Gun Chokes for older remington 1100

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Greg E

Active member
Does anyone know if a removable choke system can be installed in an older (1980's) 3 inch 12 gauge remington 1100 30 inch full choke barrel to shoot steel? I've only started shooting steel out of this gun a year ago. Some say 1000 rounds and the patterns gone. Maybe that's my new excuse for missing birds.


Greg E
 
not sure where you are in nj but a freind of mine is a gunsmith and i know he has but screwin chokes into a couple of real old 870's. bushwackers gunshop in dorothy nj
 
I don't believe 1000 rounds of steel will ruin the barrel. I've shot a LH 1100 3" gun since the 70's and I see no difference now. I bought the 1100 just for steel as up until the change from lead to steel I shot doubles. If you want to go with screw in chokes I would call Gary Donavan in Verona, NY at 1-315-363-7041. My gun was in very poor condition after many years of saltwater running through it. I sent it back to Remington, they sent it to Gary and my gun was sent back to me looking like brand new a can now shoot low brass loads at the trap range. Gary's words to me were " The 1100 is the best shotgun Remington ever made"
 
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Greg,
if you dont use a local guy I would highly recommend Briley.

http://www.briley.com/briley-shotguns.aspx

They have changed their web site a bit but they are very good at chokes and tubes.

Give them a call for a quote.

You might save money by buying a screw choke barrel on GunBroker with the rem chokes.
 
You might save money by buying a screw choke barrel on GunBroker with the rem chokes.
Click to expand...

That would be my route...look for another barrel. There are enough 1100s out there, should be able to find a used one.

Is it just me, I thought you weren't supposed to shoot steel through a full choke because the shot got over compressed, and because steel goes not give like lead, upon exiting the barrel, it would scatter further and more iratically than desired...I always shoot IC...but then I try and take my shots within 35 yards or less, preferably less.

Truth...or old wive's tale?

Chuck
 
A 1980s barrel should be fine no matter how much steel you shoot. Some full chokes dont pattern well with steel, have you patterned it?

You should also be able to put choke tubes in it, like others noted many some good gunsmith shops do it, as does Briley.
But I think like other noted, it may be cheaper to buy a new barrel & tubes.
 
I bought an old 1950's wingmaster magnum 3" chamber. I wanted to make a dedicated duck gun. The gun had beat up wood, no blueing left and 30" full choke barrel. It followed me home for $350.00 I went home that afternoon and bought a nice stock off the internet for $40.00. A blueing job was included in the price of the gun. I had the gunsmith cut crown and reinstall the bead for $200.00 Two extended chokes where included in the price. These Carlson True chokes are good for steel or Lead and cost $40.00 each. I think the should pattern better than factory Rem chokes. I opted for this because the gunsmith was doing a deeper, darker blueing for hunting, and the high gloss finish on a factory barrel would not match the reciever. Rem chokes can not be installed in older factory barrels, there isn't enough meat on the end of the barrels. You have to use a choke with a thinner wall. A new factory barrrel would cost $300.00. I realy like the way this gun turned out. It is hard to believe this gun is 60 years old. I wish it could talk, I bet it would have some good stories to tell.

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Greg:

I have an 1100 from the mid 70's. The barrel is 30 inches and had a fixed full choke. About 3 years ago I sent the barrel down to Briley and had them install what they called their thin walled choke tube system. I believe three choke tubes were included in the price. That barrel prints better patterns now than it ever did.

Briley did a good job with my barrel .

Dave
 
Remington's web site says you can shoot up to #2 steel in the full choked 1100's and 870's. I have a 24" hastings wadlock barrel on my 1100 Magnum.
 
What about just having it honed out to Improved Cylinder or Modified?
I know I use the light Mod choke 90+% of the season in my SBE.
I also have a 1100 3" gun. I bought it cheap. It has beautiful wood on it.
I plan to pattern it. If the patterns are too tight, then have it honed out a little.Then a synthetic stock, so I dont ruin the nice wood.

Dont discount the factory Rem Chokes. The extended ones were made by Briley a few years ago. Dont know if that is true for the new ones.But I bought what amounted to a Briley extended I.C. for $13.
 
Greg:

I have an 1100 from the mid 70's. The barrel is 30 inches and had a fixed full choke. About 3 years ago I sent the barrel down to Briley and had them install what they called their thin walled choke tube system. I believe three choke tubes were included in the price. That barrel prints better patterns now than it ever did.

Briley did a good job with my barrel .

Dave
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking Dave what was the cost and how long did it take?
 
Greg:

I just found the receipt. Briley did the work in August of 2007 and it came with three choke tubes of my choice. The price back then was $209. Shipping and insurance brought the total out of pocket to $231.75.

I could've found a Remington barrel with the Rem-Choke system back then for slightly less but I was concerned with the age of my gun (circa 1974) and the fact that it was a magnum barrel. I had some vague conversations with the Remington folks about the fitting of after market barrels to older guns that didn't leave me brimming with confidence. Probably would've been OK, but the gun has sentimental value and I had a desire to keep the original intact. So I bit the bullet and sent it to Briley.

I see we're both Joisey boys. Perhaps we will meet up out in the marsh. Good luck with whatever way you go.

Dave
 
Remington replacement steel shot barrel. About $220 new online will handle 3" shells in a magnum reciever and is threaded for Rem Chokes. Have one on my old 1100 it works just fine. I didn't want to install choke tubes on mine because the old Remington barrels in full choke are thee best IMHO buckshot barrels ever made. Down here in the South we shoot a lot of buchshot at deer and hogs.
 
Thanks Dave- I think I'll go the briley route as suggested. I feel the same way about wanting to keeping the gun intack. I also understand what the fella from Fla. is talking about with the buckshot pattern. The 1100 with the 30 inch barrel shots slugs like a rifle and has a nice tight buckshot pattern. Anyway I'm going to shoot skeet on Thurs. and I'll pattern the gun then and let you know what it looks like. Thanks again fellas and to all of you that are heading out for first day here in Jersey( North zone-Sat 10/9) - Good luck and stay safe. Dave I hunt in Tuckerton once in a while maybe I see you out there someday. Take it easy.

Greg E
 
If you want to keep the gun intact, or factory original, get an aftermarket barrel or buy a used one off one of the auction sites and keep the original barrel un-tampered with. You can probably find a used barrel with choke tubes for less than what it would cost to modify yours. The old 30" full choke barrels are nice trap shooting barrels...
 
Greg
You should have the forcing cone lengthened first and the pattern the gun. Steel shot in #1 and #2 will pattern good out of a full choke. If you use #BB a lot then have the choke opened up to Mod. or Imp. Mod. choke. If you use a thin wall choke tube, you should use under 1500 fps loads because high velocity stuff will put a lot pressure on the choke tube. The dynamics of shoot steel is pushing a solid through a solid.


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