Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Is Remington 31 obsolete as a hunting shotgun?

I do not hunt, and my shotgun taste runs strictly to the riot and trap gun varieties.

However, the Remington 31 is the finest pump I have ever seen and they are not all that expensive on Gunbroker. see Remington 31 on Gunbroker

Is there still a use for a modified or full choke 30 inch Remington 31 that will not take steel shot?

If so, how are such guns used in the field?

Thank you.

I use mine on the dove field. 20ga 28" modified.

What is a "Dove Field"

Do you eat the doves?

Dove field = Field where doves are shot.

Yes, we eat the doves.

31 will never be obsolete for shotgunnin.

I've shot a lot of rounds of trap with mine and more than one rabbit as a kid.

One of the most over looked of the "classic" American cornshuckers....

Can't be obsolete! I use 'em to hold down rugs!



Seriously, as long as pump guns aren't obsolete, the best pump gun ever made won't be either. I've hunted with all three of these in recent years (dove and quail), and also a 31 Skeet that was too ugly to put in the picture.

Here's a newer pic of the bottom one after refinishing the wood. They definitely don't make them like this any more.

Nothing is Obsolete as long as it still works and does the job.

My thought was that the tighter choked 31's are not made for steel shot.

Nothing that a quick trip to the smith can't fix.

The only thing we shoot steel at around here is waterfowl.

Upland birds, turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, etc still get lead and if you wanted to shoot ducks with the 31 a box of heavyshot isn't out of the question.

Great to see others apprecaite a fine pumpgun..after having tried all the types of scatterguns, I decided 15 years ago, the pump was my weapon of choice for shotguns....while I often shoot my old 870's, I found a fine model 31 12ga. 30 inch full choke with a solid rib..perfect shape..it shoots like a dream..would like to locate a 20 with a solid rib..gives me something to look for at gun shows...for shooting western birds the model 31 is great..it does an excellent job of knock down sage grouse, that seem a bit far...I haven't shot any ducks with it, but have bismuth shells if I decide to try...the model 31 is really at the top of the line for pump gun quality..I like mine better than the much famed model 12...nice to see others appreciate the gun with the ball bearing action....

It is a very fine gun in its own regard, just couldn't compete with the well established Model 12.

I prefer it to the Model 12's I've handled and shot by a good margin.

Weagle +1 . No offense, but often when I see threads titled such as this one I wonder if some one is just trolling for a reaction. The model 31 was an excellent shotgun 60 years ago and is certainly hasn't diminished since then. The fact that it has a fixed choke and might not have a rib in no way diminishes it's ability to take game in the field and frankly I firmly believe if you have a good modified choked gun and can't take game or break clay birds with it you need to find another hobby. Imho the rib on the barrel and screw chokes followed by the super magnum loads are one of the most over rated options ever put on a shotgun. One other thing I'll point out is the game is pretty much the same as when your grandfather hunted so no need for a lot of concern on that front either. So yes it is a very nice shotgun.