Remington 1100 Barrel

[IrvJr]

Hi Folks,

I recently purchased a Remington 1100. The gun came with 28" barrel and synthetic stocks.

I will primarily use this gun for trap and skeet. However, I was thinking about using the gun also as a home defense gun. what length barrel would you recommend for HD use? I saw in the Remington catalog that they offer a 21" barrel with rifle sights that will accept Remington chokes. Would this 21" barrel be a decent barrel for HD use? Can I get a shorter (18" or 20") barrel for this gun from either Remington or some other source (gunsmith, aftermarket vendor, etc.)?

Thanks,

IrvJr

 

[HSMITH]

I would use the 28" barrel. I really don't buy into the extra 8-10" of barrel causing problems. It is your house, you know it intimately, so you should know how to move through the house easily IF you needed to. Any bad guy that got in would not have that advantage. Not only that but IMO you should hole up behind cover with that gun and get on the phone, thus making barrel length totally irrelevant. It is not like you need to go into unfamiliar territory and make cat-like commando moves to prevent evil from taking over. Defensive use of a shotgun is a LOT different from offensive uses.

Remember too, changing barrel length on a semi-auto can drastically affect cycling reliability, and the gun needs to be proven with the short tube if you buy one.

You can put on a heatshieldtacticalforendwithlightghostringsightsidesaddlebuttcufflaserdesignatorbayonetlugoversizedsafetywithashortcoollookingbarrel and STILL be at a tremendous disadvantage to someone that spent that money on shotshells and learned how to shoot.

Put 5000 shotshells through it on moving targets, and 500 slugs at stationary targets from 15-50 yards in the next 12 months before you change a single thing. Then you will know what you should change for sure. I would bet a good steak dinner that most guys would have different guns if they did that.

I don't mean to sound like I am ranting or preaching, and I apologize if it does, but a lot of guys get caught up in equipment and gadgets and never learn to shoot. That is fine with me, but they also encourage others to do the same extolling the virtues of equipment and gadgets that they don't know how to use. It is painfully obvious who these guys are when you go to the range. Just take a look around next time out.

 

[sm]

You can put on a heatshieldtacticalforendwithlightghostringsightsidesaddlebuttcufflaserdesignatorbayonetlugoversizedsafetywithashortcoollookingbarrel and STILL be at a tremendous disadvantage to someone that spent that money on shotshells and learned how to shoot.

CLASSIC!!

 

[sm]

I agree with HSMITH's whole darn post!!
I've used a '74 SX1, bone stock with 28"bbl. as a HD SG. Heck , 'everything' SG.

but that quote, damn that needs to engraved in granite,put on a sign, made into a bumper sticker,... something!

HSMITH, my friend, that is so true and not only pertains to SGs. Any firearm is only as good as the training the guy using it.

Howard my friend, you just came up with another 'quote" that should be, IMO, right next to "Beware the man with one gun, and knows it"

 

[Dave McCracken]

Amen!! A few grand's worth of addons stuck onto a shotgun won't impress me nearly as much as a horse trailer stuffed with once fired hulls.

As to the original question, my "Serious" 870s have 18-20" barrels, BUT...

A walk through the Casa with my 870 TB trap gun with its 30" barrel and long, bulky stock showed few tight places,even for big ol' me. And no disadvantage seen when sitting tight and waiting on the Cavalry. Get a short barrel if you wish, but run a few cases of ammmo through both immmediately.

Back to H and sm's important point. All the hardware in the world will not help nearly as much as BA/UU/R. If you've gotten proficient to the point that only an equipment upgrade will up your scores,birds bagged humanely, or life expectancy,

YOU DA MAN!. Go get what you want.

For us mere mortals, most of the time more range time, maybe even a lesson or six will do more good than more stuff, no matter how cool it looks.

Here's something else for a Tablet of Stone....

Technology and money are poor substitutes for expertise....

 

[IrvJr]

Thanks for the advice guys, but I'm not looking for an uber tactical shotgun, and I already know that technology is not a substitute for practice. I'm not planning on protecting my home against hordes of zombies or murderous drug dealers or "clearing my house" from ninja assasins, but I do think it might be convenient to have a shorter barrel SG available for HD if needed (I do live in a semi-rural area, with no local police available after 11PM).

Also, the gun with its 28" barrel is a bit too long for my gun locker. The gun is actually taller than the top shelf in the locker and with the long barrel it's slow to get the gun in and out of the locker (you got to sort of cantilever it out so you don't get the barrel snagged on the top shelf). I know a lot of folks like to leave their HD guns lying around the house loaded and unsecured, but that's not my preference (small, feral children roam the house).

For now I'll stick with the 28" barrel SG for skeet and trap, and use my other long (actually short) gun, a Winchester 94 trapper for HD. It has a 16" barrel and is light and easy to handle. It's also super tactical with it's wooden stocks, tubular mag, and saddle ring.

 

[sm]

I'd keep my eyes and ears open for a used 1100 bbl. Maybe someone has one that has bulged/blown one duck hunting or somesuch. Just a thought.

Hey Dave, HSMITH, anyone...as far as 1100s and short bbl length anyone have a definitive idea at to whether going shorter that 21" will affect dwell and gas operation?? Granted they can be tweaked for a "particular" load but that limits ammo choices. I'm thinking 24" for an all around length safe bbl so can run any ammo. I can't recall [brain fade] if the 21" " bird gun" with straight grip has a different port size and set up.

Might be worth checking into. I do know people that have gone too short on bbl and/or messed with ports. I know a buddy did a 20 ga 303 [against my rantings/warnings] changed/open port to shoot really light target loads for a grandson...and instead of 110% reliability with everthing before...it won't shoot anything but these light loads and a few "select ammo choices" Arrgghh...I tried to tel him....

Being as RELIABLE is crucial, just wanted to toss that out...

Irv...
Them Trapper's in blue, wood and saddle rings are GREAT guns...disrespectful to refer to them as the 'T' word as the 'T' is defined nowdays IMO.

 

[Dave McCracken]

IrvJr, you're very welcome. Copy on that HBAR( Hill Billy Assault Rifle) 30-30. Again on small feral kids. Was one myself long ago. NOTHING the folks had I wasn't in to.

A couple things....

sm, any input I'd have on minimal barrel length for the 1100 would be little more than a wild eyed guess. Little experience with the 1100 personally, though I seem to be surrounded by same at some ranges.

But maybe Remington has given us an answer. The 1100 Competition Master has a 22" barrel. The old 1100 Special Field variants had a 21" barrel. No Special Fields now, though I understand that Remington will make up one with straight stock on special order. Gotta hunch there were some reliability issues with the 21" tube.

Considering Big Green's aversion to litigation these days, bet the crucial length is a bit less than 22". I'd look around for an old fixed choke barrel and lop it off around 23" for HD. That oughta be short enough for that locker and close quarters handling, but long enough to ensure functioning.

And of course, any defensive weapon should be well shot in before posting as such. 200 rounds minimum glitchfree for starters...

 

[sm]

Dave, Thanks!

I probably need to ask my gun buddy, but that bbl length deal just raised a flag. Duh...never thought about checking with Remington...Remington Employee in a forum member too...humm. With litigation now-a-days one never knows if the change is litigation or the change made for port/gas systems, or something to do with research, testing, improvements...or profits...

870 , any pump, any other platform for that matter if as short as 18.5" won't matter. Legal length works .

Just one of those considerations I've seen not taken and guns not run...

 

[HSMITH]

Irv, I understand the "too long for the locker" and concede it would be more convenient to have a short tube. I got a good chuckle out of "small, feral children" too!

The special field guns I have been around have been fine with 3 dram 1 1/8ounce type loads and up. I do not think there will be any problem with the 21" if the ports are opened up a little on a cut barrel, and they should already be opened on a barrel right from Remington. Ports will definately have to be opened up if a barrel is cut though.

22-24" seems comfortable to me, and with a magazine extension they feel OK to me swing-wise and for weight.

 

[IrvJr]

Thanks again guys.

I like the idea of finding an older barrel and chopping off the top to make it a nice 23" or maybe even 24" (that should be enough to clear the top shelf of the gun locker). Dave, I think you're right about the ~22" limit for reliably cycling the action. The catalog positions the 21" barrels primarily for deer hunting (slugs, buck shot, etc.) but as you point out, the Competition Master 1100 has a 22" barrel. I wouldn't be surprised if 21" barrel only functioned with stout loads.

Is it easy to re-tap/thread the shortened barrel to accept Rem Chokes? Can an average gunsmith do this (properly)?


IrvJr

PS I really like the HBAR. Actually, mine is in 44mag/44sp, but I only load it with 44specials. It's very accurate out to 100 yards, barely kicks, and it's also relatively quiet (for a centerfire gun). I really like the 44 special cartridge and I also have a S&W 696 that fires the same round.

 

[Dave McCracken]

There may be enough metal, Irv, to install Remchokes. More likely, enough to install the old Truchoke system. One of my 870 barrels is so equipped.

44 Special? Nice cartridge. A lever action in that and the Magnum makes a nice HD tool.

 

[9MonkeyMonkey]

I suspect the 22" length of the competition master is probably to cram 8 shells in magazine in the smallest length possible. I think 9 in the gun is the limit for the limited class in most 3-gun matches.

 

[sm]

IrvJr:

I talked to my gunsmith buddy and specifically asked about 1100 bbls and shortening, with you in mind.
He normally goes 24 " for all around loads; from 1oz targets on up, as the gun is designed to do with no problems in cycling.

The gamers and HD only guns, he does go 18.5 - 21" ( some like the 20/21" for handling). since these are going to be using slugs, buckshotcspecifically for these guys the ports are open up a bit . Reliable only with heavier loads when shortened and opened.

So for all around the 23" is Ok, 24" is for sure OK.

I could not recall, but something kept eating at me on shortening bbls, opening ports, dwell times...etc. I have seen some "smithin'" done and the gun not run. Seen my budddy "unfix" and have to make right again . Just me but reliability and safety go hand in hand,hate to see folks get into trouble and spend money when monies can be better used for needed stuff...no correcting stuff.

Enough "meat" to have chokes installed, for sure have forcing cone done first, best to do FC ( really infuences patterns, recoil...etc) then choke. He likes Hastings, but a # of good folks out there. Remember what a bbl or choke is marked, ain't always so...ask the pattern board , and know for youself what said ammo/choke/gun will actually do.


HTH

 

[ThreadKiller]

Resurrecting this old thread. Wouldn't the diameter of the gas ports have more influence on cycling than the barrel length? I know barrel length would have some influence as the pressure at the port would drop off a little sooner but would it be a dramatic difference?

I'd like to cut down the barrel length as even a 26" barrel makes the 1100 a long ol' gun.

I'm toying with the idea of picking up an old plain 1100 barrel and cutting it down to to 21" or so for HD and gaming purposes. I've got a coupla 1100 trap guns that aren't doing much these days. (The 11-87 took over a few years back.) I don't see much need for big boomin' loads for the games we play at the club. 1 oz o' 8's put plenty of holes in paper. And I can always go with "low recoil" buck for HD purposes.

 

[foghornl]

OK, My humble 1/50th of $1.00 on the short barrel for gas guns....

The gas port(s) are a certain distance from the muzzle. There has to be the correct amount of gas present, at the correct pressure for the correct amount of time for things to work as designed. Once the shot column/cup/wad clears the muzzle, gas pressure at the port(s) drops off fairly quickly.

I am not sure of the distances etc, but just for argument, lets say that it takes a minimum of 8" of barrel past the port(s) of say 1/8" diameter for the system to function.

Cut the barrel so that you only have say 4" past the port(s). Now, to get the same volume and pressure of gas to act on the gas piston, something has to change. Lowest cost fix would be to open the port(s) a bit. Machining up a new piston, attaching it to the rest of the gas system, etc is waaaay beyond my abilities.

Caution is an absolute must here...not enough porting, and light loads don't cycle as designed. Too much porting, and you will be slamming parts around unnecessesarily with heavy loads.

So, if the Slide-Rule Whiz-Kids of Firearms Engineering at Remington say 22" minimum length for the 1100, I'm gonna go with that.

I haven't experimented with different barrels-n-stuff on gas guns, but I do have a lot of experience with pnuematics & hydraulics.

 

[ThreadKiller]

Makes sense. I know the 21" factory Remington barrels are sold to be used with "heavy" loads as light loads will not cycle reliably according to them.

Maybe if I can get a barrel cheap enough, I'd go ahead and experiment on the poor thing with my vast collection of semi-sharp drills and see where it takes me.

 

[Fred Fuller]

In years gone by lots of 3-gun gamers in my neck of the woods wanted tricked out 1100s for run'n'gun. The guns were widely available and relatively cheap, and local guys who tinkered on guns could pretty much make them run and keep them running.

Barrels equal to or shorter than the factory 21" were problematic with lighter loads. Of course, EVERYONE wanted to shoot lighter loads 'cause they didn't want to get pounded by recoil, and in true gamer fashion disliked having their followup shots slowed down by having to cope with excess recoil. So lots of experimenting with gas ports commenced. Ports were drilled out, closed off, everything imaginable was done. One local guy even started drilling out ports way oversize while leaving a shoulder at the bottom, then tapping the holes to fit a common size Allen headless screw, and drilling various sized holes through various screws so people had 'adjustable' gas port aperture screws- they could experiment to their satisfaction with whatever load they wanted to run in that barrel.

So it pretty much depends on how complicated you want to get... what was that Technoid line, "The factory NEVER gets it right- it's up to us."

lpl/nc

lpl/nc

 

[keystone hog hunter]

short barrel remington 1100

while hog hunting we (I) use rem 1100"s wirh thr 21 slugster barrels and a 20 inch cut down barrel with thin wall choke tubes.. with the above mentioned barrels the 1100 work !!!one of the shotguns has over 2000 rounds of assorted oo buck through it and other than the rails cutting my finger on assembly after cleaning it looks like hell but still hammers the hogs... full choke and heavy oobuck loads .. with the REM chokes can easily change from full to IC for a jaunt in the brush... for a bedroom gun straingly enough I keep windchester pumps again 21 in barrels.. like the way the feel and love the [[[clack clack]]]] with a mix of #4 and single O buck...