Make: Remington

Model: 25A

Serial Number: 3133

Year of Manufacture: February1923 (From “LP” Date Code on Barrel)

Caliber: .25-20 Winchester Center Fire (.25 WCF)

Action Type: Pump Action With Takedown Receiver and Tubular Magazine. The Loading Port is at the rear of the magazine.

Barrel Length: 24” Round

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a silver beaded blade dovetailed into the barrel and secured with a set screw. The rear sight is a “U” notched semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed into the barrel. The upper tang has a pair of drilled, tapped, and filled holes for a tang sight (none included).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are smooth walnut with a 10-groove slide handle, semi-pistol grip, straight comb, and Remington steel crescent buttplate. The LOP measures about 13 1/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate, which shows thinning, light wear at the heel and toe, some light handling marks, and a general patina throughout. There are compressions, drag lines, and a few nicks. Both sides of the grip have thin cracks. The right side of the grip is cracked in two spots, with one line appearing to have been repaired at some point. Overall, the stocks rate in about Good Condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is minor erosion throughout the lands. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 7/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 65% of its metal finish. There is finish loss along the leading edges and the finish has thinned on much of the muzzle end of the barrel and the bottom and rear portions of the receiver. The exposed and thinned areas have taken to a deep and mottled patina. There is some minor corrosion on top of the receiver above and around the ejection port. There are a few scrapes along the right side of the seam between the trigger guard metal and the receiver. The screw heads are tool marked but retain serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good Condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a push button safety mounted behind the trigger and the slide release is a small lever just in front of the trigger guard. The action is unique in that the magazine tube moves back and forth with the slide. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment:Remington introduced their first slide action rifle, the Model 12, in 1909 to compete with similar designs from Colt and Winchester. The Model 12 was designed by their premier engineer John Pedersen, the inventor of the Pedersen Device used on M-1903 Springfield rifles in WW1. Remington’s subsequent pump action repeaters, the Models 14, 14 1/2, and 25, were also based on Pedersen’s design. The Model 25 slide action was first cataloged in 1923, and that slick little gem of a rifle was chambered for the .25-20 and .32-20 Winchester rounds for small game. About 33,000 were made during its production run from 1923-1936.

This Rare, First Year Remington Model 25A (the “A” refers to the standard grade) was made in February 1923 and is in Good Condition. It features a 24” barrel, 65% of its original blued finish, walnut stocks (both sides of the grip have thin cracks, and the right side of the grip is cracked in two spots, with one appearing to have been repaired at some point) with a semi-pistol grip and a 10-groove slide handle, the original iron sights, the classic Remington steel crescent buttplate, and a bright bore with sharp rifling (there’s minor erosion throughout the lands). This is a nice little takedown rifle with unique features not seen in other models, among them a magazine tube that moves with the slide. Relatively few of these rifles were made, and this will make a fine addition to a collection of early Remington pump action rifles.