How can I tell if my 1100 Magnum barrel is steel-shot safe?

[1KPerDay]

I've never been able to get a straight answer on this... I have a fixed choke, full, 28"VR barrel. Some have said NO fixed chokes are steel shot safe, some have said some are and some aren't (after a certain mfg date, which they couldn't tell me) and some say you have to shoot it and see. If it gets ruined, it's not steel shot safe.

Anyone know for sure how to determine this? Tungsten/bismuth is frickin' expensive.

 

[Virginian]

No, your barrel is not steel shot safe. If you shoot steel shot thru that barrel you have, pretty soon you will have a little bitty bulge showing in the choke area.
I have one of the 28" Full VR 3" 1100 barrels and they are rather scarce; 30" are much more common. If you want to shoot steel, either get tubes fitted to your barrel and only shoot steel in steel rated tubes (extended are usually good for anything), or sell your barrel and get a Remington Model 1100 3" Steel Shot barrel with choke tubes. Remington only makes the barrel in 26" and 30", and the 30" is heavier than your current 28". The 28" barrel is too thin for RemChokes. I got a Remington 30" steel shot barrel and had it cut to 28" and rethreaded, even though it was just under the minimum diameter "limit" for RemChokes, and it is just a hair heavier than the original 28" barrel. If I could do it over, I would have the 28" barrel fitted with non-RemChoke choke tubes. Cheaper, too.

 

[1KPerDay]

Who would you recommend for the work?

 

[Virginian]

Probably Mike Orlen.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=36237

 

[1KPerDay]

thank you. seems reasonable.