I just bought a new 11-87 Premier with a 28" Rem-Choke barrel. I also bought a used 26" Rem-Choke barrel for skeet. Neither barrel will cycle my 1 oz 2 3/4 dram (1200fps) reloads. They are STS Premier hulls with Clays powder. I have no interest in shooting 3" shells in this gun. I talked to a gunsmith today and for $75 he can ship the barrel out to have the gas ports drilled for these lighter loads. Whats interesting is that I measured the ports in the two barrels and they are quite different. The 28" is a tight 7/64" and the 26" is quite a bit larger but not 1/8". I would like to do this myself. Anyone have any idea what size to drill to? Yes, I know I may ruin my barrel and am willing to take that risk. Also, what is different in a barrel marked "Target". Would I have this problem with a run-of-the-mill 1100? Thanks in advance.

Current production target grade 1100s are designed and optimized for light target loads. Field grade 1187s may not always be able to cycle such light loads, due to its compensating system that deals with 3" mags as well. Older, target grade 1187s did not use the gas compensating system for just this reason.

here's what you find on Remington's web page on why they won't cycle;
http://remington.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/r ... _topview=1

"The 11-87 with a pressure compensated barrel is designed to cycle field loads or heavier. This would consist of 3 ¼ dram 1 1/8 oz shot or more."

Some 1187 guns seem to work fine with lighter loads as the one I have now. I've seen others that don't however...

I'm not sure on the gas port stuff though...

I haven't tried the 2 3/4 dram stuff, but after 750+ rounds, with a dry magazine tube, my 5 month old 11-87 premier with 28 inch barrel cycles 3 dram loads with authority. I'm tempted to try some 2 3/4 just to see if they'll work. Maybe like the old timers here advised me, you need to do a full strip, clean thoroughly, oil sparingly and shoot some "field" loads for a while until the parts wear in. I couldn't be happier with mine at the range.

Snelling,
I bet if you beat the hell out of the gas system with a couple boxes of heavy loads (max dram) then clean and lube the gun it'll start working with the lighter stuff.

TXGolfer45 shoots light loads for skeet with his 1187 and they work fine.

I'd break the gun in for a while before I went jacking with the gas system.