Rem. 11-87 upland special

doc bungee

doc bungee

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Hi all, I am looking at purchasing a Remington semi-auto 11-87 premier upland special 12 gage shot gun with a british style stock (straight). Has anyone any issues with this gun and is the handling of this gun any different than shooting a pistol grip style.

Thanks, doc bungee
 
I've never handled one, but it may be a nice handling gun, on paper. If you shorten the barrel on a typical pump or semi, you lose the smooth swinging momentum and can get a very choppy abrupt swing. Part of this is because you've got such a strong grip on it both front and back, at the pistol-gripped wrist. However, if you make it a straight wrist, your grip is now much much weaker and you can't readily horse the gun around. Your extended front hand and arm alone now does more of the pointing. If you extend your front hand forward on the forestock, you'll further lessen your ability to jerk the gun around. And because it's not a pump, you don't have to worry about holding a strong grip on the foreend as all the front hand is doing is supporting the gun not pumping the action.
 
I find that the straight stock design makes me keep my elbow up and that, when I keep my elbow up, my swing is smoother. This seems to affect shots where the motion is left to right more so than the other way around.

I suspect this is because, as I swing to the right, the twisting of my torso tends to pull my left arm down. (I'm right-handed.) Keeping my right elbow up, counteracts that downward pull.

I've observed the same effect with pistol gripped stocks, but the difference seems to be that the "English" stock offers some mitigation.

You didn't ask this question but, if this gun is intended primarily for upland birds and, if you're buying it new and therefore have a choice, I'd recommend you go with the 20 gauge model. The difference in weight makes for a much livelier gun and makes it easier to carry the weight afield for a long day. The differences in loads, however, is negligible.

EDITED TO ADD: Make sure you handle a sample with the straight stock so you can see if the drop is right and you can sight down the barrel properly without having to "scrunch" down.
 
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In 12 bore it becomes a "poke" shooter. Too bulky for it's overall length. Rings your ears too. The 20 (as straight shooter mentioned) is more dynamic. I read that the straight stock enabled shooters shooting doubles with two triggers a smoother transition from front to back trigger. They do look nice. I owned a 12 bore and 20 bore 870 Special Field. They worked but I am back to 26" barrels on my upland guns now.

regards, Darryl
 
Thanks for the feed back on this issue, as a rookie "shotgunner" I appreciate the fact that maybe I should be looking at the 20 bore. Have any of you guys suggest any other models I should be looking at that would be a versatile, reliable and economical? Should I be looking at a pump rather than a semi?

Doc Bungee.
 
Pumps are great. But, for even better versatility, an U/O is probably your best bet. Before I get flamed to burnt toast, I should add that my personal preferences run to classic side-by-sides, certain pumps, and cool stuff like lever shotguns and revolving chamber shotguns. My tastes are irrelevent, however, because I have the luxury of buying each gun for a particular purpose - which brings me back to versatility. For everything from trap, skeet, sporting clays, down to upland birds, migratory, and small game, U/O's can do it all. 20 gauge is best for many of those, but once again, 12 covers them all at least adequately.

SUMMARY: Go with U/O in 12 gauge (if versatility, durability, and reasonable cost are your primary drivers).
 
Economical and reliable shotgun.

Any suggestions on what type of O/U might under a 1K might get me? and where? Used maybe?
 
I disagree.

Even with your palm fixed on the wrist, with a pistol grip you finger has to move up and back in a very unnatural motion to move from the front to rear trigger. With a straight grip, you finger is coming straight back in the direction it naturally bends.
 
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