Customize an O/U to the same profile as a M11

[Nevenrude]

I have a 16 gauge M11 that has been the only shotgun I have shot since I was 12. By the time I was in my mid thirties, I had the stock customized for me. The distance from my eyes to my shoulder is great and since I now shoot with my head straight up (no tilting my head down to the stock), needless to say, the stock is greatly modified and no one else can shoot it. It is the best gun I have ever shot with. My wife wanted me to have a nice gun and bought me an over/under; I had to give it to her because I couldn't hit anything with it. Then, I thought I needed a fancy shotgun and bought an 11-87 sporting clays; pretty and soft shooting but can barely get to the 60% mark on the skeet field. Recently, I gave in to my son and gave him the M11 and kept the stock.

Here's my question: 1) do I buy another M11 and put my custom stock on it or 2) do I get an over/under and have it customized to have the exact profile of my M11 16 gauge? Doing #1 is easy but I will end up with an old gun that will need to go the shop probably every other year to keep it running pristine because it will be my shooting gun. However, if I go with #2, now I'll have a gun for 3 lifetimes, it will be less mechanical (no friction ring), it will be classy with me in my old age, and the "cool factor" would be just out of this world! The downside will be costs and I'm prepared for that and it will take a good amount of time to get it done. And, I know I'll probably have to buy a M11 anyway to give the gunsmith a model to work off of.

So shooters, give me your opinions; I'm all ears.

Nevenrude

[Virginian]

Making a new receiver for an O/U would be extremely expensive. You can have a custom stock made and fitted that will give you the exact same sight picture as the Model 11, sans the bmp.

[Nevenrude]

I wouldn't be making a new receiver. I would have metal welded on top of the chamber end of the top barrel and have it machined to the same size and shape as the M11. Then, I would have the rib removed to have a smooth barrel (is there an O/U out there that does not have a rib?) and then have a pedestal front bead made. All this would have to be carefully measured to give the same point of aim as the M11. After that I believe all that would be left to do is to copy the custom stock from the M11 to the O/U. And it not just copying the stock but copying the same silhouette shape and dimension difference from the top of the newly made grooved receiver, to the top of the stock (where your cheek rests), sans the bump, as you have mentioned.

I think that is all I would have to do to the O/U to get the M11 feel.

[Fowlgunner]

I am sure glad I took the time and shells in my formative years to get used to both.

Dennis Devault can get you into an automatic that is soft shooting and will hit exactly where you point the gun.

It will not be inexpensive but will most like be less than what you are proposing.

Good luck, but if you decide to stick with Model 11 or A5's you could buy many more than you would ever wear out by the time either of the above options are exercised.

Keep us posted as it will be interesting, and by the way yes there we at least 3 or 4 O/U's without ribs. Those that come to mind are the Rem Model 32, Marlin 90, the Savage from the 50's-60's, and the Valmet.

Will

[Fowlgunner]

Nevenrude,

You'll not believe the first Humpback I came across after reading your post.

Another 16 with Custom Stock.

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/14468432

Looks like someone's "Dove Gun".

Will

[Nevenrude]

Wow, that is a nice looking stock! No, my stock is nothing like that. With all the added wood to the bottom of the buttstock, repair work and then fiberglassed, and then shaped to fit me, the only thing that made since was to apply a black lacquer finish. It now looks more like a gun Darth Vader would own.

The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards having both guns; buy another M11 in 16 gauge and put my custom stock on it AND get an O/U (doesn't have to be an expensive one) and just slowly turn it into a M11 look-alike.

Sometimes it just helps to talk about it.