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Test firing old Remington shotgun?

fish
Hey,

Inherited a 70 - 80 year old Remington (manufactured in New York under various Browning patents from the early 1900's) 12 ga. semi-auto Shotgun. After removing barrel, stock, recoil spring and cleaning/oiling/inspecting I'm thinking of test firing. All metal parts are free of cracks and dings and all mechanicals seem to be working fine.

Is there anything to watch out for before test firing? BTW this thing has not been fired in about 50 years and saw pretty heavy use prior to that.

Fish
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • only winchesters
    Welcome to the forum fish! Sounds like you have the old A-5 wich Remington built for Browning in the beginning. Assuming you got eavry thing back in the right place, and it appears to cycle ok mannually. (Didn't mean to sound like I was insulting your intellegence, but even I make mistakes at times, LOL) I would start out with some dove & quail loads, and work up to the standard 1 1/4 oz. lead loads. Wear a good pair of safety glasses, and or face shield, along with ear protection. The gun should work just fine!! I don't recommend any 2 3/4 in. Magnum loads, or Steel shot loads in this gun. Regards Dave
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  • rufe-snow
    Believe the Model 11 has a reversible bronze "Friction Ring" mounted on the magazine tube similar to the Browning Auto 5.
    This is to adjust for light or heavy loads. Experiment with it, to see which position is required for the loads you intend to use.

    luger_4.jpg
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  • Bert H.
    Hello fish...

    If the gun is not marked Model 11 (as rufe-snow mentioned), it could be the predecessor which was simply referred to as the Remington "Auto-loader"... and were manufactured from 1905 - 1910. Both the Auto-loader and Model 11 are essentially identical to the older Browning A-5s as the other fellows mentioned.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • duckhunter
    PUT IN A "GOOD" GUN VISE AND USE A LONG, LONG STRING TO THE TRIGGER. START WITH THE LIGHEST LOAD YOU CAN FIND. SHOULD WORK FINE BUT YOU CANNOT BE TO SAFE. GOOD LUCK.

    I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.
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  • rufe-snow
    quote:Originally posted by duckhunter
    PUT IN A "GOOD" GUN VISE AND USE A LONG, LONG STRING TO THE TRIGGER. START WITH THE LIGHEST LOAD YOU CAN FIND. SHOULD WORK FINE BUT YOU CANNOT BE TO SAFE. GOOD LUCK.

    I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.


    If you would feel better going this route, an old tire from a gas station works equally as well. Wedge the butt in vertically on one side, tie the forend with a piece of cord on the other side of the tire. Let her rip from a safe distance.

    luger_4.jpg
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    GO WITH THE TIRE, THERE AIN'T A VISE MADE THAT WILL HOLD A 12GA. WITH OUT MARKING IT WHEN FIRED. I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVEING A GUNSMITH LOOK IT OVER FIRST TO MAKE SURE EVERY THING IS OK AND LUBED PROPERLY. ALSO REMINGTON USED A FIBER 'BUFFER' IN THE BACK OF THE RECIEVER (BROWNING DID NOT)THAT MIGHT BE MISSING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
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  • fish
    Thanks for the replys so far. I should have said the Remington/Browning has been in my family for 70 - 80 years, beyond that it might have been bought or horse traded used. It does have the bronze friction ring on the magazine tube that rufe-snow mentioned.

    My gut tells me the gun is ok but putting it in a vise, tire, or brother-in-law's hands (just kidding) would certainly be the safer route. Have thought about having someone at a gun shop look at it. There are no advertised gunsmiths in town, but lots of experience.

    I actually have a second, nearly identical gun that is in much rougher shape that might be good for parts. I don't think I would consider firing this second one.

    Fish
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  • v35
    In addition to the bronze friction brake there should also be a steel bevel washer. Set these up wrong for high base loads and you can split the forend.
    The magazine tube should be cleaned, oiled and wiped dry.
    For light loads, only the taper in the barrel ring acts on the bronze brake. For heavy loads, the bronze brake is acted on at both ends: by the barrel ring and by the taper in the loose steel washer. If you don't have the steel washer with internal taper, get one before firing heavy loads.
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