Alameda County Sheriffs Remington Model 31 12 GA 18.5″ CYL Pump Shotgun C&R

SOLD FOR: $1525

LSB#: 210324DC01

Make: Remington

Model: 31

Serial Number: 110005

Year of Manufacture: November 1948 (O TT Date Code)

Gauge: 12 Gauge 2 ¾” shells

Action Type: Pump Action Shotgun with Tubular Magazine

Markings: The left side of the receiver is marked “REMINGTON / REG. US. PAT OFF. / MODEL 31 / 110005”. The left side of the barrel is marked “O TT”, “110005”, “12 GA. FOR 2 ¾ OR SHORTER SHELLS”, and has an inspection mark. The left side has a choke marking that has been struck out. The top of the barrel is marked “REMINGTON ARMS CO., INC., ILION, N.Y. MADE IN USA PATS 1,763,665 / 1,763,714 – 1,786,213 – 1,834,410 – 2,023,929 – 2,039,814 OTHERS PENDING”. The right side of the barrel is stamped “REP” in an oval and with a test mark. The left front bow of the trigger guard is marked “U”. The right side of the right side of the receiver “POLICE GUN – PROPERTY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY / SHERIFF’S OFFICE”.

Barrel Length: 18 1/2” Cut

Choke: Fixed Cylinder

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a bead set on the barrel at the muzzle. The top of the receiver is milled with a wavy pattern for glare reduction.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are wood. The forend is grooved and the buttstock is smooth. The buttstock has a flat bottom pistol grip and a straight comb. The forend has some little dings, compressions, and a few little scrapes through the finish. The buttstock has some scattered scuffs, draglines, compressions, and some scratches. The defects are pretty evenly scattered but some of the most noticeable are on the top of the comb heel and on the belly at the toe. The LOP measures 13 3/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the checkered metal buttplate. The plate has some thinning around the edges and some light frost. The stocks rate in about Very Good Plus overall condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 90% of its metal finish. There is some thinning on the edges. The receiver has some tiny freckles of frost. The receiver has some scratches, most noticeable on the left side. The trigger guard has some light mottled thinning. The lifter and bolt have a few small spots of dark discoloration from previous oxidation. The barrel has some scattered scuffs, little nicks, hairline scratches, and a few small scrapes. The most noticeable scrape is on the top in front of the markings. The pins are intact. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun rates in about Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be required to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The Model 31 was designed to compete against Winchester’s Model 12, and its action is extremely smooth, so smooth it was called the pump with “the ball bearing action” (although there are not really any ball bearings.) A re-design from machined parts to stamped parts gave Remington the lower cost Model 870 shotgun with as good or better reliability than the Model 12. Still, some claim the Model 31 has the smoothest action ever designed. This one was used by the Alameda County Sheriffs department of California. The barrel has been cut down to 18 ½” for law enforcement use and has been marked as such on the right of the receiver. This shotgun is in Very Good condition and will be a cool addition to your collection. Please see our photos and good luck!