Odd Model 11

[ideaman]

I have recently found and am interested in purchasing a model 11 that looks odd to me. The forend is more rounded and the barrel nut seems smaller. I am just getting into older Remingtons so I am no expert, but being in the gun business for many years I have seen nothing like it before. The serial number is 514064, but I did not have the forsight to get any more proof markings. It is a smooth barrel. I have had a hard time finding any information on model 11s, why?

[Jay Huber]

According to the serial number your gun should have been made in 1909. Are you sure it's a Remington? Savage made one also? Jay Huber RSA

[Researcher]

It sounds to me like you are talking about a "Sportsman", the 3-shot version of a Model 11 introduced around 1931. A serial number of 514064 would be a 12-gauge made about July or August 1936.

[ideaman]

Interestingly enough today I met a man that had owned a sportsman, and after I had described the gun he identified it as such. The gun was really not as attractive as the standard model to me, I just questioned why it was different. The wood is in acceptable shape, but worn checkering. Metal is not pitted but blue is definitely beyond saving. Do you guys know much about the collectability? In my opinion I would doubt it to be sought after, but yesterday I had no idea what it was. Anything special about gun, or is it a IF-YOU-LIKE-IT, BUY-IT gun?

Thanks for your knowledgeable help gentlemen.

[Researcher]

My Father bought a 30-inch 12-gauge "Sportsman" in 1938 with his employee discount at Seattle Hardware Co. That "Sportsman" flowed down the river of commerce about 1960 when he got a Parker Bros. double for his waterfowl gun. When I was cleaning out his house in 2002 I found the old hand-tooled leather case he had made for his "Sportsman". So, when I saw a 1941-vintage 12-gauge with a 30-inch solid rib barrel at a WAC show, I bought it. Subsequently I stumbled on a near mint 20-gauge with a 28-inch modeified plain barrel, and later a very nice 16-gauge with a 26-inch solid rib improved cylinder barrel. I love my collection of "Sportsmen" and the best part is I have right at $600 in the whole set. I've run 25 straights at Skeet with all three of them, and quite often shoot the 16-gauge in vintage sporting clays events. The market seems to be absolutely zilch for these old square-back Remingtons, and if you can't get it for $200 keep looking!! Of course something really neat like an original vent rib Skeet Grade in 16- or 20-gauge, or one of the hand engraved D- "Tournament", E- "Expert" or F- "Premier" grades could be worth ten to 15 times that. Cabelas in Post Falls, Idaho, recently had an F- "Premier" Grade 20-gauge with a solid rib Skeet barrel and were asking $7995.00!!!!! IMHO that was 2 1/2 to 3 times what it should have been, but it was gone last time I was in there.

[ideaman]

Sounding more and more like the firearm I am looking at is not that good of a deal. I do however think I will continue to look for another 11 that I like. Something lower serial numbers, or some kind of extra character. I have always liked the old A-5 models, but really am a big Remington fan and might get the best of both worlds.

[Researcher]

For some reason the old square-back Remingtons -- Remington Autoloading Gun/No. 11/Model 11/Sportsman -- don't bring a fraction of what an A5 brings in the marketplace. With the Remingtons you don't have the problem of the pre-WW-II 16-gauges being made for the old 2 9/16 inch shells. Remington made their autoloaders for 2 3/4 inch shells from the beginning. When they added the 16-gauge to the line back around 1931, they also brought out a special Auto-Express 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge shell loaded to 3 1/4 drams equiv. with 1 1/8 ounces of shot, compared to the Super-X or Nitro Express 2 9/16 inch load which was 3 drams equiv. with 1 1/8 ounces of shot.