Got this off a friend who inherited it. February of 1944, "Military" model. Frank J Atwood inspector's stamp on the stock. Some scratches and dings here and there, but overall, it's in very nice shape. I'm yet to pull it apart and clean it yet, but the action and trigger feel really slick and smooth. I've always wanted a Browning A5, and this was a cool way to get into one. Not exactly on my bingo card, but when he sent me pictures of it and asked if I was interested, the more I looked into it, the more I had to have it. Apparently the Navy used these and sporting clays to help train anti-aircraft gunners, or at least that's something I read. The Cutt's compensator is neat. I think the only thing on it that obviously doesn't appear to be original so far is the buttpad. It's a Pachmayr and appears to be glued on. I'll eventually want to replace that with an original, but for now, it'll make it a little more pleasant to shoot I guess.

Overall, I'm pleased. It'll be a neat addition to my 1944 USGI collection, and the second Remington in my safe with Colonel Atwood's inspection mark on it.








I was in the local shop last week and they had a Model 11 that was pretty well-worn for a little over $200. I had the thought that it would be an excellent SBS candidate. I may have to wander back in there tomorrow....

Always nice on an older gun where the screws aren’t all buggered up. Looks in very nice condition.

That is absolutely beautiful. Are you going to shoot it?

Awesome shotgun, and a neat piece of history.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
Always nice on an older gun where the screws aren’t all buggered up. Looks in very nice condition.

Yeah, that caught my attention also. The one that secures the Cutts on it has that going on, unfortunately. It's very clean otherwise. I'm not sure it's even been apart and I'm torn on whether I should even try to detail strip it and detail clean it. I would absolutely hate to put any marks on these screws, but that bolt and some of the internals have some gummed up oil on it that I think would come right off in my ultrasonic. I want to clean and preserve it as best I can without adding any of my own idiot marks. I gave it a wipe down with some Remoil last night and all the handling marks from the pictures I posted disappeared.

quote:

Originally posted by usncorpsman:
That is absolutely beautiful. Are you going to shoot it?

Thanks! Probably not a whole lot, but I do want to try it out. All my WWII stuff gets shot, but pretty sparingly. I have an M1 carbine I've owned for almost five years now and realized I hadn't shot it yet until I took it to the range and split a 15rd magazine with a buddy. Got another Garand a couple years ago I also still haven't shot.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Awesome shotgun, and a neat piece of history.

Yeah, I didn't even know about these until last week. There's a neat article here. In looking around, I've come to the conclusion that the barrel date code is the one to go by, assuming a shotgun is all original, and I don't have any reason to suspect this one isn't. Receiver serial numbers for the ordnance marked ones range all over. I saw one that had what would be an early 30's serial with the hunting scene graphics on the receiver but a 1945 barrel date code and flaming bomb on both the barrel and the receiver. I'm seeing all variations imaginable on parts just thrown together. I think Remington went through all the inventory they had sitting around in boxes in their warehouse and just put whatever would make a complete shotgun together and sent it off. Jibes with everything else I've read about our wartime small arms manufacturing. Oh to be a fly on the wall of any of the small arms plants in early '44.

I shot one as a kid in the mid-50s. Lived on base at NAAS El Centro and the base armory had a bunch of them. I was told they were used to train Navy pilots in aerial gunnery. I checked one out to participate in the base turkey shoot.

There was at least one at every unit I served at for morale and training. Very nice.

I love mine. I have a 1926 manufacture date. I prefer it for recreational clay over my 1100. They are heavy, but they swing and point effortlessly, and recoil is modest.

Oh, and one more thing. The bolt is heavy. Very heavy. And the bolt spring came off a railway coach. On no account let your fingers be anywhere near the ejection port. Don't. Do. It. Garand thumb is minor by contrast.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I love mine. I have a 1926 manufacture date. I prefer it for recreational clay over my 1100.

They are heavy, but they swing and point effortlessly, and recoil is modest.

It's pretty hefty alright. I've found myself wondering if between the weight and the long recoiling action whether it would be a fairly mild shooter. I don't know when I'll get to it or what exactly I plan to shoot with a 20" cylinder bore barrel, but the guys and I have been talking a shotgun day, so when we get that figured out, I'll have plenty of other stuff to compare it to.

I dunno what it is, but between the 1898's and Model 12's I inherited and now this thing, I'm developing a penchant for shotgun designs from around the turn of the last century. I need to take some pictures of everything and do a thread on old shotguns some time. Still need to have a gunsmith look over my great-grandfather's Parker SxS and see if it's safe to shoot. It dates to around 1920 or so and has "Vulcan Steel" stamps, so I'm thinking it ought to be fine with some light game loads. I need to get off my butt and join the club five minutes up the road and start shooting some clays. If this Model 11 shoots like I think it might, I might be in an itch to pick up an old beater in a more usable barrel length for a knock-around gun.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
Oh, and one more thing. The bolt is heavy. Very heavy. And the bolt spring came off a railway coach. On no account let your fingers be anywhere near the ejection port. Don't. Do. It. Garand thumb is minor by contrast.

That is really good to know! I haven't dropped the bolt on it a whole lot, but I did note that it was vigorous, one might say.

Mine is 26 inch with a modified choke. Oddly enough, the sharp shoulder at the rear of the receiver makes them very easy to aim.