Remington Autoloading shotgun

[Dave]

I have an old pre model 11 (humpback) autoloading shotgun, serial #95674 in 12 Ga. The old girl looks like she was rode hard and put away wet on the outside (rust everywhere), but is sound with very little ware or rust on the inside. It was going in the trash heap at a neighbors house and I just couldn't bare to see it go, so I salvaged it with the neighbors blessing. With it there was 2 spare barrels, both just as rusty as the gun on the outside. The bores are surprisingly bright in all 3 but none are the correct serial #. So dating the receiver by the date code isn't possible. I'm in the process of removing the rust from the metal and getting a hundred years of oil, grease and grime off the wood. I'll have 3 times the value in labor than it's worth, but it has to be done.
So, on with the questions for you guys in the know.
1) Can anyone tell me by the serial # the date the gun was made? Or at least within a couple of years? I think I got the year from old posts here, 1910??
2) The buttplate is small for the buttstock but looks like a period Remington plate. Can anyone refer me to a link, show me a picture or describe what a correct buttplate should look like? Please
3) The buttstocks grip has no grip cap, it has the rounded bottom. Is this the correct buttstock for this early shotgun? Never mind this question, I found some good pics on one of the posts at Gunbroker
4)The fore end is of course cracked so I bought a blank to replace it. Does anyone have a link or a picture that shows which forend of the many contours is correct for her?Nevermind this one too. Same pics helped
I've spent quite a bit of time on the web looking for the answers to these and other questions regarding this old girl. Some questions I found answers to but these 4, OK 1 now, have stumped my efforts. There's lots of info on the later model 11's but not much on the first ones. When I "get 'er done" I'll post some pics if you guys would like me to.
Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.
DaveL
I would still sure like to get a look at a correct buttplate. Was it metal, plastic, bakealite or something else? Anyone? Please?

[Researcher]

1. According to the extrapolated table in James Tipton's Remington Autoloading Gun/Model 11 article 1910 would be right.

2. Try Dutchman Wood Works

3. The half-pistol grip was the style at that time. From the 1910 Remington catalogue --

[Fowlgunner]

Sorry Dave I meant to get you answered earlier.

What does your barrel address say, and is it numbered to the gun.

Is there a Remington logo stamped on the top tang and an UMC in a circle on the lower?

More than likely your gun is from '10 or possibly '11.

If there is any mention of Union Metallic Cartridge company on your gun the Large model 11 buttplate reproduction from NC Ordnance (gun-grips.com) is what your after. The one with the Circle Remington UMC with all the writing the same font size.

If there is no mention of UMC then the horizontal serrated buttplate with Remington in the top rectangular block and "Arms Co." in the arched block toward the toe is what you need. I know NC Ordnance makes this plate also but I am not aware if the dimensions are correct for the 11 as they were used on a number of models.

Good luck with your restoration, you might find a forearm on ebay,gunbroker, etc. and save yourself a little trouble but it should be smooth (non checkered) if the buttstock is that way.

Hope this helps.

Will

[Dave]

Thanks Researcher, I was fairly certain that I had narrowed the date to 1910 and the pistol grip to round. The pic from the 1910 catalog really confirms it, Thanks.
Fowlgunner, I have 3 barrels and none are the correct serial#s. In answer to your question, "Is there a Remington logo stamped on the top tang and an UMC in a circle on the lower?" the answer is no. The only stamping is the serial#. Other than that the reciever is bare and as I don't have the right barrel, I guess that won't tell me anything anyway. The buttplate I have says Remington in the top rectangular block with horizontal serrations but no UMC If It"s not exactly the right one it's close enough. But wow, NC Ordnance sure has a great inventory.Thanks for taking the time to respond you guys. I was begining to loose hope.

[Researcher]

The correct butt plate should show REMINGTON in a rectangular recess just below the heel screw, then horizontal striations, then the lower screw with a curved recess below with ARMS CO.

[Dave]

Thanks Again Researcher.

[Dave]

I have two more question for you guys,
1)Was the bolt on my old girl in the white or blued originally?
2)Was there any other crumbs that were left in the white?

I've got the barrel and the receiver reblued. It took a lot of prep work (320 emery cloth strips, to purple scotch bright, to gray scotch brite to 0000 steel wool) but it's looking real good so far! They came out a nice cobalt blue with a remarkably even finnish (used Birchwood Cassy blue). I still have all the crumbs to blue and some more shaping and sanding on the fore end before I can finnish the wood. I'll post pics when I'm done.
Thanks again.

[Fowlgunner]

Dave,

The "Crumbs" as you call them on the earliest Autoloaders were a mixture of rust blue and "fire" blue.

The extractor, safety, operating handle, and all the screws were fire blued.

The trigger, carrier button, buttplate screws and magazine cap were rust blued.

The carrier was rust blued with the carrier tongue polished both sides.

Hope this helps.

Will

[Dave]

That sure does help Will! that's EXACTLY the info I was looking for. But what about the bolt itself (the side that shows in the ejection port)? Is it rust blued or in the white (pollished)? Also what about the firing pin retaining pin head?
I keep saying thanks but I mean it!
Thanks again!
Dave

[Fowlgunner]

Dave,

The entire bolt assembly including the pin and operating handle body (the portion that interlocks with the bolt) was polished to a satin shine not a mirror and definitely not jeweled or engine turned.

The handle itself is fire blued on the operating handle not the entire part.

Will

[Dave]

Thanks again Will. I think I have all the info now to finish up. I'm doing this in my spare time so it might be a little while before I can post some pics but I will when I'm done.
Dave