16ga.com ~ View topic - Questions about Remington Sportsman 48 in 16ga

Joined: 01 Dec 2007 Posts: 39 Location: 7 Lakes , NC

I've found this shotgun in pretty good shape and cheap but I'm unfamiliar with it the model. It will be an internet purchase so I don't get a chance to handle it first.

Will the Sportsman 48 make a lightweight, reliable, lightweight birdgun.

This gun has a poly choke installed. Do they work?

Thanks in advance for any help
Mike

If the price is right , and your looking for a workhorse then strike while the iron is hot , one of the few weak points is the forearm iron other than that go for it .

Buy ! Buy ! Buy !

Regards Charles

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

In my slightly biased opinion Rolling Eyes

, you can't go wrong with a Rem 48. I have one and have shot others and they work great. They are a simplified version of the Browning A5 recoil action and are very easy to own, clean and maintain, lots of parts available. Mine is customized into an "upland special" w/23" cyl bore & POW/English stock and is in the low #6lb range an upland machine. The only major idosyncratic issue I know of in the 48 design is a friction ring that allows the barrel to float on the magazine tube, it ocasionally needs some cleaning and lube, but not a deal killer at all. And Charles is right usually these guns have small cracks in the forearm wood because of the woods thickness but it is supported inside by a metal sleeve so the cracks are usually nothing more than a cosmetic issue not hindering the function at all and easilly repaired with some epoxy/wood filler. If you're new to buying on the internet ask the seller if there is an inspection period with the gun. Most sellers allow a 3 day "lets take a look". Find a local FFL dealer/transfer agent you're comfortable with, ask about their transfer fee and you're in buisness. Decent 48's or 11-48's are in the $200-350.00 range. Good luck with the gun, I hope it works out, Mike

They are good, light, reliable guns, no question. I can't speak with great authority, but there was a change in the piston rings sometime in the first few years of production. The earliest guns have a ring that needs to be turned for either low or high brass shells. If I remember right, it was so marked. The one I have from 1952 handles all shells.

My Dad's, now my brother's, is a 1949 model and has the ring that needs to be turned. I would like to know how many rounds have been through that gun. Somewhere between a truck load and a box car. It's still going.

Since is is so light weight, shells like Remington Express will work on your shoulder. My Dad shot them later in dove season and the next day would have a big bruise. It never stopped him from doing it again thou.

Get the gun, I think you will like it.

Member Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 885 Location: Wisconsin

These should be taken out of circlation, tell me where it's at and I'll spend the money to buy it. Not any good. Now seriously I have 3 in 16ga. one is a 11-48 and two 48 Sportsman. Differnce between them is that 48s only have a 3 shot capacity, where as the 11-48 is 5 shot. Thes are very good shotguns, not really a semi auto type person but love these in 16 ga. They are the similar to the A-5 Brownings as they are recoil operated. By the way I do have a Belgian Sweet 16 and all my Rems. are lighter. Polychokes may be ugly but they work well.

Do these have alumunum or steel receivers? I think the trigger guard may be alumunum, I'm not sure. They do seem to be a lot of lightweight gun for the money. 12s and 16s are real values, 28s and 410s can run into money.

Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 76 Location: north Texas

Receivers are steel and the trigger assembly is aluminum alloy - a set-up very much like a Rem. 1100. The trigger assembly is removed by pushing out pins held in place by spring clips- also like a 1100.

I believe that the later forends were reinforced a little better than the early ones, so are much less likely to fatigue and crack.

How long would the barrel be if you removed the Polychoke and had a short cyl. bore rig like Putz's? I find Polychokes to be disconcerting when I'm shooting a gun that has one. They do work OK, though.

xtm

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

Hey Bowbldr, Did you get that gun yet? If it has a factory vent rib and if you don't want it, I know a spot in a one specific gun safe it would feel very comfortable in, lots of company, warm and cozy with all the Rem oil it would care for...... Very Happy

Mine is steel/aluminum and I think the light weight can be attributed to the simple design. The Franchi AL-48's work on a recoil action, have aluminum receivers and at 10 paces even at 5 seem built awfully simillar to the Rem's, Hmmm?!! They say that copying is the higest form of flattery and respect. As far as I know Franchi never offered a 16. At just over #5lbs their 20 is touted as the lightest semi one can own. Take care, Mike