dick Williams Gun Shop, out of Michigan, I don't have his number here but I do believe you can bring him up on the internet. I know he has been my ace in the hole on hard to find gun parts in the past.

 

[entropy]

Pat Laib in Spicer, MN, might be worth an inquiry also.

 

[Labguy47]

Try Ahlman's yet? Jack First?

Yep call #5 and #9 they where on the list from Brownells

 

[Labguy47]

You might try Dick Williams Gun Shop, out of Michigan, I don't have his number here but I do believe you can bring him up on the internet. I know he has been my ace in the hole on hard to find gun parts in the past.

I will look him up, thank you.

 

[If1HitU]

Can't say that I have.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I know your pain.
Look for Winchester 1911 parts....

Todd.

 

[Bushpilot]

Ditto on knowing your pain.. I've spent years looking for the correct merwin hulbert hammer..... I've found with a lot of old guns if you want a part bad enough it's easier buying a parts gun. Lots of times this is cost prohibitive but some times it's the most efficient way all things considered... Often you can turn around and sell the extra parts and recoup your money...

 

[Labguy47]

Yeah, parts are tough on the 48s. I had an 1148 that needed minimal parts but they were rare-ish so that barrel got choke tube treatment. What is the issue with the current barrel?

Nothing other than it’s just under 4’ which is great for long distance, but less than ideal for home defense.

 

[WestKentucky]

Nothing other than it’s just under 4’ which is great for long distance, but less than ideal for home defense.

So you just want an additional barrel...shouldn't be too tough to find, but will require patience and an open wallet when you do find it. My suggestion, cut the new-to-you barrel to 22 inches, have it threaded to take choke tubes, and then use the gun with the buffers set up for heavy loads (to make up for lost barrel weight).

 

[roo_ster]

It is like a candy store for gunny guys:

Lee's Gun Parts.
3401 W Pioneer Dr, Irving, TX 75061
leesgunparts.com
Ph 972-790-0773
Fax 972-313-0991

 

[I6turbo]

My suggestion, cut the new-to-you barrel to 22 inches, have it threaded to take choke tubes, and then use the gun with the buffers set up for heavy loads (to make up for lost barrel weight).

I think the Sportsman 48s are similar to the Auto-5, and the internet myth about Auto-5s not functioning properly with short barrels is just that, a MYTH. Aside from just not being the case in the real world, it's nonsense when you think about it.

There is about 50+ pounds of spring pressure pushing against the barrel recoil of an Auto-5 (my scales say 53.5# on the circa 1954 spring). A fired round has to overcome this 50+ pounds of force plus the inertia weight of the barrel. 12" of barrel weighs about 8 ounces or so. Reducing the weight of the barrel by 8 ounces, which is rather insignificant compared to the additional 50 pounds of spring force, isn't going to matter. Furthermore, LESS weight in the barrel will just make the recoil MORE likely to cycle the action, not less likely.

 

[Rudolph31]

I think the Sportsman 48s are similar to the Auto-5, and the internet myth about Auto-5s not functioning properly with short barrels is just that, a MYTH. Aside from just not being the case in the real world, it's nonsense when you think about it.

There is about 50+ pounds of spring pressure pushing against the barrel recoil of an Auto-5 (my scales say 53.5# on the circa 1954 spring). A fired round has to overcome this 50+ pounds of force plus the inertia weight of the barrel. 12" of barrel weighs about 8 ounces or so. Reducing the weight of the barrel by 8 ounces, which is rather insignificant compared to the additional 50 pounds of spring force, isn't going to matter. Furthermore, LESS weight in the barrel will just make the recoil MORE likely to cycle the action, not less likely.

And not just the Recoil Spring. There’s the Action Spring and the Main Spring, even the Carrier Dog Spring resists the recoiling parts. Yet they still need the braking of the friction pieces to slow things down.

 

[WestKentucky]

And not just the Recoil Spring. There’s the Action Spring and the Main Spring, even the Carrier Dog Spring resists the recoiling parts. Yet they still need the braking of the friction pieces to slow things down.

Exactly. Metallurgy in those guns is ok but it’s still 1940s and 1950s materials in essentially a 1908ish design/technology. As springs weaken and parts wear things start moving easier/better/slicker. With ANY notable change in these area you will start slamming hard parts into each other and will cause battering and breaking of the gun. Flip the recoil buffer over to the heavy shell setting. If the gun works in that configuration then it is better for the gun to be used in that configuration to avoid the beating battering and breaking. Yes there are springs that resist rearward motion and were designed to let the gun work, but when you change the weight of resistance you increase the speed and travel of the motion.

 

[I6turbo]

55 pounds x 16 ounces = 880 ounces of spring resistance to be overcome plus the weight of the barrel. Reducing that resistance down to 872 ounces plus the remaining barrel weight (original minus 8 ounces) will not change anything. There's far more variation than that gun to gun, how much lubrication they have, how worn-in they are, etc. The guns are NOT fragile. They work fine for thousands and thousands of rounds with NO buffer rings. Not that one would want to abuse them on purpose, but 8 ounces of barrel weight will not be detectable. I shoot my 18.25" barrel on the standard load buffer setting and it's just fine, no slamming that can be detected, shoots nice and soft like a properly set up A5 should.

 

[WestKentucky]

Your missing the momentum and acceleration side of things. I agree a few ounces of weight isn’t a huge change, but it is a significant change. Your gun, your decision...be safe. My advice is still to try it set up for heavy loads and if it’s reliable that way then leave it that way.

 

[I6turbo]

Definitely up to the individual, but most people who shorten the barrel on guns like these are doing so to build a home defense weapon. I would be far, far more concerned that setting the gun up for heavy loads would cause a malfunction when ultimate reliability is most needed.

 

[Bushpilot]

I shoot my 18.25" barrel on the standard load buffer setting and it's just fine, no slamming that can be detected, shoots nice and soft like a properly set up A5 should.

I think the Sportsman 48s are similar to the Auto-5, and the internet myth about Auto-5s not functioning properly with short barrels is just that, a MYTH. Aside from just not being the case in the real world, it's nonsense when you think about it.

I have a couple model 11 Remingtons and A5's. One of the model 11's is a factory "R" riot model with a 20" barrel from about 1920... As far as I can tell there is nothing unique to it in order to compensate for being a short barrel model and it functions fine with a wide variety of loads.... No difference in reliability between it and the other longer barrel models and no "pounding" of the receiver is discernible...

If I were shortening a barrel on an old 11 or A5 I'd be more concerned about the 100 year old recoil spring and the condition of the friction rings then I would be about the change in the weight of the barrel... Just my 2 cents worth....

 

[darkcloud]

Had a 16 that I wanted to put choke tubes in. Never did find an extra barrel for it to do so. 12 are around but I imagine 20's are almost as rare as 16's

 

[SwampWolf]

Williams Gun Sight Company, 7389 Lapeer Rd., P.O.Box 329, Davison, MI48423; www.williamsgunsight.com; 1-800-658-2140.

These folks are good people to deal with.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Lee’s Gun Parts is always my first place to check for parts. He’s closed Friday through Monday.

Here are a two other places to look.
Outback Gun Parts
(812) 945-0480

The Gun Garage
(479) 524-2038

 

[Labguy47]

Had a 16 that I wanted to put choke tubes in. Never did find an extra barrel for it to do so. 12 are around but I imagine 20's are almost as rare as 16's

I certainly would have thought that they”d be a bunch alas that’s simply not the case.