Remington Model 11 Barrels...

[powderedtoastman]

Question: I understand the Belgian made Browning A-5's can have their barrel swapped out for a Japan made barrel that will allow steel shot to be fired through it. How similar are the Remington 11 barrels to the A-5's? From what I understand they're the same thing. I'd like to have a barrel with different chokes that I can shoot steel through with this thing. I love this gun and want to keep using it! Any idea what/if any barrels I can swap and use with steel or interchangeable chokes?

[powderedtoastman]

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

[Thefeeder]

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I think they are interchangable...but not sure...you may want to try here and try the forums

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/

[Huntsprig]

Question: I understand the Belgian made Browning A-5's can have their barrel swapped out for a Japan made barrel that will allow steel shot to be fired through it. How similar are the Remington 11 barrels to the A-5's? From what I understand they're the same thing. I'd like to have a barrel with different chokes that I can shoot steel through with this thing. I love this gun and want to keep using it! Any idea what/if any barrels I can swap and use with steel or interchangeable chokes?

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

Steel shot is not recommend in the Remington Model 11 nor the Browning A-5 (without invector chokes.)
The M 11 and the A-5 are basically the same , but many parts do not interchange.
The barrels are a part that does not.
As far as I know you have three options.

1. Have the choke opened to at leased modified or more and don't use shot larger than #2. (not recommend by remington or Browning, but I know folks who have done it and have not had a problem for many, many years)
2. Send it to Briley and have a thin walled choke installed.
3. Install a polychoke

[buzzardbait]

Or you can shoot bismuth or one of the other no-tox shots besides steel.

[shovelon]

Steel shot is not recommend in the Remington Model 11 nor the Browning A-5 (without invector chokes.)

2. Send it to Briley and have a thin walled choke installed.

Thin walled choke like Skeet?

I sent my A5 barrel to Briley and they reamed and threaded for hardened chokes. I currently use the skeet choke so I could shoot steel shot from it and the Belgian barrel will be ok?

[NapalmCheese]

I had always thought the issue was two fold, 1) peening out the choke with the hard shot (fixed by getting steel shot approved chokes) and 2) hard shot not compacting as easily through the choke causing the barrel to stretch and 'ring' just in front of the choke (fixed by getting different barrel).

Is #2 incorrect?

[Huntsprig]

Thin walled choke like Skeet?

It doesn't matter what the choke restriction is as long as it is the right type of choke.

I sent my A5 barrel to Briley and they reamed and threaded for hardened chokes. I currently use the skeet choke so I could shoot steel shot from it and the Belgian barrel will be ok?

I am going from my memory here, so get a hold of Briley to confirm what I have and what I am about to tell you!

From what I remember the problem the A-5 and Rem M11's is that the barrel steel at the choke is thin, so standard threaded chokes cannot be installed.

Briley makes thin wall chokes for these guns.

Go here: http://www.briley.com/12gaugethinwallchokes.aspx

I am assuming that they installed the thin wall chokes on your A-5.

There are two different versions of each type of choke, one is lead only and one is good for all types of shot. ($20.00 more)

You need to check to see if your chokes are lead only or for all shot types.

[Huntsprig]

Or you can shoot bismuth or one of the other no-tox shots besides steel.

Correct. I should have added that as option #4.

Thanks!

[Huntsprig]

I had always thought the issue was two fold, 1) peening out the choke with the hard shot (fixed by getting steel shot approved chokes) and 2) hard shot not compacting as easily through the choke causing the barrel to stretch and 'ring' just in front of the choke (fixed by getting different barrel).

Is #2 incorrect?

From what I understand both 1&2 are can happen.
I believe the A-5 and M 11 have a tendency to do #2.

Just so everyone understands this is not a safety issue.
The barrel will not blow up, but the choke section of the gun can be damaged.
Also it may or may not ever happen.
You could go for years and years shooting steel without a problem or it could happen with the first shot with steel.

Steel shot is not soft like lead.
If lead jams up at the choke it compresses and doesn't damage the barrel.
If steel does it will damage the barrel like NapalnCheese said in his post.

[Huntsprig]

One more thing.
A number of years ago I sent a email to Remington about using steel shot in a 1952 20 GA. 11-48 I have.

This was there reply:

Thank you for visiting Remington Country! We certainly appreciate you taking the time to write in with your question.

You can shoot steel shot through any Remington barrel made since 1950. In a fixed full choke, you can shoot up to a size #2 pellet. Anything larger would not perform well out of a fixed full choke and could open up your muzzle over time.

Should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact our Consumer Services Department at 800-243-9700, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, EST, Monday through Friday.

I was looking on their web site recently and noticed they had changed it.

They now say:

Question
Can I use steel shot in my shotgun barrel?

Answer
We do not recommend the use of steel shot through any barrel manufactured before 1963 or through any barrel having a fixed Full choke. If you have barrels, manufactured after 1963, with fixed Modified or Improved Cylinder chokes, you may shoot up to size #2 steel shot. The use of steel shot larger than size #2 is only recommended in modern barrels with the Rem Choke system.

If you have the Rem Choke system, you may shoot any size steel through the Improved Cylinder and Modified choke tubes. The Full choke tube must state "For Steel or Lead" to be capable of handling steel shot.

One more thing on the Poly Choke.

I have a Remington Model 11 my Grandfather bought about 1920.
My dad installed a Poly Choke in the early 1950's.
I called them number of years ago, and they said that steel shot #2 or smaller with a modified or more opened choke, was OK in the older Poly Chokes.

[shovelon]

I am going from my memory here, so get a hold of Briley to confirm what I have and what I am about to tell you!

From I remember the problem the A-5 and Rem M11's is that the barrel steel at the choke is thin, so standard threaded chokes cannot be installed.

Briley makes thin wall chokes for these guns.

Go here: http://www.briley.com/12gaugethinwallchokes.aspx

I am assuming that they installed the thin wall chokes on your A-5.

There are two different versions of each type of choke, one is lead only and one is good for all types of shot. ($20.00 more)

You need to check to see if your chokes are lead only or for all shot types.

Yes, they installed the thinwall chokes on mine. My skeet choke is nearly foil, and can take all kinds of shot. I did pay the extra money seeing as Briley recommended them over the standard chokes. A techinician told me they were hardened 17-4 stainless steel. He basically said that with the barrel reamed out from modified choke, it should be ok to use steel shot with the skeet choke for lead, and is also labeled IC for lead . I have reservations using steel and is why I ask.

You can see the double labeling on this choke.

[powderedtoastman]

Woo-hoo! Tons of information, and this cleared everything up for me. I will be having some sort of choke system installed on this thing. I looked at poly chokes and that might be where I go. Thanks everybody!

[Sicarius]

My understanding is that the model 11 and browning a5 barrels are not interchangeable. The savage 720 is compatible with the Model 11.
The japanese barrels are the ones to use for steel shot. With that said, I run steel shot through my belgum barrel. Granted I only use target loads but what people say is that you will start to see a ring at the muzzle end of the barrel from the steel shot.
Kevin

[shovelon]

My understanding is that the model 11 and browning a5 barrels are not interchangeable. The savage 720 is compatible with the Model 11.
The japanese barrels are the ones to use for steel shot. With that said, I run steel shot through my belgum barrel. Granted I only use target loads but what people say is that you will start to see a ring at the muzzle end of the barrel from the steel shot.
Kevin

Have you noticed any bulging at all? Is your barrel a modified choke?