Alright,
So I remember some years ago an ARFCOMer posted pics of his Auto 5 he had made into a HD gun.  I fell in love.  Anyway, I seem to remember him telling me it was a certain model of the A5 that was a "bare bones" type with no engraving etc.  Does anyone remember what that model is?  For that matter, does anyone remmeber the pics/poster who had this shotty?  It was flat black (parkerized?) with an extended mag etc.  It was pretty badass.

Savage Model 720 Military 12 Gauge, Browning A5 style shotgun with "Flaming Bomb", "P" and stamps.

USMC used them in VN.

See:

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Savage-720-Military.cfm?gun_id=100090266

I like the 6th one Down

That is just way cool!

Oh, I know about the .mil ones.  I was wondering about the commercial ones, preferably the "plain" unengraved ones.  I was hoping to pick one up inexpensively for a HD/combat project

Remington Model 11 Military 12 Gauge, Browning A5 style shotgun with "Flaming Bomb", "P" and stamps. Built around Aug, 1943. The recoil pad was added by a later owner, but since it had 1903 patent markings I left it on.

What are the spots on teh receiver in pic 2?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=133506452

the finish is screwed up

So it's just a finish issue?  I figure since the project gun would likely get parkerized or gun koted. I can deal with that

Look for an old Savage/Stevens A5 clone.You can pick em up around 150 bucks. Ther a little bit different than an A5(barrels wont interchange) but i think the same as a Rem model11. I have a Savage "springfield" 745B with a 28" barrel and aluminum receiver and its a real shooter. I was thinkin about makin a riot gun out of it , but Its the only hunting shotgun I have so I probably wont. The only down side to them Is they are pretty complicated design and If somebodys been shooting them set on light load settings with heavy loads ther could be some problems.(the forearms tend to break into)

Anyone know of a source for the "trench gun" fore-ends for the Rem 11?

Here's my A-5 "tactical", a work in progress.

I found the gun in a pawnshop with a busted stock and forearm.  It's a Belgium receiver and had a 30" full choke Japanese barrel in it, a mutt gun as far as Browning people are concerned.  I'd been watching it for over a year and bought it for $175.  I cut and crowned the barrel at 21" for starters, which is the same as the Benelli M90 was.  I stuck a bead in the rib just to have a reference point for testing, more on that later.

I replaced the furniture with a standard model Ramline, plenty solid.  I didn't know they make a youth model at the time, wish I had.  The mag tube extension is a Choate, which I understand is no longer made so good luck.  You might be able to pick one up at a gun show, but be prepared to pay for it.  I completely disassembled the gun, clean and lubed it, and polished the outside of the mag tube.  It functions like a dream with the recoil "bushings" set for heavy load with all but the lightest, 1oz, loads.  I'll probably replace the springs this winter, but the originals are still working great.

I was seriously thinking about cutting this gun down to an SBS length, and may still, and installing a set of ghost ring sights (not an easy chore on an A5) but I may have changed my mind after shooting it.  With the barrel casually cut and crowed and the bead put in without a lot of alignment the damn things shoots 1oz Remington slugs to point of aim at 75 yds.  I don't know that I want to mess with that.  I will probably put the youth model stock on it and may remove the mag extension (sorry, it's already spoken for if I do) because I can't figure out a way to mount a sling attachment on the front that I'm comfortable with.

All together I've got less than $350 in the gun and love playing with Benelli shooter's and watching their jaws drop when the ole A5 out speed shoots them.  I've got everything to put together another one except the furniture and a couple of springs that are readily available.  Gonna be a fun winter.

Rob

Nice.  I'm about to order a 21" rifle sighted smoothbore slug barrel for my Mag 12.  

I wanted to do an A5, 720 or 11, but couldn't find a suitable gun to bubbify.  This 11-48 on the other hand...

you can find A5 clones that are beat up Remington 11's, 1148's, and sometimes Savage 720's in "farm gun" configuration on gunbroker all the time for less than $200.  Most of them run fine and just have poor finish and dinged up stocks.  Here in central AL they are all over the pawn shops and in the used gun racks for about $200.  All it takes is a hack saw, files, ( plus drill and tap to reseat a new bead) and you can convert them to legal riot gun config...done it several times.

the original military guns had 20" barrels, but you can certainly cut one to 18.5 and have a nice one that is still legal, and still runs, at least all the ones I have worked on did...

there was an experimental trench gun shroud fixed to the receiver instead of the barrel developed by the military for the Model 11, but it was never put into production, you cannot use the barrel mounted shroud/bayonett adapter used on the other pump action trench guns on any A5 clone...the barrel has to move a couple of inches to the rear each shot, it won't work well..

Heres my work in progress. Its a Remington M11R. It was made as a police riot gun. I want to change the stock out over the winter. Itworks great. The choke was on it when I got it. Used at Cabellas for $250.00 I am also going to change to a metal tube extention. But like I said it works great as it is.
Have fun.
RLTW