Butchering a Model 11

[ssb]

Last year I watched The Highwaymen and developed an irrational case of the wants for a Model 11 riot gun. I recently found a Model 11 with a 28" barrel for a price I was willing to pay. Wood is mismatched but appears intact. It appears to be a 1918-production gun.

So I want to ruin a piece of history.

A concern I have is that, when I chop the barrel, the only real option within my capability is to drill a new bead. The current barrel has the bead mounted on a pedestal. With the shorter barrel, wouldn't the gun shoot quite a bit high moving to a bead-on-barrel setup?

Is the easy button option to just buy one of the rebuild spring kits and replace everything?

And lastly, while this is mostly a fun gun, I'd still like it to be at least a somewhat capable defensive arm. Low recoil flite control buckshot shouldn't hurt the thing, correct?

[fatdog]

Last year I watched The Highwaymen and developed an irrational case of the wants for a Model 11 riot gun. I recently found a Model 11 with a 28" barrel for a price I was willing to pay. Wood is mismatched but appears intact. It appears to be a 1918-production gun.

So I want to ruin a piece of history.

A concern I have is that, when I chop the barrel, the only real option within my capability is to drill a new bead. The current barrel has the bead mounted on a pedestal. With the shorter barrel, wouldn't the gun shoot quite a bit high moving to a bead-on-barrel setup?

Is the easy button option to just buy one of the rebuild spring kits and replace everything?

And lastly, while this is mostly a fun gun, I'd still like it to be at least a somewhat capable defensive arm. Low recoil flite control buckshot shouldn't hurt the thing, correct?

I SBR'ed a beat up Auto5 with a 26" barrel a few years back. For the sight, I put on a bead and then used the XS big dot that glues (JB Weld) on top of a standard bead to get my sight higher and that solved that issue. Really if you are just dealing with shot shells the bead does not likely need any elevation. Non-magnum buckshot is unlikely to hurt the thing but I replaced the recoil spring as part of the project. I got the low recoil buckshot stuff to run by putting the friction ring in the rear position. It is a fun gun.

[farscott]

Most Model 11 shotguns have a fiber buffer riveted to the rear of the receiver. Be sure to check for the presence of the buffer, and, if present, the state of the buffer. They tend to disintegrate due to being oil soaked. The receiver can crack if the gun is fired without an intact buffer. The buffer and rivet are items 13 and 14 on this page: https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/remington/shotguns-rem/11-2 $9.50 plus shipping buys those parts.

I suggest replacing the recoil spring and friction pieces as well. Those are items 80 through 83. The 12-gauge recoil spring is not in stock, and Sarco also does not have stock.

[shane45]

Im in the same boat! I picked up an 11 that came with a slug barrel too, giving me great hesitation to alter it. Perhaps it makes sense to find a sacrificial barrel to alter so it can put it back to original?

[farscott]

Im in the same boat! I picked up an 11 that came with a slug barrel too, giving me great hesitation to alter it. Perhaps it makes sense to find a sacrificial barrel to alter so it can put it back to original?

It is usually less expensive and/or more cost effective to buy a spare Model 11 than a spare barrel. Sad but true. Spare barrels are selling for as low as $150 to as high as $250 while $250 buys a whole Model 11. I would look for a Model 11 with a Poly Choke on it as that decreases resale value and cut the barrel down to your preferred length.

[Joe in PNG]

One could also get a Model 11 parts kit (https://everygunpart.com/long-guns-kits/shotguns/semi-auto/remington-11-semi-auto-bare-metal.html), and chop the spare without messing up an original.

[farscott]

Savage 745 and 755 barrels also fit the Model 11. They used to sell at a discount to the Model 11 barrels but are functionally equivalent.