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dannypratt
PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 8:47 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 21 Dec 2005
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Location: Napoleon, MI

Fellas,
There seems to be a change happening here in my gun room and on the Clay's courses..(a little in the field too, but more on that later).

A few months ago, I acquired a beautifully restored Remington 11-48 20ga, 26" IC barrel and custom stocks, thinned and rechecked in the D grade pattern. I took it out finally a month or so back and shot some Sporting Clay's with it, and amazingly, shot incredibly well considering I'm in no ways a Sporting Clay's guy (82/100) I'm usually a Trap man, with a 12ga Auto-5 and 30" full choke.

The next day I raced out of work to catch my local Trap club with the little 11-48, and, even with the short barrel and open choke, at the 16yd line I managed to clear 23/25...twice.
My typical score with the old 12ga 30" full wavers between 25/25 and 24/25 consistently.

So...you probably guessed it...I tore off to the interweb in search of a 30" full choke barrel for my 11-48 20ga, or any Remington that struck my fancy in the 11-48/1100/11-87 family. And, naturally after convincing myself that this was foolishness, as I shoot the old Light 12 quite well, I meandered into my local shop (where the 11-48 was found) and wound up walking out with a LNIB 11-87 Premier 12ga w/ 26" LC bbl AND 30" LC bbl...both Rem Choked.

After dusting numerous Clay's and feathering the sky countless times in my den with the 11-87, I think I may have stumbled onto something...

I've been an Auto-5 guy for 25years in the field and 10yrs before that staring up at my dads Light 20 on the top of the rack when I was a boy. I love my Auto-5s, and as some of you may have read, I've become quite attached to pre war Remington Model 11s, pre war Savage Automatics, and strangely enough the Savage 755 and 775 line.

All of that said, I shoot the Savage 755 and 775 better than all of them out in the woods (never shot Clay's with them). I shoot the classic HumpBacks pretty well in the woods, and quite well on the Clay courses. So I've had a theory forge in my rock like brain:
Perhaps the square reciever back is costing me some birds...due to the lack of ability to view any target you have to lead while rising (like any game bird). On the rounded profile of the Remington etc, you have much more of a view of your target in these critical times, just as you do with the streamlined Savage 755/775. When I'm shooting trap, the one I consistently miss is the shot on the rising clay, before it planes out and starts recession, and 99% of the time it's when I shoot the Auto-5...my solution is to generally hold until it planes out, but I found with the Remington 11-48 I could lead the rising shot far more effectively.

Maybe it's all just in my mind, but I'd like some feedback on this theory...maybe this is why the 1100/ 11-87 was/is so prominent at the clay fields and beyond.


Last edited by dannypratt on Tue Aug 21, 2018 2:49 pm; edited 1 time in total

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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:29 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Two thoughts. First, if you know which guns you shoot best in the field...keep using them. Second, this line of reasoning is how you talk yourself into missing. Don't ask how I became an expert on point number two. Laughing

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putz463
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 3:38 am  Reply with quote
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I get it, my bud is an A5 fanatic and I've always preferred Remington semi autos, by and large 48's. One main reason I prefer Rem's; when I'd borrow an A5 then toss it up to my shoulder, wham, there's that vertical wall of receiver looking back at me, it is a distraction that is never an issue w/Rem's so never shot them very well.

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dannypratt
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 6:02 am  Reply with quote
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Putz,

Yes, exactly. I'm one of those fanatics on the Auto-5...they shoot smoothly, are built with outstanding precision and are a classic. However, I really do understand the point of the streamlined reciever now, and it has occurred to me that when I shoot my Browning BPS on bitd hunting trips, I down more birds consistently with it than my beloved 20ga or 16ga Auto-5. I suppose it could be a fit of gun issue, but I dont think so. The Browning just feels great everytime, every gauge (16 best of course). But I really realized the reciever issue on the sporting Clay's trip. It's a big deal to not be able to see your target, clay or feathered, when your taking that rising lead shot.
I've had other Remington 11-48 shotguns, in all gauges, like I said earlier I never shot the 16. Probably should have. I didn't like the 12ga or 28ga guns, just didnt enjoy shooting them at all. Should have shot the 16... I did shoot a Remington 31L really well, had to part with it when my daughter was born due to funds shortage, but I've recently acquired a very nice standard 31 in 16ga....haven't shot it yet, but soon.

The 11-87 fits and handles well, I'd have preferred a real 16ga frame 11-87, but the 12 will have to do....maybe a 20ga 11-87 would help fill that void...slightly...


WyoCh...

Yup. Both of these points I'm too well familiar with, but you cant just limit yourself to the guns you shoot well....theres no fun in that! 😆

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Dogchaser37
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 7:39 am  Reply with quote
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I have a bunch of shotguns in 16 gauge. The two that I shoot the best are my 1100 & 870.

I am the typical 5'10" 185 lb. guy that these guns were supposedly built for.

I do know that they are too heavy and long (it's that stupid 12 ga receiver lol) for most folks that shoot 16's, but they fit me just right.

I gave my only A-5 Sweet to my son. I absolutely loved that shotgun because of the way it functions and the way it was made, but it just does not fit me. He still has it, but he now shoots a Citori 16 with 28" barrels....pretty darn well. He gave me a run for my money that last time we shot skeet.....I had my 1100!!

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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 7:52 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Oh I never advocated only shooting two. Heaven knows I don't. However, I found that I get along real well with most two barreled guns if the stock fit is right, so that is what I have and I use them all. I do shoot best with my classic 16's though, thankfully. The point is, find more guns that you shoot well and the fun can be spread around. I imagine your spouse now wants to come after me with a rolling pin for giving that advice.

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Dogchaser37
PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 10:12 am  Reply with quote
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Wyo,

I love your style, I wish I had some of that smooth, easy style.

My style is to overpower and make fast moves to the bird which, as you know, means I have the tendency to swing past and shoot in front of my target with my heavier shotguns.....so you can imagine what happens with a 6 lb. shotgun. Those are pointed everywhere but on the line of whatever I am shooting at. Smooth with fine motor skills does not describe my shooting style.

So I am happy with the 2 - 16 gauge shotguns that I can reliably hit something with. The rest are safe in the safe and I take them out for some skeet or sporting now and then.

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:04 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
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Dogchaser,

No doubt about it gunning Grouse is a learned skill, many Grouse hunters, get out in front and down the bird instinctively. Not a bad way of Grouse gunning for sure. However it does eliminated the gunning the Grouse that goes out behind you. Setting up to gun both Grouse flushes at the same time is definitely a learned discipline.. The better the gun fits, the smoother the gun mount and better the shooting.

Dave B. - L.C. Smith Man

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dannypratt
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:38 pm  Reply with quote
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Dog Chaser,

Yep...I had the opportunity to pick up an 1100 re issue 16ga a few years ago...beautiful wood, nice gun...talked myself out of it. Dumb. The Savage Automatic, 755 and 775 are all built on 12 ga frames, but especially in the 775, it feels and swings wonderfully. I'm mor of a believer in balance over weight. Light is great, but I've come to the conclusion I dont shoot light guns very well.

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S.davis
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:53 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Sep 2016
Posts: 68
Location: KC,MO

Dogchaser37 wrote:

I do know that they are too heavy and long (it's that stupid 12 ga receiver lol) for most folks that shoot 16's, but they fit me just right.


Or are the 12 ga. 870s, 11-48s and 1100s built on the “16 ga frame size”...?
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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:59 pm  Reply with quote
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You won't notice the big square back end of the receiver on the A5/Rem 11 if your gun fit (comb height, particularly) is right. Problem is compounded by the slightly lower hand position relative to the rib-receiver sight line of the A5 and Rem-11 vs. the more modern guns. This is also coupled with increased drop on the squarebacks - especially older ones. I could be wrong, as I have never measured newer A5's, but my Rem 11 definitely seems lower at the face than more modern US manufactured repeaters, such as all the Remingtons and Winchesters since the '30's.

Once you get the drop right on your squarebacks, and get used to the lower grip, you might grow to like the longer sight plane. Wink I'm thinking of reasons to talk yourself into NOT missing Smile .
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Byron Whitlock
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:37 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 27 Jan 2016
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Location: Oswego, Kansas

I never noticed the square back on my M11, probably because after I got it in a trade at a pawn shop back in 1992 I added spacers to the stock to make it long enough for my 15' LOP and proceeded to enjoy shooting sporting clays and hunting quail and pheasant with it.
It was the gun that I shot my first double on pheasants with and many since then, I don't shoot it much these days because I hate having to chase down my empty hulls and my LC Smith has become my favorite 16.
Of course the M11 still gets brought out for duck hunting since the polychoke handles steel just fine.

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