Question about Remington 1100

rcase1234 · September 6, 2012, 08:58 PM

Hey everybody! I'm new to the forum and I got a question I hope some of you could help me with. Anyways, ive been looking at semi auto shotguns for a while and I think I want a Remington 1100 in 12 ga. However, I keep seeing stuff about gas hole sizes or something and using a certain shell without certain features will destroy your 1100. If I bought an 1100 with 28" or 30" rem choke barrel, could I use this for shooting both targets loads (like 7.5 shot) and duck loads (4 shot)? Also I would like to get a slug barrel for if too. Can I shoot any 2.75" slug through this or does it have to be a certain 2.75" slug? Please if you can, answer one or both of my questions. Thank you.

XL650 Owner · September 6, 2012, 10:40 PM

I have owned an 11-87 for over 15 years and absolutely love it. The 1100 and 11-87 a very simular with one of the main differences being that the 11-87 is auto compensating for different size loads. The 1100 cant do that. Gas from the barrel near the end of the for grip is ported back to cycle the next round. A bigger shell will send more gas back to the bolt causing it to slam back. Where as an 11-87 vents out excess gas pressure so it cycles the bolt the same whether its a light target load or a 3" magnum load. When I bought it I was told it was very reliable and didn't need a lot of care. Well I bought it and went to the range. I load it with some light target loads and alternated some 3" magnum loads as well. While I could tell the difference between them the gun acted the same. Didn't slam the bolt on the big shells and cycled fine on the light ones. I went a 6 months shooting each week and didn't clean it to see what would happen. didn't jam once, but when I did clean it it took a while.

Maybe I just got lucky but I love this gun and wont sell it for anything. Also bought a rifled slug barrel for it and with Remington's solid copper slugs through it, it's is lethal at 100 yards. Nice tight groups. Might as well be a 50 cal. rifle. Well, that's my two cents worth.....

shortwave · September 7, 2012, 06:03 AM

The 1100 Remington was designed to shoot 2 3/4" shells.
I've not found a 2 3/4" hunting/target shell the 1100 won't fire safely. Slug or shot.

If you get a smoothbore slug bbl. use 2 3/4 'rifled' slugs. If you get a 'rifled' bbl.(which is what I would probably buy) use 2 3/4 sabot slugs.

Virginian · September 7, 2012, 06:11 AM

I have been shooting 1100s for 49 years. I have shot and/or owned just about everything else made in the intervening years, but have not found anything I liked better in a semi auto shotgun. I do give ANY gun a quick cleaning after firing before I put it away, so maybe that is why I have never had any problems other than a broken extractor in 1982 on the 1963 gun. I have owned 11 Model 1100s and 11-87s. They are 99%+ the same gun as noted - the barrel gas systems are just different on SOME 11-87s. A target 11-87 is really an 1100, and a G3 1100 is really an 11-87 under the skin.
A 2-3/4" Model 1100 will do fine with ALL 2-3/4" loads, with the exception that the Target barrels are not recommended for anything heavier than 1-1/8 ounce loads if memory serves, and the older fixed choke barrels should not be used with larger than #2 steel shot through anything tighter than a modified choke. The target barrels have larger gas ports so the mouse fart load target shooters won't have problems. I don't think I have ever bought or loaded anything lighter than 1 oz loads running around 1200 fps for a 12 myself, and I have never had an issue.
If all you need is a 2-3/4" gun, I would recommend the 1100, but if you want to shoot 3" also look to an 11-87. I personally don't like flat finishes or plastic, so I would look for a used 11-87 Premier in excellent condition. Gander Mountain is selling some fairly nice looking satin - not Express style ROUGH - finished new 1100 field guns in the $600 range last time I saw them.

XL650 Owner · September 7, 2012, 06:38 AM

Everything that Virginian-in-LA said...

That's the one I have, the 11-87 Premier with a 30" vented rib for trap and a rifled slug barrel for deer. I bought aftermarket synthetics to put on in the field to keep the wood stock ones looking nice.

Panfisher · September 7, 2012, 08:08 AM

I had an 1100 LT20 for many years and currently have an 11-87 both are excellent guns and have always fit me. The only problem I ever had with the 1100 is that it was a little more sensitive to not being cleaned regularly, the gas tube would get a little gunky and turn into a single shot, but after the first time I learned to simply clean it and never had another problem. The 11-87 like someone else said didn't care if it was a light trap load or a 3" Turkey buster it ate them all and was less sensitive about cleaning with the chromed gas tube. It did jam once when I went on a short notice pheasant hunt to kansas, very cold and it suddenly became a single shot, I hadn't cleaned it after a very busy dove season. Disassembled it on a table and gave it a good cleaning and "poof" it was back to eating everythin I fed it. I love the fit and feel of the Rem 1100 family of shotguns.

September 6, 2012, 08:58 PM	#1
rcase1234 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 407	Question about Remington 1100 Hey everybody! I'm new to the forum and I got a question I hope some of you could help me with. Anyways, ive been looking at semi auto shotguns for a while and I think I want a Remington 1100 in 12 ga. However, I keep seeing stuff about gas hole sizes or something and using a certain shell without certain features will destroy your 1100. If I bought an 1100 with 28" or 30" rem choke barrel, could I use this for shooting both targets loads (like 7.5 shot) and duck loads (4 shot)? Also I would like to get a slug barrel for if too. Can I shoot any 2.75" slug through this or does it have to be a certain 2.75" slug? Please if you can, answer one or both of my questions. Thank you.

September 7, 2012, 06:38 AM	#5
XL650 Owner Member Join Date: September 3, 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 19	Everything that Virginian-in-LA said... That's the one I have, the 11-87 Premier with a 30" vented rib for trap and a rifled slug barrel for deer. I bought aftermarket synthetics to put on in the field to keep the wood stock ones looking nice. __________________ Reload 30-30, 30-06, and 308, on my XL650 and 12g. with my Mec 9000G

September 6, 2012, 10:40 PM	#2
XL650 Owner Member Join Date: September 3, 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 19	I have owned an 11-87 for over 15 years and absolutely love it. The 1100 and 11-87 a very simular with one of the main differences being that the 11-87 is auto compensating for different size loads. The 1100 cant do that. Gas from the barrel near the end of the for grip is ported back to cycle the next round. A bigger shell will send more gas back to the bolt causing it to slam back. Where as an 11-87 vents out excess gas pressure so it cycles the bolt the same whether its a light target load or a 3" magnum load. When I bought it I was told it was very reliable and didn't need a lot of care. Well I bought it and went to the range. I load it with some light target loads and alternated some 3" magnum loads as well. While I could tell the difference between them the gun acted the same. Didn't slam the bolt on the big shells and cycled fine on the light ones. I went a 6 months shooting each week and didn't clean it to see what would happen. didn't jam once, but when I did clean it it took a while. Maybe I just got lucky but I love this gun and wont sell it for anything. Also bought a rifled slug barrel for it and with Remington's solid copper slugs through it, it's is lethal at 100 yards. Nice tight groups. Might as well be a 50 cal. rifle. Well, that's my two cents worth..... __________________ Reload 30-30, 30-06, and 308, on my XL650 and 12g. with my Mec 9000G

September 7, 2012, 06:03 AM	#3
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	The 1100 Remington was designed to shoot 2 3/4" shells. I've not found a 2 3/4" hunting/target shell the 1100 won't fire safely. Slug or shot. If you get a smoothbore slug bbl. use 2 3/4 'rifled' slugs. If you get a 'rifled' bbl.(which is what I would probably buy) use 2 3/4 sabot slugs.

September 7, 2012, 06:11 AM	#4
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	I have been shooting 1100s for 49 years. I have shot and/or owned just about everything else made in the intervening years, but have not found anything I liked better in a semi auto shotgun. I do give ANY gun a quick cleaning after firing before I put it away, so maybe that is why I have never had any problems other than a broken extractor in 1982 on the 1963 gun. I have owned 11 Model 1100s and 11-87s. They are 99%+ the same gun as noted - the barrel gas systems are just different on SOME 11-87s. A target 11-87 is really an 1100, and a G3 1100 is really an 11-87 under the skin. A 2-3/4" Model 1100 will do fine with ALL 2-3/4" loads, with the exception that the Target barrels are not recommended for anything heavier than 1-1/8 ounce loads if memory serves, and the older fixed choke barrels should not be used with larger than #2 steel shot through anything tighter than a modified choke. The target barrels have larger gas ports so the mouse fart load target shooters won't have problems. I don't think I have ever bought or loaded anything lighter than 1 oz loads running around 1200 fps for a 12 myself, and I have never had an issue. If all you need is a 2-3/4" gun, I would recommend the 1100, but if you want to shoot 3" also look to an 11-87. I personally don't like flat finishes or plastic, so I would look for a used 11-87 Premier in excellent condition. Gander Mountain is selling some fairly nice looking satin - not Express style ROUGH - finished new 1100 field guns in the $600 range last time I saw them.

September 7, 2012, 08:08 AM	#6
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	I had an 1100 LT20 for many years and currently have an 11-87 both are excellent guns and have always fit me. The only problem I ever had with the 1100 is that it was a little more sensitive to not being cleaned regularly, the gas tube would get a little gunky and turn into a single shot, but after the first time I learned to simply clean it and never had another problem. The 11-87 like someone else said didn't care if it was a light trap load or a 3" Turkey buster it ate them all and was less sensitive about cleaning with the chromed gas tube. It did jam once when I went on a short notice pheasant hunt to kansas, very cold and it suddenly became a single shot, I hadn't cleaned it after a very busy dove season. Disassembled it on a table and gave it a good cleaning and "poof" it was back to eating everythin I fed it. I love the fit and feel of the Rem 1100 family of shotguns.