Model 1889
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 762 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.54 kg
- Introduced
- 1889
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Remington Model 1889 is a side-by-side, external-hammer, break-action double-barrel shotgun chambered most commonly in 12 gauge. Introduced in 1889, it was one of the first sporting guns to carry the newly reorganized Remington Arms Co. name after the bankruptcy of E. Remington & Sons. It is recognized by its twin, distinctively curved C-shaped hammers, rebounding lockwork and a Deeley & Edge fore-end latch. Offered in seven grades from decarbonized fluid-steel barrels up through fine Damascus, it became one of Remington's most popular hammer doubles, with about 134,200 built before production ended in 1908.
The Model 1889 arrived just as Remington reorganized under the Remington Arms Co. name, and its low-profile C-shaped hammers and affordable grade structure, starting at $14.95, made it a staple of turn-of-the-century American bird and small-game hunting.
Also chambered in 10 and 16 gauge, with a few rare 28-gauge examples known. Grade 1 used decarbonized (fluid) steel barrels, Grade 2 twist steel, and Grades 3 and up Damascus steel with progressively more engraving. Barrels were offered in 28, 30 and 32 inch lengths; specification figures here reflect a typical 30 inch 12-gauge example.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Remington Arms
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1889 to 1908
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 762 mm
- Overall length
- 1181 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.54 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Break action
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Double trigger
- Capacity
- 2
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Damascus steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2560 J
- Effective range
- 40 m
- Maximum range
- 100 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Side by side barrels
External hammers
Twin c shaped hammers
Break action
Double triggers
Deeley edge forend latch
Matted rib
Pistol grip stock
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 3.54 kg | 3.29 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1181 mm | 1150 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 762 mm | 711 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 2 | 3 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Model 1889
How much does the Model 1889 weigh?
The Model 1889 weighs 3.54 kg (7.80 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Model 1889?
The Model 1889 is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Model 1889 hold?
The Model 1889 holds 2 rounds.
How long is the Model 1889?
The Model 1889 is 1181 mm (46.5 in) long overall, with a 762 mm (30.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Model 1889?
The Model 1889 is made by Remington Arms (United States). It was designed by E. Remington & Sons.
When was the Model 1889 introduced?
The Model 1889 was introduced in 1889 and discontinued in 1908.
How does the Model 1889 operate?
The Model 1889 uses a break action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- American Sportsmen and Hunters
- 1889
Provenance
Confidence in this record
60%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/remington-model-1889' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "remington-model-1889", "name": "Model 1889", "manufacturer": { "id": "remington", "name": "Remington Arms", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1816, "website": "https://www.remarms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "f839df62af811e3e261014e3302be8a7e112b5d78fb2f9f7bfad68d74817c9c8" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1889, "barrel_length_mm": 762, "weight_empty_g": 3540, "action_type": "break_action"}