11-87 woes... help with newbie shotgun.

White Rabbit · August 13, 2000, 10:01 PM

Hello again,

Bit the bullet today and bought a Remington 11-87 Premier 20 guage autoloader.

Just one problem. It jams every shell! I got home and assembled it, took it out for a test shoot and loaded a single shell into the chamber. Fired it off (great recoil BTW) but noticed the action didn't move. I thought maybe it just needed broken in so I loaded another in the chamber and 1 single shell in the magzine. Fired off the first round and it JAMMED! Jammed so bad and so hard that I had to take it back to the shop. After about 20 minutes of struggling they finally got the shell removed and also the live round in the magzine tube. He then inspected the gun for defects in the gas operation and also burrs but didn't find any.

The guy at the shop said it might be the ammo I was using (Federal Top Gun 7/8 target load). I said damn I just bought a case of this stuff on one of your sales rep's recommendations. So he gave me box of similar Federal ammo in a game load. He said run it through single shell in the chamber at a time and see what happens. If it does the same thing then it's the gun, if it works then it's the ammo and he'd let me exchange it (good guys).

So, I got home (50 minutes each way) loaded the first shell of the new ammo, fired it, and it jammed again. I was able to work the action back and forth and finally ejected the shell. Loaded another and it did the same thing. I finished off the new box of ammo one shell at a time, all 25, in this manner. Took about 30 minutes to complete the box. Then I started on my first box of Top Gun ammo once again.

Now about half way through the Top Gun shells the action got a bit easier. I got some occasional stove-pipes. I even got a few succesful cycles where the action locked back. I was hot and tired at this point so I packed it up.

So what's causing this trouble? Does it just need some more break in? Should I return the gun? What to do, what to do?

Thanks to all for the continued help,

WR

------------------
--"We need guns... lots of guns."--

Rutgers · August 13, 2000, 10:19 PM

I must say that I am baffled. I also have an 11-87 and have never had a problem with it. could be a few things...if you take the forearm off, there is a sticker that shows the order in which to put all of the parts back on when you put it together. It is very important that all parts (espesialy the o-ring) are precisely in the order shown. Not having these parts in the right order is going to account for 99% of any ejection problems. I would replace the o-ring for good measure. hope this helps

galt · August 13, 2000, 11:39 PM

Not a shotgun expert, but I would check:

1) Make sure moving parts are properly lubed. Improving with firing sounds like something is "breaking in". Does action move nicely in manual mode ?

2) make sure gas piston area is dry and O rings are installed correctly. Also check condition of o-rings. They might be dried out and not sealing correctly.

3. Make sure gas port is clean.

4. Try some more different types of ammo. Some autos are more finicky than others. Do NOT buy any tactical or low-power loads. Cheap ammo from Walmart might be best.

But in spite of all of this, I would be tempted to just return gun and let them deal with fixing it. An hour each way makes you testing it inconvenient, and they sound like they have admitted the gun is the problem (you tried their alternate ammo choice) . They should stand behind it.
------------------
galt
Speak Out on the Net http://www.netcitizen.org

[This message has been edited by galt (edited August 14, 2000).]

Clark · August 14, 2000, 01:51 AM

I got the Kuenhausen book on Rem shotguns and could not get a thing out of it.

I got the AGI video on Rem shotguns and it really got me taking appart the 1100s and 11-87s just like Santa on the screen.

PJR · August 14, 2000, 07:47 AM

Take it back. I've owned an 11-87 and never experienced the same problems. A gun that jams to the point you can't open it or one that locks back the action when there are still shells in the magazine has some serious troubles. Time for professional assistance or a replacement gun.

Dave McC · August 14, 2000, 08:16 AM

No expert on 11-87s, but IMO it should go back to the shop PDQ. If it's a lemon, the shop should make good, fix or replace.

This is one advantage to going to a gun shop vs a chain store. Gun shops mostly want repeat business and value their reputation, while the bored clerk down at J-Mart doesn't give a %&*( if you ever come back or if he's selling shotguns or gas grills.

August 13, 2000, 10:01 PM	#1
White Rabbit Member Join Date: August 5, 2000 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 26	Hello again, Bit the bullet today and bought a Remington 11-87 Premier 20 guage autoloader. Just one problem. It jams every shell! I got home and assembled it, took it out for a test shoot and loaded a single shell into the chamber. Fired it off (great recoil BTW) but noticed the action didn't move. I thought maybe it just needed broken in so I loaded another in the chamber and 1 single shell in the magzine. Fired off the first round and it JAMMED! Jammed so bad and so hard that I had to take it back to the shop. After about 20 minutes of struggling they finally got the shell removed and also the live round in the magzine tube. He then inspected the gun for defects in the gas operation and also burrs but didn't find any. The guy at the shop said it might be the ammo I was using (Federal Top Gun 7/8 target load). I said damn I just bought a case of this stuff on one of your sales rep's recommendations. So he gave me box of similar Federal ammo in a game load. He said run it through single shell in the chamber at a time and see what happens. If it does the same thing then it's the gun, if it works then it's the ammo and he'd let me exchange it (good guys). So, I got home (50 minutes each way) loaded the first shell of the new ammo, fired it, and it jammed again. I was able to work the action back and forth and finally ejected the shell. Loaded another and it did the same thing. I finished off the new box of ammo one shell at a time, all 25, in this manner. Took about 30 minutes to complete the box. Then I started on my first box of Top Gun ammo once again. Now about half way through the Top Gun shells the action got a bit easier. I got some occasional stove-pipes. I even got a few succesful cycles where the action locked back. I was hot and tired at this point so I packed it up. So what's causing this trouble? Does it just need some more break in? Should I return the gun? What to do, what to do? Thanks to all for the continued help, WR ------------------ --"We need guns... lots of guns."--

August 13, 2000, 10:19 PM	#2
Rutgers Member Join Date: June 11, 2000 Location: Kalamazoo,MI,USA Posts: 28	I must say that I am baffled. I also have an 11-87 and have never had a problem with it. could be a few things...if you take the forearm off, there is a sticker that shows the order in which to put all of the parts back on when you put it together. It is very important that all parts (espesialy the o-ring) are precisely in the order shown. Not having these parts in the right order is going to account for 99% of any ejection problems. I would replace the o-ring for good measure. hope this helps

August 13, 2000, 11:39 PM	#3
galt Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2000 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 163	Not a shotgun expert, but I would check: 1) Make sure moving parts are properly lubed. Improving with firing sounds like something is "breaking in". Does action move nicely in manual mode ? 2) make sure gas piston area is dry and O rings are installed correctly. Also check condition of o-rings. They might be dried out and not sealing correctly. 3. Make sure gas port is clean. 4. Try some more different types of ammo. Some autos are more finicky than others. Do NOT buy any tactical or low-power loads. Cheap ammo from Walmart might be best. But in spite of all of this, I would be tempted to just return gun and let them deal with fixing it. An hour each way makes you testing it inconvenient, and they sound like they have admitted the gun is the problem (you tried their alternate ammo choice) . They should stand behind it. ------------------ galt Speak Out on the Net http://www.netcitizen.org [This message has been edited by galt (edited August 14, 2000).]

August 14, 2000, 01:51 AM	#4
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I got the Kuenhausen book on Rem shotguns and could not get a thing out of it. I got the AGI video on Rem shotguns and it really got me taking appart the 1100s and 11-87s just like Santa on the screen.

August 14, 2000, 07:47 AM	#5
PJR Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2000 Posts: 1,127	Take it back. I've owned an 11-87 and never experienced the same problems. A gun that jams to the point you can't open it or one that locks back the action when there are still shells in the magazine has some serious troubles. Time for professional assistance or a replacement gun.

August 14, 2000, 08:16 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	No expert on 11-87s, but IMO it should go back to the shop PDQ. If it's a lemon, the shop should make good, fix or replace. This is one advantage to going to a gun shop vs a chain store. Gun shops mostly want repeat business and value their reputation, while the bored clerk down at J-Mart doesn't give a %&*( if you ever come back or if he's selling shotguns or gas grills.