I don't think anyone has really decoded those letters and hashmarks down the barrel tube bottoms. I've posted this information before, but if someone with a lot of Remingtons, like Bobby, add these to what he has and what is in Charles' book, maybe a pattern will emerge.
1906 12-gauge KE-Grade has /// K E Y
1909 16-gauge KE-Grade has X K E A1
1896 12-gauge AE-Grade has P A
1906 12-gauge FE Trap has /// F E G 13
1894 12-gauge BE-Grade has B J and a poorly struck E or an F
1907 CEO-Grade 12-gauge has /// M
1905 DEO-Grade 16-gauge has X O
In some cases you can get the grade as in the KE and FE. My BE-Grade has Chain Damascus barrels, and on the Remington Damascus salesman sample the Chain Damascus is labeled CHAIN J. So, B for the grade, J for the barrel material and E for ejectors?!? Hmmm....
Just from looking at my little list there seems to be a difference in the markings on the early guns, 1894 and 1896 and those from the later years 1905 to 1909. Anyone willing to share marks on 1897 to 1904 guns? I also noted that in my later guns both 16-gauges have an X and the 12-gauges all have ///.
