Rem 1100 vs Rem 11/87 on Light Target Loads

[jazzbass62]

Hi: Narrowed down my choice of a new shotgun to either Rem 1100 or Rem 11/87 (3"). Primary purpose is fun shooting clay targets. Question: Which one of these two is better for the light target loads (eg 2 3/4 dram-eq, 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2 shot), or are both equally reliable (give proper maintenance and cleaning)?? I understand the 11/87 has more versatility, but I want to know that there's no reliability trade-off... Thanks.

 

[kudu]

Now I personaly run light 1oz factories and reloads through my 11-87 on a regular basis. It has probably over 20,000 of said shells. It has not reloaded itself on about half a dozen occasions from my reloads. Never had a problem with factory superlites.

On the other hand I have heard numerous people that have had the 11-87's that they are jammomatics. I think Remington had a bad batch of quality control for a few years on them for this view, but I'm not sure.

The 11-87 never had a following on the skeet ranges like the 1100 still has. People didn't feel it was reliable enough for them to rely on it dropping that second shell in the chamber. If you are not going to use the 3" magnum chamber for anyhting other than just sayng "I have it" then get an 1100.

 

[Rob62]

I could not get my 11/87 to shoot light loads so ended up selling it.

FWIW - IIRC the user manual even said that 11/87 should/could not be used with light loads due to functioning problems.

I'm happy for anyone that can use light loads in their 11/87's. They just did not work in mine.

Regards,
Rob

 

[jazzbass62]

Rob: When I read the 11/87 catalogue, there was specific info that said the 11/87 model with the 3 1/2-inch receiver (Supermagnum) was "optimized" for use with a minimum load of 3-dram eq and 1 1/8 oz... There was no such proviso for the 3-inch 11/87... was yours a super magnum?

 

[HSMITH]

The 1100 is a better shotgun and will run the light loads better.

 

[Gary H]

I've shot light loads through two 1100's without a problem.

These are my 1100's and I've used them for at least five years.

 

[Jack R]

Rem 1100

I have an early 70's 1100..been running light loads through it for two summers now.My load is 7/8oz of shot..16.5grs Red Dot AA hull Clay buster wad..Winchester primer....no problem..not even a burp..and some one told me it would not function with 7/8 loads

 

[conan]

Berettas have a self ajusting gas piston, which is suppose to handle light and heavy loads with ease.

 

[jazzbass62]

Does that include the Beretta 3901 series? Or is it the 391's?

 

[PJR]

If you a Remington to shoot target loads buy a Remington target gun. That's an 1100.

If you want to shoot everything buy a Beretta 391.

 

[theCZ]

I've shot trap and skeet for the last two years with a Remington 1100 that was made in the first year of production in the early 60s. I've never shot anything but light target loads in it and after 6,000 rounds or so I haven't had any failures of any kind (except when I put the piston rings on backwards after cleaning!). I can't say about the 11/87 personally as I have never shot one.

 

[conan]

Does that include the Beretta 3901 series? Or is it the 391's?

391.

 

[Rob62]

jazzbass62,

I really don't remember the exact model of 11/87 I had. I only had it for a short while. Long enough to find out it would not reliably function with 7/8 oz. "Value Pack" shells.

That was enough for me to get rid of the gun.

FWIW - it was not a 3.5" chambered gun. It had a standard 3" chamber.

Rob