Model 11s were made from 1905 up until 1947. John Browning came up with the design sold it to FN who made it the Auto 5 then licensed it to Remington as the 11 then Savage as the model 720. Apparently the Browning Auto 5 was made up until 1998 but is a completely different design now.
They typically have 5 shot tube mags. The cool thing about them it that you can add Rem 870/1100 extended mag tubes to them to increase capacity. As such they make a pretty decent HD gun particularly if you cut the barrel down.
So last fall I ran across a shotgun advertised as a Model 11 on a local gun forum. When I looked at it I was overwhelmed at it's like new condition for being 74 years old (made in 1946). It looked like a Model 11, felt like a model 11, operated like a model 11, must be a model 11, right? I grabbed it and brought it home. I was busy so didn't have a lot of time to go over it for a couple days.
When I finally got around to looking closely at it I noticed that the fore arm, magazine tube and cap are different than a Model 11. I also discovered is that is doesn't say Model 11 anywhere on it. I should have looked closer when I bought it.
Had to do some research and I found out it is not a Model 11 but a variation called the Sportsman which came out in the early 1930s. The Sportsman was a 3 shot (2 round mag) lighter version of the 11 made for markets where you were limited to 3 shots like duck hunters. Up until now I wasn't aware of this variation. Not very much info on them.
The bad news is that this version cannot be readily converted to an extended mag tube without replacing the tube, forearm and cap. Mag tube assemblies are not readily available for 70+ year old shotguns.
The good news it that it is in very good to excellent condition and I got it for a very good price. It looks brand new.
The other good news it that the barrel will fit my Savage 720 and any Model 11 or Auto 5. Subsequently If I wanted I could cut the barrel down and use it with my 5 shot 720. I
This Savage 720 was my dads. It has sentimental value so I don't want to cut it's barrel.
The Savage with the Sportsman C-Lec ckoke barrel and +2 mag extension. I marked the barrel @ 18.25". That's where it would be cut.
I've taken both these guns up to my hunting property and ran with and without the tube extension and swapped the barrels back and forth. Both ran without a glitch.
Bottom line is that I still have the Sportsman and I didn't cut it down. I'm going to take it turkey hunting this spring and see how it does. The adjustable choke is handy. So I got a good quality, like new condition vintage semi auto shotgun for $200. Not what I was expecting but not a bad deal overall.
They typically have 5 shot tube mags. The cool thing about them it that you can add Rem 870/1100 extended mag tubes to them to increase capacity. As such they make a pretty decent HD gun particularly if you cut the barrel down.
So last fall I ran across a shotgun advertised as a Model 11 on a local gun forum. When I looked at it I was overwhelmed at it's like new condition for being 74 years old (made in 1946). It looked like a Model 11, felt like a model 11, operated like a model 11, must be a model 11, right? I grabbed it and brought it home. I was busy so didn't have a lot of time to go over it for a couple days.
When I finally got around to looking closely at it I noticed that the fore arm, magazine tube and cap are different than a Model 11. I also discovered is that is doesn't say Model 11 anywhere on it. I should have looked closer when I bought it.
Had to do some research and I found out it is not a Model 11 but a variation called the Sportsman which came out in the early 1930s. The Sportsman was a 3 shot (2 round mag) lighter version of the 11 made for markets where you were limited to 3 shots like duck hunters. Up until now I wasn't aware of this variation. Not very much info on them.
The bad news is that this version cannot be readily converted to an extended mag tube without replacing the tube, forearm and cap. Mag tube assemblies are not readily available for 70+ year old shotguns.
The good news it that it is in very good to excellent condition and I got it for a very good price. It looks brand new.
The other good news it that the barrel will fit my Savage 720 and any Model 11 or Auto 5. Subsequently If I wanted I could cut the barrel down and use it with my 5 shot 720. I
This Savage 720 was my dads. It has sentimental value so I don't want to cut it's barrel.
The Savage with the Sportsman C-Lec ckoke barrel and +2 mag extension. I marked the barrel @ 18.25". That's where it would be cut.
I've taken both these guns up to my hunting property and ran with and without the tube extension and swapped the barrels back and forth. Both ran without a glitch.
Bottom line is that I still have the Sportsman and I didn't cut it down. I'm going to take it turkey hunting this spring and see how it does. The adjustable choke is handy. So I got a good quality, like new condition vintage semi auto shotgun for $200. Not what I was expecting but not a bad deal overall.
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