ArnisAndyz

Thank you sir! Even though I don't know you personally, your advice I've read in other posts has always helped me in the past (whether you knew it or not). I thought it was a little out of character. Like I mentioned, I never knew Lefty safeties were available, thanks for the info. Andy

I'm a lefty who made due with reaching around. Didn't realize they made one for lefties...I'd be interested, thanks for not sharing. If anybody else knows where to find one or the contact info for Mr Johnson I'd appreciate it. Thanks Andy

I picked some up the other day, going to try them out this weekend. Initial thought is that 1/8 oz lighter isn't enough to reduce the recoil from the added velocity, but you never know till you try! http://www.remington.com/products/ammuniti...gh_velocity.asp Remington® introduces the first high-velocity Foster-style lead slug. This higher velocity slug exits the barrel at 1800 fps, 13% faster than standard 1 oz. slugs. The 7/8 oz. Slugger High Velocity delivers 200 ft-lbs more energy at 50 yards with flatter trajectory on deer than standard 1 oz. slugs.

Don't think I've ever seen any reduced recoil slugs for the 20. Remington 5/8 oz slugs seem to work well out of a modified choke and recoil is not bad at all. I've also shot some Winchester 3/4 oz since they were available and cheap. Remington also has a 1/2 oz high velocity load but I haven't tried it yet. For people that like light and fast vs heavy and slow this might be an option.

Tested my 1187 youth 20 gauge with Modified choke on steel poppers at various ranges using Remington 1 oz 7 1/2 heavy dove loads and cheapo 7/8 target loads and they worked great. Even with the 7/8 load it was taking down the steel with authority at 25 yards. Not really getting any advantage in recoil with the 1 oz loads (feels about the same as a light 12 gauge load but at least the gun is lighter) I might try an IC or Light Modified choke next time to get a slightly broader pattern and keep a few of these Fiocchi 3" 1 1/4oz 7.5s http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/...leitemid=271392 on me for difficult long range steel (my range is limited to 7.5 shot so I can't use 4s or 6s). Going to try and do some pattern testing on paper this weekend. So far, I think I can do as good with this gun as I can with my 12.

The loads I plan on using (Remington Heavy dove loads are 1 oz at 1165 fps according to Remingtons website which puts it at 509.68 PF. Not surte how the standard slugs fair since they don't list velocities. They do have Buckmark 20 gauge 3" 1 oz slug that should be well over the minimum. On buckshot...Federal has a 20 gauge #2 18 pellet 3" load. They wouldn't work in 1100 Youth or LT with the 2 3/4 chamber but the newer 1187 Youth can shoot them. Doesn't matter for me though since we play be USPSA rules as mentioned above.

They ARE listed for the 20...scroll about halfway down and you'll see them "20 GA. BLUE MAGAZINE EXTENSIONS". I have #159-000-008 holds 8 in the tube and 1 in the chamber. and probably extends 1" from the 21" barrel. (They call it a +4 round in the decription and when you add it to the cart it says "9 shot"). The standard Easyloader in an 1100/1187 Youth WILL work. I have a 12 gauge model in my 1187 Youth and it works great. Grind the sides to narrow is all that is needed, but I also shaved some off the tip to prevent bounce and to keep my thumb from getting pinched. You may have to do some of the normal adjustments needed when installing any easyloader. While your at it, open up the loading port as well. I also put in a stainless follower from Brownells http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...OTGUN+FOLLOWERS only thing left I plan to do is get a Briley knurled extended choke. The extended portion should almost make the barrel line up perfectly with the extension (not needed but I think it looks better). CALI, its interesting that you can take steel out that far with only 7/8" light loads with a MOD choke. I might try a Light Modified and 1 oz heavy shot to get a little wider shot pattern. I think alot depends on how the club calibrates the steel. Ours seems to set them up so the slightest touch will set them off, I've heard others calibrate it with 12 ga 1 1/8 birdshot.

Brownells has 4 and 5 round Choate extensions here http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...AZINE+EXTENSION available right now. Nordic Components mentioned they the heve the threads and end caps ready for a bunch of different 20 gaugers, just waiting for the tubes. For the Easyloader see above! I think the LT is the same frame as the youth (you'll need to narrow the easyloader). There was also an older 1100 20 ga that had a full size reciever. if this is what you have the easloader will go right in.

You need to narrow the sides to fit it in the 20, just use a belt sander and take some material off a little at a time. Once you do that everything goes in the same as the 12 ga. Also, while your grinding, you might as well take off a little (1/8" - 1/4") from the tip of the easyloader...it helps prevent thumb pinch and also can catch a shell if you didn't push it in all the way. It also helps reduce the weight which might keep the slide from locking open (if you have that problem).

Thanks...I'm guessing thats with 12 gauge 1 1/8 oz loads? Anybody done any simiar testing using 20 gauge 1 oz loads? Just trying to get an idea if a 20 with a IC or LM will have enough power to take down poppers at that same range.

What chokes are you guys running for birdshot on plates and poppers? Researching the old posts, most people say modified, but I'm wondering if Light Modified or IC would work for poppers averaging 15 to 25 yards?

Thanks for your insight. The way I understand it when regarding chokes (regardless of gauge size) is the amount of pellets in a given area at a given range. A 12 gauge IC will have the same spread as a 20 gauge IC at any given range, but will put more pellets in that same area. The farther you get the more dispersed the pellets get, and the 20 might not have enough on the heavy far away steel to knock it down. Shooting a 12 gives an advantage in that the shot density of a looser choke can be similar to that of a modified 20 simply because your throwing more pellets at the target. Thanks for the tips on patterning. I plan to go out this weekend and do some testing on paper and steel at different ranges to see what I can get away with the 20. If I can shoot an IC and still have enough power to knock down th steel as you say... even better!

Did some searching and came across some good info on this...but it was a little dated (couple years maybe). I was just wondering if any new info is out there. One of the biggest gripes from old posts were NO aftermarket support (extensions, easyloaders, sidesaddles, tec-loaders, etc). I found that Choate tubs are available for the 20 from Brownells, the 12 gauge easyloader can be modified to fit easily, and Tac-star and 3 gun gear have sidesaddles and it sounds like Nordic Components is planning on stepping up to offer 20 gauge products. No word on tec-loader tubes for open class, but it looks like the parts are now available to build a good 20 gauge limited shotgun. Another gripe was that ammo wasn't readily available. Sounds like Remington Heavy Dove Loads (or any other 1 oz load) is the ticket for poppers and steel, the 5/8 are good low recoil slugs. Still nothing more than #3 for buck however. At my local club we are limited to only 7.5 shot and and occasional slug, so the buckshot problem isn't an issue at least for me (shooting locally). Cost for the 20 ammo is the same as the 12 and from what I'm finding, major retailers are stocking ammo for the 20, if they aren't, the internet is just just a click away. Weakness of the 20 (already adressed the 2 most common above): Have to shoot a tighter choke than a 12 to get more shot on the long steel which results in a tighter pattern and results in a need to be more precise with your shot. Depending on COF shooters who shoot a loose choke in a 12 have an advantage in shooting the edges, possibly taking multiple targets with one shot. 12 has a wider shot cloud so you could be a little sloppy(pushing for speed) and still get a hit. Narrower loading gate and smaller diameter shells might be more difficult for the large-handed shooter to manipulate. Benifits to shooting a 20: Lighter weight, less recoil (debatable) equate to faster transition times target to target. Longer shot string good on steel. Can hold more shells in the hand than the 12 for loading 4-5 at a time. SO THE BIG QUESTION: Does the lighter weight, less recoil and reloading advantage of the 20 outweigh the loss in wider patterning/knockdown power of the 12? If its close or not a big difference, it may come down to personal preference. I am a small framed adult 5'7" 140 lbs. the 1187 youth fits me very well with its shorter stock and slimmer profile. I can handle it better, like holding it up with my shooting hand for loading weakhand from underneath. I have small fingers and thumbs that get into the loading port easily. I can hold 3 or 4 20 gauge shells where I could barely hold 2 12 gauge shells. If any shooters are using the 20 i'd like to here your experiences!

I been using my MWG "90-rounder" Snail drum magazine and has NEVER failed since I've been using it. Other guys with betas I see get occasional jamming problems. It looks cheap/plastic compared to the Beta but eveybody that sees it is surprised its so reliable. I think the manufacture even has a gaurantee not to jam. I bought it used (LNIB) for $80. I think they retail for a little over $120 new. Not cheap, but not Beta mag expensive either. The guys setting up the stage occasionally set up 42+ rifle stages so the 40 mag guys have to reload too. I use this mag for everything that doesn't require a mandatory reload (like a rifle bill drill). Only complaint is that loaded up full it pulls the guns balance off to the left side. Loaded with 45 rounds it stays pretty balanced. I'm a lefty and it hangs off the left side of the gun. A right handed shooter would have to cradle it in the crook of your off hand I would imagine. Nothing like the look on the guys with 30 rounders when you wip out that huge drum!

Necessity is the mother of invention...great idea (one that I'll probably borrow)! I like that it gives a good reference for slugs but doesn't disturb the benifits of shooting a rib.

Hi, your products look great...looks like excellent workmanship. However, the quote above really peaked my interest. I have been debating if going to 20 gauge for 3-gun would be worth the effort. It seems that as long as the 20 has enough power to knock down the long steel, the light weight and lower recoil might be an advantage big enough to offset the smaller shot pattern due to having to use a tighter choke. Have you produced (or do you plan on producing) any tubes and accessories for an 1100/1187 20 gauge LT or youth model? Your product offering for the 20 gauge might push me over the fence on trying a 20. Thanks, Andy

I found an older Remington 1100 Special Field upland gun with a 21" remchoke barrel in good shape at a good price. Somebody told me that this model only has a 3+1 capacity and when combined with the short barrel, it made it a fast, easy to swing shotgun for upland shooting. I did some research and the only thing I could find was an 11-87 "Upland Special" that has the standard 4+1 capacity? My question, would the 1100 SF make a good base gun to build a 3gun shotgun? I like that it already comes with a 21" threaded barrel. I was considering a standard field model but that would involve buying a new barrel which would bring the cost above what I can get the Special Field gun for. If it does have a shorter magazine capacity, will a mag extention still mount up to it? (I guess I would have to get a +5 vs a +4 wich might look a little strange). I also assume the forearm is non-standard, so I wouldn't be able to find a synthetic replacement. It comes with a straight English stock, should I change that out to a sythetic staight stock pistol grip or just shoot it as it is? I was also wondering if the reciever was standard 1100...will an easyloader mount up to it without major alteration, etc? This would be my very first semi-auto gun and I'd like to keep the cost down. If your familiar with this model any advice would be appreciated! Thanks, Andy

I saw that in the catalog too. You could also say its the Geen OD Tactical from last year in all black.

I have an Armscor 1911 with one of those Wilson magwells that clips on behind the grip screws. It fits in the box easily.

sorry wrong thrread.

I know the CM is the grey stock, black reciever/barrel... and the Tactical is the black stock, green reciever/barrel... From Remington's new 07 catalog, it looks like the "New" 1100 TAC-4 has a black stock, black reciever/barrel? Can anyone confirm this?

I succesfully repaired my FIN IWB kydex holster. It was made of really thin Kydex (felt really good) but with the gun drawn and alot of movement the kydex finally gave in to the snugness of my belt, resulting in a 1/2" crack at the top of the sight channel. To repair it I put the gun in the holster, heated up a small piece of spare kydex I had laying around from making knife sheaths and mag holders and hand molded it to the shape of the sight channel (on the outside). After it cooled down I used Plastic Weld to stick the pieces together. This gave the glue something else to stick to, rather than just the area of the crack. Its solid, the holster will crack again before the weld gives up. The best part of it is now I have the best of both worlds...A comfortable ultra thin IWB kydex hoslter with the strength of a holster made with much thicker kydex. I can tighten my belt down until I'm blue and that holster won't give!

Here's a newby perspective on dryfire...I've been shooting IDPA for about a year and a half so I'm still working on getting "good". I recently shot a high sharpshooter score in the classifier last month (single digits below expert). After my very first match everyone said dryfire, dryfire, dryfire!!!...so I did. Problem was, I didn't have enough experience to know what to look for or what to do in dryfire! Things like drawing, reloading and moving were very helpful in dryfire. But my shooting finally started improving when I discovered how to call a shot. I needed to have that image of what I need to see burned into my brain through livefire in order to use that in dryfire practice. I can't pick an exact time or round count when I started actually knowing where my shots were going, it was a gradual thing until one day I understood. People can tell you what to look for but you need to put the time in to understand what they are talking about. Now I know what I need to do, I have a purpose on what I want to accomplish when I dryfire, my current task (what I think will help me the most right now) is to get input from my sights faster, that might be just seeing faster, or it might be an adjustment to the basics to get better body alignment, its and endless cycle. In summary (for me) it was: 1) Basic body mechanics, grip stance, mentally understanding the game, etc 2) Livefire (including matches) - adjustments to basics 3) Dryfire - working on draw, reloading, moving, pointing the gun at a target 4) Livefire - lightbulb comes on! I can call a shot consistantly! 5) Dryfire - I can fire a shot and know where its going without bullets...cool. 6) Steady improvement - repeat. I still practice the basics and now all of these kind of overlap each other as adjustments or new skills are explored and practiced, they are all put through the fire before they are added or discarded.

The "idea" is that your saving rounds that might prove useful later on in the gunfight should you run dry (remember -were not counting rounds so you don't kow if its empty or not). These reloads are suppose to be done behind cover, when there is a lull in the action. Some clubs are additionally stressing that reloads are to be done off-the-clock. (recording arrays as seperate strings). In the Tactical reload you draw a mag and relpace the mag currently in the gun (as opposed to dropping the mag stowing it and replacing it which would be the reload w/retention). I think the "tactical" part is that your keeping a mag in your gun for the longest amount of time. My guess anyways!

Thanks for cleaning up my sloppy description...thats what I meant to say! The only point I'm trying to make is that if your trying to "game it" a 7 might be better than an 8 because many (not all) targets are in multiples of 2 and starting out with an even number in the gun will make the math work out. While good course designers will make it so there is no advantage either way, many of the local club matches I've been to prove the point.