Shotgun newbie: Remington 1100 ?

[LopezEL]

I need some help guys. I have the opportunity to buy a Remington 1100 3" magnum for $300. The barrel has been shortened to 20" (very well done, with a front bead sight installed). It has a new seal and new extractor. It is in good condition.

However, I know very little about shotguns. I was allowed to shoot this one with 2 3/4" brass shot and it functioned fine. I trust the individual selling the shotgun to me but is $300 a fair price for this shotgun?

I really just want it for home defense and don't plan on modifying it at all. If I do anything, it would be to add a magazine extension. My only concern is the magnum part... its come to my attention that this particular shotgun will not function reliably with lighter target loads. If I were to buy another barrel for this shotgun, say something like this: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=322510
Would it allow me to shoot lighter rounds?

It seems like maybe I should just look for an 870 pump or mossberg 500 as a cheaper alternative? Opinions, comments, highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[mnrivrat]

Well the 1100 is a classic and well respected shotgun. The price asked is reasonable / fair.

As to the magnum , that is pretty much all a funtion of the barrel on the 1100 , and by changing to a non magnum barrel you can shoot lighter loads. A magnum barrel has a single gas port in the extension and if set up correctly will shoot heavy 2&3/4 inch field loads on up through the 3 inch magnum shells.

The non magnum barrels with 2&3/4 inch chambers have a dual gas port and will operate with lighter loads, and up through the 2&3/4 inch magnum shells.

 

[UKShooter]

I recently picked up one of these cheaply. Mine is 26 inch barrel fixed to IC choke. I have put 500+ 7 1/2 shot clay loads through it and it has ran pretty well. It was made in 1994 but still functions great.

 

[oneounceload]

2 3/4" brass shot

I'm thinking you meant to say you shot 2-3/4" ammunition that had what appeared to be brass heads?? There's no such thing as brass shot.

If all you're going to do is shoot 00 buck for HD through it, leave the barrel alone. Otherwise, as mentioned, get a regular barrel for clays and shooting light loads

I have one in 28 gauge - good gun

 

[ArmedBear]

I had an old (1971 vintage) 1100 Magnum, and it would cycle 2 3/4" shells in the 3" Magnum barrel, if the shells were loaded reasonably hot. It is possible to open up the gas port a tad, also.

If it's what you want, for $300, it should be fine. It's probably the best thing you can get for that money. I'm no big fan of the things, but mine was reliable as long as it wasn't too dirty. I'd use one for defense, and the bolt release on the lifter is good for rapid reloads, though frustrating for real use in the field.

If you want it for clay shooting, hunting, or anything else, I'd advise you to skip it. Extra barrels aren't cheap, so your total cost would be a bit high for what you get, and the 1100 is old, so there are now a number of better guns out there (lighter, nicer stock shapes, nicer triggers, better controls for the field, adjustable stock fit, better gas systems, etc.). I found myself spending too much, trying to make the 1100 into what I wanted, so I sold it. But if you find one that is EXACTLY what you want, for $300, it's a good enough choice.

I have one in 28 gauge - good gun

Didn't the bolt assembly break at least twice so far?

 

[oneounceload]

No, the firing pin retractor spring did break twice though.

 

[ArmedBear]

Oh. Maybe that was someone else. Ugly pictures, as I recall.

But if you want a 28 Gauge gas gun, there's only one option. Nothing to decide or debate, anyway.

 

[Red Cent]

Sounds good to me. One thing. When he cut it off, that left the barrel as cylinder bore. No choke. WIDE pattern at 20 yards. Got some choices. As is, awesome HD/SD gun. Have the barrel threaded (inside) to accept different screw in chokes. With a skeet choke or something comparable, it would make a great clay gun. Put a ....a......Polychoke on it. Some hate them, but they are very functional.

"ADVANTAGE
With the Poly-Choke II you can select shot size, and then SELECT the proper choke.
The average shooter will use 4 Different degrees of choke:
WIDE OPEN for close shooting (woodcock, shore birds, dove, quail and skeet) up to 25 yards;
IMPROVED CYLINDER for 20 to 30-yard distances (grouse and Sporting Clays);
MODIFIED for 30 to 35-yard shooting (pheasant and Sporting Clays);
and FULL CHOKE for 40 yards and over (ducks, geese, turkey, Sporting Clays and Trap)."

 

[ArmedBear]

Skeet and Cylinder are so similar that it doesn't matter. I've shot Skeet with a cylinder choke and #7.5 shot and it worked fine. With #9 from a 12 Gauge, you'll get a nice pattern. I'd worry more about whether that Magnum barrel would cycle Skeet loads.

Poly chokes have a cult following. I wouldn't even consider one on a gun without a rib. The 1100 is hard enough with a bead on a pedestal. The receiver really works best with a rib, regardless, but the big bulbous thing on the end of a plain barrel would be distracting. I've heard mixed reports. Some rave about them, others say the patterns are inconsistent. Most shotgunners abandoned what was once called the "universal choke" many years ago, in favor of screw-ins. Some decided they liked fixed barrels, even. Very few have stuck with a "turn the knob" choke.

But the whole point of my post was this: if it's EXACTLY what you want, it's worth $300. I wouldn't buy it and plan to put a dime into it. It's not worth it. If you get the gun for $200 with the relatively-worthless barrel on it, and you have a line on a used ribbed barrel with scew-in chokes for $150, that might be worth doing. Not a penny more. Take it from someone who bought an 1100 Magnum for $300 and figured I'd add a barrel I preferred, replace the cut-down buttstock, etc. and make it into a gun I really wanted. It wasn't worth it.

A local shop here has 1100s piled up along one wall. It makes better sense to pick through the pile and find one you want as-is, if this isn't it.