20 ga. Remington 1100 questions

[cmzneb]

I purchased a used 1100 in 20 gauge since my 10 year old wants to shoot 3 gun matches.

I bought an extended mag tube for the 20 gauge, however when I went to put it on.... It appears the gun has a 12 gauge size mag tube. So I take the mag tube extension off of my 11-87 (12 gauge) and sure enough it screws right on to the 20 gauge, and I can load 8 shells in it.

When I bought the gun I took it out and ran 1 box of shells through it, and it ran just fine. Only hang up is that when loading the shells into the tube, they don't go in there real smooth. You kind of have to push down on them hard and it sometimes the shell just won't go until you pull it back and start over.

Flipping the gun over and looking at the loading gate area comparing the 20 ga. 1100 and 12 ga. 11-87, it appears they are exactly the same size. I cannot get a 12 gauge shell in the tube though on the 1100.

Things didn't smooth up any when I put the 12 gauge mag extension on it either. My question is..... Did I buy a 12 gauge 1100 that someone converted over to a 20 gauge? Or is this just some old strange way that Remington first made 1100 20 gauges?

Thanks!

[GentlemanJim]

The old old 20ga was built on a 12ga frame but has different bolt ,interceptor latch and feed latch.

The reciever has a different cut in the front rail for control of the smaller 20ga shell.

All other parts interchange with 12ga.

That old gun is one of remingtons highest quality guns...most were made in the 1960s.

Jim

[Mick]

I bought a Remington "LT20" in '78 that is the scaled down model.

You can still get the ez loader gate to work by trimming it and Choate makes the correct mag tubes.

Edited November 12, 2007 by Mick

[BPiatt]

Hang onto that gun.... It's perfect for 3gun for several reasons

1. The extra weight of the receiver will soften the recoil,

2. The loading port, being bigger, will make it easier to load

3. Internal parts will be easier to find/beg/borrow/steal from others at a match

I have a new 11-87 20ga. and like it. The main reason I wanted to try it was that I can

easily hold 5 rounds in my smaller hands, as will your son. With the scaled down 20 ga receivers,

the loading port is smaller so it's a little harder to load in the factory configuration. However it's nothing

a milling machine can't fix ;-) Because of the lower weight, I can swing it better but at the cost of increased recoil.

Your large frame 20ga should be the fix for all the issues I've encountered.