The Remington Model 31 is the finest pump action ever made, fight me

sisyphus

sisyphus

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Joined
Jul 27, 2020
Messages
582
Location
Iowa
I have a recent production Ithaca 37 riot gun. It is very nice and reminiscent of the care that American gun makers used to instill in their product. I was happy to find one new in box and didn't mind paying the high price because I think it's the last American shotgun of that quality that will ever be made. It's not perfect, as every now and then (maybe one time every 3 or 4 tubes) the action can hang chambering a new round. Like the shell is catching on something and won't chamber til you gently work the action back and forth just a little and it finally slides home. I am moving 2 hrs away from Ithaca and I was going to take it to a gunsmith there who was the old Ithaca shop foreman to look at, but then I saw he was recently deceased and I don't know that I'd trust this gun to anyone else it's so nice. It's not the shell stop letting a second round feed or anything and it is infrequent, but it does shake your confidence a little if you meant to rely on that gun for defensive purposes.

I also have a Mossberg Maverick 88 that I have dedicated to using shorty shells. It's flawless, but it's very much built to a price point and there is no mistaking that. Regardless, it is awesome that there is an American made $200 shotgun that is 100% trust your life to it reliable.

I bought a Remington Model 31 on auction and I picked it up from my FFL last week. Barrel code says it was made in April 1947, and to me this is in superb condition for a gun of that vintage. The action is the smoothest thing you ever felt. Out of curiosity I racked the action back then tilted the muzzle down, and it closes under its own weight. Taking it out to shoot next weekend. I love this shotgun, it is just the bee's knees. I paid under $300 for this Model 31 which makes me feel very proud of myself lol

IMG20240313162739.jpg IMG20240313162803.jpg
 
I've got a model 10 Trap Grade that was my dad's. Slick old gun that's too long for me, but I won't cut it down because it's probably 100 years old.

I occasionally shoot a few pasture clays with it. I understand some parts for it are unobtainium.
 
I'd say you might just have the best pump shotgun for sure.

Hope you get it fixed back to perfect. Of course, like most other manufacturers, the older it is, the better. For Ithacas, if you can slam fire it, it is "old enough."

Oh, the Remington is nice too ;)
 
I have owned 2 Ithica model 37’s a 12 and a 20 gauge both deerslayer models with the rat tail forend sand both can be slam fired. I have fired hundreds of slugs and thousands of rounds of shotshells through them and never had a malfunction. I would bet my life on either one of them. Smooth as silk and intrinsically accurate.
 
My 16 ga Model 12 dates from before WWII. It’s action is smooth as seal snot on an iceberg and no one has ever had an issue with it binding.

My 870’s are very good guns, as are my BPS. Either one is great on the range in in the field.

I haven’t owned an Ithaca 37, nor a Remington 31, so I can’t say with any credence how nice those shotguns are. 😞

Congrats on finding a nice one. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
It’s action is smooth as seal snot on an iceberg and no one has ever had an issue with it binding.
Click to expand...
I like that description, and agree with it. From my experience every Model 12 I've ever encountered is slick, unless it has 50 years of congealed oil in it, in which case a can of brake cleaner and some fresh oil usually get them back into fighting trim.

Mac
 
Better shotguns IMHO are: Win model 12, Remington model 17, Remington 870, Browning BPS. I’m happy for your purchase, it’s a fine shotgun, but several are as good or better.
 
sisyphus said:
I am moving 2 hrs away from Ithaca and I was going to take it to a gunsmith there who was the old Ithaca shop foreman to look at, but then I saw he was recently deceased and I don't know that I'd trust this gun to anyone else it's so nice.
Click to expand...

I am about 20 minutes from Ithaca and I miss Les very much.
 
My father worked at Ithica gun works in the early 1960's. My first gun was an Ithica model 66 in 20 gauge. Dad bought me an Ithica Deerslayer model 37 in 20 gauge for my 16 th birthday for deer hunting. I also own a Browning BPS in 12 gauge that just feels clunky compared to the Ithicas, but is a well performing turkey gun.
 
tactikel said:
Better shotguns IMHO are: Win model 12, Remington model 17, Remington 870, Browning BPS. I’m happy for your purchase, it’s a fine shotgun, but several are as good or better.
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I agree with this, with the caveat that year of production should be taken into consideration. The older 870s and BPSs are better than the new ones. I have a BPS of late 70s manufacture and an 870 of 80s manufacture. I can't recall having a malfunction with either. The BPS was my main all-purpose gun for decades.

I'd suggest to the O.P. that he also try a Winchester model 42 if he can find one. They were darn nice guns.

I also like the Winchester 97; I think it's the best of the first generation of pumps. I wish I'd had enough money to buy several back in the 70s when used ones could be acquired at a fair price. The Cowboy Action craze pushed prices into the clouds.
 
Larry Ashcraft said:
I've got a model 10 Trap Grade that was my dad's. Slick old gun that's too long for me, but I won't cut it down because it's probably 100 years old.

I occasionally shoot a few pasture clays with it. I understand some parts for it are unobtainium.
Click to expand...
I have a couple of Remington Model 10s. One is a well-worn early production gun with a 26" cylinder-choked barrel. I've shot a bit of skeet with it, to good effect. They were good guns, but they can be a real pain to reassemble after cleaning. Internally, it looks like it was designed by Rube Goldberg; the mechanism is by far the most complex of any shotgun I've ever worked with.
 
The Mossberg Maverick 88 can be fully relied upon in critical situations.
Your auction find, a 1947 Remington Model 31, is truly a treasure. Its excellent condition and smooth action make it a great choice for shooting. For that price I would buy one for myself. This is truly a successful purchase that is worthy of pride.
 
Riomouse911 said:
My 16 ga Model 12 dates from before WWII. It’s action is smooth as seal snot on an iceberg
Click to expand...
My Remington Model 17 (the forerunner of the Ithaca 37) is so smooth that if you rack the slide to cock the hammer and point the barrel straight up and hit the bolt release the bolt will slide completely out of battery. I‘ve never seen another pump gun accomplish this.
 
sisyphus said:
I have a recent production Ithaca 37 riot gun. It is very nice and reminiscent of the care that American gun makers used to instill in their product. I was happy to find one new in box and didn't mind paying the high price because I think it's the last American shotgun of that quality that will ever be made. It's not perfect, as every now and then (maybe one time every 3 or 4 tubes) the action can hang chambering a new round. Like the shell is catching on something and won't chamber til you gently work the action back and forth just a little and it finally slides home. I am moving 2 hrs away from Ithaca and I was going to take it to a gunsmith there who was the old Ithaca shop foreman to look at, but then I saw he was recently deceased and I don't know that I'd trust this gun to anyone else it's so nice. It's not the shell stop letting a second round feed or anything and it is infrequent, but it does shake your confidence a little if you meant to rely on that gun for defensive purposes.

I also have a Mossberg Maverick 88 that I have dedicated to using shorty shells. It's flawless, but it's very much built to a price point and there is no mistaking that. Regardless, it is awesome that there is an American made $200 shotgun that is 100% trust your life to it reliable.

I bought a Remington Model 31 on auction and I picked it up from my FFL last week. Barrel code says it was made in April 1947, and to me this is in superb condition for a gun of that vintage. The action is the smoothest thing you ever felt. Out of curiosity I racked the action back then tilted the muzzle down, and it closes under its own weight. Taking it out to shoot next weekend. I love this shotgun, it is just the bee's knees. I paid under $300 for this Model 31 which makes me feel very proud of myself lol

View attachment 1199735View attachment 1199736
Click to expand...
That's a Rem Mdl 31 FW in my dad's hand. I have it now. I was shooting a Savage 220 20ga, the old hammerless single shot guns. The 31 never failed to function, and he hunted it hard. You stole that sweet 31! ;)

Cv0vwME.jpg
 
It was a good enough Trap gun for Vic Reinders. I know a few of you know his name, I watched him in a shoot off once, didn't really know who he was at the time, even though I'd read his column in Trap & Field every issue back then.
 
Savage30L said:
I have a couple of Remington Model 10s. They were good guns, but they can be a real pain to reassemble after cleaning. Internally, it looks like it was designed by Rube Goldberg John Pedersen; the mechanism is by far the most complex of any shotgun I've ever worked with.
Click to expand...

My neighbor the gunsmith hated to see a Model 10 or Model 29 coming, they were aggravating to work on.

He worked on a lot of Model 12s, his personal pumps were Ithacas and Remingtons. I thought his Model 31TC was a great gun... as pumps go. The vent rib is integral with the barrel, all chopped out of one piece of steel!
But I never could get on with it or other pump guns, the wiggle woggle of the foreend as I set up over the trap house was distracting.
 
Dang it, there's another one added to my must have list. I've got a soft spot for vintage NON WINCHESTER pump guns. If I find one, the 31 has big shoes to fill!
 

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They’re decent shotguns. I have grown to appreciate mine more over time. It was my grandfather’s crow hunting gun he bought used cheap in the 1960s. It spent at least 15 years wrapped in camouflage duct tape in that role. I cleaned it up a few years ago and was impressed with how well it cleaned up.
Its action is as solid as the M12, but it doesn’t have the takedown feature. like all the old designs the fore end feels flimsy vs the 870 and other double bar slides. It’s similar to the Ithaca but more conventional in form
 
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