Help!! Problem with New Rem 1100 Barrel

[Deanmac]

I bought a new replacement barrel for a 30 year old Rem 1100.  My gun was the basic 2 3/4 fixed choke.

I purchased  a 26" steel/lead, 2 3/4 or 3" barrel.  I was concerned whether it would shoot the cheap dove loads and from what I found on line and from the salesman, it appeared it would.

Well I took it out today and it didn't eject the shell after the first shot.  I took the insert out of the old barrel and put in the new one.  It appeared to have never had a O ring in the old barrel and it has shot fine for the 30 years I have owned it.  I ordered some O rings. 

Do ya'll think this will fix the issue or will this barrel only shoot magumun ammo.  If that is the case I don't want the 3" option.  I want to be able to shoot cheap 2 3/4  dove ammo.

This barrel cost about $40 more and only included one choke where the 2 3/4 barrel included 3 chokes.

I am not feeling rea good about my decision at the moment to purchase the better barrel.

[The Gamemaster]

Let's back up here

First off - is your gun a 2 3/4  inch chamber or does it say 3 Inch Magnum.

You cannot shoot 3 inch shells in a 2 3/4 inch chamber - because the ejection port and the receiver is built different.

There is only one hole in the barrel for the 3 inch magnum receiver and there is two holes in the barrel for the 2 3/4 inch gun.

So first off - you have the wrong barrel for your application.

Second off - the person that sold you the barrel should have inspected your gun to make sure that you indeed bought the right barrel for your shotgun.

It isn't like throwing a Cherry Bomb muffler on your mom's old Honda. 
It has to be the right one to work properly.

If you have a 3 inch Magnum receiver - then the 2 3/4 inch barrel probably won't work either, because the springs inside of the action is probably too heavy to eject the shells.

[sniperVLS]

Gamemaster asked what I was about 2. Double check its chambering and let us know.

[Rangr44]

[My gun was the basic 2 3/4 fixed choke.]

[I purchased  a 26" steel/lead, 2 3/4 or 3" barrel.]

Those two statements say it all.  There's no need to "check".  Sorry, but you bought the wrong barrel, period.

ANY barrel that will successfully shoot, and is marked for " 2 3/4" or 3" " is a magnum barrel, that will not work on your older, non-magnum M1100 - even though it will physically fit the action.

[Deanmac]

Thanks guys,  I think Rangr44  is dead on.

I have 2 3/4 chamber receiver and my old barrel has two holes (gas ports)

New barrel has only one.  I checked last night.

I was afraid the salesman at Bass Pro didn't know what he was talking about.  I asked him a couple times are you sure.  I got a gift card for Christmas or I would have been somewhere else.

Now I got to drive 3+ hours to take it back.

Live and Learn.

[wink_man]

[My gun was the basic 2 3/4 fixed choke.]

[I purchased  a 26" steel/lead, 2 3/4 or 3" barrel.]

Those two statements say it all.  There's no need to "check".  Sorry, but you bought the wrong barrel, period.

ANY barrel that will successfully shoot, and is marked for " 2 3/4" or 3" " is a magnum barrel, that will not work on your older, non-magnum M1100 - even though it will physically fit the action.

Deanmac
      No disrespect intended, but rangr44 is dead off.

A Remington 1100 steel shot barrel, chambered for 2 3/4 and 3 inch shells works just fine in the older 1100's with 2 3/4 inch receivers. And you can fire 3 inch shells from them safely, Remington simply recommends not using 3 inch LEAD shells, as the recoil is more intense than 3 inch steel, and they claim if you do so, it will shorten the life of your gun.

The problem comes in, as you say, because the 2 3/4 inch chambered barrel has 2 gas ports, and the 3 inch chambered barrel has only one gas port. Results vary from gun to gun, but in most cases, the single gas port barrel does not cycle the very light dove loads, it does, however usually cycle the slightly heavier trap loads with 1 1/8 ounces of shot and on up.. YOu just can't have it both ways with an 1100.

I know this to be true, because I purchased a new Remington steel shot barrel last year for my 1974 vintage Remington 1100, and have used the new barrel successfully with both 2 3/4 and 3 inch steel shotshells and also spoke with Remington in depth about this before making the purchase.

However as you state, if the very light dove loads are your priority, then the reality is, it isn't the barrel for you.

[Deanmac]

Thanks wink,

Sounds like I need to wait until I get a new O ring on gas chamber and try it again.  It appeared my gun had not had an O ring on in it years, but shot fine with the old barrel.

I think I was shooting a 1 1/8 oz field load.

[wink_man]

The 'O' ring will certainly make a difference, but results do vary from gun to gun. if you're shooting 1 1/8 ounce loads, hopefuly it will work for you once you get the O ring, and you'll be good to go. If you're loking for a more in-depth explanation, don't hesitate to call Remington Customer Service, but essentially, what it boils down to is that 2 gas ports are required to siphon enough gas off to cycle the action with light loads, and heavier loads only need 1 gas port to siphon enough gas off. but results do vary from gun to gun. Mine will cycle 1 1/8 ounce loads, never tired a one ounce load, but I've heard of people who have the barrel and it won't cycle a 1 1/8 ounce load. Conversely, I've heard of others that have no problem cycling 1 ounce loads with the barrel, let us know how you make out.

[Deanmac]

 Thanks a bunch for the info,

I will post back when I get the seals and have a chance to try it.

[sniperVLS]

Thanks for helping the man, I didn't chime in as I haven't dealt with 1100s often, especially older ones. Such a helpful and giving community we have here 

[wink_man]

Thanks for helping the man, I didn't chime in as I haven't dealt with 1100s often, especially older ones. Such a helpful and giving community we have here 

My pleasure, glad I could be of help. Here are the barrel specs for the steel shot barrel from the 2007 Remington Catalog, I circled(as best I could) the pertinent information if anyone else wants to review it. After you click on it, just click the little button on the bottom right that says 'expand to regular size'.

  http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/barrel_info.JPG