Calling all Remington 1100 experts...

[Bill Schwab]

1970's vintage Remington 1100 that has seen little use is randomly not feeding from the tube, and resumes feeding after pushing the rearmost shell into the tube (that shell seems hard to press in). I've tried diagnosing this through dry fire, but it's only seen maybe once every 20+ times I load the tube. And it's not the first shell fed that iniates the failure to feed. Any advice? The gun has been completed disassembled and detail cleaned all to no avail. The gun has a short Choate mag tube extension and a DMW easy-loader, but otherwise is stock.

[Classic_jon]

1970's vintage Remington 1100 that has seen little use is randomly not feeding from the tube, and resumes feeding after pushing the rearmost shell into the tube (that shell seems hard to press in). I've tried diagnosing this through dry fire, but it's only seen maybe once every 20+ times I load the tube. And it's not the first shell fed that iniates the failure to feed. Any advice? The gun has been completed disassembled and detail cleaned all to no avail. The gun has a short Choate mag tube extension and a DMW easy-loader, but otherwise is stock.

When I put my mag ext on I did a lot of reading and some people said that you needed to check the point where the mag ext and the normal mag meet for burrs or a lip where things could hang. Also, make sure you use the anti-tilt follower that comes with the Choate tube because the stock one and some guns will cause almost exactly the issue you describe if it tilts and binds against the mag tube walls.

I remember someone here saying to check your tube clamp as well. If something is not in spec, the clamp can change the angle of the mag tube and cause malfunctions in feeding. Never seen it happen, but it does make some sense *shrug*

[Zebraman]

I would check the following things:

How old is the mag spring, and how long is it? At minimum, it should be about 9-10 inches longer than the total length of the magtube and the extension. Remingtons need the shell to come out of the mag tube and slam into the disconnector latch that is toward the rear of the shell lifter, which in turn moves the interceptor latch, to stop or (depending what part of the cycle you are in) feed the next shell. I would also check to see if the interceptor latch is lubed and working properly. Having been sitting for awhile as you describe, may have gummed up the pivoting action of the latch making it slow and hard to move, or make sure that there is not excessive play in where it pivots on the reciever. This would keep the next shell from being fed onto the carrier. I keep all of the trigger and lifter assembly's moving parts lubed up with "Gun Butter" or light Mobil 1 oil. I also run the gas tube/gas piston/ action bar assembly wet with lube. I will also put a few additional drops of Mobil 1 (through the vent holes in the forearm) on gas/action bar assembly during a match to help keep the carbon in suspension. This practice can be difficult if you are in very dusty conditions, as it will tend to turn the dust into mud. But is seems to work for me (It may someday start a fire someday, but atleast the shotgun would keep running).

In addition, I have found that the Choate extension's high visibility follower to be made of some really soft stuff, which I have found to break little pieces off, and have this running around in the action and mag tube, which can and has stopped my gun from feeding.

Lastly, is the mag tube/gas system on your gun stainless steel? The older 1100's had a steel mag tube, which would actually rust where the gas piston would move, gumming up the works. Make sure to use a scotch brite pad on the mag tube whenever cleaning it to remove all of the carbon deposits. I clean my shotgun after every match/practice session And replace the gas seal/O ring.

[Jaxshooter]

Change the follower and spring and your problem should go away. I prefer aluminum or stainless followers. They tend to ride over rough spots better. The composit followers hang up on the little burrs and on some extensions there is a little step between tubes that can grab a soft follower.

[Bill Schwab]

Real good stuff, I appreciate all the thought provoking info. This 1100 mag tube/gas system is steel, but it's clean and free of corrosion; this is an oldie, but it's been well cared for and it's low mileage. The mag tube spring is fairly new, and it's the Choate one that came with the mag extension, so it's plenty long. I cannot run the Choate follower because it hangs up in the mag tube (not the mag tube extension) [NOTE TO SELF: perhaps the mag tube is tight], so I'm been running the stock synthetic follower which looks pretty rough.

First I'm going to order a stainless follower and see if that clears up the problem. Any recommendation? I see Brownells has the Vang unit and a Brownells one as well.

Secondly I may change out the mag tube extension with a longer one because right now all it can only hold 7+1, any recommendations on brands?

[fiddler]

I believe DMW sells a follower that may meet your needs. I use his mag extension with spring and follower and it works great.

[Ronnie j]

the nordic aluminum follower is awesome. If the easy loader is full length and set up to be sensitive it will bounce and trip the carrier before the shell has a chance to get out of the tube ,I cut about a third of the forks off mine to try to stop it.

[Bill Schwab]

the nordic aluminum follower is awesome.

That's nice, I ordered one, thanks for the suggestion. I'll check the tuning of my EasyLoader too.

[Classic_jon]

the nordic aluminum follower is awesome.

That's nice, I ordered one, thanks for the suggestion. I'll check the tuning of my EasyLoader too.

While you are waiting on the aluminum follower, something you may want to try to see if it is the follower is this. Take the follower that came with the ext tube and run some fine grit sandpaper and/or a scotch brite pad over it to smooth it out a bit, and possibly shrink the diameter down a little.

At the least you have not lost anything and at the most, you have a backup follower and may eliminate the follower as the issue.

On a side note,

I have not had any issues with the follower in my Choate tube hanging, not working, or bits breaking off in my 1100 so far. I have the 9 round Choate and it has worked flawlessly from day one so YMMV. *shrug*

[Bill Schwab]

the nordic aluminum follower is awesome.

That's nice, I ordered one, thanks for the suggestion. I'll check the tuning of my EasyLoader too.

While you are waiting on the aluminum follower, something you may want to try to see if it is the follower is this. Take the follower that came with the ext tube and run some fine grit sandpaper and/or a scotch brite pad over it to smooth it out a bit, and possibly shrink the diameter down a little.

At the least you have not lost anything and at the most, you have a backup follower and may eliminate the follower as the issue.

On a side note,

I have not had any issues with the follower in my Choate tube hanging, not working, or bits breaking off in my 1100 so far. I have the 9 round Choate and it has worked flawlessly from day one so YMMV. *shrug*

I tried working on the smoothness and diameter of the Choate follower last night and the fine sandpaper I had wasn't working well. I may see what the hardware store has that'll do the job better because I really would like to have that ready as a backup.

[Classic_jon]

I tried working on the smoothness and diameter of the Choate follower last night and the fine sandpaper I had wasn't working well. I may see what the hardware store has that'll do the job better because I really would like to have that ready as a backup.

Just take a belt sander to it and you will be done in no time!

[Bill Schwab]

Update: The Nordic follower really smoothed the feeding, and then a Nordic extension tube smoothed it out even further, so I'm good to go. I also learned the gun does not like Winchester Valu-Pak shells, so if I avoid those it runs 100%. Thanks for the help.