REMINGTON 1100 - SHOOTING, OPERATION & QUIRKINESS - OBSERVATIONS

[chief38]

This last week I was hunting with a friend that used a vintage Remington 1100 12 Gauge and so I was paying attention to some of its traits, pluses and minuses. The following are some of my observations that I would like to post.

While I do not own a Remington 1100, I have shot a few over the years. I've shot them during informal Trap & Skeet sessions at our Club's Range but have never hunted with one. I have always found the 1100 to be a mild recoiling Shotgun as well as being accurate, reliable, eye pleasing and well made.

What I dislike about the 1100 is the operation and what I'll call "quirkiness". I do not like the fact that you must have the action in the cocked state to load the Magazine. I also dislike the awkwardness of the unloading of any unfired shot shells and most of all I dislike the fact that (when not actually being fired) the Bolt will not automatically go forward and load the next round without pushing the silver carrier button, especially when being dry fired with Snap Caps or Dummy rounds. I suppose there is a certain amount of inherent safety built into this mechanism, but it is not what I'd consider a "traditional" semi auto loading shotgun action and is a bit awkward and frustrating to me.

Again, I do not own one and so I am not really comfortable loading and unloading one as someone who has used one extensively. I'm sure I could get use to it's mechanism and operation if I did own one.

The one "must" to anyone who does own an 1100 is to always have a new spare O-Ring on hand as that thin fragile O-Ring is a part that can tear, break or get lost at a moments notice. I suppose they are cheap enough to do so although none of the 1100 owners I shoot with carry spares with them. To go on a Hunt or out for a days shooting without a spare is not a good idea IMHO!

The 1100 has a very light recoil (due to its gas operation & design) and is a great & comfortable gun for informal Sheet, Trap and Sporting clays so it is definitely a shotgun for all day shooting! While I'm sure they do from time to time, I have not personally witnessed one ever fail to fire and so I can say they are pretty reliable. Last but not least, the Remington 1100 is what I'd call a good looking gun! While it is not hand engraved and is a standard production gun, they are nicely finished and well built (at least the older versions that I've encountered). The one part I really like is that it is one of the last semi auto loading Shotguns left that are made with a forged Steel Receiver. I am not a big fan of Aluminum Receivers and like the added weight of the steel to cut down a bit on recoil. No matter what anyone says, I believe Steel is still more durable and stronger than Aluminum.

So I've not added one of these 1100's to my collection but I do have a "love/dislike" relationship with them. I'm sure if I owned one I'd get use to all the "quirks" or to be more fair, uniqueness of its operation and function. I am impressed in how they shoot all day long without beating up anyones shoulder and again, that they are made out of Steel exclusively.

So I guess the 1100 made enough of an impression on me (+ and -) to make this post. What do some of you guys who own them and have shot them think?

Regards,
Chief38

 

[weatherby]

I also dislike the awkwardness of the unloading of any unfired shot shells

I'll only address that.
What I do is empty the magazine tube first.

Really quite simple and fast.

 

[steveno]

I had an old 1100 and part of the problem in the early guns was the return spring plunger that is in a tube in the stock. the original part was aluminum and it was bent. in the newer 1100's the part is steel and that solved the problem.

 

[OLDSTER]

I've owned and shot the 1100 (I own 4) for hunting, skeet, trap, sporting clays,, for 50 years. There's nothing about the 1100 I dislike. Each to his own. I'll be curious to see the posts for and against the venerable 1100 as this thread develops.

 

[Mike0251]

I have two old ones, 12 and 20, shot 1000's of rounds (skeet). Excellent semi auto, easy to maintain, smooth action, no complaints. I'll never sell them.

 

[JayFramer]

I have a new production 1100 Tactical and according to the internet Remington doesn’t know how to make shotguns anymore and my example should be just horrible.

But it isn’t.

It’s fired hundreds of loads of everything from bulk bird to high brass buck n’ slugs. 0 failures of any shape, form, fashion, or kind. Extremely pleasing recoiling impulsives even with max loads. LOVE that shotgun.

Maybe the internet isn’t ALWAYS right??

 

[Mrnurse]

have a 20 Inch english up land straight stocked 1100, have never shot it, I do like the quality and finish,,,, mine DOM around 1990's.

 

[loc n load]

The 1100 is one of the classic semi auto shotguns, having proved itself for decades on the trap, skeet and clay ranges, in the field, in duck blinds and deer stands, and in the tactical arena. I bird hunted for forty years, saw a lot of 1100’s in the field, one of my bird guns is an upland 20 ga.I have seen some high mileage 1100’s on the trap ranges, one of them is mine.
I was a tactical trainer for a couple of decades and my agency issued 1100’s to our special op teams for several years. They served well in that role also.
Do they require maintainance, yes as all mechanical contrivances do. They require a particular manual of arms to operate, as do all makes and models of firearms. It is a matter of learning how the firearm functions, how to load and unload it safely, and become competent and proficient in it’s operation.
Have a friend who has been a field trialer and bird hunting guide for 40 plus years, he has used one 1100 that whole time. That 1100 gets tossed into the back seat of his truck, and used more in a season than most get used in years or decades.
His looks like it has been dragged behind his truck, but he keeps knocking down birds with it. I own several 1100’s, always will.

 

[D Brown]

My Remington 1100LH was manufactured in 1974, and I got it new in 1976. It's hunted everything from dove to pheasant, and shot quite a few rounds of trap and skeet as well. There was a time this was my only shotgun, and it served quite well in that role.

Left Hand 1974 1100LH

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[Ole Joe Clark]

I have a 12 ga that I have shot a lot. The only problem I have ever had, and still do, is keeping shells in it. I can load it and before you know it, it's empty again.

I do have spare "O" rings, since I have never changed mine out.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[mauser9]

I have had my 1100 TB trap model since 1980. Many clays have been busted with it and has been my favorite of all shotguns I have owned. Never a problem and I just changed my O rings recently. Love the fancy figured walnut on the trap gun 1100s too. Cost me $330 new back in 80. On the hunt now for a LT-1100 in 20 gauge. Be great for Upland bird.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Over the ages, have owned several and shot several more family member Guns.
Pretty much the standard scattergun for me.
And back before we moved up to the 1100,
I have used the Remington Model 11 and Model 11-48.

 

[The Norseman]

Remington Model 1100

I've always liked the Remington
1100 and 870.

I think a Remington Model 1100 in
.410 would be neat.

Thank you for sharing and the Pictures.

 

[chicog4]

I believe the Remington 1100 is one of the best all around semi-auto shotguns ever made. They will shoot any ammo you put into it without any problems. I have four 1100's and the only O-ring I have ever had to replace was on a 1974 model because I lost it while cleaning the gun. Sadly Remington is not the company they used to be.

 

[K Frame Keith]

My Remington 1100 is the only semi auto shotgun I have ever owned and my primary sporting shotgun for skeet and small game hunting. I've never noted the quirks everyone else is noting, probably because it is the shotgun I learned on as a teen and have used it ever since. My gun currently has the original 1974 O ring, although I have spares in my tool box. My son has the 20 ga. I gave him when he was 12 yoa. I'm looking for a used 20 ga. For myself.

 

[CajunBass]

I used to own three 1100's, two standard's and a Magnum, all three 12 gauge. I used them mostly for deer hunting with buckshot, and I never found anything about them I didn't like.

Sold the magnum, traded off one of the standards, and my ex kept the other one when we split up. (Man, she could bust clay's with that thing.)

I'd buy another one, but I haven't shot a shotgun in years.

Once I figured out how to unload it, I never had a problem. I never changed an O ring.

 

[Skeetr57]

Well, the 1100 and the 870 don't have forged steel receivers. They are made from pressed sheet steel, with the end pieces brazed in place. I'm not saying they are not good but only commenting on how they are manufactured. I have seen one where the block between the barrel and the magazine tube came out of the receiver because the brazed joint broke. I sent it back to Remington and they fixed it at no cost. The Winchester Super X Model 1 did have a forged receiver, and to my opinion was a better gun. The SX1 was only made in 12 ga, was heavier than the 1100 and cost too much to successfully compete with the 1100, so was discontinued after a few years.

 

[Old Corp]

Owned and shot many 1100's and 11-87's for years.
Have seen the neoprene/composite 'O' ring be it's absolute 'Achilles Heel' on some, requiring a new one on a regular basis, and then strangely enough, guns that've been shot for decades with the original O-ring.

Have seen 1100/11-87's balk and examination of it's O-ring showed nothing apparently wrong, but installing a new one got the gun back functioning fine.
A tough issue to really figure out.
Wife still owns/shoots a 20 ga. 1100LW, it's always done fine.
All mine have been moved on, as I found a good quality O/U works great no matter what's in it, all the time.

 

[REM 3200]

I have a spare "o" ring for my 1100 skeet gun. I have a couple of thousand rounds thru
the gun and am still on the original "o" ring. I kinda' like it.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

I have owned a few 1100s over the years and wish I had every one of them back. The 1100 will alway be near and dear to me as it was a friend's 1100 skeet gun that I used to shoot the only perfect round of 25 straight on the skeet field. Loved that gun and shot many 23s and 24s with it.