A young man walked into the shop yesterday, looking for .375 & .405 Kynoch ammo. While checking out he mentioned that he was looking at an older Remington and what did I know about Model 17s (life is ironic, isn't it?), I give him my spiel about how much I liked all the pre-war stuff and how I'd just sent one down the road because of how some guns fit you better, and some don't. He thanked me, asked me how late we were open that day, and walked out. He came in just before closing with this.



He'd paid the premium price for it (almost $500), but the gun appears to me...to be almost unfired. Date codes indicate a February of 1933 build date. His logic was "What does $500 buy anymore?" This is only the 3rd Special grade M17 I've ever seen or heard of. It has the 26-inch modifed tube and weighs exactly 6 lbs. It was surprisingly hard to watch it walk out.

The second model 17B you have seen would be mine, no? I'm keeping mine, by the way.
Most young guys don't seem to have an interest in old pump guns, the injection molded stock pumps/autos seem to be what they are after.
Good on him.
Barrel number two on my gun started life as a modified, but, is out to .610 at this time. Looking at the hard use it has seen, I wonder if it has worn out to that size, or if it was opened.
Patterning it, rusty and old as it is, makes me think the grouse will be impressed no matter what the dial indicator says.
I should really get it reblued, not crazy about rusty hands.
A model 17 is a useful thing.

Best,
Ted

Lloyd, did you count my M17 from 1933? Solid rib and in very high condition (if you ignore the puppy tooth marks back at the buttplate).

Joe: I'd somehow lost track of yours. Ted's was the other one I remembered. Solid rib, huh? We need more photography of that one.

This shot doesn't do it much justice.



I showed him how to take it down and told him how unusual it was. I just hate it when I covet things.

model 17's are jes loverly ole pump gons...when i used ta hunt, de were mah favorite carryin an shootin gon...not bad on the skeet field as well...

From its introduction in 1921 --



to 1928 --



the Model 17A "Standard" Grade had a plain stock and a ringed forearm. When Remington introduced the Model 29, it came with a checkered pistol grip stock and forearm on the Model 29A "Standard" Grade. So, at that time Remington Arms Co., Inc. added checkered wood to the Model 17A "standard" Grade.



If the gun in question isn't roll-stamped on the side of the receiver B-GRADE like this Sportsman --



It very likely is just a late Model 17A "Standard" Grade, not a Model 17B "Special" Grade.

At least in the early years of Model 17 production, the Model 17B "Special Grade had imported walnut (Juglans regia) --



not the American Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) of the Model 17A.

Still all great looking old Model 17s!!

Researcher: Appreciate the clarification. Both it and mine (formerly) were and likely are Standard grade guns. Not sure what year Ted's is. So...on the 17s it went from ringed and un-checkered to the nicer option in 1929? That seems to be the exact opposite scenario of my 1935 Model 31, when they changed the previously-checkered "Standard" grade to the ringed forearm in 1936. God Bless Corporate America.

The top gun is the one that unseated my M17 from my "stable". A very early Ward's Western Field Model 30.



It's a 20 as well (both guns pictured are 20s, the bottom one is a Stevens Model 620). The cross-bolt safety on almost all pump shotguns slows me down just a bit (because I'm a southpaw), and that doesn't work in ruffed grouse country. This 520 clone also fits me shockingly well. Most likely because it's not a draw-bolt gun and the wrist is very thin, as is the comb. Cast then becomes a non-issue. It is also the lightest 520 I've ever run across, at 6 1/4 lbs. The absolute polar-opposite of a fine double, but effective, none-the-less.

Another interesting tidbit: the Model 520 was Browning's first hammerless pump design (in 1904), the Model 17 was his last (1915).

Keep in mind that the DuPont "cost cutters" hit the Remington factory at Ilion after 1934!!

That would explain a lot.

Lloyd,
March, of 1933 on mine.

Best,
Ted

THAT one I would have bought off you in a second Lloyd!

1931

Hell Tim,

I would of bought it too (if I'd of seen it first). Dang it, you right-handed guys seem to get to have all of the fun.

Yours is the 5th.

Lloyd,
I just installed a lefty safety in mine. I am guessing it is a factory safety, as it is a virtual mirror image of the factory righty, including the little circles machined in the face-it wouldn't have made sense for an aftermarket product to be identicle to the factory unit, and have that extra time and effort put into it.
But, I freely admit I don't know for sure. It appears to work well. I owned the gun most of 40 seasons before I found it.



I know a lefty safety for an Ithaca 37 doesn't work. I suppose one could be modified to work, but, I haven't done it. I simply switched safeties with a guy who bought a 17 only to discover his was a lefty safety.

The gun:



My first repeater, the gun that has trained bunches of gun safety students, and a few of their mother's, been lent out to lots of people when I was a guide, and the only gun I ever brought home twin limits of 5 ruffed grouse and 5 woodcock in a single day, with 10 rounds of ammunition. I've worn out two recoil pads on this old guy, and have never had a problem with it. A few seasons past I glass bedded the head of the stock, hoping to stabilize it for another half century or so.

Not for sale.

Best,
Ted

Ted:

It's likely an early William's safety. No matter, they work pretty good. Darn hard to find one for a M17, good for you.

We'll have to compare notes when I drag that ugly M30 of mine up there this Fall.

Lloyd,
For what it is worth, I have William's safetys installed in a model 12 Winchester, and an early Ruger model .44 magnum carbine. Neither is a duplicate in appearence to either gun's factory safety. The lefty model 17 is an EXACT, and I mean exact, duplicate, mirror image of the righty part.
Might have to hunt the old 17 this year. I say that every year about a few guns, but, what I showed up with last year gets out more often than not.

Best,
Ted

That's because a double gun is the ideal tool to hunt ruffed grouse with Ted. As much I have enjoyed learning about these guns and their history, I've never lost track of that fact. What amazes me is how good these guns can be in the right hands. I grew up with that and have never forgotten it, and....there simply are occasions where having a 3rd shot (or more) is a pretty convenient thing. It's sure nice to have options!