Rem. Model 11 barrels OK for steel?

[TheCoachZed]

My future brother in law and I were out looking at guns the other day and he saw a Remington Model 11 he really liked, but the owner said he didn't know if it would take steel shot.

Anybody on here know about that? I realize the choke would have to be opened for bigger shot. I also know the later A5s made by BROWNING supposedly had better steel in the barrels than the earlier ones, but I have no idea if Remington Model 11's are the same.

EDIT: It also had a repaired crack in the forearm. Is this common to the Browning-design guns?

 

[JamesM]

The recoil operated A5 design eats forearms, but luckily replacement synthetic stocks are available, I'd suggest replacing it with a synthetic forearm at the earliest date. As far as barrels go Hastings(sp?) makes a good one for the A5.

 

[TheCoachZed]

As far as barrels go Hastings(sp?) makes a good one for the A5.

I think that Model 11's and A5's have problems swapping parts (metric vs. english threads) don't they? Or am I imagining that . . .

 

[Twinfan]

I would advise that you steer clear of vintage shotguns if a regular diet of modern steel loads are likely. While the barrel and action mechanism may have been built "heavy" enough to handle the different pressure characterisitics, it would be by accident and not by design. There are lots of guys around who are feeding steel loads through shotguns that were never designed for them. It comes down to how much doubt you want in your mind each time you pull a trigger.

Some of these old guns (especially the autoloaders) are not such good deals when you have to start buying hard to find parts in order to keep them running.

 

[TheCoachZed]

'Swatithought.

The old guy wanted too much for the shotgun anyway - $425.

I thought that was especially pricy when it was basically a grouse/rabbit gun, a job done a lot better by a single shot anyway!