Rem Model 11 couple questions

[5Redman8]

I have just been given my wife's grandfather's Remington Model 11 12ga. It is in what I would call field shape. When I got it last night, there was rust in several places, only on the outside. All internal surfaces are shiny and clean. After a little work, all the rust is gone but it did leave some pitting. Looks much better but still needs some TLC.

One question is I cannot find the serial number referenced for production date. The # is 441,XXX. I have found a listing of production dates but I can only locate out to 425,XXX and then in 1949 they jumped to 700,000. Please help if you can find a production year.

Also, without damaging value, is there any way to remove the pitting? This gun has one of the variable chokes, twist style, are those factoy?

Thanks,
Kyle

[gunnut69]

I'll research the serial number but don't have a really good resource hanfy.  Removing 'pits' cuased by rusting action is a thorny problem.  The area can be polished enought to remove the pits and that is fairly easy but unless the entire part(the receiver for instance) is polished the repaired area will be fairly obvious.  Perhaps a light polishing of the areas that were pitted and an application of a good cold blue.  I usually advise Brownells OxphoBlue as it's the most wear resistant and the easiest to apply..

[5Redman8]

Gunnut,

According to the barrel markings CK, it would have been produced in 1941.  And the barrel does match the action by number.  But according to the serial number date on Rems site,

http://www.remington.com/magazine/history/m11_5.htm

the serial numbers n 1941 are 700,000+


My number is 441,XXX.


Kyle

[gunnut69]

The serial numbers for the M11 are not well maintained.  There is even some disagreement about the begining number as Rem says it may be 10,00-11,000 but the gentleman that put the serial number page together owned a weapon numbered in the 2,000 range..  I would guess you may have a receiver that fell in the 1939-1940 gap.  The serial numbers started in the 700,000 range in 1940 but ended in 1939 at 425,753.  It is not at all unusual for barrels to not match receivers as they are interchangeable.  I don't know about the variable choke being a factory option.  Some makers did offer versions with these chokes but many thousands more were added to guns after market..