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Remington 1100 barrel question

9K views 33 replies 12 participants last post by  billybob123 
#1 ·
Anyone ever have threaded chokes put onto a fixed choke older Remington 1100 in 12 gauge. Thinking about having one or two of mine threaded to use better chokes for duck hunting.
 
#4 ·
noweil said:
What are the barrels choked now? If they are choked full you can always just have the chokes opened up.
I had the barrels on two of them opened up to IM. The other was already modified. I have tried many different loads of commercial ammo at 40 yards and am really not happy with any of the patterns. I've tried everything from BB to #4 shot in all brands. Don't get me wrong, at 35-40 yards we're still doing ok but I feel like the patterns could tighten up somewhat and end up with fewer cripples. Personally I moved to #2 shot because I found that I either drop them dead or they fly away unscathed and I prefer it that way.
 
#5 ·
billybob123 said:
noweil said:
What are the barrels choked now? If they are choked full you can always just have the chokes opened up.
I had the barrels on two of them opened up to IM. The other was already modified. I have tried many different loads of commercial ammo at 40 yards and am really not happy with any of the patterns. I've tried everything from BB to #4 shot in all brands. Don't get me wrong, at 35-40 yards we're still doing ok but I feel like the patterns could tighten up somewhat and end up with fewer cripples. Personally I moved to #2 shot because I found that I either drop them dead or they fly away unscathed and I prefer it that way.
Your Mod choked barrel should be the better patterning of the two ? The full choked barrel being real close to .036/.038
constriction . I have played around opening Wingmaster 870 barrels to MY satisfaction , with this I've found a constriction of
.015 to be the most useful WITH most steel shot sizes . The IM constriction does work rather well with 2's thru B's for targets
closer to 50 yds and beyond But the LM can be stretched for distance to work out to 50 yds once you find the holy-grail by
choosing the factory load it likes.....I do load what mine likes !
With your older 1100's being 3'' guns......there should be enough barrel wall thickness to have it OR one of them threaded
for choke-tubes...just go with a reputable company as they HAVE TO BE true to the axis of the bore !

3200
 
#6 ·
billybob123 said:
noweil said:
What are the barrels choked now? If they are choked full you can always just have the chokes opened up.
I had the barrels on two of them opened up to IM. The other was already modified. I have tried many different loads of commercial ammo at 40 yards and am really not happy with any of the patterns. I've tried everything from BB to #4 shot in all brands. Don't get me wrong, at 35-40 yards we're still doing ok but I feel like the patterns could tighten up somewhat and end up with fewer cripples. Personally I moved to #2 shot because I found that I either drop them dead or they fly away unscathed and I prefer it that way.
With factory Rem Chokes, the tightest choke I use for steel is usually a Modified. Most of my shooting is with Improved Cylinder. Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Light Mod, or Modified is about all I use for steel. There have only been a few times I have used a factory full with #3 steel for a tight dense pattern. Maybe open your IM to LM or IC and see how it patterns.
 
#7 ·
I will add something to this Question as a fella thinks , screw chokes are better !

I think it's better to have a Good fixed choked barrel and by patterning different loads until you find ( the holy-grail )
that fits your needs ! I say this because , I can reload ammo to suit the constrictions ability and I can see this on the
patterning board ( with better patterns ) as I adjust the payload and the velocity . Shot size does determine distance
and ( in my testing ) I have found less constriction to shoot Bigger Shot better and with a more open choke , with
smaller shot , I have a larger EFFECTIVE pattern to put on a target inside 45 yds .

AS some fellas think , changing chokes makes them a better shooter , I have found , it doesn't increase my ability to
hit the target but , it can limit my ability at distances I normally don't miss (much) . But as we all know with screw chokes
when you have them , most fellas find the one they like ( after buying many ) and use just that choke .

Maybe you just like the options of carrying 3 or 4 chokes ? What is the point if you know what works Best for you ?

3200
 
#8 ·
3200 man said:
I will add something to this Question as a fella thinks , screw chokes are better !

I think it's better to have a Good fixed choked barrel and by patterning different loads until you find ( the holy-grail )
that fits your needs ! I say this because , I can reload ammo to suit the constrictions ability and I can see this on the
patterning board ( with better patterns ) as I adjust the payload and the velocity . Shot size does determine distance
and ( in my testing ) I have found less constriction to shoot Bigger Shot better and with a more open choke , with
smaller shot , I have a larger EFFECTIVE pattern to put on a target inside 45 yds .

AS some fellas think , changing chokes makes them a better shooter , I have found , it doesn't increase my ability to
hit the target but , it can limit my ability at distances I normally don't miss (much) . But as we all know with screw chokes
when you have them , most fellas find the one they like ( after buying many ) and use just that choke .

Maybe you just like the options of carrying 3 or 4 chokes ? What is the point if you know what works Best for you ?

3200
I've tried pretty much all of the normal available commercial ammo and am not very satisfied with the patterns on any of our 3 guns we use for duck hunting. Last year I spent over $200 just on trying out ammo for each specific gun and wasn't happy at all. I guess I could reload and try to make a satisfactory load but most of the loads I shot were less than 60% in a 30" cirlce at 40 yards. To me, that's just not a good scenario. I went strictly to #2 shot because if I miss they fly away unscathed and if I hit them they go down right away. I hate cripling birds and figured that since the patterns were crap anyway I wanted either a clean hit/down bird or a clean miss and the bird flies away unhurt.
 
#9 ·
So why not go with a 1 1/4 oz of 3's ? I can't imagine anyone needing more pellets in the air and if your shots
are at 45 to 50 yds....you're covered , with the energy this shot size puts out ! Any load of this shot size from 1 oz
to 1 1/4 oz traveling in the upper 1400's will kill Ducks of any size.....if you hit'em !

I have found ( for ME ) a 438 grs to 492 grs to be just right....for best patterns , and they are closer to 1500 fps !

3200
 
#10 ·
3200 man said:
So why not go with a 1 1/4 oz of 3's ? I can't imagine anyone needing more pellets in the air and if your shots
are at 45 to 50 yds....you're covered , with the energy this shot size puts out ! Any load of this shot size from 1 oz
to 1 1/4 oz traveling in the upper 1400's will kill Ducks of any size.....if you hit'em !

I have found ( for ME ) a 438 grs to 492 grs to be just right....for best patterns , and they are closer to 1500 fps !

3200
I did pattern 3's and they actually didn't pattern as well as 2's in my gun or my son's gun. I tried Rio's, Fiochiis and Federal. I would love to find a load of 3's that would work good in all of our guns or at least reasonable in all of our guns.
 
#11 ·
I can tell you MY reloads work great , with consistency on the patterning board and over the chrony.....but , if you
thing $200. was a lot , don't get into reloading unless you want the best ammo......In my case , if you added a zero to
what you have spent...you'd be getting close , as there's always NEW loads to try , Test ..... :yes: Good Ones Too !

3200
 
#12 ·
3200 man said:
I can tell you MY reloads work great , with consistency on the patterning board and over the chrony.....but , if you
thing $200. was a lot , don't get into reloading unless you want the best ammo......In my case , if you added a zero to
what you have spent...you'd be getting close , as there's always NEW loads to try , Test ..... :yes: Good Ones Too !

3200
I got into reloading back in the good days of lead shot in the 70's so it's a little late to not get into it now. I had a load worked up that was murder on mallards at 60 yards and beyond. Back then 1 7/8 oz of lead didn't rock me that bad. I haven't reloaded for steel however as most of our hunting doesn't require steel. I do have the reloading adapters etc to be able to reload steel with my MEC. Any advice or recommendations on loads for #3 would be welcomed. I have a feeling that's about the only way I am going to get loads I am happy with since the commercial stuff isn't doing what I think it should be doing at this point. If I could get a load that is 65% pattern at 40 yards I would be doing cartwheels (I can't do cartwheels).
 
#13 ·
billybob123 said:
If I could get a load that is 65% pattern at 40 yards I would be doing cartwheels (I can't do cartwheels).
if you can not get 65% patterns with factory steel you need to replace the barrels with screw in choke type and get a few TruLock choke tubes. I have often got to 90% + patterns with factory steel and certain choke / load / gun combinations.

My favorite lead shot load was 1-1/4 oz of #4 or #2 loaded in AA hulls. Never used 3" mags back then as this load never let me down and patterned fantastic out of fixed full choked browning auto-5's
 
#14 ·
billybob

Maybe with the Mec loader you have , you should try RSI #65 ? I really like this load out of a (REM) .728 bored barrel ,
as it being a standard bore , less payload seems to pattern better or go with a 1 1/16 oz factory load with 3 shot ?
This shot size with a velocity of ( close to 1500 fps ) out of a (true) Mod choke is very dense at 40 yds and works better
with a little more open choke ( for me ) on decoying birds and back-up shots out past 45 yds .

It takes a good understanding of payload weight , shot size , velocity and pattern board work.....to kill birds at 60 yds
with steel shot out of a 12 ga gun , with any consistency ! Fellas that claim they can with factory ammo typically shoot
a box of shells (or more) for a limit of ducks , where as , the fellas that have done their homework are set-up for shooting just
that distance and are good at it !

3200
 
#15 ·
3200 man said:
billybob

Maybe with the Mec loader you have , you should try RSI #65 ? I really like this load out of a (REM) .728 bored barrel ,
as it being a standard bore , less payload seems to pattern better or go with a 1 1/16 oz factory load with 3 shot ?
This shot size with a velocity of ( close to 1500 fps ) out of a (true) Mod choke is very dense at 40 yds and works better
with a little more open choke ( for me ) on decoying birds and back-up shots out past 45 yds .

It takes a good understanding of payload weight , shot size , velocity and pattern board work.....to kill birds at 60 yds
with steel shot out of a 12 ga gun , with any consistency ! Fellas that claim they can with factory ammo typically shoot
a box of shells (or more) for a limit of ducks , where as , the fellas that have done their homework are set-up for shooting just
that distance and are good at it !

3200
Thanks for the info. I personally try to not shoot anything beyond 40 yards unless it's follow up shots on a bird already hit. I just don't have the confidence to make clean ethical kills at long ranges and I hate wounding birds. I'm just going to have to buckle down and reload until I get loads I am satisfied with. Luckily I live out in the country and it takes all of 4 minutes to get to my shooting spot to test my loads. I've seen a lot of posts on this site of patterns by other guys and many of them just flat out boggle my mind with the great amount of the pellets hitting inside the 30" circle. I would love to go down to lighter loads yet have denser patterns because I have shoulder issues and am not even sure if I will be able to shoot right handed any more. I would be happy to get a 75% pattern at 40 yards with either #2 or #3 shot and lighter loads. Hopefully with the right choke and load combo I can achieve my goal. Where is the best place online to order steel reloading components from? I have several thousand AA hulls sitting in my garage begging to be reloaded.
 
#17 ·
3200 man said:
I can only offer this little secret ! save the AA's for lead shot and use FED GM's or Cheddite Hulls for steel shot !
It will be a easier way to get your loads to pattern 75% or more !

Ballistic Products .com
Reloading Specialties Inc
Precision Reloading

3200
First I don't want 75% patterns for shooting ducks over decoys so I use extended IC chokes. Also RSI 107 with a 1 oz load of 3's in the AA hull easily kills to 50 yds is one of my favorite loads. I shoot 1 oz loads in the Cheddite hulls and 7/8 oz loads in the GM hulls. Ned
 
#18 ·
NedSwygard said:
3200 man said:
I can only offer this little secret ! save the AA's for lead shot and use FED GM's or Cheddite Hulls for steel shot !
It will be a easier way to get your loads to pattern 75% or more !

Ballistic Products .com
Reloading Specialties Inc
Precision Reloading

3200
First I don't want 75% patterns for shooting ducks over decoys so I use extended IC chokes. Also RSI 107 with a 1 oz load of 3's in the AA hull easily kills to 50 yds is one of my favorite loads. I shoot 1 oz loads in the Cheddite hulls and 7/8 oz loads in the GM hulls. Ned
Ned , is that with a CF'ed AA or a HS hull ?

I do like the reloading ease of Straight-walled hulls with the proper wad....and....size of primer as pitch loads !
 
#19 ·
Keep the info coming guys. I met with a local duck hunter over the weekend who reloads a lot and we're going to work together to get some reloads made that my guns like. There should be enough time between now and hunting season to fine tune the loads and still give me time to have the barrels threaded and choked if absolutely necessary. Any experience you care to share will be greatly appreciated.
 
#21 ·
Theduckguru said:
billybob123 said:
Anyone ever have threaded chokes put onto a fixed choke older Remington 1100 in 12 gauge. Thinking about having one or two of mine threaded to use better chokes for duck hunting.
i would not spend the money to have an 1100 tubed.
If I can get some decent patterns, like 75% or better then I won't. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can come up with some reloads that pattern well in my current barrels.
 
#22 ·
billybob123 said:
Theduckguru said:
billybob123 said:
Anyone ever have threaded chokes put onto a fixed choke older Remington 1100 in 12 gauge. Thinking about having one or two of mine threaded to use better chokes for duck hunting.
i would not spend the money to have an 1100 tubed.
If I can get some decent patterns, like 75% or better then I won't. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can come up with some reloads that pattern well in my current barrels.
For what it's worth.
IMHO one of the biggest mistakes people make is having their fixed full choked barrels opened up before trying them with steel loads. If it's an older very thin walled barrel then yes you could bulge it, but I have shot steel through several fixed full barreled guns and have not damaged any of them if they are fairly thick walled, my 870 fixed full barrel handles steel just fine and throws very nice 80% patterns with RSI loads at 40 yards.
Your not going to shoot 75% patterns if you open the gun up to Modified or I/C constriction unless your planning on using larger sized steel shot if you keep your shot sizes to #2 or under you can shoot steel through most fixed full guns that are not very thin walled.
 
#23 ·
BT Justice said:
billybob123 said:
Theduckguru said:
billybob123 said:
Anyone ever have threaded chokes put onto a fixed choke older Remington 1100 in 12 gauge. Thinking about having one or two of mine threaded to use better chokes for duck hunting.
i would not spend the money to have an 1100 tubed.
If I can get some decent patterns, like 75% or better then I won't. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can come up with some reloads that pattern well in my current barrels.
For what it's worth.
IMHO one of the biggest mistakes people make is having their fixed full choked barrels opened up before trying them with steel loads. If it's an older very thin walled barrel then yes you could bulge it, but I have shot steel through several fixed full barreled guns and have not damaged any of them if they are fairly thick walled, my 870 fixed full barrel handles steel just fine and throws very nice 80% patterns with RSI loads at 40 yards.
Your not going to shoot 75% patterns if you open the gun up to Modified or I/C constriction unless your planning on using larger sized steel shot if you keep your shot sizes to #2 or under you can shoot steel through most fixed full guns that are not very thin walled.
When I contacted Remington they said NOT to shoot any steel shot in the full choke 1100 barrels of the guns that I have (they're all at least 30 years old). I actually have tried steel in them a few times but with factory ammo and the patterns were not too good. I tried 2, 3 & 4 steel. Two of them are still full choke and the other I had opened just a tad to Improved Modified. My other one is a fixed IC choke. I think my B2000 is either IM or Modified. I'm going to try the IC and IM and see what patterns I can get with reloads. I am thinking of going with just #3 shot for now. I do hate to open up the remaining fulls but I am also concerned with shooting steel in them since Remington said not to.
 
#26 ·
This is from Remington's website
We do not recommend the use of steel shot through any barrel manufactured before 1963 or through any barrel having a fixed Full choke. Anything larger would not perform well out of a fixed full choke and could open up your muzzle over time.
If you have barrels manufactured after 1963, with fixed Modified or Improved Cylinder chokes, you may shoot up to size #2 steel shot. The use of steel shot larger than size #2 is only recommended in modern barrels with the Rem Choke system.
If you have the Rem Choke system, you may shoot any size steel through the Improved Cylinder and Modified choke tubes. The Full choke tube must state "For Steel or Lead" to be capable of handling steel shot.

Usually the fixed full choke barrels made from the late 1970's or early 1980's and up we've found to handle steel shot well, anything older than that and I wouldn't use a fixed full for steel. Your gun's so you have to make the final decision on it.
 
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