Chino74
Member
Anybody own or shoot these old shotguns? I've got a late 1940's Rem. 11 in 12 gauge., a blast to shoot...I'm going to be modifying it a bit however...gonna turn it into a Whippet. Although keeping the barrel length 18.5
Remington Model 11 Autoloader (Browning A5)
- Thread starter Chino74
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Justin T
Member
I have a Savage 720 that is my favorite autoloader. And am piecing together a Model 11 in sort of rat rod fashion-it even has an Auto 5 buttstock!
Buick
Member
Ive got 3 Auto 5's; they are a great joy in my life. Its gotten to the point tho that there is a profit to be made parting them out. Dang walnut is like gold!
Patrick L
Member
I routinely shoot my 2 Browning Auto 5s at casual skeet and 5 stand. I have a 1966 Sweet 16 and a 1971 Magnum 20. I also start out pheasant season with one or the other of these two.
What works of mechanical art. And the history they embody is amazing. Probably the single biggest blunder Winchester ever made, letting this design get away.
What works of mechanical art. And the history they embody is amazing. Probably the single biggest blunder Winchester ever made, letting this design get away.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I have both a Belgian Browning A-5 and a Remington Model 11. The Browning is a vent rib hunting gun, the Remington is a former police evidence gun that had seen better days. I stripped off its coats of bbq grill paint, cut it down to 18 inches, and refinished it with a can of Brownells do-it-yourself parkerizer. Its a great gun, and it goes with me on road trips, stuffed full of 00 buck.
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Chino74
Member
Ya I was reading up on the HX. during the war years REM manufactured A5 as well as Model 11's during Nazi occupation of Belguim, there were some parts cross overs as well. The stocks are hard to find...every forearm has cracks in em it seems. Not all but most. Mine are in pretty good shape.
When I was a teenager I bought a well used Remington Model 11 and cut the barrel to 18.5".
It is a recoil operated action, and mine would not function with lighter loads such as dove and quail loads.
It is a recoil operated action, and mine would not function with lighter loads such as dove and quail loads.
I have a couple Model 11's and a RAS, Remington Autoloading Shotgun, which was what they were called before the Model 11 tag was added. I still remember the first time I leaned on the barrel with the butt on the ground and it dipped into the receiver. Freaked me out until I found out that was normal.
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Chino74
Member
It's all about the friction rings set up, so they say.
You could probably adjust the recoil system and get it going with light loads if you wanted.
I've had 3 of the Browning A5's. 2 were Belgium & the other was a Miroku version. I shot the Belgium ones at trap & skeet. Wonderful guns & the softest shooting shotgun's I've ever shot. Learn how to setup the recoil system as the photo shows above.
Cory
Cory
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DWalt
Member
I have owned two of the Remington M11s, a 12 and a 20. I got the latter for my wife, but she didn't like it so I sold it. The main drawback is the weight. Browning also designed a semiauto rifle on basically the same long recoil system, produced by FN, and later by Remington as the Model 8 and the Model 81.
I once worked with a guy who was an instructor at an AAF aerial gunnery school during WWII. For awhile they used Rem M11s and Savage 720s to teach prospective gunners how to lead targets. He said that when they broke them down for cleaning, they made no attempt to keep the parts for individual guns together. So parts interchangeability was very good.
I once worked with a guy who was an instructor at an AAF aerial gunnery school during WWII. For awhile they used Rem M11s and Savage 720s to teach prospective gunners how to lead targets. He said that when they broke them down for cleaning, they made no attempt to keep the parts for individual guns together. So parts interchangeability was very good.
Justin T
Member
Properly sprung these guns are soft and gentle shooters. Not the mule-kickers some believe they can be. They’ll happily pound themselves to pieces, though, and do require some attention from time to time.
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Chino74
Member
I need a good source for a new Rem 11 recoil spring. Also, I was thinking, wouldn't a standard 870 4 shot capacity mag spring & end cap and follower work in the Model 11?
Be mindful when cutting these and the A5 down that they have a long coil spring inside of a metal tube (Bolt return spring) extending well back into the buttstock.
It's much further back than just the exposed top tang of the shotgun and the 'nose' of the butt stock.
If you cut the butt stock down any, you have to leave that portion in tact. Leaves you with a section of butt stock behind the pistol grip but the gun still works.
Remington made Riot guns in the Model 11. I think they were 20" bbl's normally,,maybe shorter, but full size buttstocks.
A5 and Model 11 forends tend to crack. Just one of the 'features' of the design.
It usually comes from the forend being repeatedly tightened down with the forend cap. Over time and with wood being effected with oil (softened) and overtightening the cap, ect, the forend is slightly moved to the rear
There is, at the other end of the forend, a slight inlet in the wood for clearance for the bbl chamber extension.
That extension recoils on firing and then sharply springs forward under spring tension (to eject the fired round).
If that clearance gap is taken up by over tightening the forend as a whole,,then the front edge of the chamber extension slams into the wood each time it comes forward and batters it ,,cracks the wood.
That slight clearance is meant to avoid that contact and any damage to the forend.
Nothing wrong with the Remington Model 11.
About the only thing it has that the FN didn't was the added buffer washer rivited to the inside back wall of the rcv'r. Rem said it was necessary, FN never saw it that way.
Most of the buffers are long since gone from being brittle and cracked. They can be replaced. Some don't bother, many don't even know it was there and gone.
The true 'Whippet' Remington, the shotgun that originally got that nickname in the Remington lineup was the Model 17P (Police)
14 1/2" bbl and pistol grip buttstock (20ga only)
The early editions used a pistol grip stock with the spur or knuckle at the top of the grip to aid in handling. Later production came w/o that feature. Probably more pain in use than anything it offered in handling efficiency.
It's much further back than just the exposed top tang of the shotgun and the 'nose' of the butt stock.
If you cut the butt stock down any, you have to leave that portion in tact. Leaves you with a section of butt stock behind the pistol grip but the gun still works.
Remington made Riot guns in the Model 11. I think they were 20" bbl's normally,,maybe shorter, but full size buttstocks.
A5 and Model 11 forends tend to crack. Just one of the 'features' of the design.
It usually comes from the forend being repeatedly tightened down with the forend cap. Over time and with wood being effected with oil (softened) and overtightening the cap, ect, the forend is slightly moved to the rear
There is, at the other end of the forend, a slight inlet in the wood for clearance for the bbl chamber extension.
That extension recoils on firing and then sharply springs forward under spring tension (to eject the fired round).
If that clearance gap is taken up by over tightening the forend as a whole,,then the front edge of the chamber extension slams into the wood each time it comes forward and batters it ,,cracks the wood.
That slight clearance is meant to avoid that contact and any damage to the forend.
Nothing wrong with the Remington Model 11.
About the only thing it has that the FN didn't was the added buffer washer rivited to the inside back wall of the rcv'r. Rem said it was necessary, FN never saw it that way.
Most of the buffers are long since gone from being brittle and cracked. They can be replaced. Some don't bother, many don't even know it was there and gone.
The true 'Whippet' Remington, the shotgun that originally got that nickname in the Remington lineup was the Model 17P (Police)
14 1/2" bbl and pistol grip buttstock (20ga only)
The early editions used a pistol grip stock with the spur or knuckle at the top of the grip to aid in handling. Later production came w/o that feature. Probably more pain in use than anything it offered in handling efficiency.
Had a Remington 11 12 gauge years ago. Worked reliably but couldn't get enthused about it. Later came into a Browning A5 Light Twelve, Bishop stocked which was a lovely gun, but was sacrificed to a good cause. Found a Remington Sportsman 16 for short money in an LGS a couple years ago. If I keep practicing I may manage to miss with it, but so far it's like throwing lightning bolts.
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Chino74
Member
Thank you all for the information. Regarding the forend stock, with the mag nut tightened but not over tight shouldn't the rear section of the forend stock abut the front edge of the receiver flush? Or would one preferentially allow a small gap of 1/8 inch or so? I always assumed it should be flush when screwing the mag end cap in place. I don't want to crack my forend stock. And as to cutting the rear stock, ya I am aware of the bolt return spring assembly in the buttstock. I will make sure regarding clearance. I may not recut it at all but was thinking of trimming an inch or possibly a slight bit more.
LDM
Member
I have a 1950 vintage A5 Light 12. It's a real sweet shooter, provided you have the rings seat up right. Came with a factory Cutts compensator and I later added 26 in barrel with the choke tubes and a buck barrel with the rifle sights. Can't bear it for versatility and reliability.
Forend nut is suppose to be hand tight and backed of one click. A5 probably best auto ever built. Ran for close to 100yrs. Maintained they will last forever. I use a A5 Light 12 and took a beating from 1100 clan over weight of gun. Well weigh a A5 light 12 and a 1100 Rem ( with similar barrels ) and you will be surprised.
Change the springs - who knows how old they are and how many rounds have been through them - new springs make a HUGE difference!
BTW a Remington 870 mag extension will thread right on - but a spacer will be needed to get everything to fit properly, if you don't want to do a little bit of trimming.
BTW a Remington 870 mag extension will thread right on - but a spacer will be needed to get everything to fit properly, if you don't want to do a little bit of trimming.
