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Joined: 20 Feb 2014 Posts: 68 Location: Festus, Missouri

Gents,

Local pawn shop is advertising a Remington made Browning Sweet 16. To my knowledge, there is not such sweet 16 made by Remington.

Am I correct?

Thanks in advance,

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2349 Location: West MI

It's probably a Rem M11

Remington made the A5 for Browning during WWII while Belgium was occupied by Germany. I believe they only made the standard model and not the Sweet 16.

Joined: 06 Sep 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Kentucky

I agree with the probably a std model 11 but it is probably still a nice gun if the $ is right. A 16 ga remington will do anything a std a5 will do at 50-60 % of the price and 30% of the price of a sweet 16.

A plus about the Remington made guns front WWII is the wood. Remington used American Black Walnut, not the "tree wood" that Browning used. If it was walnut it was mostly sap wood. But that's my opinion.

Regards, Gordon

I have one of the Remington made 16 gauge A5s with a solid rib.
The wood is really nice.
I got it a few months ago off of gunbroker.
It isn't light, that is for sure.

Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 696 Location: WA/AK

Thanks for clearing that up. I was unaware of the receiver differences.

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1698 Location: Minnesota

Resecarcher, what year is the middle gun? I see it has the checkering on the wrist like the '31 I got from Dave but the receiver engraving of a newer one.

Joined: 29 May 2016 Posts: 79 Location: Burke Co, GA

Great old guns. I grew up shooting doves with a 20 ga. M11, and now own my Grandaddy's last shotgun, which is a 16 ga. M11. Been looking for a 30" solid rib barrel for Grandaddy's 16 ga. for years, with no luck. If anybody has a line on one, I'd sure appreciate a heads up.

Nice looking guns, Dave.

SRH

Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 696 Location: WA/AK

The middle gun is my 16-gauge of 1938 vintage. The 12-gauge on top is 1941 vintage and the 20-gauge is 1948 vintage.

In 1930, Remington Arms Co., Inc. introduced the 20-gauge Model 11. Model 11 20-gauge serial numbers began at 1,000,000. In 1931, they added the 16-gauge to the line with 16-gauge serial numbers starting at 1,500,000. In 1930, they also introduced a three-shot version in 20-gauge called "The Sportsman."

The 20-gauge “The Sportsman” had serial numbers beginning low S1? Maybe S1000? They added 12- and 16-gauge "The Sportsman" in 1931, with 12-gauge "The Sportsman" having serial numbers starting at S500,000 and 16-gauges having serial numbers starting at S200,000. "The Sportsman" had a three-bird roll-stamping on each side of the receiver.

In 1934 DuPont acquired controlling interest of Remington Arms Co., Inc. In 1937, Remington reduced the roll-stamping on "The Sportsman" to one bird on each side and started putting the roll-stamping on Model 11 receivers as well. At the same time, the name "The Sportsman" or "Model 11" began being stamped on the bolt.

On Sep. 28, 1937, they stopped the separate serial number sequence in the 2xx,xxx range for the 16-gauge "The Sportsman"; on Aug. 24, 1937, they stopped the separate serial number sequence in the 5xx,xxx range for the 12-gauges and finally on Feb. 14, 1938, they ended the separate serial numbers for the 20-gauge “The Sportsman” at 16,753. From then on the "Model 11" and "The Sportsman" were serial numbered together, continuing the Model 11 sequences. Combined 12-gauge "Model 11" and "The Sportsman" serial numbers reached 499,999 on August 1, 1943. Serial numbers were then jumped to 700,000 and continued.

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1698 Location: Minnesota

Researcher, Then do you know when they discontinued the checkering pattern that yours and mine 16's had on the stocks, which had the smaller dimensions in the grip area and forearms?

Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 696 Location: WA/AK

I don't know. I suspect there was a supply of stocks with the older, larger, checkering pattern, and it was a crap shoot as to whether you got one of these old stocks or a new style one for a while. A matter of the employee reaching into the bin of stocks and which he grabbed.

The 1935 Remington Arms Co., Inc. catalog first shows the small pattern on the Sportsman and Model 31 Skeet Guns. The first catalog that shows the small pattern on the Model 11A and the Sportsman A field guns is the January 2, 1942.

Here is an American Browning (Remington) and a Belgian Browning for comparison - both in 16 gauge. The second picture is of the American Browning by itself. OH