[catmath 1911]

I have a question to ask my fellow forum members. If I was to cut a Remington 1100 28" barrel down to say 22", would the barrel's pressure compensation system be rendered inoperable. I am trying to convert my 1100 synthetic into a "poor man's" 1100 competition master, and I don't want to lose the ability to shoot light game loads, and be stuck shooting high brass shells that the 21" deer barrel requires to function ( it does not cycle with light game loads)

Please help :confused:

Andrew

[HSMITH]

The 1100 has no real pressure compensation. It relies on pressure supplied via the ports and that is all, it has no way to expel excess gasses so it is built to barely cycle the light loads and be battered a little by the heavy loads pleasing most owners. If you cut the 28" barrel you will have to open up the ports on it for it to cylce light loads. It wil probably fire heavy loads as is after you cut it but trap and skeet loads are going to choke.

We can go through setting it up for light loads if you want. Just holler.

[Johnny Guest]

Each gun is law unto itself - - Or maybe each barrel.

Back in the early 1970s, I decided I'd really like an autoloading fighting shotgun. I had a new 1100. People told me the thing about insufficient gas pressure, but I figured I could just drill out the gas ports if need be.

Found a plain barrel in modified, with noticible wear on the bluing. Unknown vintage - -Could have been one of the first. I cut it off myself to 20" and test fired it. Worked fine. Had rifle sights silver soldered in place by a local gun tinkerer.

Later, I found another 1100 at Fort Worth gun show - - a TERRIBLE beater - - - Cracked stock, scratches all over, blue badly worn, barrel crudely cut to about 22", gummy action. Bought it for $80, cleaned it up, fixed the stock. Cut THIS tube to 20" as well. Worked perfectly. Had a big ol' silver bead put on the front. Refinished the whole thing with GunKote. Put the rifle sighted barrel on this gun and made it my car trunk gun. Sold the bead sight barrel to another cop.

Both of these barrels have functioned fine with light bird shot loads, uckshot and slugs, Foster, Brenneke, and sabots of a couple of brands.

I chose the 20" length because I picked up a Remington magazine extension in 7 + 1 version, and this would extend to far beyond 18" length. Since that time, I've seen several other 1110s with cut-down barrels, but didn't ask if they needed gas ports opened up.

One man's experience . . . . .

Suggest you cut, or have cut, the barrel but test fire it before opening up the ports - - It might function okay without mods, and it would save your gun from excessive battering.

Best of luck,
Johnny

[HSMITH]

Johnny, is there any way we could talk you into digging out the drill index and measuring the port size on the short barrel you speak of? Thanks, Howard.

[Nero Steptoe]

My 1100 Special Field has a 21" RemChoke barrel. Why wouldnt' that work?

[Jim Watson]

Strange, my 21" slug barrel works just fine with target loads. I usually shoot the Federal Multi-Purpose shells 3 DE X 1 1/8 = heavy trap load.
Production tolerances, no doubt.
I had the gas ports on my trap gun reamed to function with 7/8 oz x 1140 fps loads for really easy practice. I doubt my usual 1 oz loads for 16 yard ATA will beat it up too badly.

[Johnny Guest]

I'll be happy to do so, soon as I can make connection with the guy to whom I loaned the gun. He's about due to bring it back, anyhow.

I wasn't worried, because I have a cut-down 11-48 and the county's 870. Both stay in the safe nowadays except for matches. I decided a while back to simplify my life a bit, and decided to "make do" with an CAR15 as my only vehicular long gun.

Best,
Johnny

[HSMITH]

OK, thank you Johnny.

[catmath 1911]

Johnny,

Did you ever get the loaned shotgun back? I have a 21" SP barrel that I am thinking of enlarging the ports on, and I would be curious where to start.

As of right now, 3 1/4 dram loads will blow the bolt back about an inch. I don't be lieve it would take much to get it to function with these shells.

Catmath 1911