1100 questions

[karlglen101]

Hello. I'm going to shoot 3 gun for my first time this weekend. I have a Remington 1100 w/ 22" barrel, 8+1 (Tac 4). I have been reloading my own trap shells, a very basic gun club trap load, for a little more than a year. I have a bag of 7.5oz shot, winchester AA wads, gun club hulls, and CCI 209m primers. I'd like to make a good load for 3 gun, preferably with the components I have, and buying the right powder. I was talking with someone the other day who said I needed a slower burning powder than the Aliant Red Dot I have to get to at least 1250fps and help my gun cycle properly. Fair enough. Do any of you have recipes, or could point me in the right direction? I'd like to stick with the components I have, but if I really need to buy new primers also I will.

As for the choke, I did a search and it looks like I should probably run an IC for 3 gun. Does this sound right?

Thanks in advance.

[warpspeed]

The go to load for 3 gun is a 3 dram eq load; 1 1/8 oz @ 1200 fps. You can get there with Red Dot but you will have better results with something like Green Dot. Red Dot is a better powder for 1 oz loads.

Alliant has a great tool on their website called the Reloaders Guide. It is an interactive guide to recipes.

You want to follow them exactly especially if you are pushing the max listed loads, which I do not like to do myself.

Edited April 10, 2012 by warpspeed

[karlglen101]

The go to load for 3 gun is a 3 dram eq load; 1 1/8 oz @ 1200 fps. You can get there with Red Dot but you will have better results with something like Green Dot. Red Dot is a better powder for 1 oz loads.

Alliant has a great tool on their website called the Reloaders Guide. It is an interactive guide to recipes.

You want to follow them exactly especially if you are pushing the max listed loads, which I do not like to do myself.

Thanks. I've used the Alliant reloader's guide. That's how I made the trap load I have now. I was told by a few different people (and read elsewhere) that I need to get the load to at least 1250fps for my gun to function properly. Is Green Dot a slower burning powder?

[GunCat]

Try your 1 1/8oz 3 DE (1200 fps) load in the Tac 4 1100. A load in the range should function just fine, but shooting a few will tell the tale.

[Guest]

I’m not sure why 1250fps is needed to function your gun. Have you actually verified this, or experienced problems if loads are slower? If you aren’t having problems with what you are using for your reloads, then my advice would be not to change it.

I’ve run 1100s for 3G and trap/skeet and never had a problem with light target loads (store bought or reloads) running the guns. For the 3G games I find that things work best with mild trap loads and a light modified (or tighter) choke. My typical reload recipe involves: Win AA type hull + Winchester 209 primer or Fiocchi 209 + Claybuster or Winchester AA wads, 1 to 1 1/8 oz 7 ½ or 8 shot + 16.5 – 17.5 gr Hi-scor 700x (mec bushings 28, 29, or 30). These are all pretty mild loads. If I need to reach out farther than 20-25 yards or so for plates then a box of store bought high base duck loads with size 5 or 6 shot is handy.

[karlglen101]

Try your 1 1/8oz 3 DE (1200 fps) load in the Tac 4 1100. A load in the range should function just fine, but shooting a few will tell the tale.

Which load are you referring to? My trap load? The trap load is not even 1200fps.

I’m not sure why 1250fps is needed to function your gun. Have you actually verified this, or experienced problems if loads are slower? If you aren’t having problems with what you are using for your reloads, then my advice would be not to change it.

I’ve run 1100s for 3G and trap/skeet and never had a problem with light target loads (store bought or reloads) running the guns. For the 3G games I find that things work best with mild trap loads and a light modified (or tighter) choke. My typical reload recipe involves: Win AA type hull + Winchester 209 primer or Fiocchi 209 + Claybuster or Winchester AA wads, 1 to 1 1/8 oz 7 ½ or 8 shot + 16.5 – 17.5 gr Hi-scor 700x (mec bushings 28, 29, or 30). These are all pretty mild loads. If I need to reach out farther than 20-25 yards or so for plates then a box of store bought high base duck loads with size 5 or 6 shot is handy.

I have tried the trap load. It seemed it would jam on about every other round or so. However, when I put the same loads in my 1100 trap, it would cycle them alright. I did some research awhile ago when trying to figure out why it was doing that. Based on the photos and information I uploaded to a different site, I was told to change my carrier dog follower spring. I did so, and really haven't been able to test it yet. I'm going to with my trap loads this week. However, I was also told by more than one person that they needed heavier loads to get their guns to cycle properly when they were demonstrating the same issues as mine was. So, the trap loads COULD be alright. Being that I have limited time before the first match this weekend, I don't want to take a chance. I was going to load some heavier loads to try at the range tomorrow with my normal trap loads. I looked up Alliants reloaders guide again and found that Green Dot with my other components will provide the 1250 I'm looking for so I think I'll give that a shot. The high base duck loads is also a good idea.

[chevyoneton]

I do not reload shotgun shells (yet) but was in a similiar situation to you a few weeks ago. I was about to shoot my first 3-Gun match with my 7 year old but unfired Remington Competition Master. Not wanting to show up at a match with an unfired gun, I threw 3 boxes of cheap Winchester #8 Wal-Mart specials in the truck and headed over to a buds to shoot some thrown clays. After a couple of boxes the shells started to not want to extract. A through cleaning and lubing and another trip to Wal-Mart for cheap Remington #8 shells and it ran fine for the match with no issues. I figured Remington Shells for a Remington Gun, makes sense right? I recommend that for the minimal cost of a few boxes of shells you just pick up a 100 count sleeve ($22.95 I think) of the Remington factory shells and eliminate one variable and worry before your first match. Then you can experiment afterwards with more time and less pressure.

I ran the stock IC tube for the whole match and did fine. I only missed one plate the whole match but then knocked down two with my next shot so the choke was not holding me back (my loading was). Looking back, I could have ran a Skeet tube on one stage which was mostly clays in holders and a light modified in a longer range all plate stage but the IC handled it all fine and I did not have to worry about changing tubes and keeping up with one more thing at my first match. And that brings me to a solid piece of advice from somebody who has been there and done it (even if it was only once) quit spending time reloading shells and practice loading them in the gun! You will be way ahead come match day running factory shells and having the extra gun loading practice under your belt!

[karlglen101]

I do not reload shotgun shells (yet) but was in a similiar situation to you a few weeks ago. I was about to shoot my first 3-Gun match with my 7 year old but unfired Remington Competition Master. Not wanting to show up at a match with an unfired gun, I threw 3 boxes of cheap Winchester #8 Wal-Mart specials in the truck and headed over to a buds to shoot some thrown clays. After a couple of boxes the shells started to not want to extract. A through cleaning and lubing and another trip to Wal-Mart for cheap Remington #8 shells and it ran fine for the match with no issues. I figured Remington Shells for a Remington Gun, makes sense right? I recommend that for the minimal cost of a few boxes of shells you just pick up a 100 count sleeve ($22.95 I think) of the Remington factory shells and eliminate one variable and worry before your first match. Then you can experiment afterwards with more time and less pressure.

I ran the stock IC tube for the whole match and did fine. I only missed one plate the whole match but then knocked down two with my next shot so the choke was not holding me back (my loading was). Looking back, I could have ran a Skeet tube on one stage which was mostly clays in holders and a light modified in a longer range all plate stage but the IC handled it all fine and I did not have to worry about changing tubes and keeping up with one more thing at my first match. And that brings me to a solid piece of advice from somebody who has been there and done it (even if it was only once) quit spending time reloading shells and practice loading them in the gun! You will be way ahead come match day running factory shells and having the extra gun loading practice under your belt!

Thanks! I have been practicing quite a bit. I'm waiting on some belt caddys to come in the mail, so I've just been practicing with 4 in the hand. Out of curiosity, how long is your barrel? I didn't even think about changing choke tubes inbetween stages. I'll take my other tubes with me. I'm used to running a full choke, even in my 22", for shooting trap. I know, 22" for trap is funny, but it makes me damn quick to get on the bird!.

[LSnSC]

I'm not a fan of the Dot powders for gas guns. Clays and Universal Clays are by far the cleanest shotgun powders Ive used. They are all I use in my gas guns. Universal will get you where you want to go, and behave well in your 1100's gas system.

FWIW, The powder that Winchester uses in their promo loads will really gum up an 1100's gas system. We dont let the kids on our Sporting Clays team shoot them in gas guns of any type.

The Federal promo loads are much cleaner and a better quality shell for the same price.

[EkuJustice]

+ 1 on clays powder. If your plan on reloading the hulls much, use the remington STS hulls. They are a 1 piece hull unlike the promo hulls and even the AAs. I can check my book, but the 1200 FPS load with a 1 1/8 oz is where you want to be. Mine will run 1oz loads comfortably and that is what I shoot.

[chevyoneton]

Thanks! I have been practicing quite a bit. I'm waiting on some belt caddys to come in the mail, so I've just been practicing with 4 in the hand. Out of curiosity, how long is your barrel? I didn't even think about changing choke tubes inbetween stages. I'll take my other tubes with me. I'm used to running a full choke, even in my 22", for shooting trap. I know, 22" for trap is funny, but it makes me damn quick to get on the bird!.

Standard CM barrel 22" I think. One of the Sage old 3-Gun hands told me he changes choke tubes every stage. I don't doubt it but I also don't see how it could have possibly helped my performance any. I have ordered a couple of extended tubes just in case I want to change quickly during a match. I really should just spend the time "gaming" the stage and planning my reloads instead of changing choke tubes though.

[warpspeed]

The go to load for 3 gun is a 3 dram eq load; 1 1/8 oz @ 1200 fps. You can get there with Red Dot but you will have better results with something like Green Dot. Red Dot is a better powder for 1 oz loads.

Alliant has a great tool on their website called the Reloaders Guide. It is an interactive guide to recipes.

You want to follow them exactly especially if you are pushing the max listed loads, which I do not like to do myself.

Thanks. I've used the Alliant reloader's guide. That's how I made the trap load I have now. I was told by a few different people (and read elsewhere) that I need to get the load to at least 1250fps for my gun to function properly. Is Green Dot a slower burning powder?

Yes it is slower and designed for 1 1/8 @ 1250.

For higher velocity you would be looking at hunting loads and there are different powders designed for that.