Remington 1100 Gas Seal

[gunnut27]

I am new here, and am hoping for some help. I've browsed this forum in the past and have found the advice solid (based on what I read about things I actually 'know'). This is a stumper for me though...

I have a Remington 1100 Magnum with competition master 22" barrel. I have found that the gas seal and piston become ~"Jammed" in the gas cylinder (that cylinder part welded to the bottom of the barrel where the gas port is). I have an older o-ring but am replacing it along with the gas seal and piston (waiting on U{S at this point). This 'jam' occurs even if the gun is unfired. Last I shot it, with high brass 5's on a magnum bbl, it did not cycle. This 'jam' issue as I describe it, also happens on the magnum bbl.

Do I have issues? Is there something wrong that the gas seal and piston become stuck in the barrel sleeve? Will they
'release' upon firing? I assemble per Owners Manual diagrams. Were my high brass 5's not strong enough to cycle w/ magnum bbl?

I understand the difference between the two barrels I've used. I.e. Mag has one gas hole, Comp Mstr has two holes.

Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[mnrivrat]

On a magnum barrel you need magnum 2&3/4 inch or 3 inch shells for reliable function. Tuning the gas system will allow you to shoot heavy field loads with no problem, but this means sometimes doing a slight gas port reaming.

The o-ring seal needs to be snug inside the barrel extension portion of the gas system in order to prevent gas leakage. Not so snug as to hang up the system - make sure the parts are assembled correctly. Also make sure the system is clean of residue build up. Check for burrs on the piston and the inside of the extension.

I have seen a number of these where the gas extension on the barrel got crushed a little making them out of round - check for that as well.

 

[chas08]

Have you got the O-ring in the right place? It does not move with the piston. It seals the small gap between the magazine tube and the barrel shroud. I've also seen the piston rings turned backwards. The flat side goes against the action sleeve. Hope this helps.

 

[scratcherky]

Clean the parts with alcohol and do not use a lubricant on these parts.

 

[gunnut27]

Thanks folks, will take the pointers to heart. Still waiting for a new seal. Closer inspection reveals gas seal is old and cracking. Looks 'in round' when off the gun but am skeptical as to it's sealing ability. Will report back when I get the parts and some range time under my belt.

 

[Virginian]

The 'O' ring is the gas seal in correct nomenclature. Then, on the GOOD old style, you have the piston and piston seal. Clean the inside of the barrel ring and the entire piston and piston seal with steel or bronze wool. Wipe good, spray with WD-40 or Rem Oil and wipe off the excess. As long as you can slide the piston and piston seal inside the barrel ring without much force they should be fine. Make sure the splits are 180 degrees apart.
If you got the new style gas piston and snap on ring, they do not work as well as the old style. If the old style is not broken or sprung, I'd use that. If the 'O' ring is not broken, it should still work.
An 1100 Magnum will very likely not function with anything less than magnum loads, especially with a 22" barrel.
Do the piston and piston seal stick in the barrel ring on both barrels, or do you only have one barrel - I'm not clear on that? If that's your only barrel, I suspect the barrel ring is undersized. Try another barrel. If it happens on both barrels, someone may have installed them backwards and fired the gun, springing them slightly, in which case a new set is the answer.
Good luck.

 

[oneounceload]

Have you cleaned the gas ports? (Let's start with the easiest thing first)

As mentioned, are the piston parts assembled correctly?

Those parts and the o-ring should fit on the mag tube - do NOT get any lubricant of a petroleum nature on the o-ring - slide it onto the tube where the indent is for it to fit after you slide the piston parts on.

The easiest way to clean the gas ports is with a drill bit the same size as the hole. DO NOT use it in a drill, just with your hand to gently push out any gunk - you can also use brake cleaner with the straw and then a pipe cleaner to achieve the same result

 

[gunnut27]

All Good!

As mentioned in original post, I was assembling properly (per the owners manual document). Well, unless my previous experience with high brass 5's was due to assembly error. That was 3 years ago, so I can't remember.

When I found out I could take two guns on the sporting clays course, I was enroute with the (questionable) 1100 and (always trusty) 870 express supermag.

Perhaps hyper-concern got me this time. Timidly approached station 1 and at the end had fired 100 rounds without any ftf/fte in the 1100. Something to be said about 'Trusting your compass'. Aside from muzzle blast out of the 22", no complaints "she run just fine". Shot a 58/100 for those interested in 'measuring sticks'. And I have not wingshot live or dead birds for 2 years. Was impressed with the gun and satisfied with my performance. I have never shot sporting clays...ever, so it was all around a new experience for me. Still waiting for them to find a clay/thrower that will simulate Wood ducks cupping to decoys...lol.

I suspect my last experience with the high brass 5's was an operator malfunction...didn't have the piston and piston seal in proper order. I'll take the blame...

New parts came today, day late and a dollar short...unless making a commercial for Remington 1100 O-rings that are approaching 50 yr/old. (to my knowledge it was never switched, bought this particular gun in 1996). Switching O-Ring but going to continue to use the old piston and gas seal. I believe these are the correct terms, Thanks Virginian.

Personally think Remington missed the 'marketing boat' on the whole 1100 deal...ah I'll wait for another post, another day. Alas, if you have a magnum 1100 don't be concerned switching to a 2 3/4". Switching 'up' to magnum is not recommended. (another post, another day). The magnum bbl has one gas port; the non-magnum has 2. If you have two ports, I would be confident trusting the gun to cycle at least 'heavy' bird shot loads. I use(d) 1 1/8 oz @ 1300 fps #8 and 7.5. My humble opinion: take risks as your courage provides.

The whole 'gas piston and seal sticking in barrel sleeve' really baffles me still. On the new bbl, I have found the group (the 3 gas related parts) stick and don't stick in bbl sleeve. With range time, I learned hot gas will make them not-stick. A buddy says his gas piston got 'cock-eyed' once and made the whole unit stick. We'll be researching that one...Till later. gn27

Many Many Thanks for the input folks.

 

[gunnut27]

"An 1100 Magnum will very likely not function with anything less than magnum loads, especially with a 22" barrel."

Virginian...nothing personal, but i disagree, especially with the 'especially 22" bbl' comment. Funny enough, I don't think size matters this time.

Will discuss another post another day. Till then...this is what Remington wants you to think, so you pay big $ for a magnum. (not that that matters now, in my experience folks falling over themselves to buy "Itallianiii/a" brands for 2x the price). Me thinks, if you have some mechanical sense and can change a spring here-n-there, you can get the best of several worlds from any 1100.

Again my humble opinion and not that of a payrolled lawyer: Take risks as your courage provides. I'll be back... GN27

 

[oneounceload]

Personally think Remington missed the 'marketing boat' on the whole 1100 deal..

Maybe in today's world, but in the 60's and 70's they were THE semi for comp skeet and trap guns of the semi variety

 

[Virginian]

I have had 3 Magnums. One worked fine with anything down to 1-1/8 ounce field loads. One worked fine down to 1-1/4 heavy field loads. One only worked with 2-3/4" and 3" magnum loads. Switching parts and measuring the heck out of everything did not change the results. So I woulds say shooting less than Magnum loads is a crapshoot. It may work, it may not.
It is a known fact that shorter barrels are less likely to function with lighter loads.
Do you know exactly what size that one port in your 3" barrel is? I know what Remington's specs are for field barrels, but I don't know about any others. It may be larger because it is a 22" barrel. Or someone could have taken a drill bit to it.

 

[snapvalue]

I have 2 1100's and 4 barrels between them. Two are the original barrels. The guns are from the early 80's is my guess by the serial numbers. I am under the impression that the piston style changed in ~1986. One of the 4 barrels that I have is the 22 inch competition master. What I have found is that the old style gas pistons are larger in diameter (slightly) than the new style. Maybe they aren't so much "larger", however maybe sprung tighter. Anyway, I only use the old barrels with the old style gas piston set, and I only use the new style pistons with the newer barrels.
When I got my first new barrel, functional testing after assembly with the original gas piston parts revealed the situation you are describing. Using the newer style piston totally cured the symptom. Good luck.

 

[Virginian]

Starting in 1963, I have had 13 1100s and 11-87s, including 5 1100 Magnums, I still have 5, and all the gas parts will swap between guns, and an 11-87 barrel will work on an 1100 receiver, but you may have fore end fit difficulties. 1100 barrel works on the 11-87 but you need to swap bolts because of the wider extractor.
The new style piston and piston seal fit on all my 12 gauge guns, and the old style piston and piston seals work great with three new barrels, a Target Contour, a Light Contour, and a Steel Shot barrel.
I have seen sprung piston and piston seals, and I have heard of out of round barrel gas rings, but I have yet to see one myself. I have worked on hundreds of 1100s. I never called myself a gunsmith, because I have not one artistic bone in my body, but i am more than a fair gun mechanic. I worked in Pulp and Paper for 35 years, and wood hates me.

 

[AI&P Tactical]

If you mean the piston and piston seal are getting stuck in the gas collar then check this. There are splits in each and these splits have to be 180 degrees from each other. If they are together this allows the piston and piston seal to spread and this might be the cause. If install properly with the splits 180 apart they support each other and keep each from expanding.