1100 Failure to Feed

[Matt304]

A little ironic that we have two 1100 problem threads right next to each other. My problem is a little different, though. Anyways, I have an 1100 here that just will not feed the next shell.

The latch assembly for the bolt is hanging up it seems. Here is what's happening. When a new round feeds from the tube, of course it is supposed to slam into the lever that the rim hits, and cause the latch to drop which closes the bolt. Instead, the latch lever seems to be too stiff for the following round to activate it. So it fires once, and then the bolt locks open with a new round sitting there, and I have to push the bolt release button.

The lever seems to be lubed up ok, it's like it just locks too well; it requires a bit of a push to unlatch the bolt, and I assume it should be light. Everything is near spotless on the gun. I thought the rounds needed to feed with more force from the tube, so I removed the tube spring and stretched it out so it is much stiffer, but this didn't seem to do a thing.

Anyone have any suggestions or have this happen before?

Thanks.

 

[Pete409]

1100 Problem

A little more info might help. Age of gun? How much it has been shot? When was last time you removed trigger assembly for cleaning? Last time you cleaned the inside of the magazine tube? When did this problem start happening? Are you using factory ammo? Have you tried different ammo?

Even before getting answers to the above questions, I think the problem is probably due to one (or more) of several issues: Dirty trigger assembly, weak and/or dirty magazine spring, ammo that may not be properly sized (reloads).

 

[Matt304]

I have tried light and strong ammo. It is an older gun that a friend gave to me, in perfect condition. The gun appears to be very clean. There is no grime slowing the function down one would think by the feel, but maybe it has tightened up over the years. He said it started doing this sometime back. The release button is smooth when you press it and it unlocks, it just takes 5 or 6lbs of pressure to do so.

Like I said, I stretched the magazine tube spring out so it is stiff, and I don't really think that is the problem judging by the tension. I think if I reduced the tension on the bolt release itself it would probably solve the problem. I'm just trying to figure out how it got this way.

 

[Pete409]

Matt,

Stretching a coil spring does practically nothing to make it stronger. Since you didn't say WHEN was the last time you had the trigger assembly out of the gun to clean it, I'll assume the answer is "never". I recommend you remove the trigger assembly, soak it in solvent for several hours, let dry, lubricate lightly, and then replace it in the gun. Also, clean the inside of the magazine tube and replace the magazine spring.

It MIGHT be possible to bend the carrier release tab and improve functioning, but do so at your own risk.

 

[Matt304]

Sorry, no I have never had the trigger assembly out. I will try cleaning as soon as I can, and go from there.

Thank you.

 

[Matt304]

I have fixed the gun.

I just wanted to post an update, in case anyone else has experienced this problem.

I removed the trigger assembly from the 1100 to find that everything internally was completely spotless. There was just the lightest dusting on some parts which was wiped off. Lubrication was surely not the problem here.

I took an identical 1100 and compared the two. The carrier latch (part number 28 in the diagram), which the brass of the cartridge actually hits on the way out of the mag tube, was stiffer on the gun which would not release the bolt. I originally figured this was the problem. And it was not sticking or unsmooth, it was rather simple spring tension.

Now, there is no explanation as to why the spring causing this (diagram part number 56) was stiffer than the one in the other working gun. Also, I have no idea how the gun could have worked before and simply quit recently.

Realizing the carrier latch force was too strong and it was simply stopping the rounds which hit it, I cut about 2.5 coils from the spring to relieve some tension. I reassembled and the gun now functions flawlessly.

Diagram:
http://www.schiessen-erzgebirge.de/Blueprints/remington_1100.gif

 

[mnrivrat]

A new magazine spring is generaly considered the best approach to resolve the problem you experienced. Yes, what you did can fix it for now at least, but I would replace the magazine spring in the future. I would also pick up a stock latch spring .