One of my favorite shotguns.

[Mongo59]

This is the first shotgun of my own that I ever reconditioned. When I bought it from a LGS for $150 you would want a tetanus shot before picking it up. Someone had already put the polychoke on it, sad because it was an imp cyl solid bar barrel. It now functions much better than it looks.

It is the original furniture, stripped, steamed and stained before several coats of tung oil.

Some will think Browning, and in a way you would be right, but this is a Remington Model 11 straight from the 'way back machine' 1938...

 

[Expat]

Congrats. I agree that it is too bad on the barrel. I never liked the looks of the polychokes.

 

[Leadeye]

I see more cut down Model 11s I think than any other shotgun.

 

[marvin02]

Nice job.

 

[Mongo59]

I see more cut down Model 11s I think than any other shotgun.

They were Gangsta Guns, all the notables had them. This has a bunch of metal so I think I will remove the poly and tap for screw in chokes. This poly has an ivory bead on it though, so it may just finish life as it is...

 

[Mongo59]

Nice job.

I didn't sand on the metal at all. If you get close you can see 'worm tracks' in the metal. I wasn't going for a re-do but a stabilization. It is all Blue Wonder cold blue, one of the best stabilizers on the market.

 

[maxwelhse]

What does steaming the wood do? I've heard of steaming for bending wood, but I'm not familiar with the process for other uses.

 

[JEBland]

What does steaming the wood do? I've heard of steaming for bending wood, but I'm not familiar with the process for other uses.

I don't think he steamed the whole thing like it's a pot of broccoli, but steaming spots in the wood can remove (small) dents in the wood before refinishing. Let a little water absorb into the spot, then with some cloth and a clothes/soldering iron, heat the area. The steam expands the wood locally and gives a more level surface before sanding and finishing.

Pretty nice work, Mongo.

 

[maxwelhse]

I don't think he steamed the whole thing like it's a pot of broccoli, but steaming spots in the wood can remove (small) dents in the wood before refinishing. Let a little water absorb into the spot, then with some cloth and a clothes/soldering iron, heat the area. The steam expands the wood locally and gives a more level surface before applying finish sanding and finishing.

Pretty nice work, Mongo.

Huh. That's pretty cool! I'll file that one away for later.

 

[MrSmitty]

Nice!! any before pictures? I love seeing guns brought back to life, Love to see the starting point....

 

[Mongo59]

Nice!! any before pictures? I love seeing guns brought back to life, Love to see the starting point....

No before pics on this one, I actually didn't think it would turn out.

 

[Mongo59]

What does steaming the wood do? I've heard of steaming for bending wood, but I'm not familiar with the process for other uses.

Like JEBland said, the steam will lift dents and creases but not if the wood fibers are cut or torn.

Like the 1863 Springfield stock had been heavily sanded before I got ahold of it to where the bands were loose on the wood. I used steam to swell the wood out and the end two bands now fit snugly, the third band required a thin strip of plastic milk carton under it to snug it up. Milk carton will not compress and for that reason it is used for shims when none otherwise exist or OEM ones are no longer available.

 

[maxwelhse]

Like JEBland said, the steam will lift dents and creases but not if the wood fibers are cut or torn.

Like the 1863 Springfield stock had been heavily sanded before I got ahold of it to where the bands were loose on the wood. I used steam to swell the wood out and the end two bands now fit snugly, the third band required a thin strip of plastic milk carton under it to snug it up. Milk carton will not compress and for that reason it is used for shims when none otherwise exist or OEM ones are no longer available.

Again, cool to know. I can 3D print shims if I need them (or anyone else for that matter, PM).

 

[Mongo59]

Congrats. I agree that it is too bad on the barrel. I never liked the looks of the polychokes.

I have an all original 11 that was made in 1927. If I get a chance I will snap a pic of the two together and post. It has the plain barrel not the solid rail like the '38. The front bead on the poly makes it easy to point.

 

[Mongo59]

Again, cool to know. I can 3D print shims if I need them (or anyone else for that matter, PM).

I am just old fashioned. I am re-doing an old Oliver 550 gas and needed shims to rebuild the steering box, they came in 4 thicknesses and a pack of 4 was like $50. I cut my own for nothing more than time invested. I did buy a package of the 60 ball bearings though. It seems to steer better with 60 round bearings than 36 oblong ones...

 

[maxwelhse]

I am just old fashioned. I am re-doing an old Oliver 550 gas and needed shims to rebuild the steering box, they came in 4 thicknesses and a pack of 4 was like $50. I cut my own for nothing more than time invested. I did buy a package of the 60 ball bearings though. It seems to steer better with 60 round bearings than 36 oblong ones...

Funny you mention that example.

I needed a very weird, and difficult to replicate, out-of-production gasket for my tractor last year. I drew it up, 3D printed a few prototypes to check fitment, and had 10 of them CNC cut for $50, shipped. I have another tractor in the fleet runs the same gasket so now I have plenty of spares. I ended up having a nice email exchange with one of the people at the company that made them for me and apparently they'll do pretty much anything out of any material for roughly similar charges (I imagine material cost will vary).

Keeping anything old running is the old fashioned way in the throw away society we have now, but it's nice to have the technology available when you want it.

 

[Tombs]

Having some trigger time on them, if it wasn't for the benelli M4 that would be my top pick.

I've put some brutally hard recoiling #4 buck through those old things and they recoil about the softest of any shotgun I've ever fired. Even softer than my M4. Only complaint I have with them is the function of the loading gate on the older models.

A model 11 cut down with a cutts comp welded on for barrel length compliance and an extended tube would be a pretty slick rig.

 

[Mongo59]

Having some trigger time on them, if it wasn't for the benelli M4 that would be my top pick.

I've put some brutally hard recoiling #4 buck through those old things and they recoil about the softest of any shotgun I've ever fired. Even softer than my M4. Only complaint I have with them is the function of the loading gate on the older models.

A model 11 cut down with a cutts comp welded on for barrel length compliance and an extended tube would be a pretty slick rig.

I had a 16ga FN with the 'suicide safety' that was a blast to shoot but everyone would hit the deck when I would go to apply the safety...

 

[jax1463]

At first I did think Browning when I first saw the pic.

Nice job! The furniture looks amazing!

 

[maxwelhse]

I had a 16ga FN with the 'suicide safety' that was a blast to shoot but everyone would hit the deck when I would go to apply the safety...

Searching this makes the internet think I'm suicidal, when that's only partially true.

What's FN's suicide safety?