Remington Sportsman 48

Remington Arms · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1949

Also known as: Sportsman '48, Sportsman 48

Overview

The Remington Sportsman 48 is a long-recoil-operated, semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun, the three-shot field version of the Remington Model 11-48. Feeding from a tubular magazine and using the classic Browning long-recoil action in which the barrel and bolt travel rearward together, it was offered in 12, 16 and 20 gauge and was popular as an affordable, durable hunting autoloader through the 1950s.

Specifications

Weight (empty)3175 g (112.0 oz)
Overall Length1194 mm (47.01")
Barrel Length711 mm (27.99")
Action TypeLong Recoil
Firing MechanismHammer Fired
Trigger TypeSingle Stage
Magazine Capacity2 rounds
Magazine TypeTube
Muzzle Velocity400 m/s (1312 fps)
Effective Range40 m (44 yd)
Barrel RiflingNone
Frame MaterialSteel
Slide MaterialSteel
Barrel MaterialSteel
Stock MaterialWood
FinishBlued

Calibers

Features

Variants

Production

Production years: 1949-1959

Field-grade three-shot companion to the Model 11-48

Origin

Country of origin: United States

Discontinued: 1959

Notes

The '48' denotes 1948, its development year; sales began in 1949. The Sportsman 48 is essentially a Model 11-48 limited to two shells in the magazine plus one in the chamber.

Background

The Sportsman 48 carried John Browning's long-recoil autoloading action into the postwar American duck blind, its barrel famously kicking backward with every shot in the same humpbacked tradition as the Auto-5.