Remington 1100 and 11-87
Every gunsmith needs to have a good understanding of these guns. For many years the Remington gas operated auto has been the gun of the masses and for good reason. Soft recoil, points well and reliable when properly maintained have been qualities that have endeared these guns to more than one generation. It didn’t hurt that the discount stores put them on sale at cost from time to time.
When it comes to repair this one is also a winner for the gunsmith. Available parts and easily disassembled make it a pleasure to service. Like most guns there are some areas that require close attention for best functioning. These are as follows.
Choke tubes– This applies to all shotguns with removable chokes. Remove, clean and apply a light coat of grease frequently. This is a very fine thread and at the first sign of rust the tube is permanent. Getting out stuck choke tubes is a real pain in the neck and you run the risk of ruining the barrel. You will find more information on this in the section on choke work.
Gas system– Gas piston seal and o ring should be clean and slide easily on the magazine tube. Many guns come in with these parts incorrectly installed by the owner after he cleaned it and reassembled incorrectly. Check the o-ring for nicks or cuts and replace if necessary. Leave this area clean and dry or use an oil that will not burn and turn to gum. I like mobile one synthetic oil ( like for the car!). It will turn black but stay slick and doesn’t dry or gum up. The 11-87 has the relief ports and spring that must be in place. Make sure the retainer is still in the forearm that sit atop the relief port spring.
Feed latch and interrupter– Looking in from the bottom with the barrel up the feed latch is on the left and the interrupter is on the right. The feed latch is operated by a bevel cut on the action bar and the interrupter by the disconnector on the trigger group. These parts must be in proper adjustment for the gun to feed shells from the magazine. Replace if worn or broken. The interrupter mounting stud can wear and the interrupter will have too much play. The retainer can be replaced with a thicker one from Brownells and remove this play. A lot easier and cheaper than sending back to the factory for a new interrupter stud to be installed.
Carrier and carrier latch– Sometimes bent by someone prying out a shell, if that is the case replace with a new one. If it is protruding below the action when viewed from the side expect this. It probably won’t lift the loaded round high enough to feed into the chamber. The carrier latch is located at the back of the carrier and is operated by a shell being released by the feed latch and striking the carrier latch. If it doesn’t hit hard enough the latch will not operate and the bolt will remain open. Problems in the magazine tube might show up here as a malfunction of the carrier latch. A weak, broken or jammed magazine spring will cause this. I see a lot of damaged magazine spring for hunters making a plug from a green stick in the field last year and the moisture from the stick caused the spring to rust. Another problem are the plastic followers. Dirt will embed into the sides making it hard for the follower to slide inside the magazine. Replacements are available made of stainless or aluminum and are a much better choice.
Bolt– Extractors break and can be replaced without disassembly. The firing pins break rarely but it does happen. More frequently the plastic buffer around the pins breaks and jams the pin or action. As always when you have a bolt in your hand inspect for cracks or unusual wear.
Mainspring– A problem area especially for the waterfowl hunters. Hunting in rain and salt water allows water to drain into the action spring tube and the spring will rust. Dirt and other debris along with oil also accumulates and the action of the bolt becomes sluggish. The mainspring tube nut will also become rusted in place and require an impact wrench and penetrating oil to break free. Coat the threads with grease anytime you have one of these disassembled for cleaning or repair.
Of course there are not any parts the customer can’t break, bend or lose. After you have repaired and cleaned several you will develop a feel for these guns by cycling the action and will know what needs to be done. Most of the time these guns can be repaired, cleaned or both in 30-45 minutes for an experienced gunsmith.