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Remo II D.R.P. Mauser Shotgun

12K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  Dalkowski110 
#1 ·
I picked up this gun from Sarco today. I've never seen (or heard of) a shotgun with a mauser action. As you can see from the pics, the gun is marked with "Remo II" and "D.R.P." and "Germany". Can someone point me in the direction as to where I can learn more about this gun?
Thanks,
Tom
 
#5 ·
Haven't seen one yet. The article link has more info than any other seen to date. Personally havent seen # more than 4 digits. Usually 3 (on gehas). Germany rearmanent seems to coincide with end of these. FYI seen several 98 rifles in remo shotgun stocks. Guess they tossed the rest. Shame Remos are kind of an elegant looking piece.
 
#6 ·
After doing some poking around, I'm still unsure (because I've read conflicting things) whether the Remo II is actually a "conversion" gun or was just manufactured with a Mauser action. I was also VERY disappointed to read much about not firing hot loads out of these guns since this is the exact opposite of what I was told from the sales person at Sarco. "This gun can shoot 3" shells", he says. I didn't believe him. Buyer beware...as usual. That got me thinking, what dram equivalent would even be considered "hot" for a Remo II, and since they were made "better" than the GEHA, can they withstand hotter ammo? Regardless, I think it's an interesting piece.
Tom
 
#7 ·
I just got back from my local gunsmith. He had never seen one of these guns before. I wanted to see if he could measure the chamber length for me. He told me that since the chamber was so recessed, that we wouldn't be able to. I'm not sure if I hold much faith in his explanation. I would assume there has to be some way to measure the chamber?
Tom
 
#8 ·
Most, if not all, are conversions as the point was to use up (and make money) on surplus 98s. The link also points out to tell receiver make. What they told you might be dangerous. Most were for eureopean shorter shells. EVen standard 2.75 is a stretch although many have been reamed out. Saw a 16 reamed to 3+ by some bubba smith. A headspace and bolt lug (safety lug) check is a must. I think most of the "blow ups" reported on these is due to firing w/o bolt head. Curious as to $.
 
#10 ·
Most, if not all, are conversions as the point was to use up (and make money) on surplus 98s. The link also points out to tell receiver make. What they told you might be dangerous. Most were for eureopean shorter shells. EVen standard 2.75 is a stretch although many have been reamed out. Saw a 16 reamed to 3+ by some bubba smith. A headspace and bolt lug (safety lug) check is a must. I think most of the "blow ups" reported on these is due to firing w/o bolt head. Curious as to $.
Believe me, I knew that (unless Bubba owned the gun) no "older" European gun was going to be chambered for 3". I've had a lot of experience with the folks at Sarco and most of the time they aren't too familiar with their sporting arms. Maybe the sales guy didn't like me :rolleyes:. I have one other smith to take the gun to for a chamber measurement (hopefully). I plan on shooting low pressure RST shells out of the gun, but I would still like to know the chamber length. Maybe I never will.....oh well, I have plenty of 2.5" shells. The $$? They wanted $295, but I ended up paying $250.
Tom
 
#12 ·
Tom,

maybe you like to see the patent, what is mentioned on the receiver.

This patent #328446 was filed September 19, 1919 in German Patent Office and was granted in 1920.

Rempt also had a second patent (the US version of it is enclosed) which was for a different repeating shot gun. Rempt’s second type was offered in the 1927 Geco catalog as a “Remo-Populär” for 55 Reichsmarks. The Gew. 98 conversion wasn’t offered in said catalog.

As far as the date of manufacture is concerned: if this gun was proofed in or after September 1923, there should be present a date of the proof in the Suhl proof house. This date will be found near the crown/N proof on the receiver or on the barrel. The date is a three or four digit long number with month and year of proof (e.g. 426 = April 1926).

If it was proofed before September 1923, there will be no proof date. In this case (no proof date present) your gun was made between 1920 and 1923.

Regards

Martin
 
G
#14 ·
Tommy, you're working too hard for info on your Remo--most of the work's already been done!. Just go up to the "Commercial and Sporting Arms" forum about four forums above this one here on Gunboards, and read the first "sticky". It has a GREAT DEAL of info/research on these bolt action shotguns!
 
#16 ·
Being the guy who wrote that article (the one on itlgoodlife), I should point out two things...
1) Most of my historical information is wrong and...
2) The information pertaining to the safety of the guns is correct.

I had intended to write a book about these guns, but lack of first-hand sources forced me to abandon that pursuit. One of my rough draft overviews was published on the internet, and that's the itlgoodlife page, attributed merely to "John" (my first name in actuality being John-William). One of the big things that I didn't see until the Sarco guns came in was Remo II's in any gauge other than 16. The 12 gauges I'd seen said merely "Remo," NOT "Remo II." I'm not really sure what to make of this and not having seen one of the Sarco guns in person, I will not openly speculate as to why this is.

Please, get your chambers measured and make sure to shoot light loads in these guns. They're not the deathtraps that some would have you believe them to be so long as you've got a bolthead on there (something made quite easy on many of the Remos, since there should be a retention screw holding the bolthead in...the Geha is the gun lacking a bolthead retention screw), but you do have to use proper ammo. I would recommend PolyWad SpredR or Vintager ammunition...this is the stuff that I feed my Hard Hit Heart (my Remo rarely gets fired). Also, one other thing I must make you aware of if you plan on shooting anything more than light game loads or trap loads/why I use such light loads myself. While this isn't a safety issue, I do think it is regardless important: there's the issue of your stock splitting. These guns were designed to hold together in the sense that the bolt would stay in, but excessively shooting them with medium loads *will* crack the stock. I've seen MANY of these guns with cracked stocks where you can tell it's the recoil that did it.

"Saw a 16 reamed to 3+ by some bubba smith."

Yep, I came across references to gunsmiths lengthening the chambers during my research. Stay away from these.
 
#17 ·
I recently had the chamber measured on my Remo II and was told it was 2 3/4" (maybe it was actually 70mm?). I plan on shooting RST low pressure shells, regardless. Since I bought the piece I've cleaned the stock with Kramer's Best Clarifier and have been giving it regular wipe-downs of Kramer's Best Antique Improver. It's looking really nice. I have yet to take the gun apart for a thorough cleaning and haven't even shot as of yet. By the way, the last time I was at Sarco, they had a nice Remo there.
Tom
 
#18 ·
I hope you guys are aware the present day normal 2 3/4" factory shell run about 13,000 PSI for pressure whereas ans 8mm Mauser round will be in the 35,000 CUP pressures. I really don't see how a standard shot shell could stress a Mauser action all that much.
 
#19 ·
"I recently had the chamber measured on my Remo II and was told it was 2 3/4" (maybe it was actually 70mm?)."

There are a number of examples with regular-length chambers. That doesn't automatically mean they were "bubba'ed" or altered in any way.

"I really don't see how a standard shot shell could stress a Mauser action all that much."

Forward two locking lugs were removed, plus *a lot* of metal in the action was removed. The guns had to be heat treated a second time to be made safe to fire.
 
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