Remington 11-87 barrel or 1100 barrel?

[Judamonster]

I have had this 11-87 with a slug barrel around 25 years. Walking my local gun shop, this bird barrel appeared in the back corner of his storage room. He thinks it has been there a long time. We couldn't tell what it was for. He told me to take it home and see if it fits. This was Blythe's in Griffith, you don't see stuff like that anymore. Worth noting the exceptional nature of the place. It fits, but the gun is long. This is a 29.5" barrel. Fixed full choke. Mared for 3" shells. I thought all 11-87's had removable chokes and were marked 2-3/4" or 3". I suspect this is an 1100 barrel for 3" shells but seems like it will work fine. Fits great, cycles without issue. I am comfortable using it and shooting 2-3/4" out of it, but am no expert. Anyone see a safety issue? Only minor difference is where the barrel mounts to the shell tube, but still holds firm. If it came on the gun I would never know any different.

 

[Hookeye]

It appears to be an 1100 Magnum barrel.

1100 Magnums run a heavier action sleeve.

Your 1187 runs a lighter action sleeve (same as non magnum 1100).


IMHO you have an 1187, so only use an 1187 barrel.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

It appears to be an 1100 Magnum barrel.

1100 Magnums run a heavier action sleeve.

Your 1187 runs a lighter action sleeve (same as non magnum 1100).


IMHO you have an 1187, so only use an 1187 barrel.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

But if you do decide to move forward with the unknown barrel, check the gas ports to make sure they're the same size and quantity as your current barrel. Going from memory here, but I believe magnum barrels only have a single smaller gas port and standard 2-3/4" barrels have two slighly larger gas ports. Your shotgun may not cycle properly if the gas port(s) are undersized, and trying to enlarge them is a super easy way to screw up the barrel.

 

[Hookeye]

I have had a half dozen 12 ga Remington 1100 Magnums.
All of them had single gas port Magnum barrels- fixed choke and Remchoke.

Note: some folks opened up gas ports to help when steel shot was first mandated. So who knows what has been done to used barrels. I remember some shotgun forum having all the diff factory gas port sizes.

 

[Hookeye]

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

But if you do decide to move forward with the unknown barrel, check the gas ports to make sure they're the same size and quantity as your current barrel. Going from memory here, but I believe magnum barrels only have a single smaller gas port and standard 2-3/4" barrels have two slighly larger gas ports. Your shotgun may not cycle properly if the gas port(s) are undersized, and trying to enlarge them is a super easy way to screw up the barrel.

On field 1187s the spring collar will open and bleed off "extra" gas.
Some target and deer 1187 barrels are not pressure compensating (can see the OPs cantilever deer bbl is not).
I do not know what the gas port sizing is on various 1187 barrels or how they may have differed on compensating vs non compensating bbls.

To avoid any screw ups..........just run 1187 barrels on 1187s.

 

[drillsgt]

I would just take it back and tell him thanks for letting you try it.

 

[Judamonster]

So, it ran 3"shells just fine, was not able to cycle 2-3/4". Pretty much what I expected. Kind of a bummer. I will find the correct barrel at some point. At least I can now recognize the difference between the 2 setups. I may keep it and get an 1100. Thanks everyone.

 

[Remington 90T]

Remington had three different port sizes. 12 ga,32"-28" barrels had two .079 holes {#47 drill bit} --26" skeet barrels had.086 {#44 bit} --12 ga mag had single port .073 {#49 drill}
May single ported barrels have been increased to .083 to handle steel shot -and works fine for 2 3/4 loads