Researcher & Tom:
I can’t thank you enough for your time and effort in educating me with such valuable information. You’ve really helped me sort through a myriad of variables and unknowns in order to help solve this “mystery.”
From the beginning:
The Model 141 is my main focus, but I’ve also come to appreciate the art and beauty of the Model 11. Some time ago I fell in love with this 16 ga. Model 11 in a shop’s rack and got it for a bargain. It was so beautiful, the owner and I couldn’t readily determine if it had been professionally refinished. After field-stripping/cleaning, I later concluded its likely all-original and was barely used, as it’s virtually like-new.
But while reassembling, I “decided” it had a minor problem. Little-to-no pressure was required on the barrel/forend as was on all other 11s I’ve ever handled; my Sportsman’s barrel protrudes ½” or more above the receiver and requires significant pressure in order to seat the barrel & reassemble the forend. There’s not much tension at all with this 16.
So...my initial thought was the recoil spring must be either no good due to long-term compression, or the wrong one. Subsequently begins the search for a replacement recoil spring...some sources indicated there was indeed a recoil spring for the 3 shot Sportsman, and a different one for the 5 shot Model 11. Remington helped me locate an extremely knowledgeable vintage parts dealer who informed me there is only one size spring for both models. He subsequently sent me one and...It was the same size as the one already in the shotgun! (Yup, into the “useless parts bin” it went).
So...I then decided it must be missing the Forend Guide Ring like that on the 12 ga. Sportsman; after all, the added thickness of the Forend Guide Ring would likely be just the medicine for proper spring tension (however, as stated the arm is like-new, and there is no indication of a guide ring ever having been originally installed)! As also previously mentioned, I’ve observed some 11s with the forend guide ring, and some without (never noting which were Sportsman and which were 11s)...I think you’ve nailed it here Tom; I have noticed the absence of guide pins on several forends...likely on Sportsman models!
Again, all the schematics, photos, forums, parts listings, etc. at my disposal had left me scratching my head.
You gentlemen have now confirmed two of my suspicions
:
1. Model 11s do not have forend guide rings; some Sportsman models do.
2. Model 11s have guide pins in the forearms; Sportsman do not.
I’m now still faced with the lack of tension issue
...
Researcher; at your convenience are you able to determine if the Recoil Spring is in fact the same part for both models; or if there are two different part numbers (one being longer than the other)?
I’ve never attempted to fire it...maybe I just need to go out and put some rounds through it to see if it functions. On the other hand it’s so sweet I don’t want to chance cracking wood or doing damage.
Sorry for being so long-winded, but again, I can’t thank you guys enough!
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