Remington Model 12 Sportsman

[PALongbow]

My brother called today and told me that he had a Remington Model 12 Sportsman pump action shotgun for sale. It shoots both 2 3/4 and 3" shells. He said that it kind of looks like the Remington Express. The shotgun has a 28" barrel. tried to do several searches with no finds. Did Remington ever make this model shotgun????

Ron

 

[Jagermeister]

PALongbow:

If my memory serves, Winchester made a model 12 Shotgun, Remington Made a Model 12 .22 Cal pump rifle.

Remington Made a Shotgun with the name Sportsman, however, As I recall that was the Model 870 Pump action shotgun.

JM

 

[Jagermeister]

Win Model 12

 

[Dr.Rob]

I have one.

This is the budget model made PRIOR to the express model. Magnum receivers will take 3 inch shells, and are marked "Magnum" on the left side. No dimples in the magazine tube.

Good all around shotgun. It's still an 870.. just uses cast trigger housing instead of machined aluminum.

Been hunting with mine since I was 19 or so.

 

[PALongbow]

DR Rob,

It seems not too many people are familar with this particular shotgun. I understand it was made to sell a little cheaper than the special purpose and Wingmaster 870's. I think the model 12 might have evolved into what we now know as the 870 Express.

Ron

 

[JohnBT]

Made from 1984 to 1986 according to the Blue Book. Hardwood stock with a recoil pad, 28" or 30" bbl., some with Rem chokes.

They also made an Auto 12 Sportsman for 2 or 3 years around 1985. It was a Model 1100 with a hardwood stock. A friend of mine has one and it's been a good gun.

John

 

[woody53]

Yes it exists. I have one myself Like new. Right after receiving it I had an unrelated accident and can no long use it. It had been shot maybe 12 times at spot shoots in the mid 90s and has been in storage every since. A beautiful shotgun

 

[Eat Beef]

I picked one up at a GS two weeks ago for 150 frns.

The plan is to turn it into a shorter, higher capacity HD gun. (NOT tacticool ) The old standby 30 incher filling the HD role at the moment might be a little much.

 

[prezzz]

I did that very same thing with mine. Got it at a gunshow for $140 and turned it into a home defense weapon. A great gun for that role.

 

[byf43]

JohnBT wrote:

Made from 1984 to 1986 according to the Blue Book. Hardwood stock with a recoil pad, 28" or 30" bbl., some with Rem chokes.

They also made an Auto 12 Sportsman for 2 or 3 years around 1985. It was a Model 1100 with a hardwood stock. A friend of mine has one and it's been a good gun.

John

I too had one. Bought it new at 'Best Products' in New Carrolton, MD, in 1985.

A friend got a case of the 'got to have that' disease and wanted mine. It had a 28" barrel and came with a Modified RemChoke installed.
He offered me more than I paid for it, and yes, he now owns it! He wouldn't listen that he could get it new for $184.00! He HAD to have mine.

 

[WNTFW]

Gentleman,
First off, do not think I'm denying they exist. Obviously you have them to prove that.

Link to page I find useful.
http://www.remington.com/library/history/firearm_models/

The fact Remington does not document them in their history illustrates they are not well known.
Later,
WNTFW

 

[kirbythegunsmith]

more info.

Remington made early versions called "Sportsman" that were 3 shot versions of classic automatics, like the Model 11 and 48 (11/48). After all, no "sportsman" needs over 3 shells to hunt, anyway, right?
The model 58 was nothing but 3 shot, like the 878, so Sportsman 58 is not a different capacity version, but an altered version, like the later 870/1100's.
The gas system of the 58 and 878 were very similar to the method used in the Winchester 1400, and that was also only a 3 shot capacity. That is why I nicknamed those guns the "Remington 1400's".
I do not think that Winchester made any guns marked as "Sportsman", and I would think that Remington had trademark registration of the term.

[email protected]

 

[Dr.Rob]

the sportsman pump guns weren't dimpled.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Don't know about the autos, but the sportsman pump guns weren't dimpled. Blued steel, came with a 26 inch vent rib bbl with Rem-choke.

 

[OniLink2k2]

Hey, everyone. I know I'm bringing up this old topic, but I had a question about these Sportsman 12's.

How similar are they to the current Model 1100's?
The reason I'm asking is because I have the oppurtunity to purchase a Sportsman 12 Ga. and add an extended magazine on it. Can I do this with the Model 1100 magazine extensions???

 

[chas08]

How similar are they to the current Model 1100's?
The reason I'm asking is because I have the oppurtunity to purchase a Sportsman 12 Ga. and add an extended magazine on it. Can I do this with the Model 1100 magazine extensions???

I recently bought a Sportsman Auto 12 (1100) and the answer is yes. The help and support link on the Remington website addresses this very question. I purchased mine from a dealer who had gotten it from an estate sale and it was like new. Remington says that all parts and accessories for the 1100 will fit it without issue. I purchased a 3inch chambered steel shot barrel for it on line and it worked fine. I now own a 3" mag capable (1100/ Auto 12) in like new condition for just over $500 and preliminary tests on the pattern board with various loads indicate that this ones going to be a keeper.

The Sportsman Auto 12 is not dimpled.

 

[Virginian]

The 1980s Sportsman shotguns were Remington's first round of lower cost guns. They did this primarily with cheaper wood and wood finish. The ones I have seen had metal finishes far superior to what is seen on current Expresses, and I have seen a couple with bluing as good as any 1100 or 870. I got a first year Express, and it was not as nice as the Sportsman I had intended to get before I found they had been discontinued. They are usually priced like Expresses. In my opinion they are among the best "deals" out there, if you can find one in good shape.

 

[chas08]

I have seen a couple with bluing as good as any 1100 or 870.

In my opinion they are among the best "deals" out there, if you can find one in good shape.

I agree, the one I found is truly like new and has the better blue finish. It came with a 28 inch fixed mod barrel. I found a 26 " steel shot barrel on the internet for $206 and added that to it.

 

[OniLink2k2]

Awesome, guys. I appreciate the answers.
It looks like I will be making the purchase.

One more question:
I've been looking online and it seems that the accessability of 18.5" barrels (similar to the ones on the 1100 Tacticals) are not available to purchase separate/alone for the 1100. I can find plenty that are for the 870...
Perhaps I'm just not looking in the right places, but can anyone verify this? Or tell me where to find one?

 

[chas08]

I think the shortest 1100 barrels Remington offers are 21 or 22 inches long. Because it is gas operated, It requires a bit longer barrel to reliably cycle the action. As I understand it shorter barrels can be made to work by experimenting with the opening of the gas ports by drilling them oversize, But I am no kind of an authority on this, I've heard of it being done.

 

[OniLink2k2]

Ah, that just may be.
I do want to point out the 1100 Tactical shotguns, though. They come with an 18.5" barrel stock(!)
Check it:
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_1100/model_1100_tactical.asp

I was just wondering if I could buy that barrel separate/alone.

 

[chas08]

Good looking Tactical Model. I'm more of a wood, field grade, kind of guy. I'd never seen one that wasn't home made from a field grade. Remington must have worked out the recipe for the short barrel to work dependably. I wonder if all thats different is the barrel?

 

[LuvtheRemingtons]

Sportsman Magnum 12ga.

I bought one used in 1994 from a friend in fine condition. The barrell was a modified choked 28 incher. It worked well with steel shot #4 on ducks in 3"magnum loads. But, I hunt squirrells and dove too, and the range wasn't there til I bought a new 30" barrell with Rem. chokes in 2001. The full choke pushes that lead 7 1/2 shot out there. I love that gun and have put it through the ringer with No special treatment. That gun has been partially burried twice in the marsh. Once I used as a crutch, and another time It fell off a Four wheeler and got run over (planted) Thank goodness Its an easy gun to clean. It can out shoot all my buddies guns and has become deadly for high flyin geese and ducks as well. I never use anything but full choke. and 2 3/4's in lead shot. I'll tell you a gun like that can give you a lot of confidence when it comes to looking down that vented rib.

 

[sommet]

Remington Sportsman 12 Magnum

I know very little about this shotgun. I inherited it from my father. I do know it has never been fired. For instance, is it choked? Will it fire slugs? It is 49" overall. It was purchased in Grass Valley, CA on 10/1/86 at KMart. It is in very good condition and well kept in hard case. I was told it can not fire slugs because it is choked. For me it is a defense weapon. Is that true?