Remington Model 11 for HD?

[Mark@Sea]

I just picked up a Remington Model 11-A (their licensed copy of Brownings' A5) off gunbroker. This particular gun was neglected, then re-finished (poorly). It has no collector value. I'm considering cutting the barrel to 20 inches and using it as a home defense piece. Any thoughts on this? And does anyone want an old polychoke?

Its' a 4+1, recoil operated automatic 12 Ga.

Unable to post pictures, here's a link to the auction...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=124255476

[memphismason]

I have a model 11 that was given to me about 13 years ago. I squirrel hunted with it for a while, until I got tired of wagging around such a heavy gun around the woods.

The recoil barrel makes the recoil pretty tough. I don't get it out much for that reason.

When I got it the forearm was cracked and with me shooting the mess out of it, the forearm eventually shattered. I had a friend of a friend that was a gunsmith to make a new forearm for it. The finish doesn't match the stock, but oh well.

Never had any real problems out of it. It didn't really like target loads a whole lot, but other than that, it was fine.

I couldn't hit a skeet with it to save my life. LOL

Here is my model 11

[Mark@Sea]

Recoil should not be that harsh. Sounds as if the bronze recoil bushing is worn out, or was put in backwards.

Under the forearm you should find a steel bushing, a bronze bushing, and a recoil spring. The steel bushing has a flat side and a beveled side, as does the bronze bushing. Their orientation and location are important. For light loads, the steel bushing is against the receiver, then the spring, then the bronze bushing. For heavy loads, it is spring/steel/bronze. For heavy loads, the outside bevel on the bronze (friction) ring faces the receiver. For light loads, it faces the muzzle. The FLAT on the steel ring always faces the spring.

Both the recoil spring and the bronze bushing are subject to wearing out.

Parts are readily available.

The forearm will crack, if the magazine cap is not tight enough. That is another classic/common problem with these recoil operated shotguns.

A friction ring setting diagram can be found at this link:

http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional_info/remington_11.htm

Edited March 13, 2009 by Mark@Sea
corrected bad info in BOLD

[Guest Grout]

A guy named Patrick Kelly tested several makes and designs of auto shotguns for Front Sight magazine to see once and for all which shotgun was the fastest cycling .The Browning finished ahead of the famed Benelli.IIRC the Winchester Super X was the winner.The only drawback to the Browning was the lack of add on parts for 3-gun matches.

[Mark@Sea]

I'm not fond of hanging a lot of tacticool gadgetry on 'em anyway. It cost me less than a used tactical 870, even with shipping and transfer.

I would like to maybe put a 2 shot extension on it. Wonder if an 870 extension could be modified to fit? A new recoil spring, friction bushing, and replacing the recoil buffer will run me about 30 bucks. A stock cuff to hold extra on-board ammo, and it'll be good to go.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

The Winchester Super X was the winner.

I wondered when folks would notice that the Super X3 was faster!

[Mark@Sea]

What does a SuperX run these days, though? The best part of this project is that it is cheap. Cheaper than some pumps.

Buddy of mine has an M3 - gonna see if he'll bring it out for a little practice, and see how my po-boy does against it... Wouldn't it be funny to outshoot his $$$ pride and joy with a 1920's era boomstick?

Well, funny to me, anyway....

[KahrMan]

I grew up shooting my granddads model 11. They are great guns. As long as it cycles reliably, I don't see why it wouldn't work as a good home defense gun. And if you run out of ammo you can just beat the bad guy to death with it. They are solid guns.

Recoil has always been pretty stout with mine. I will have to check the bushings to make sure they are installed correctly.

[Mark@Sea]

Updated info: The browning manual for the A5 states that the bevel edge of the bronze friction brake always faces the muzzle, and the flat side of the steel friction ring always faces the spring. The only thing that changes between heavy and light loads is the position of the steel friction ring - either between spring and receiver for light loads, or between spring and bronze friction brake for heavy loads.

The manual suggests you start in the "heavy" setting, and only move to "light" if the gun does not cycle. The mag tube should have a LIGHT coat of oil (wipe on, wipe off, I guess).

The bronze thingy should have a steel compression band around it.

Guess this belongs in the gunsmithing forum, too: Parts that should be replaced, available from Brownells, with part # and $. Note, these are A5 12 ga. (not magnum) parts.

Stock# Descr. Price

149-005-378 Recoil Spring $13.15

149-005-197 Friction Piece, Bronze $9.99

149-005-205 Friction Ring $4.99 *replace if missing/damaged

149-005-215 Friction Spring $4.99

Neat schematic:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/schematics/schemmfg.aspx?schemid=404&m=2&mn=Browning%c2%ae&model=Auto-5+

Edited March 13, 2009 by Mark@Sea

[Guest Centennial]

Mark,

Thanks for the useful Remington Model 11 information. I have one and I made a copy of this info for future reference.

[Mark@Sea]

You're very welcome. I haven't fired an A5 since I was a kid. While on this cruise, I've bought an A5 from a forum member, and a Model 11 off gunbroker. They aren't quite the same - some parts interchange, some won't - but very close. Friction ring info should be the same.

The model 11 was built under license to FN from the A5 patent - interesting story behind that. JMB invented the A5 in 1898. His drawings and 2 sample guns sat at Winchester for 2 years and they did nothing with them. He finally showed up at Winchester, and when they declined to pay him patent royalties he went to their shop and pulled all his drawings and his 2 working guns. Took 'em to Remington, but while he was sitting outside the presidents' office, the guy had a heart attack. So he took it all to FN.

Man, did Winchester blow it, or what? Anyway, a couple years after FN started making them, Congress passed import tariffs. JMB convinced FN to license Remington to produce them in the States, thus the model 11 was born.

I was initially hesitant about replacing the recoil spring, but the newest model 11 is 60 years old. That spring has been under tension for a long time.

[Mark@Sea]

Hey, guys, how about an update? Were the rings set correctly?