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Old July 21, 2011, 01:05 PM   #1
mwal
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11/87 problem

I have a left handed 11/87 that is about 10 years old. It is starting to do some weird things. Primers keep falling out of the spent shell and jamming the action. This is happening on reloads and factory 1 1/8 trap loads. I have 4 other teammates shooting the same reloads and it has never happened to them. They are also shooting right handed 11/87. I shoot weekly from Jan to Sept. Approx 3000 shells a year. Any suggestions? The reloads are AA equivalent and we have been shooting this load for years.

Mwal
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Old July 21, 2011, 01:51 PM   #2
TheKlawMan
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Consult an exorcist
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Old July 21, 2011, 02:58 PM   #3
hogdogs
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For whatever reason... is it possibly a headspace issue... possible wear in the lock up mechanism?

Brent
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Old July 21, 2011, 03:01 PM   #4
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It's a natural tendency of primers to want to come out of the case, the pressure that's pushing the shot down the barrel is also pushing back on the primer. In a typical situation the pressure is also pushing back on the hull, too. The hull and the primer are both restrained by the breech face, so the primers typically stay put.

The first time I experienced primer back-out was with an old .45 revolver that I was using as a cap gun. I experienced cylinder drag with primers only but not with full loads, so it got me to thinking. It seems, with only the primer, there wasn't any pressure on the case -- the primers were pushed back to the recoil shield but the cases weren't. There was enough slack to allow the primers to back out a little and cause drag. If the hull and primer aren't uniformly restrained by the bolt face, the primers may back out.

Since you've eliminated ammo problems, for your 11-87 to have primers back out two possible causes come to mind:
The face of the bolt isn't uniform. A dimple around the firing pin hole could allow primers to back out. But, more than likely, the bolt is opening prematurely while there is still sufficient pressure to loose the primers. Primers backing out is a tell tale sign of wear at the locking block and the corresponding barrel recess. Remington has an over-sized L-marked locking lug that may solve your problem. In some cases you may have to replace the barrel, too.
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Old July 21, 2011, 03:11 PM   #5
hogdogs
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Quote:
Primers backing out is a tell tale sign of wear at the locking block and the corresponding barrel recess.
WOOT WOOT!!!

Seems my barely "educated guess" might be close enuff that I won't feel foolish if it turns out to be somethin' different!
If Zipper described close to my guess... and he has far more gun hours than I do I bet... than I feel exalted and takin' my grinnin' mug to the kitchen for an instant "cap-a-cheeno"... cuz I feel smart now!

Brent
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Old July 21, 2011, 03:34 PM   #6
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I would have to go along with that the action is opening early on the weapon, check out the o rings and stuff, could be something very simple. 3000 shots a year they need changed then once every year.
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Old July 21, 2011, 04:30 PM   #7
mwal
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It sounds like wear to the locking mechanism and barrel. O ring is fine change once a season. I looked on Remington part site and they no longer have left hand barrels for 11/87 as they were discontinued several years ago. Will take to gunsmith or get a new gun.

Mwal
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Old July 21, 2011, 04:35 PM   #8
hogdogs
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Don't forget to look at high grade machinist for help. If you can get specs on the dimensions of the mating areas, a machinist can build it up and mill/lathe back to factory specs I would imagine... Just in case a smith with this skill and gear is not easily located...

Brent
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Old July 21, 2011, 09:17 PM   #9
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Detail strip it, look for wear in the lug and lug recess. 3000rnds a year for 10years shouldn't quite be doing that, unless it wasn't lubed up. Look at shotgunworld.com, under remington lies a sticky that is most useful for problems and maintanance that the 1100/1187 incurres.
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Old July 22, 2011, 08:44 AM   #10
mwal
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The lug recess does appear to be worn. Light Contour barrels for left hand 11/87 appear to be hard to find and expensive. A new bolt lug assempbly is around $100.00 a barrell is $200 to $300. I don't know if its worth $400 in parts to repair a gun I paid $600.00 for.

Mwal
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Old July 22, 2011, 10:04 AM   #11
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Call me crazy, but if your shooting competitively and plan to do so for a few more years, look at a left handed benelli Montefeltro 28". I would add a briley 6oz wieght, throw in the z shims, Limbsaver pad, and add a wolff +25% recoil spring to make it a suitable trap gun. Later on down the road, you can add a removable high trap rib and gel or foam cheek piece. They will cycle just as well as the 1100s with 7/8oz 1150fps loads. Either that, or find a dedicated trap gun. I would probably part out that 1187 and use that compensation for a new gun.

If your in the central VA area, your more than welcome to give my Monte (configured like the above, minus the rib and cheek piece) and Cordoba a run. They are right handed though.
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Old July 28, 2011, 12:08 PM   #12
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Gunsmith confirmed that the lug and recess in the barrel are shot. I decided to part it out to them and picked up a Citori 425 sporting clays model.

Mwal
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Old November 22, 2012, 02:12 PM   #13
summerman
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Same 1187 primer issue

I have an 1187 about 15 years old, rifled cantilever barrel, leopold scope var 2. 2-7 power. Went hunting bam, miss bam miss bam miss.. ***? getting old? Bad eyes? I go try to sight gun in.. 2 feet low at 50 yards. 2 FEET!!

Call my country boys and we go to sight in. 3 boxes of Hornady SST's and still cant hit 100 after hitting 50 yd target ok. then I notice spent cartridges have blown out primers or backed out partially. Never seen that happen before, nor did any of them. Brought them back to Bass Pro. They scratched their heads and gave me 4 new boxes... I don't know if it is coincidence with poor accuracy, primers.. etc. Any ideas? At this point I feel like scraping the gun and buying a browning. The gun was so expensive and never quite performed all that well, lots of deer but just never worked as well as the few old browning A 5s I used to borrow.

I just don't want to spend 200-300 to get it fixed or maybe not fixed. I have shot less than 300 rounds through it total. Maybe closer to 200. I use it to deer hunt only. Sight it in and shoot. Some years I shot it 2 times. 2 deer 2 shots. Usually about 2-3 boxes a year including sight check.
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Old November 22, 2012, 02:26 PM   #14
summerman
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Same 1187 primer issue

I have an 1187 about 15 years old, rifled cantilever barrel, leopold scope var 2. 2-7 power. Went hunting bam, miss bam miss bam miss.. ***? getting old? Bad eyes? I go try to sight gun in.. 2 feet low at 50 yards. 2 FEET!!

Call my country boys and we go to sight in. 3 boxes of Hornady SST's and still cant hit 100 after hitting 50 yd target ok. then I notice spent cartridges have blown out primers or backed out partially. Never seen that happen before, nor did any of them. Brought them back to Bass Pro. They scratched their heads and gave me 4 new boxes... I don't know if it is coincidence with poor accuracy, primers.. etc. Any ideas? At this point I feel like scraping the gun and buying a browning. The gun was so expensive and never quite performed all that well, lots of deer but just never worked as well as the few old browning A 5s I used to borrow.

I just don't want to spend 200-300 to get it fixed or maybe not fixed. I have shot less than 300 rounds through it total. Maybe closer to 200. I use it to deer hunt only. Sight it in and shoot. Some years I shot it 2 times. 2 deer 2 shots. Usually about 2-3 boxes a year including sight check.
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Old November 22, 2012, 05:13 PM   #15
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The locking blocks are the same in the right handed and left handed barrels. I have very rarely seen or heard of this issue in 49 years, but apparently it does happen. I think something else is going on with the deer barrel. Locking lug doesn't explain lousy accuracy, and with that few rounds it shouldn't be wear either. Sounds like your barrel is loose period right off the cuff.
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Old November 25, 2012, 03:04 AM   #16
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I still say it's poltergeist.
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