John Pedersen knew a lot about firearms. His rifle design narrowly and controversially lost to the M1 Garand adopted by the U.S. military and used extensively during World War II. His Pedersen Device for M1903s and M1917s in World War I was ground-breaking, but he also created a variety of other designs throughout his career, including the pump-action Remington Model 14 introduced in 1913.
It was followed by two variants, the Model 14 1/2 and Model 141, with the latter coming out of the Ilion, NY, factory as late as 1950. The fact that the Model 14, in various forms, was the seventh-best-selling pump-action rifle on GunBroker.com last year clearly indicates there’s no expiration date on a solid design.
Chamberings available when it was introduced included the .25 Rem., .30 Rem., .32 Rem. and .35 Rem. Barrel length was 22" in the rifle versions, but a carbine was also produced with an 18" barrel. A year later, the Model 14 1/2 came out, expanding ammunition choices to include the .38-40 WCF and .44-40 WCF. Barrel lengths were the same. A knurled screw on the left side of the receivers allowed both models to be taken down for storage or convenient travel. Between the two versions, which had a spiral twist to their tube magazines to prevent bullets from contacting cartridge primers directly ahead during recoil, slightly more than 125,000 14s and 14 1/2s were made.
Cosmetic improvements set the Model 141 apart when it appeared in 1935, labeled as the Gamemaster. With a restyled stock, step-adjustable rear sight and bead ramp up front, it wore a 24" barrel in rifle versions and 18" barrel in the carbine.
The pump-action Remington Model 14 rifle ranked 10th in 2018’s annual rankings for the category. The fact it’s moving up says a lot about the gun and its timeless design.
As with all used firearms, prices vary widely, depending on condition, history and rarity. Some pristine models are going for more than $1,000, although those that show years command much less.
