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I found a mdl 48 and could not leave it on the shelf. It is a good 90%+ all around and the weight is OK for a semi-auto. The one thing I noticed when collecting the empties is how badly the brass is looking. The head of the case at the primer is concave and the extraction marks on the rim are bad. I am not sure if the cases can be salvaged at this point. It shoots straight and birds die but the lose of the cases is the pits. Has anyone else experienced this with their 48? The cases were federal. I will be trying others next week in S. Dakota. I have some old 1 1/4 oz. expess loads which I din't care if I reload.
Best,
Ron

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

You're talking about the Rem Model 48 Sportsman? I have an 11-48 (essentially same gun) and I've never had the type of problem you describe. Never heard of it in any gun.

*Last edited by brdhnt on Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:37 am; edited 1 time in total*

Ron,

Several years ago, I was discussing headspace and it's effects on shotshell patterns with George Trulock of Trulock chokes. George was in the process of developing a way to check headspace and how it effected performance.

I do not remember how it came up in the conversation, but George commented that the worst guns for developing excessive headsapce were Remington 11-48's and that the 16 gauge 11-48's were the worst. I have two 11-48 16's and he told me some of the things to look for and dished primer areas and extractor marks were two of them.

I don't know off-hand of any gunsmiths that specialze in checking headspace on shotguns or how to correct it.

Hopefully other members of this board might have some information for you. If not, give George Trulock a call at Trulock chokes and maybe he can help you.

Hopes this helps.

Tell George I said 'Hi!'

Terry M. Boyer
________
Rx 100

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

I think Remington offers a odd size bolt to make up for this in the 1100---the same principal would apply to the 48 as well---

I feel a little better now that there may be hope for this Rem. mdl 48. I head out to S. Dakota tomorrow and upon my return I will check up on the head spacing and an over sized bolt. Thanks guys for the guidance. I would hate to retire this 48 before its time.
Best,
ron

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

My Remington model 17 chews up the cases pretty well, also. Always a nasty hack near the movable extractor on a fired shell. Never concerned me, since they go in the trash when I get home.
Best,
Ted

The South Dakota test is complete and what a great experience. Very Happy

The MDL 48 worked flawlessly for the first half of my 15 bird limit. The Remington 1 1/4 oz. #6 shot were lethal. The shells all looked the same. The Rem, Federal, and Win all had extractor marks and concave case bottoms. The Mod choke was deadly on anything I hit. I was surprised that I didn't have even one runner. They were stone dead. It did make some retrieves tough when they were in head high cats and marsh grass. The dog had to stumble on them more by accident than by smell. The second half of my limit was taken with a Beretta 411E 16g. I used a SK and LMod and had great success. The birds were all dead on impact but I had a few less pellets to pick out. I used mostly Win. 1 1/8 oz. #5 shot in the SxS. I'm sorry to have missed Kansas but this was quite an experience also. Ted, I think I will just use throw away cases in my MDL 48. It won't be my target gun and I can live with a few lost cases. It is not easy to find the cases in the field anyway.
Best to All,
Ron

Joined: 31 Dec 2004 Posts: 23

I have always been fond of Remingtons 11-48, Sportsman 48, and Mohawk 48. I have a few of them including one in 16 Gauge; it is among my most prized shotguns and has always been reliable.
Allow me quote from Patrick Sweeney's book "Gunsmithing: Shotguns"

Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 30 Location: West Tennessee

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

Jesse,

Where on the bolt is the letter size stamped?

Also, is it true that some (earlier?) models use a a felt spacer in the recoil system? I've seen it mentioned in some literature, but not consistently, and I don't believe my 11-48 ever had one.

Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 30 Location: West Tennessee

I don't know that there is any stamp on the over size bolts. Our best gunsmith in our area is the one that told me about the over size bolts...also that he still had some in stock at that time. His name is Ed Mason. His shop is located in Cordova a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee.
If you want more information about him let me know. He is a Remington authorized Repair gunsmith.

Jesse