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I have a model 1100 Remington shotgun and it's a 20 gauge. I am wondering if I can buy an 18.5 inch barrel so I could convert it to a tactual shotgun, to keep in my house for defense? Where is best place to buy a short barrel like the I described.

Would this be a good gun to convert to use for this situation or not?

Thank you

Joe Skaggs

First, is it a standard weight - serial number ends in X or N - or a Lightweight - ends in K or U. And if it's a lightweight, is it an LT or an LW?
I would not recommend it for anything but an LT. Barrels are scarce and no longer made for the other two.
I have never seen an 18" factory barrel. Shortest was 21". An 1100 may have issues with a shorter barrel because of the gas operation. However, you could shorten a barrel and then open the gas ports just enough so that you get 100% operation with your desired load. Once you got it set up correctly, it is as reliable a semi auto as you could get.

Good advice and great to have a very knowledgeable member Virginian. 1100s are great guns but ya gotta know what you have exactly when it comes to barrel swapping. Ended up finding a smoothbore slug barrel for my Winny 1300 instead of dragging the 1100 TB grade through the brush for deer. An 870 sure a lot easier for some folks. Thanks for advice on the difference in field barrels and target barrels on my 1100.

Thank you Virginian and mauser. I had been shopping for a 870 but thought I already have an 1100 maybe I could change barrels and save some money.

Thanks again.

Joe

Ps it is an 1100-LT.

I have a 12 gauge, Winchester 1400 maybe I will check on converting it.

I would not bet my life on a Winchester 1400. Or a 1200.

Virginian,

Your right, after writing that I new it would be a bad choice. It lives up to it's reputation. Sometimes it hangs-up when loading the third shell.

Thanks,

Joe

I think I'll look for a good used 870 tactical.

Joe

Virginian or mauser9,

I found a barrel listed as:

Remington 1100 LT 20 Gauge 21 Inch MOD CHOKE VR YOUTH BARREL, Shotgun Barrel.

Would it work with my gun which is a 20 gauge , Model 1100-LT. Serial number N686455K.

Thank you

Joe

Yes. Any LT 20 barrel will work. Even a Special Field barrel. The 870 SFs were different but the 1100s are not. That youth barrel is possibly matte black and won't match if that matters to you.

Virginian,

Thank you again for your help.

I hope you have a wonderful New Year.

Joe

Welcome to the Remington Owners Forum Joe !!

I bought my 1100 with an 18.5" barrel. I love it, it is the third 1100 I have owned.

Virginian wrote:I would not bet my life on a Winchester 1400. Or a 1200.

I have a Winchester 1200, bought new at the Izmir, Turkey NATO Rod and Gun club back in 1973 for my wife. It's the only pump we have, and must say it has always functioned perfectly. I just missed out on a Rem 870 and would have gotten it at the time, but had to take what was available. I had earlier purchased a model 1100 12 ga for myself, and acquired a really beat up 1100 LT 20 ga which I restored last year.

The little Winchester had the stock shortened and a recoil pad installed to help the wife with recoil, so it's a bit short for me. In that 44 years it has probably had well less than one box of shell a year average fired through it, most in the first couple of years, so it's in very pristine condition. It currently sits loaded behind the bedroom door.

Problem with 1200s is/was that the plastic parts have a history of breaking. Yes there are some guns that have never had a problem in all those years, but they have not redesigned upgraded the 1200/ 1300/ Speed Pump/ SXP four times for nothing.
Back in the 60s we had a Winchester shooting club in my hometown and they rented guns for 25 or 50 cents a round. A friend got a job there. The had a 55 gallon barrel in the back where they would put broken guns, and when it got full they would ship them all back to Winchester for repair. That barrel used to fill up with scary regularity.

Hmm. That's crappy news. Am a solid 1100 fan but admit I own a Winny 1300 Upland I bought back in 99. Admit it ain't no Wingmaster with the aluminum receiver but has held up so far but I admit it does not get a lot of rounds through it. Bought it mainly for bird season. Did come with a semi fancy walnut stock which is more pleasing than synthetic in my book. I admit the triggers are not nearly as crisp as an older 1100 or 870.

The 1300s always did feel very good to me and the ones I shot did well. But alas two of those belonged to acquaintances who sold them after something broke.

I have an 1100 20 gauge serial number on the receiver is L921014X. Any idea's on how old this shotgun is?

It is a standard weight 1100 built on the 12 gauge sized receiver, built between 1968 and 1974. I would guess 1973. If the barrel is original to the gun, that would nail it IF it has a date code.

Virginian wrote:Problem with 1200s is/was that the plastic parts have a history of breaking. Yes there are some guns that have never had a problem in all those years, but they have not redesigned upgraded the 1200/ 1300/ Speed Pump/ SXP four times for nothing.

What plastic parts. I just looked at the wife's old 1200 and do not see any plastic. As it is now a loaded house gun I could not see the magazine follower, I suspect it may be plastic but do not know. My Rem 1100 from the same year had a plastic follower, and the one Rem I restored had a plastic follower so swollen that the gun was basically a single shot when I got it. The 1200, at 45 years old has always functioned and never failed. It is by no means my preferred shotgun, just giving our experience. I do prefer the 1100 any day, or a double barrel.

I am glad your shotgun is fine, and hope it remains so. Plastic magazine followers are very common and normally no problem. It has been over 35 years I believe since I worked on a 1200. I seem to recall feed throat issues, among others. I also sold guns and would not order/sell 1200s or 1400s.