Remington Model 11 Refurbishing

[chuck pullen]

I've got a 1920 Remington Model 11 with a 20" barrel that I love. I want to refurbish it and make it into a HD shotgun. I understand it has no real collector's value, so modifying it doesn't seem a problem. Here's what I'm thinking. Please share your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks:

1. Magazine extension- It has a 4 round magazine and I'd like to add an extension that adds two. Any suggestions? I'd really like a mag. ext. that drops right on, but I don't think they exist. Hope I'm wrong.

2. Recoil/Friction Ring Replacements Source-I need to replace at least the brass recoil/friction ring. Might as well replace both it and the steel ring. Any suggestions for a parts source?

3. Refinish Receiver-All bluing is gone fron the receiver and it ain't pretty. I'd like a durable, easy to apply finish that mimiics dark bluing pretty well because the barrel finish still looks okay. Any suggestions?

4. Gunsmith-This gun runs okay, but it is pushing 100 years old. Anyone know of a gunsmith that is familiar with these nice old guns that could give it a thorough once-over and fix problems if any are found?


Thanks for any thoughts. Plus, I'd like to hear anything about these guns you might like to share. Thanks.

 

[OldTex]

Sorry I can't help you any of the details, but the Remington 11 is basically a Browning Auto-5. If you look on your barrel, you'll see the Browning patent numbers. A smith that works on Brownings can probably tell you what kind of project you're looking at.

I put a black parkerized finish on an old gun with shot bluing and it worked out just fine. A lot cheaper than a nice bluing job, too.

 

[Silverado6x6]

I picked up a Rem 11 years ago at an along the road flea market, it was in sorry shape, the barrel was cut down to 20", the forend was cracked, all the blueing was worn out, it was full of crud and sunflower seeds of all things.

I repaired the wood using Devcon epoxy, stripped and sanded and then did a polyurethane finish. had all the metal bead blasted and then blued to a matte non polished appearance, take special attention to the leather recoil stop inside, I soaked mine in a synthetic grease because it was dried out, its a recoil buffer, held by small rivets if I remember right. Without it you risk breaking out the rear of the receiver.

The compression rings and tube needs to be very clean, some lubricants will drastically change the cycle so I just used a dry synthetic spray. Cycling does change from load to load, at one point I used too much grease on that tube and was firing off all the shells like a semi auto, it can cycle very fast. take down isn't all that easy but not as hard as you would think for a semi auto, don't use super modified reloads in it, I use regular 2 3/4 12g loads including slugs with no problems.

Don't plan on adding a super long mag tube extension, you cannot clamp to the barrel if you havn't figured that out by now. I have a ramped express rifle sight on mine with a fiber optic tube, nothing on the rear. I would love to build a railed foreend so as to mount a light but decided to just keep it simple and light, its my number one home defense gun.

 

[Old Shooter]

Numrich has the parts listed for the friction ring and the steel ring, also most of the other parts including the leather washer and rivet.

Don't know about a mag extension but as mentioned if the parts are available for a Browning they can probably be made to fit the Remington.

Good luck.

Added: I did a search for "Browning shotgun extended magazine tube" and it seems like they are availale from Midway and others.

 

[VA27]

#2. How much wear is the bronze friction ring showing? If the interior ribs are still there and there are no obvious cracks or dings it's probably still good. I put a new friction ring on an old Browning and it nearly beat me to death. Because it wasn't worn in and mated to the mag tube it had less friction than the old one. A new friction ring spring and recoil spring is what I'd do first.

If you do go the new friction ring route, I'd also 'rough up' the mag tube with 600 or 800 grit wet or dry paper in shoe shine fashion perpendicular to the length of the mag tube, to give the tube a little bite to break in the new ring.

 

[natman]

The compression rings and tube needs to be very clean, some lubricants will drastically change the cycle so I just used a dry synthetic spray. Cycling does change from load to load, at one point I used too much grease on that tube and was firing off all the shells like a semi auto, it can cycle very fast.

The outside of the mag tube does need to be lubed, but a few drops of regular gun oil on a patch and a light wipe is plenty. As you've discovered, this is not the place for your super slick wonder lube. It needs just the right amount of friction to work properly.

 

[chuck pullen]

VA27:

The friction ring is cracked, so I need to replace it. Thanks for the advice on roughing up the tube.

 

[waburn]

Do yourself a favor and replace the recoil spring and action spring. Mine functioned good, but seemed to recoil a bit much. With the friction ring set for heavy loads it would cycle light field loads no problem. The spings had set and were 1.5 inches shorter than the new ones. Here is a good video on disassembly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkiGWd6ot84.

 

[ball3006]

Waburn......where did you get a replacement spring? chris3

 

[waburn]

Chris, Numrich was the only place i could find the springs. http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/Remington-33454/Shotguns-37896/11-41186.htm?results=100
Right now some of the recoil springs are sold out for the various gauges and shot capacities. I have always been told that Browning auto 5 springs will interchange no problem, don't know for sure.

 

[rodinal220]

http://www.gunsprings.com/Rifles & Shotguns/REMINGTON/11/cID2/mID108/dID199