Can You Shorten a Factory 1100 Barrel without Problems?

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

I would like to know about the Remington 1100. If I were to pick up a stock 12 gauge 1100 that is used and several years old, could I shorten the barrel without having any reliability problems or any other trouble in other areas? I am talking about going down to say 20 inches or so. Basically I would be turning a hunting gun into a Home Defense gun. I would also want to add a mag extension and other accessories that would be a benefit for use in a HD situation.

What do you all think about such a project? Anything to watch out for that would cause problems?

Thanks for the help.

BD

[Intel6]

I was given a non vent rib barrel for an 1100 for doing some work on a guys 1100. Since it didn't have a screw in choke I decided to cut it down to 18.5" for the heck of it. I chopped it down and while it didn't run the cheap stuff, it would run the heavier defensive loads. Since it will be a dedicated HD barrel you can always open up the gas ports to improve function.

Neal in AZ

[CenTX]

I had an 1100 Trap that I put an 20" rifle sighted barrel on in the early 80s. I would switch back and forth from the Trap to the short barrell, it was totally reliable with just about anything from my trap loads to buck.

[StealthyBlagga]

I chopped my 26" 11-87 barrel to 22" no problem - runs like a champ with any load I put in it, including low brass stuff from WalMart. The only difference is that the 1100 does not have the self-adjusting gas system on the barrel. I would go ahead and cut it... worse case, you have to open up the gas ports to make it run 100%.

[Crabbys44]

Hey all,

I would like to know about the Remington 1100. If I were to pick up a stock 12 gauge 1100 that is used and several years old, could I shorten the barrel without having any reliability problems or any other trouble in other areas? I am talking about going down to say 20 inches or so. Basically I would be turning a hunting gun into a Home Defense gun. I would also want to add a mag extension and other accessories that would be a benefit for use in a HD situation.

What do you all think about such a project? Anything to watch out for that would cause problems?

Thanks for the help.

BD

Keep it over 18" and you won't have to worry about jack boots!

I've used 18" 11-87s and never had any problems. Of course we only shot Fiocci 00 and slugs!

[RH45]

The gas ports are sized in relationship to the length of the barrel. When you shorten the barrel, it will reduce gas pressure, so if you shoot light, "gamer" loads, you MAY have to open the gas ports a little bit.

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

Thanks for the advice. I doubt if I would be able to pick up an 11-87 at the price I can pay, they are just too expensive. The 1100 is much less expensive and that's why I am concentrating on it. I was looking around a shop that carries a lot of USED stuff for different options to set up a RANGE FUN and HD shotgun and along with the 870, I looked at the 1100. There were lots of different guns at all different prices.

I would want it to be able to reliably shoot HD or Home Protection stuff foremost and then I would LIKE it to be able to function reliably with the Value Paks at Wally and other Sporting Goods stores that are 1 1/8th OZ target loads. I think it would be a hoot to stride out to the line with a tricked out 21 inch 1100 with the mag extension and other mods and shoot clays against my buddies that would have full size 870's, Ithacas, Winchester M12's and others. It would just be for fun anyway, nothing serious at all. I can see it now.....

As far as the adjusting of gas ports, would that be something that an amateur home gun tinkerer could do or would it have to be sent to someone that worked on Remington 1100's? If I understand what you all have said, it would be OK to cut back the barrel to say 20 or 21 inches on a 1100 without suffering any reliability or function problems?

If I am able to come up with a 21 inch barrel for my Benelli M1 S90 I wouldn't have to do something like this. But it looks like finding a barrel is harder than I thought it would be......and more expensive too. Those 21 inch barrels are SCARCE...

Thanks for the help everyone.

BD

[kurtm]

You could always have your Benelli barrel cut to around 22 1/2", as I remember, or so and have it rethreaded for chokes cheaper than buying an 1100. KurtM

[Nalapombu]

Yeah I could have it cut and rethreaded. I have checked into it with several places. To have it done would cost about $225 and up, depending on how detailed I want it and the chokes used. Apparently when you cut back the Super 90 barrel it is too thin to rethread for the factory choke tubes, instead you have to have special THIN WALLED choke tubes installed. I would also want the vent rib to be shortened and matched up nicely. I am told that they can cut it back to a point where the rib attaches to the barrel and leave it that way meaning it wouldn't be blended in like it is now and it certainly wouldn't look as nice. In just don't think it would look that good, maybe I'm wrong. It certainly would be less expensive than the 1100, you're right. I have recently came to the conclusion that it would be smarter to either wait to find a 21 inch M1 barrel and try to trade my 24 inch for it or sell mine and get it OR get a 21 inch M2 barrel and try and work a similar deal with them. Or I could always have a dealer order me a new M2 barrel and just sell mine and pay the difference which might be as much as $150 or so. If I go that route I would have to buy a new M2 forend because the one on my M1 won't fit the M2 barrel. Who knows how much that forend alone would cost. Benelli told me $159, but I expected that. NOTHING is cheap at Benelli.

So many choices.....

Thanks.

BD

[StealthyBlagga]

Why can you not just use the 24 inch M1 barrel as it is ? Do you anticipate that the extra 3" is going to be a complete show stopper in 3-gun ? If so, you are mistaken. My Tactical Division shotgun has a 22" barrel, but I have a longer mag tube so the gun is as long as if it had a 26" barrel. I don't feel this handicaps me at all. Indeed. for most "outlaw"/IMGA matches, its an advantage to have more than the minimum 8+1 capacity. If I were you, I would save your $$$, buy a 9+1 or 10+1 magazine extension, then go shoot some matches.

Here is a photo of my shotgun. By no means is it the longest shotgun out there either.

If you absolutely MUST have a 21" barrel (e.g. for tactical reasons ), why not just chop the barrel and leave it unchoked ? Hell, you could do this yourself for the price of a bottle of cold blue. That's what I did with the gun above, and it works fine. When I need a bit more punch (such as for distant, heavy steels), I just load some Heavy Game loads. The sawn off barrel is great for close-range clays. This approach lets me adapt on the fly during a stage, rather than having to choose a compromise choke.

Edited April 24, 2009 by StealthyBlagga