The carrier release (silver button) can be a big source of problems. I had a chipped carrier dog, so, lacking the tools to change just the dog, I ordered the whole assembly for around $30 from a popular supplier of Remington parts. Quality control of the stamped-out parts is so poor that you could actually see the difference between how the original and new carrier release matched the rest of the trigger group, and the new one didn't work right at all; it jammed just with manual operation (I didn't dare fire it). I replaced the old carrier group, which works just fine, even with the minor chip in the dog. To their credit, the supplier took the part back and gave me a refund, no problem.
Check the feed latch as well (strip of spring steel along the ejection port side of the receiver). The very tip of it can break off, and it can look normal on casual examination through the loading port. It's hard to explain, but there should be a narrow little tip to it that catches on the side of the magazine tube and keeps the latch from coming too far across the face of the waiting shell. This will usually happen when you're on an expensive trip. Twice. I had been shooting 3" steel BB each time, mod choke. Remington told me you shouldn't shoot bigger than #4 steel with a mod choke through the 11-87, or the back pressure could break things. They ought to put that in the manual.
My 11-87 and I have killed so many critters, and had so many good times together, that it's my favorite. However, if I'm going far from home, I take the Benelli...
