Remington model 11 advice on adding a choke system

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Matthew Clark

Matthew Clark

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Hello everyone, I'm more of a rifle and handgun guy so shotgun work is a little out of my realm of knowledge. I took a Remington model 11 Sportsman in on trade for some tools.
It was a little rough but I didn't need the tools and the kid did. When I looked it over it had an improved cylinder bore fixed choke. At the time that really didn't concern me, I'd deal with that if needed later. Well I got it all cleaned up and refinished. Took it to the trap range at my LRGC and shot "at" a round of 25. It wasn't pretty. If got on em right out of the house and busted them quick I did okay. So I took it to the bench and patterned it at 25 yds. Pattern was centered but very open. 7 1/2 shot standard trap AA loads 12 gauge.
I'm used to a modified or full choke patterning a lot better at that range.
I have tried to aquire a barrel in various places with no luck for either full or modified. I have thought about a Polly Choke but apparently they are out of business.
Has anyone tried to have chokes installed on a model 11 barrel?
Any recommendations on how to get the old girl to pattern better?
Any help would be appreciated.
Happy shooting!
 
Consider adding more constriction to the existing barrel. I have worked with Larry on a lot of low end work. He did the shotgun fitting and training for my wife. I have seen the results of his high end work. Larry is top shelf. You will like his work.

http://felandgunsmith.com/barrel-work
 
rabid wombat said:
Consider adding more constriction to the existing barrel. I have worked with Larry on a lot of low end work. He did the shotgun fitting and training for my wife. I have seen the results of his high end work. Larry is top shelf. You will like his work.

http://felandgunsmith.com/barrel-work
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information.
I'll give that link a look and see what he can do.
Happy shooting!
 
I'm sure Briley in Houston can drill out the existing choke, thread the barrel, and provide you a selection of removable chokes for it. They are the gold standard for shotgun smithing. Now you may not be able to get the most open ones like full cylinder that come with a modern gun due to the need to overthin the barrel to get there, but then, you really don't want those anyway. If you truly just want the full choke, that should be easy, but I would opt for as much flexibility as possible. Who knows what you might want to do with the gun down the line? Obviously all my meager shotgun experience is from the recent era with replaceable chokes being standard. But still...

Briley's cost schedule is published online.
 
I should mention that I am a Houstonian, so Briley is local to me. Also they are the warranty agent for my Academy/Yildiz shotgun. And finally they just added an adjustable butt plate to my gun so I know them very well. Full disclosure. Impeccable work. Nicest people you could ask to do business with.
 
Matthew Clark said:
Thanks for the information. I've of course heard the name Briley. I just thought they manufactured parts. Didn't know they did in house work also. I'll give them a closer look.
Happy shooting!
Click to expand...
They have a retail shotgun store and full smithing operation as well as the manufactured chokes and other parts.
 
Rudolph31 said:
Improved Cylinder is perfect for Skeet. I suggest you keep the choke and change games. Trap is for grumpy old men.
Click to expand...

Lol:rofl:
But I am a grumpy old man!
When I was younger I shot skeet and trap on amateur teams. I was actually pretty good at both. I would like to be able to use it for both. I'll have to find out if that's possible.
If quail were more abundant to justify having a dog again I'd just leave it for that but alas quail habitat is all but gone in my area.
Thanks for the idea though
Happy shooting!
 
I have a Model 11, made in 1948, that now has been threaded for Tru-choke removable chokes. Cleaned up with an extended mag, it works well for me in 3-gun.
 
ClemY said:
I have a Model 11, made in 1948, that now has been threaded for Tru-choke removable chokes. Cleaned up with an extended mag, it works well for me in 3-gun.
Click to expand...
Good to know. Were they able to open up the bore enough to allow all the way to full cylinder chokes without thinning the steel too much?
 
Last edited:
ClemY said:
I have a Model 11, made in 1948, that now has been threaded for Tru-choke removable chokes.
Click to expand...

Was this done by Michael Orlen?
He advertises Colonial chokes with the TrueLock tool. I'm assuming the Tru Choke is associated with the Tru Lock tool. Correct me if I'm wrong please.

rpenmanparker said:
Good to know. We’re they able to open up the bore enough to allow all the way to full cylinder chokes without thinning th. Steel too much?
Click to expand...

I would also like to know this.
It's not a no go for me if they couldn't but would still like to know.
Thanks.
 
rpenmanparker said:
Good to know. Were they able to open up the bore enough to allow all the way to full cylinder chokes without thinning the steel too much?
Click to expand...

The work was done a few years ago by a guy who is now retired.
The barrel wasn't opened up; it was threaded for Tru-choke removable chokes. Brownell's catalog has an explanation on measuring the barrel and what can work. My barrels had sufficient wall thickness that this was possible. On a Browning Auto-4 24" slug barrel, the wall was thin enough that only Thin Wall Tru-choke chokes were possible. Both work fine. I just used the Browning this weekend in a 3-gun match. It also has a 10 rd. mag and LPA sights.
My Remington now has the two piece lifter from the post '55 or so Auto-5's. It is the key to the speed load feature. Works well on the Remy as well.
 
I shortened my Cutts Compensator equipped Auto 5 barrel and sent it to Michael Orlen for Colonial Sporting Clays screw-in chokes (and lengthening and polishing of the forcing cone). It turned out great, patterns great, and transformed the gun from a high-quality but slightly clumsy gun to a high-quality quick pointing gun that causes me to leave my O/U and SxS shotguns at home most of the time. I was never much of a semi-auto guy (though I learned to shoot shotgun as a kid using my Dad's Model 11 that had about a thousand miles of quail hunting on it), but I love shooting the Auto 5 now. :)

bxoQvrS.jpg
 
ClemY said:
The work was done a few years ago by a guy who is now retired.
The barrel wasn't opened up; it was threaded for Tru-choke removable chokes. Brownell's catalog has an explanation on measuring the barrel and what can work. My barrels had sufficient wall thickness that this was possible. On a Browning Auto-4 24" slug barrel, the wall was thin enough that only Thin Wall Tru-choke chokes were possible. Both work fine. I just used the Browning this weekend in a 3-gun match. It also has a 10 rd. mag and LPA sights.
My Remington now has the two piece lifter from the post '55 or so Auto-5's. It is the key to the speed load feature. Works well on the Remy as well.
Click to expand...
I understand that, but whatever diameter the barrel was originally choked to must have been smaller than the most open choke you would have wanted to use. Just threading the barrel as is would not allow you any more open chokes. In fact screwing in any choke would amount to a further constriction. That's why I ask whether the barrel was bored out a little before being threaded to make room for more open chokes than you started with. When you say you had sufficient wall thickness, it seems to me you are implying that the barrel ends were, in fact, not just threaded but bored out as well. No?
 
There is a minimum barrel OD that determines whether or not screw-in chokes can be installed, and there are thin-wall screw-in chokes for the thinner barrels, and regular ones for thicker barrels. Almost all shotgun barrels can accommodate the screw-in chokes, but the barrel does have to be thick enough to allow for the oversize bore that enables the screw-in choke to screw down inside the barrel. Looking at the photo that I posted above, you can imagine how it works.

Here's an article about installation of screw-in chokes written by Michael Orlen, for gunsmiths.
https://www.gun-tests.com/special_r...-Choke-Installation-13804-1.html#.XLdyZjBKipp
 
I just had a Remington 870 barrel shortened by Rose Action Sports. https://roseactionsports.com/services
I wanted it threaded for choke tubes but the bore is slightly oversized, apparently common in older 870 barrels. Steve Rose contacted me to ask if I still wanted it shortened and refunded the cost of threading.
Good service and I have a couple old model 11's I may have threaded. They have Weaver chokes that I just hate.
 
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