This is such a basic newb question I'm embarrassed to ask. My well used, but not used up, Remington 1100 12 ga is giving me fits. When I release the bolt it closes slowly or not at all with the shell hanging up about half way or less going into battery.

I have cleaned the gun almost hospital clean. I have applied a very light to more heavy coating of gun oil on the bolt and inside the receiver after cleaning.

I am loading a variety of hulls - Winchester AA CF and HH, Remington Gun Clubs, and Remington STS's on a MEC 9000. After reloading each hull they are further resized in a MEC Sizemaster and checked with a MEC Go/No Go gauge.

After all that the bolt closes ever so slowly or only goes about half way. I am also having trouble with the gun not cycling for a second shot at doubles but I attribute that to using a light load Perfect Pattern, 700, or WST.

I've not experienced this issue with this gun until the last few months although I've owned it for several years. Hoping someone might suggest something to consider that I am overlooking.

TIA

Action spring is a likely suspect. Have you removed the action spring and cleaned the spring and tube; followed by lubing same before reassembly? My personal choice for lubing this is Hornady One Shot because it dries to a slick but not sticky film. Very well might need a new action spring.

 

Have you cleaned the chamber?

 

Take your stock off and replace the main action spring inside the steel tube. I think Brownells and Midwest sell them. Compare the length of the new one and the old one. If the plastic bushing in the back of the bolt is the old, white plastic one, replace that also. The new one is black plastic.

 

https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/how-to-clean-the-rem-1100-complete-description-with-photos.91897/#post-719264

 

Probably action spring, other things to check, carrier dog operation and chamber fowling.

 

I shot the gun again yesterday and experienced the same issues. Brought it home and broke it down into the major components. Cleaned and then cleaned some more. Lubed all the contact/moving parts. Have not tried to shoot it again. Time to look for an action spring as suggested I guess.

 

Define major components? Are you removing the action spring and cleaning the inside of the spring tube and making sure the follower is moving freely? The spring is clean and as long as it should be? In the 1100 that action spring in the stock is what drives that bolt foward. Have you cleaned the chamber and tried using some factory ammo instead of just reloads? The magazine tube is clean and free of any carbon? Without seeing the gun and being able to cyle the action by hand to see exactly where the hang up is occurring makes it hard to diagnose anything, but that spring in the stock is what runs that bolt home.

 

Does this happen on factory ammo? Is the crimp mushroomed? Have you tried to push a round into the chamber with your finger?

 

Time to clean or replace action spring in buttstock. That should be on a regular cleaning & lube regiment.

 

Update. I have recreated the gun, again. I purchased a Sure Cycle main action spring "kit" and installed the target spring. The other spring is recommended for heavy magnum loads.

I a shooting my own reloads. Remington a Gun Club hulls, Claybuster wads, 7 1/2 or 9 shot, 16 grains of Perfect Pattern, and Cheddite primers. I also chambered a few new Winchester AA shells. No difference in the action closing Issue.

I will shoot the gun this coming Wednesday and see if the Sure Fire spring makes a positive difference. I do know it's more difficult to open the action using the charging handle as it apparently is a stronger spring.

I'll follow up after my outing on Wednesday.

 

I purchased a Sure Cycle main action spring "kit" and installed the target spring.

Did it work with the original spring?

 

What was the condition of the original action spring and tube when you finally got in there?
Does it have the same symptoms without a shell?
How dos the link look?

Jim

 

The original spring looked fine. No rust. Measured 15" long as it was supposed to according to what I read.

It did have the same symptoms "sometimes" but not always without a shell.

As I mentioned, I shot the gun today with the Sure Cycle spring installed. Dropped a shell in, hit the bolt release and the bolt slammed home. So good so far. Loaded another shell in the magazine. (I was on station 1 on the skeet range).

Called for a high house target, shell fired but did not eject ! Pulled the bolt handle and ejected the spent shell, chambered the second shell, called for the low house, the shell fired but did not eject !

So . . . . . .shell chambering problem apparently fixed. New problem - gun won't eject the fired shell and bolt remains closed after the shell is fired. 🤨. I used the "target " spring from the Sure Cycle kit. (1) I can switch out the Sure Cycle target spring and install the "magnum" spring. (2) I can put the original spring back in it. (3) I can try shooting a heavier load to see if the gun will cycle. My shells today were reloads - Remington Gun Glub hull, Cheddite primer, 16.5 grains of Perfect Pattern, and 1 oz of #9 shot.

 

Go for option 3 and see what happens.

 

Also check the gas ports to see if they are clear. Good o ring and gas piston/seal are orientated correctly. Because if it ain't got no gas in it..... It won't go.

 

What kind of barrel is this?
Target, field, or magnum?

Jim

 

I'm shooting a barrel that has had a Cutts added to it. I do have a regular factory skeet barrel that I haven't tried yet. May give that a go.

 

Check your action bar. Sometimes the arms that slide into the receiver get bent and won't slide smoothly.

 

Try some factory loads too. The 1100 can be fussy with reloads.

 

Shoot wet with BreakFreeCLP.

 

No . . . . . . . the problem described first occurred with the original spring in it. As mentioned, I purchased the Sure Cycle spring kit hoping one of the two springs would provide a cure.

To my dismay the problem remains. So, let's review. I have :

*Replaced the main action spring
*Cleaned and then cleaned some more and then lubed all moving and contact points.
*Shot both new and reloaded shells - none were necessarily lite loads.

The gun will fire, and eject the first shell, and fire and eject the second shell. The problem that is occurring is when first chambering a loaded shell. I drop the shell into the receiver and hit the bolt release. The shell then slowly begins to move forward/chamber but the bolt doesn't fully close. I can lightly push the bolt handle forward, the shell will chamber, and fire.

This gun is about to be for sale. 🙄

 

Have you checked the notch in the barrel extension and the locking lug and the barrel extension itself for burrs that could be causing the bolt to drag?

Also, check for burrs and wear on the carrier dog and the corresponding notch in the action bar assembly.

Just a thought.

 

You have o rings at the magazine. Take the barrel off and clean and oil the o rings then clean and oil all the rest.

 

It happens when you don't clean it keep, I bought a 1100 12g had the same problems.

 

This gun is practically clean enough to eat off I swear. I forgot to mention, I have two barrels for this gun I've tried. Both are skeet choked - one of those two has a Cutts. I also have a trap barrel which I haven't tried yet - and will fire a couple of rounds with that barrel to see if chambering is any different.

The symptom is the shell starts to be chambered but the bolt slows and then stops before the shell goes into the chamber. Just as if the main spring isn't strong enough to push the bolt closed. I can push on the bolt handle and the shell will chamber and fire. Why the bolt does move forward and the round chamber is the continuing mystery.

Next step might be to take a short video to demonstrate the issue and ask for comment. I also may ask to borrow the bolt from one of my friend's 1100's. 😏

 

You talk about cleaning and oiling inside of the receiver, but my 1100 issues were always with carbon/oil on the magazine tube gumming up and slowing the action.

You have not mentioned taking the bolt out and cleaning the magazine tube and the inside of the collar of the action bar where the gas ring and oring sits.

Have you cleaned all of these areas? Even removing the bolt completely and taking off the collar/action bar and cleaning the inside that goes around the magazine tube?

If these haven't been cleaned, I would start there.

 

Take the barrel off and cycle the action. Observe for binding. If so, action bar is at fault or the rails in the receiver lack lubrication or have a burr somewhere. Lastly ammo not properly reloaded with insufficient radius giving you a shell with a “muffin top”. Try to hand feed shells into the chamber with the barrel off. Shells should just “drop in”. If you have to push them in with your thumb, then you have probably found your problem. Finally examine the chamber for rust or crud. If so, polish chamber with a chamber brush. I can’t think of anything else

 

The 1100 is mechanically pretty simple. If everything is disassembled, cleaned and inspected it shouldn't be this hard. A good gunsmith should be able to figure it out in a hurry. There are still a number of shops that used to be Remington Authorized service centers that could make it run in short order.

 

Not sure I mentioned this. I have three barrels for my 1100. One is a factory skeet barrel, one is a skeet barrel with a Cutts Compensator, and the third is a factory trap barrel. I've tried both skeet barrels with the same issue occurring. I have not tried the trap barrel. I did get the trap barrel out of the gun safe and I've noticed a difference between it and the two skeet barrels.

There is a metal "protrusion" on the trap barrel. (See photo). Could this be a "knock down pin" I've read about that is designed to deflect the ejected shell so it does not travel to any shooter standing to the right ?

Here is the pic of the trap barrel and a picture of one of the skeet barrels :