1100 barrel

There is a set of o rings on the gas piston that have to be configured properly for the magnum 1100 shotguns to cycle light loads reliably. The owners manual has directions for configuring the o rings. Use a scribe to remove and replace the o rings or you will stretch them out.

Deer_Freak said:

There is a set of o rings on the gas piston that have to be configured properly for the magnum 1100 shotguns to cycle light loads reliably. The owners manual has directions for configuring the o rings. Use a scribe to remove and replace the o rings or you will stretch them out.

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Incorrect.

there's only one O-ring for both magnum and non-magnum 1100s and there's only one correct way to install it, for magnum or non-magnum 1100 barrels. The difference is the magnum barrel has one gas hole in the gas block/gas cylinder whereas the 2 3/4" barrel has two. The latter lets more gas in and it will then cycle with standard 2 3/4" target loads. At least my 1100 Magnum does after simply swapping the magnum barrel with a standard Remington 1100 2 3/4" barrel.

Apparently Remington offers "light load sleeves" and pistons but mine runs fine just swapping the barrel.

To the OP... is your 1100 a 12 gauge?

Is the rubber O-ring being confused with the brass piston rings?

There are no brass anything rings on an 1100. The first ones didn't have a rubber O ring but a steel 'V' ring. The piston and piston seal are both steel also. Stainless starting with the 11-87 in 1987.
I have swapped barrels about every way possible on 1100s. With a 2-3/4" barrel, a Magnum will reliably run everything down to 1 ounce loads. If you start shooting real heavy loads with the Magnum action sleeve, watch your buffer.

The Browning A-5 Magnum requires friction ring adjustments before shooting light loads.

I've seen a few old 1100 Magnums cycle high brass 12 ga. game loads. Just lucky I suppose. The gas hole wasn't drilled out either. I've seen 2.75" guns cycle 3" Hevi-Shot. I don't stand too close to those folks.

John

There are no brass anything rings on an 1100. The first ones didn't have a rubber O ring but a steel 'V' ring. The piston and piston seal are both steel also. Stainless starting with the 11-87 in 1987.
I have swapped barrels about every way possible on 1100s. With a 2-3/4" barrel, a Magnum will reliably run everything down to 1 ounce loads. If you start shooting real heavy loads with the Magnum action sleeve, watch your buffer.

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Funny, my 1100 had a rubber Oring, replaced with a Viton one, and two brass pieces making up the piston pieces - a nice 1100 in 28 gauge made in the 90s and if you didn't orient the piston rings right, your gun became a single shot-

Funny, my 1100 had a rubber Oring, replaced with a Viton one, and two brass pieces making up the piston pieces - a nice 1100 in 28 gauge made in the 90s and if you didn't orient the piston rings right, your gun became a single shot-

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If you had brass piston and piston seal they were not original parts. If you don't put them in right, regardless of what they are made of, the gun will likely not function correctly. After Remington switched to the newer snap together piston, NuLine started making clones of the original design, and they are stainless. I have seen some of them get a funny discoloration, but those are 12 gauge.
When I said "first ones", I was talking about 1963 to about 1966 vintage, not 1990s. Lots of people have gone to the hardware store and gotten rubber plumber's 'O' rings and then complained about the 1100 eating 'O' rings. It wasn't the gun, it's the lube. No one I know of has any oil in their water system so it's not a problem there. Viton or neoprene is the way to go on a gun. I have never broken an O ring in service in 50 years and 12 guns. I did nick one in the 20 when I was talking and not paying attention when I was assembling it, and I have now ruined TWO by dropping them on the floor and rolling over them with the chair roller on the concrete floor. I'm getting clumbsier in my old age.
Remington advertised the 1100 Magnum as being designed for 2-3/4" and 3" Magnum loads. A lot of the 12 gauges will run with 2-3/4" 1-1/4 ounce high velocity loads, and some will run down to 1-1/8 ounce field loads, but I wouldn't count on it. And it is not the action spring making a difference - I know I have swapped parts trying to discern the difference. The 20 gauge Magnums are much more selective in required shells to cycle properly in my experience.

Um, yes, they were the original parts, I bought the gun new directly from Remington as part of a Remington shotgun school.....two piece piston - the old if it rattles, it's a Remington" scenario with the O-ring that melts if you use a petroleum product and the piston pieces were NOT stainless, but brass with a split in one, supposedly for expansion

Should have saved that one with the brass piston and piston seal. It was a real collector's item.

oneounce, sounds like you had the Remington Model 11, which is basically a Browning Auto-5, common mistake.