Steel Shot????

[tomzuki]

Anybody know if you can shoot steel in a Remington Model 11 with a fixed full choke??  I just picked one up as a used piece and wondered if I will use it for a goose gun or a turkey gun.  My 870's are limited to #4 steel shot for ducks, any info would be appreciate, or I could contact Remington direct........Thanks in advance.

[Graybeard]

Highly inadvisable. They recommend you not run steel thru even the more modern full chokes I think. On one that old you're gonna ruin it for sure. I'm familiar with one old Rem Model 11 full choke barrel that split with lead shot.

[tomzuki]

Greybeard, you are spot on!  I just recieved an e-mail back from Remington.  My Model 11 was manufactured in 1925, and it is not recommended to shoot steel or Hevi-shot.  I will be using this one as a turkey gun in the coastal range of central California.  Short of that it will be a "Wall-Hanger" with a fantastic story and history.  Might even take it out to the trap range a time or two!

[Graybeard]

The gun was build by Remington long ago on the Browning patent, same gun basically as the Browning Auto 5. Savage also build guns on the same patent back in the old days.

My friend had one that belonged to someone else and he was doing some work on it. I can't recall just what he was doing to it. He shot a heavy load of lead shot, I think either a 1-3/8 oz or maybe 1-1/2 oz load down the barrel and it split on the end wiping out several inches of the barrel.

He had it cut off below the split and a machinist friend of his made up a barrel extension to fit. They cut out the inside of the parent barrel and made a slip fit to add the new piece back and ended up rechoking it. I shot the gun afterward and shot it quite well. My friend is now dead but I think his stepson still has that old gun.

They make good shooters but don't have the stength of today's guns so be gentle with it and it should serve you well.

[JoeG52]

Why not shoot bismuth in it?

[tomzuki]

Joe, I asked Remington about bismuth an d they said that for this particular gun, made long before 1950 they only recommend lead shot.  I will definately be hunting for Turkeys with this one, and I cant wait to try it out!

[tomzuki]

OK !  Had the new one at the range today.  Works just fine, a couple of stovepipes, but otherwise a joy.  I have'nt been able to find a op. manual but did download one from the Browning website for a Light Auto-5, essentialy the same thing that described how to adjust for light target loads and heavier field loads.  I will really enjoy hunting with this one and telling others the story of how I aquired it.