I Have This Old Gun: Remington Autoloading Shotgun

by
posted on August 3, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Known commonly by the name "Auto 5," even though that name is attributed to a FN copy, the Autoloading Shotgun was John Moses Browning's first semi-automatic shotgun design, which entered production at Remington starting in 1905. Browning regarded the Autoloading Shotgun design as one of his personal favorites. It also marked a point where the famed firearm designer made a shift from his usual course of business.

I Have This Old Gun: Remington Autoloading Shotgun

Browning approached Winchester with the design first for production, but the firm turned him down after the inventor requested to receive royalties on each shotgun produced, rather than receiving a lump-sum up front. Afterwards, Browning then traveled to the Remington plant to meet with to company's then president, Marcellus Hartley, to discuss a possible contract. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Mr. Hartley died while Browning was waiting to meet with him.

I Have This Old Gun: Remington Autoloading Shotgun

As a result, Remington also passed on the design, so Browning took his autoloading design to FN Herstal in Belgium, where it was produced as the Browning Automatic 5 (Auto 5). Yet Remington was not out of the picture for long, as the next company president was also interested in the shotgun design. It entered the market as the Remington Autoloading Shotgun in 1905, the first U.S. made semi-automatic shotgun available on the commercial market. Offered in 12, 16 and 20 ga., the design proved to be popular and a commercial success for Remington, with hundreds of thousands of examples sold at the time. 

I Have This Old Gun: Remington Autoloading Shotgun

The nomenclature for the design was changed by the company to Model 11 in 1911, with examples produced beforehand bearing no official model designation.  Both the Model 11 and Auto 5 would prove to be one of the most popular semi-automatic designs throughout the first half of the 20th century. While no longer produced, the Remington Model 11 can still be found and retains popularity with enthusiasts and collectors today.

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.

Latest

Taurus GX2
Taurus GX2

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.