I found this pic online, but wonder if it's enough. You can manually push the barrel further back than that would allow

I am wanting to cut down a remington model 11 ( browning A5 copy). My plan is to install a cutts compensator/choke assembly on the shortened barrel. I have no idea how far back the barrels recoil into the receiver? NFA length is not a concern. I want it as short as possible, but obviously don't want the cutts to smack the forend the first time a hot load is fired. Any of you recoiling barrel experts have any suggestions?
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Best plan it to push it back as far as it will go then give an 1/8" and make your mark.

Well, the barrel recoils back to cycle the bolt. It will not recoil back further than the bolt will go back.

I hope that helps.

Remington 11 thread

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I thought about putting painters tape on the barrel and taking a slow motion video of it shooting some  buckshot. I find it hard to believe that the barrel recoils over 3". You can push it back really far, manually though

In operation, it doesn't go back until it bottoms out.

Hotter loads, worn out brake rings, and extra lube (less friction) will all make it go back slightly further.

If you don't leave the extra clearance, and one day you mess up and omit/misplace a brake ring during reassembly, when it fires it's going to damage your (larger diameter) muzzle device.

However if you want it as short as possible, measuring with conditions favorable to greatest travel distance should tell you what you want to know. High speed camera and tape bands, or something squishy that'll compress and stop there for a relative measurement.

I am not sure how much the cutts helps in regards to recoil travel. I know my two full length 11's with the cutts are soft shooters. And looking at this diagram for cutts recoil system arrangement, I tend to think it has great effect. On a separate note, this sticker is in the forearm of one my guns, wonder if it is a factory installed cutts? The receiver and stock lines in the illustration look like a model 11.
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Double tap

So i cut a barrel down today. I went longer than that first pic I started the thread with. I had to permanently attach the vented portion to maintain 18". I see a custom short system in my future .
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Looks nice with a vintage choke!

How is it attached - Threaded? and is it an unusual thread pitch?  Love the look of it!

Cutting these down and adding a comp might increase the recoil and regardless of the friction settings, you might find it runs light loads on high brass settings.  I had this happen with my 1916 Remington Model 11.  You can add another friction ring (or cut another "thinner" friction ring in half) to slow it down if need be so it doesn't beat up the receiver and won't kick as hard.

When I cut mine down it ran the lightest loads on the heavy setting even with new friction rings, and springs - and it kicked harder.  Adding a half of a ring made it shoot with less beating itself and me up.

Nice Work.

Never occurred to me to attempt that one but that looks pretty awesome. I would love to hear what all went into that.

I’m guessing these things cycle fine with the shorter barrels? I’ve always heard they recoil pretty heavy so I was wondering if the light barrel requires any consideration.

I’ve got one I’ve been sitting on for months now. I’m thinking of just cutting it around 13”. I can’t decide if machining it for a choke, or even replacing the bead sight is worth the effort. Mine is an old one with a cracked straight stock that I haven’t been able to locate a replacement for, which is the only reason it’s been sitting in a pile. Form 1 is approved so I’m sort of committed at this point.

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I did 2x REM 11 SBS’s In 12g and 20g.  No regrets..

Well I just went ahead and chopped mine. I have some stock repairs to attend to, and I think I've decided to parkerize it. Going to try and braze the old sight base back on before I refinish though, I think.

I'm assuming that the cutts is slowing down the rearward movement. I make that assumption based on the sticker in the forearm. With a cutts installed the friction ring goes against the receiver. I am hoping worst case scenario is that even with the cutts I end up reverting back to the standard heavy or light load settings