Adjusting a Cutts Compensator

First shotgun I ever fired was my grandfather’s Remington model 11, which he bought sometime around WW2. It already had a Cutts compensator installed; we also added a few extra chokes after I got older and we were shooting it regularly. One day, my uncle shot it and immediately said it patterned below POA. My grandfather ignored this because we hit plenty of game - but many years after his passing, I decided to pattern it and sure enough, my uncle called it right all those years ago.

I know there are better options but I like the old Cutts for sentimental reasons (and it shoots pretty well) so after some reading on the ‘net, it appears that adjusting these chokes was not uncommon back in the day. One method I saw was to place a support at either end of the body with an indicator to measure progress then pressure was applied on top until the body bends enough to raise the POA. I don’t mind giving this a whirl but wanted to ask if anyone has done this operation before and whether there are any tips for success.

Thanks in advance.

The early Cutts were soldered to the muzzle. I would check to see if the joint is "loose" or bent from years of use. A rifle slug can bend the Cutts if fired through it.

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Originally Posted by Rapidrob

The early Cutts were soldered to the muzzle. I would check to see if the joint is "loose" or bent from years of use. A rifle slug can bend the Cutts if fired through it.

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It’s nice and tight - and we never shot slugs - only lead birdshot and buckshot.

Personally I would feel better about bending the barrel, than bending the Cutt's. It is surprisingly easy to bend a barrel. You can use a barrel bending jig if you want, but it is also very possible to do without.

I just sold my Barrel Bending Jig that I built to bend the Monkeyberg Barrel back strait. Didn't figure I would ever need it again.. It is going to Shotgun Importer. I can make it again.

Randy

Well, “Bubba” would probably screw in a long choke and stick a cheater bar in the end then bend the Cutts body - but I plan to go low and slow.

This gun patterns well with large shot (anything bigger than BB) but the center of the group is about a foot low at 50 yards. I shot it yesterday with a 4 buckshot hand load and it still works…LOL

No, I wouldn't stick anything into the choke. Randy's way is the precision way. 1' at 50 yards is very minor, and could even be attributed to the bead now being on top of the unit, rather than tight against the barrel.

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Originally Posted by megasupermagnum

No, I wouldn't stick anything into the choke. Randy's way is the precision way. 1' at 50 yards is very minor, and could even be attributed to the bead now being on top of the unit, rather than tight against the barrel.

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Good point about the bead. In fact, now that you mentioned it, I seem to remember that’s what my uncle blamed - he said the Cutts body was too large and interfered with a normal view over the barrel - and the bead is higher than when it was on the rib.

The more I think about it, I wonder if it’s just a better solution to send it to Briley’s for screw in chokes and a new bead. I have three Model 11’s - this one is the oldest and we don’t shoot it much because of its quirks.

When my grandfather and I were hunting deer with buckshot, we would always hold a few inches over the animal’s back. As a youngster, I thought it was to allow for pellet drop but I realized later it was related to this aiming issue.

No, I wouldn't do that. I'm sure you are capable of fixing it as is. There's lots of ways to bend a barrel, and 1' at 50 yards is nothing. That is very easy to fix.