Remington 11-87 for Clay target/light loads

Lucky Man

Lucky Man

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I recently purchased a Camo 11-87 3", with the intent of using it for Sporting Clay rain gun, but when I took it out to the skeet range to test it, the gun was sporadic at cycling the target loads for the second load.
Any suggestion on how to make the gun more dependable cycling?
Thanks
 
The 1100 and 11-87 had their day but much better guns out there. They still have a following but I gave up on them long ago for the cycling issues you mention. I tried everything from shooting dry to lightly oiled and always got those cycling issues somewhere on the course be it sporting or skeet. Couple guys still shooting them at our club and parts are getting scarcer to get.
 
Best wet weather semi from my experience is a Benelli. With their inertia action limited worries of rain affecting the action as you would get in a gas operated action. Having said that I’ve bought a Beretta A300 Ultima 20 gauge for Sporting in nasty weather when I leave the O/U home. Had that gun out on some wet days on a 100:round course and runs great.
 
Newer guns have a compensating gas system that is designed to deal with light and heavy loads. Older guns required that you used different barrels for different loads. These barrels had different size gas ports to accommodate the shell strength. The 11-87 was an attempt by Remington to modernize the 1100, and theoretically included a compensating gas system. Whether this system lived up to its intent is subject to debate. You might wish to try some "handicap" target loads with your current setup.
Otherwise, perhaps you can find a better suited barrel, or get the current barrels ports drilled out slightly.
 
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The 1187 makes a fine sporting clay/skeet gun.....wet weather has zero affect on a gas gun also.

The 1187 does have a gas compensating system which bleeds off excess gas when shooting heavy hunting loads.....enabling it to also cycle normal birdshot lighter loads....however it still bleeds off too much gas to cycle the very light target loads...at least the cheaper crap anyway.

Rem does make a target barrel for the 1187 which is designed to shoot light target loads only...it is also a 2 3/4in only barrel....they also marketed the 1187 Premier skeet which came with that barrel.

If you already have an 1187 or desire to shoot one for target use...which they make an excellent gun for ....your options to cycle target loads reliably are to get an 1187 target barrel....or open up the ports on an existing standard 1187 barrel.

The issue isnt the action but only how much gas is bled off.

I have a 1187 Premier skeet gun and it is 100% reliable with any target load...and is a wonderful skeet/sporting clay/5 stand gun.
I also have a 1100 standard 2 3/4in gun and it is also 100% reliable with target loads and also a fine target gun.
 
All of my 1100 and 11-87 cycle most anything they are basically the same gun except for the gas ring set-up. I keep them clean and lightly lube the mag tube and replace the gas ring seal often. My clays gun all run smoothly without any gas port mods even light target loads. Maybe just lucky but my Browning and Beretta clays guns do not run any better than my Remmies.
 
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Your cycling issue has more to do with ammo than weather. What load are you using? 1100's and 1187's operate best on 3 dram loads be they 1oz or 1 1/8oz. when it comes to recycling fully. They need loads that develop a little "oomph" to make them run. From my past experience with them a 2 3/4 dram 1oz load tends to be inconsistent but move that up to a 2 3/4 dram 1 1/8 load(1145 fps) and it works. My suggestion is shoot 3 dram 1 oz(1250fps) to 1 1/8 oz(1205 fps) loads minimum. As you are shooting sporting clays you can shoot loads generating in excess of 1300 fps so don't be afraid to use them.
Also check your o-ring, make sure its clean and not cracked or split, pieces missing, loaded with carbon. 1100's and 1187's need to be kept clean and have a good o-ring on them to run. Keep the gas ports clean too. I used to have a drill bit the same diameter and would run it through the ports by hand spinning it with my fingers with a bit of solvent in the holes to loosen up and remove carbon. Finish by running a piece of pipe cleaner or a quick blast of compressed air through the ports.
 
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eurovw said:
That’s been my experience as well. Was curious about REM3200’s comment.
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Little late replying just noticed reply. My woes with 1100’s were at least 20 years ago with cycling failures. Beautiful guns but swore off them as failures on Sporting and skeet courses.

Had two different Beretta synthetic stocked 391’s I had bought for the purpose of a wet weather Sporting gun. Both of those guns gummed up in wet weather and wouldn’t cycle. Went to a Benelli Supersport which was flawless . I leave my O/U’s at home when inclement weather.
 
Take some ###Xbrass or steel wool and spin some on a bore brush. Chuck it in a drill and spray some oil in your chamber. Give the camber a good polishing. Charts for the proper drill sizes for the gas ports are on google and it’s different sides for different length barrels. Turn with your fingers cuz a broken drill in a gas ports not what you want.. Little things that can help.
 
terez has it. The 1100/1187 had a light contour target barrel with more open ports to cycle the lighter target loads. They were an extra add on or came on the premier target guns of various verities. They still have the archaic reliability issues but when they work are excellent. For wet and still cycling light loads, a gas gun (in my opinion) beats out anything inertia and each sporting or skeet event I attend has solidified this. Best value for money is a Winchester SX4 every day of the week and best overall for something easy to find almost anywhere is definitely a Beretta 400/300 dependant on budget.
 
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