Remington Model 11 20ga - surprise

M3Stuart · Dec 23, 2015

A friend of mine recently inherited this Remington Model 11 20 gauge. So far I can date it as being manufactured between 1937 and 1948.

My friend is not a gun guy, so I offered to clean it up and test fire it for him.

I was going to the range and after doing a basic function test, and for the heck of it, fired a few shells out of it and it shoots fine after sitting idle for probably 50 or so years. I noticed it had the plug in it and only held 2 rounds.

Anyhoo, I get around to breaking it down today for a thorough cleaning and, well, check out this 'plug'. It's a stick. So what I have is a depression-era gun with a depression-era 'plug'.

Hard to imagine that, back in the depression, my friend's deep-Arkansas-woods, grandfather didn't order out to some mail order house for an expensive replacement plug.

The gall of some people.

Mike SC Hunter · Dec 23, 2015

We used pencils cut to length/sticks or whatever it took to plug the gun..........No shame in that.

BTW........Nice old mdl. 11!

JayCeeNC · Dec 23, 2015

Several times I've had friends out bird hunting who realized they'd forgotten the plug and made a "field expedient" plug out of a branch. It works.

DWalt · Dec 23, 2015

Years ago, I bought a used 1920s era Model 11 in 20 Ga for my wife. She didn't like it, so I didn't keep it long. It was in beautiful condition and had a solid barrel rib. One of those I wish I had kept. As far as I can remember, it did not have a plug in it.

CAJUNLAWYER · Dec 24, 2015

Interesting how the Browning designed Model 11 morphed into the 11-48 into the 1100 into the 11-87 into the Versa Max......I've owned the 11-48, the 1100 and the 11-87

Stevie · Dec 24, 2015

Yeh Remington's auto shotgun line evolved from the Browning designed Model 11 to the Model 11-48 to the Sportsman 58 to the 828 then the 1100 and 11-87 and whatever new-new models they offer these days

Mike SC Hunter · Dec 24, 2015

When I wear out my Browning A5, I get me another automatic shotgun................Probably won't happen in this lifetime. I despise auto shotguns with those big old "pot bellied" forends......Won't own one.

dougb1946 · Dec 24, 2015

My Dad gave me a Sportsman 48 in 16 gauge about 55 years ago. Duck hunting version-long barrel, full choke, 3 shots. My go-to gun. It always works, it reaches out and touches birds a long ways out. Lighter than my double barrels. Recoil operated, so not much kick.

SAFireman · Dec 24, 2015

I got my first Rem 11 about 10 years ago. I find that I shoot it much better than the 11-87 that I had before. Mine came with a wooden dowel, which I removed and stuck in a drawer. I had a short barreled military version as well, but my FIL wanted it for his collection of martial arms. I never really looked at the great humpback shotguns very much before, but after shooting one, I am converted.

DWalt · Dec 24, 2015

Remington also made a series of semiautomatic rifles using the long-recoil principle, just as the Model 11 did. Those were the Model 8, and the later slightly improved (?) Model 81, the main mechanical difference being that while the Model 11 used an under-barrel tubular magazine, the Models 8 and 81 used a fixed box magazine loaded through the top while the bolt was locked open. These Remington rifles chambered for heavier calibers (.35 Remington and .300 Savage) will loosen your fillings when fired. Those in .25 Rem, .30 Rem, and .32 Rem have more tolerable recoil levels.

model70hunter · Dec 24, 2015

M3Stuart said:
A friend of mine recently inherited this Remington Model 11 20 gauge. So far I can date it as being manufactured between 1937 and 1948.

My friend is not a gun guy, so I offered to clean it up and test fire it for him.

I was going to the range and after doing a basic function test, and for the heck of it, fired a few shells out of it and it shoots fine after sitting idle for probably 50 or so years. I noticed it had the plug in it and only held 2 rounds.

Anyhoo, I get around to breaking it down today for a thorough cleaning and, well, check out this 'plug'. It's a stick. So what I have is a depression-era gun with a depression-era 'plug'.

Hard to imagine that, back in the depression, my friend's deep-Arkansas-woods, grandfather didn't order out to some mail order house for an expensive replacement plug.

The gall of some people.

I grew up in the deep MO Ozark woods. There were a couple of pawn shops at the main gate to the post but no LGS, no gun parts.

Way back in the day most men carried a pocket knife. I could whip up a plug in a few minutes with a stout and straight limb.

Are you telling me some folks actually buy a plug?

Actually once it dawned on me that the lumber yard sold dowel rods I always had a few next to my work bench.

Nice old Remington. You did your friend well by cleaning it up and testing it.

Bastogne71 · Dec 25, 2015

When my uncle had a stroke when I was 12, I inherited his model 11 in 20ga. It came with a ribbed IC choke barrel and a full choked spare barrel. Got my first quail and squirrel with that gun. I've loved the 20ga ever since and that gun is still mine after 56 years!

jaymoore · Dec 25, 2015

First shot a Model 11 (16 ga.) as a teen. What I didn't know at the time was my uncle had the action set for light loads. Which wasn't what ammo I chambered! First round made me sit down. Ooofah! Swapped the friction rings about straight away and had some good hunts with that old shotgun.

M3Stuart · Dec 25, 2015

Yes, I saw that on youtube; the ring goes on the front for heavy loads, on the back for heavy loads.

Alk8944 · Dec 25, 2015

I've had three Model 11s. First was a G.I. 12 ga. guard gun. Wish I hadn't sold it! Currently have two 20 ga. guns, one a "Sportsman". The standard gun had a paper tube from a wire coat hanger in the magazine for a plug. From what I have seen over the past near 60 years is a "real" store-bought plug is by far the exception, with the most common being simple sections of dowel!

Remington Model 11 20ga - surprise

M3Stuart

Member

Attachments

Mike SC Hunter

Member

JayCeeNC

US Veteran

DWalt

Member

CAJUNLAWYER

Member

Stevie

Member

Mike SC Hunter

Member

dougb1946

Member

SAFireman

SWCA Member

DWalt

Member

model70hunter

Member

Bastogne71

US Veteran

jaymoore

Member

M3Stuart

Member

Alk8944

US Veteran

Similar threads

Latest posts