1100 Tactical?

I have seen FBI issue w/Remington ghost sights so they probably reliable enough. The problem is they're expensive to make reqiring high price tag. I have 1100 with 26" IC VR barrel. That is what I would look for. Good for both HD & hunting.

I crafted a tactical/HD gun from a Rem 1100. Went with an 18" bbl. Fast & soft-shooting, just wonderful to handle. Just replace the O-ring regularly, as you are depending on this weapon. Probably not the gun you'd want if you are serious into the gun games, though. There are newer designs better suited to super-high round counts.

The last time I changed the O ring in my oldest one, I actually replaced the original metal V ring with an O ring. In 1967. Well over 100,000 rounds since. Call it a test in progress. Most are damaged by ham handed assembly / disassembly. Just make sure you get Viton. (Teflon is a very poor elastomer)
All current 1100s are the Sporting Target models. The 11-87 has taken on the role of the hunting/tactical gun, along with the VersaMax.

I haven't closely followed Remington's shotgun line-up in detail. From my recollection, the 1100 Tactical appeared to be a good gun made in the 22" barrel and came with some nice features (ribbed barrel, fiber optic front sight, mag extension, extended bolt handle). I'll speculate Remington's Versa Max was coming out and Remington needed to make a decision as to which one to market, the primary market being 3-gun type competition, with home-defense being just something for which they could be used.

Also remember Remington hasn't been a financially healthy company and was brought into the Freedom Group/Cerberus Capital Management holding company. (On a side-note, I wonder if Colt is desirable enough to get bought by some company or eventually just fail, but I'm just thinking out loud.)

From a more purely home-defense/police/military market, RemingtonLE.com is still offering the similar 11-87 models, which I've owned even before the 1100 Tactical was offered. I do remember handling one a friend bought, but didn't get a chance to actually fire it. Compared to my 11-87, it had a barrel 4" longer; didn't have ghost ring sights; and didn't accept 3" shells (which I don't like either). Otherwise, I expect it would be a fine shotgun if the configuration suited the shooter.

Benelli already had its M1/M2 semiautos on the market. I can't remember if Mossberg's 930 was being sold yet. FN/Winchester had its "SLP" series on the market. Again, this is just from my failing memory. Others may later post and recall much better than me.

I have one with the 18" barrel. Bought it seven or so years ago for the bedroom. I replaced the stock because I don't like pistol grips on a shotgun, and I mounted a TLR light and some mount that Lee Lapin suggested. I did buy a handful of extra o-rings from Brownells when I was placing an order one time; haven't replaced the original yet.

I've used it a fair amount over the years, shooting buck and slugs at the range and pulling it out for some clays too. It isn't a good clays gun! But it's fun in any setting.

Hasn't had a single, solitary hick-up in my use at all.

I'd forgotten there was an 18" barreled version too, thanks to BK in Post#8

Cooldill said:

Thanks, gang. Just "pulled the trigger" on a NIB example on Gun Broker for a solid price. It is the 22" model with 8+1 capacity. Hopefully it doesn't have problems. I have been interested in an 1100 Tactical for a few years and decided on it today. I don't mind if it has an O-ring, I like to take care of my weapons and O-rings are nothing compared to what it takes to keep some of my black powder guns going.

If it does have a problem, I wonder if Remington still works on these under warranty? If not there is a top-tier shotgun gunsmith in the next town over back home that I bet knows his way around an 1100 every which way.

Should this gun run on birdshot and other "light" loads, or will I need to keep to high brass? If so that's no problem, I have a lot of buckshot stored up. I also won't be doing any kind of "gaming" or competition with it, just occasional practice at the range and as a bedside gun if it proves itself reliable.

Thanks for helping me on my shotgun journey gang! I decided to step up my firepower game with a semi-auto with 9 rounds. Worse comes to worse I can fall back on my 870 Police for home defense.

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Keep oil out of the gas system, clean the gas port out, and change the O-ring regularly and you'll have a good HD shotgun. For social work, use good, hot, buck or slugs.

My 1100 is a standard weight 20 gauge. It is soft shooting and very controllable in 20 gauge. It also has been very reliable. Besides the gas seal O ring being in good condition the 1100 needs both an ample amount of gas, and duration time to function reliably. In the past Remington had a dual gas port in the barrel for light to heavy field loads. Their magnum guns had a single gas port. The duration the gas is available for operation is determined by the length of barrel past the gas ports to the muzzle.

Usually 18" and 20" barrels would be to short, so I ask the question : Are those factory tactical guns based on the 11-87 gas systems, or does Remington use a different way of controlling the gas quantity and duration on those barrel lengths ?

I have a number of 1100's including a tactical. The pistol grip makes using speed loaders more difficult but not impossible.

I keep extra O-rings and "one shot" tear, squeeze oil packs behind the but plate on all of them. I started the practice many years ago when I had one turn into a single shot on a dove hunt.

Now that I am fully prepared for the event, it has never reoccurred.

Remington has utilized different sized gas ports on Model 1100 guns designed for different purposes over the years, and also often listed recommended rounds. There have been numerous issues where users ignored the advice and thus you see many complaints about light loads not working in shorter barreled guns. I have not seen any issues with factory short barrels and full load buck or slug ammo. Reduced recoil loads have produced many failures.
Lots of Benellis have had similar issues even though they utilize a completely different operating system except for the M4..

Cooldill said:

Shot more rounds today guys:

That is the result of a few different kinds of 00 buck. Hornady TAP 8 pellet, Remington 9 pellet, Winchester Ranger low recoil 9 pellet, and Winchester military 9 pellet. Box was at about 25 meters and simulated an enemy sniper in the brush. Needless to say, the target was... liquidated.

A total of about 40 rounds of buckshot and 25 rounds of Winchester super handicap #8 birdshot loads.

0 failures.

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Get you a bigger stand & target and pattern some buck shot.

My first two go-to buckshot rounds are Federal Flite Control 00 (standard recoil) and Remington Express 000 buck. Both 2 3/4". Every shotgun is a bit of a snowflake, but I have found that cylinder bores (esp cut-down cyl bores) seem to shoot best with the Fed FC 00 and the improved cylinder bores found in many Remington LEO/tactical shotguns prefer the 000 buck or do no better with the pricier Fed FC 00 buck.

Also, get some slugs on paper, to include the common Fosters and some Brenneke slugs.

And don;t forget to have fun.

I think he's got the fun part down......

Glad to see it's working well for you, Cooldill!

1100s are the lightest kicking SG IMHO. I had Robar Build me a tricked out one in the late 80s , which I ran in 3 gun matches about 10 years. It had a 21" barrel as Robbie Barkman said was about the shortest they liked unless you opened the ports ect. and there was problems with that. I sold that green coated green Choate stocked gun for about $1000 after putting maybe 10,000 rounds thru it, it still looked good and had all the custom bells and whistles. After that I had offers to hunt Indiana and Ohio where they had SG only deer hunts. I bought a 3" Magnum early 80s 1100 and cut a plain 28" barrel back to 21" and had Rem choke and a detachable scope mount and remington rifle sights installed. I mounted it with a Weaver 1-3x scope in Warne detachable mounts and sighted it in for those 3" Magnum sabot slugs using a rifled tube . It does about 4" off the bench (which is not too bad as it weighs 10 pounds ) at 100 yards with Remington Copper slugs. I killed an Ohio large whitetail at 60 yards with it and deer laid on its side and was dead by the time I got off the stand . Indiana was a no show . I always say I will take it on a Jeep ranch hunt for pigs with the 3x Sibir NOD on it , but haven't . I generally like the short 870 better as a defensive SG, but then Louis Awerbuck eventually taught me to "Run the bolt. Gordon !"

Cooldill

Awesome performance with your new 1100!

Seems mine came with a bead sight. That's no problem as all as I'd rather have a bead than a fiber optic sight anyway.

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From your photos it looks like your 1100 has a fiber optic sight. Would you still prefer a bead sight or are you okay now with the fiber optic one?

Cooldill said:

Very cool. I have been reading about Louis Awerbuck lately, very awesome man it seems. It is so neat how you got to meet him. I understand he used slugs exclusively for his defensive shotguns? Interesting. Did he happen to share any thoughts on semi-auto shotguns vs pumps for defense?

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I took every class he offered in Az.. LA and Central Ca. in about a 10 year period. One notable class at Modesto Sherrifs Dept., I think I'll have to dig up the diploma was in 2006 and after doing 4 or 5 shotgun classes with him and listen how he loved the A5 when he used one in the Selous Scouts , I showed up with one I built. It was a Belgian made earely 70s gun I got from a Duck hunter, sound but the finish worn off mostly. I cut the barrel to 19" , put Dawson (?)Hi Viz sights on it that I was gonna put on a pistol , completely stripped the gun and replaced the vital springs and pieces that were worn and fitted every part properly , cut the stock to 13" Lop with a Kickeze pad and had the gun lightly Rhino coated in black texture I did this in the 6 months or more between classes. I asked permission to use it and Louis was as happy as I ever saw him. I had the gun sighted in for slugs , the then cheap Brenneke KO ones at 50 yards and with buck the pattern was pretty centered but not very tight - good to 15 yards tho No longer did I have to hear "run the bolt" Gordon and Louis asked in front of the class at the mid way point first day how I liked it . I told him I felt like I died and went to heaven with the speed feed feauture . He took it from me and gleefuly blasted a line of targets remarking how well it fit and he never saw one cut down like that. Well things did not work well as by that afternoon the thing started to jam, easy to clear but wouldn't feed from the 7 round mag I managed to find for it. I switched to the old Robar 870 to finish the 3 day course. Louis and I could not figure what was causing the jams. I found later at home some over spray from the Rhino Coate had gotten inside the mag tube some how and was keeping it from feeding. I planned on giving that gun to Louis when I sorted it out , along with the few boxes of REAL Brenneke slugs from the 60s I had found , but never quite worked out that way. I also took carbine and pistol and combined classes from him. Special problems which were semi private classes, where he diagnosed your shooting problems and vehicle stop classes . He also did classes with Scott Reitz and I took those. . I took my Super 90 Bennelli M1 thru a class, a hard kicker IMHO . I took the 1100 thru a class early on but it was too heavy for three days, and the Choate PG stock was too long , I never did shorten it . I did develop 3 generations of 870s with his input, and my little chiquita I still have is my go to HD weapon. Louis was the only living "Sword Saint" I ever met. The high light of my time with him, and maybe mylife was the "Gunfighters Conference" he gave by invite in Az. given with Dennis Hansen and other trainers on the Hansens property which was 5 days and ended with a private audience with Col. Cooper at the Sconce , hosted by his wife , and was Col Coopers final lecture which he chose to give us on the true meaning of the Color Codes as he saw it by that time . I finished the day pawing the Colonels weapons in his vault and sitting and meditating in his leather chair next to his library outside the vault as he rested upstairs
because he was tired