Remington M11 help

Since this place has such a depth of knowledge....

So I got this remy from my father for doing some engine work on his Tahoe. Shortened the barrel, added an 870 tube extension. Looks like this:

Was wiping it down last weekend and noticed a small crack at the rear of the reciever. Looked through some older photos and it's been there a while. Not sure how long it's truly been there though. Here it is:

I cannot feel the crack on the inside of the reciever, only the outside. What caused this? Can I continue to use it? Can it be fixed? According to the serial number it is a 1908 production, so it's definitely no spring chicken.

Presumably caused by use, the bolt pounding the stop. A real expert would have to comment on period metallurgy. Fix? I'm guessing unlikely. Welding would be involved. Might shoot for years like that, but why risk it? Retired, you still have any heirloom value and a shooting replacement wouldn't be terribly expensive. Great, classic design. Browning didn't design the first semi-auto shotgun, only the first one that worked.

I hate the thought of retiring it to be honest. Even though it kicks like a mule, it is extremely fun to shoot. The shortened length with the extra rounds makes it VERY balanced for a gun of it's weight/mass.

Modern loads in an antique weapon, you now have a mantle piece. Or you need to wear a ballistic suit when firing it.

I think it's fixable. Welding would be involved. There's a guy that writes articles in Shotgun News that fixes stuff like that. He is in Missouri and a professional gunsmith. Someone like that could fix it.

That bit of the receiver isnt doing anything very important. This was likely caused by tired springs/friction rings and/or assembling it with the friction rings in the wrong order(this is how it is adjusted for light/heavy loads). It should not kick like a mule if everything is set correctly. Rebuild it, and put another million rounds through it.

Browning Auto 5 is the same gun, if you are having trouble finding M-11 info.

I was wondering if the friction rings are worn out. THey are currently set in the heavy load configuration and it barely cycles #8 bird shot. This thing has always kicked like a mule. I can remember it almost ruined me for 12ga shotguns after shooting it the first time as a pre-teen.

In reply to bentwrench:

Ehh, as long as you aren't putting high brass shells through it, it should be just fine.

As everyone else has said, just have it gone through professionally. I've had my Winchester 97 checked over once and redone once in the last 15 years. That beauty has ruined me on all modern 12ga pumps.

If I recall, there was a recent article in SGN on just those. He made one good one from two. I seem to recall that there was some kind of buffer that fit in the back to absorb the recoil and something about them getting hard to going away after a hundred years and needing replacement or something. That's probably why it cracked.

I've had it apart. The rear spring is still in good shape. The retainer rod (which is wood in these) is getting brittle though.

I have a feeling this one may just become a safe queen or get canabalized for another.

In reply to Bobzilla:

Looks more like a perfect candidate for a replica of a prohibition gangster/Bonnie and Clyde style "whip it" gun. Shorten barrel to 18.5"(if it isn't already), shorten extension to match, then cut the stock down till you get 26.5" OAL.

I think Kenny hit the nail on the head with his diagnosis. The setup on these can be picky depending on the loads. As mentioned some of the modern loads are way to hot for these. Mine is a military finish model from WW2. I need to repair the forearm on mine as it has a small crack. Thought about doing the extended tube bit as well but not sure if I want to go that route.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: In reply to Bobzilla: Looks more like a perfect candidate for a replica of a prohibition gangster/Bonnie and Clyde style "whip it" gun. Shorten barrel to 18.5"(if it isn't already), shorten extension to match, then cut the stock down till you get 26.5" OAL.

I've already shortened the barrel. It's sitting at 18.75". I could shorten the stock, but I REALLY like the way it feels right now. The balance is awesome as it sits (see first pic).

EDIT: This might be a better picture of how it sits currently: