"Tactical" 11-87

[FJB]

My experience with an 11-87 (Police 18" model) that I owned mirrors everyone elses. It ran great on slug and 00B, but was tempermental with target loads even after I had Hans Vang www.vangcomp.com work his magic on it. Hans stated that the 11-87 gas action with shorter barrels did not like target loads. I didn't try putting two O-rings on it to see if that helped.

Anyway, I sold it as I needed the money. I may try one of Remington's 1100 tactical or competition models that I saw at the SHOT Show some time in the future. Til then the trusty VangComp 870 continues to work reliably.

If you are going to have after market work done on your shotgun go to Hans as he is the only gunsmith that Remington will not void their warranty if he modifys your shotgun.

S/F

[Lawdawg8654]

You might take a look at the Tromix Saiga-12. I have heard of a couple of LEO's that use them for duty and they say they are reliable. I am actually looking into this as well.

[GYates]

Josh,

I have been through the cool guy shotgun thing also. I carried a M-3 Benelli for a long time. I would only reliably cycle full power loads. It didn't like the reduced recoil stuff either. It was fun and I liked it but I eventually went with and 870. With the 870 I can use breaching and bean bags rounds. The Benelli wouldn't cycle those. I always wanted and 11-87 too. I almost bought one recently but it seem pretty damn heavy which put me off a little. Reading this and finding out reilaibility issues has pretty much made up my mind.

[LonghunterCO]

My buddy and I both bought 11-87 police guns. Mine was the rifle sighted. His the bead sighted barrel. Purchased around the early 90's. I have between 4-5K rounds through mine and his is probably twice that. I have not had a single failure. Wal-mart cheapy stuff, my crappy reloads, to Federal low-recoil OO stuff. A second firend just bought the civi one last year and has only a couple hundred through his, still without problem. I replaced the o-ring around 3000 round mark, because I read somewhere that I should, but not because of problem. I am not sure as to the complaints voiced here. They are on the heavy side, but I grew up hunting with a 26" 1100 so I did not know that a autoloader wasn't until I hefted a Super 90 at a gun show once.
As to your question of modification: I have modified mine over the years...
Scattergun/Wilson ghost ring rear and post front. Both with night sights
Extended safety (Scattergun)
Extended charging handle (from Brownells not sure of the mgf.)
Light mount
and a extended loading shoot/bolt release button. Hated the remmy orgional.

[Macon Due]

Josh
It sounds like people with 11-87 expierence mirrors what i have heard.......that they may not be 100%. Now i'm not a commando looking to be in a firefight any second but i am somewhat familier with shotguns and was in the military for 4 years,cop for 3 and Dept. of Corrections for the last 25.I also competed in 3 gun combat and we found if you wanted to win, there was ONE choice....the Remington 1100 auto.My good friend and i both used these for 3 years or a bit more and had no malfunctions.Both were 12 ga.Both used a load of 2 3/4 x 1 1/4 equiv. unless a stage called for 00 buck or slugs. We fired thousands of rds. during this period.I used a 21" barrel and a 24",my buddy used a 23".The only malfunction i ever had was one failure to feed one day when we were goofing around shooting one handed and it failed.We watched guys with Winchesters,Benelli's,Spas and whatever and if you wanted to be competitive you needed a Remington.Now,true this was a game not combat but ..... we found out day in and day out what worked and what did not.BTW...we would replace an o-ring very seldom and..... "keep the lube off the gas system parts"[piston,ring ect.] we wiped em with #9, gently wiped em back off and re-installed them.I had mine set up with a 10rd. mag. tube,custom big head-lefty safety,Choate bolt handle,speed bolt release and speedloader rail setup.I used stock wood as that was the most natural pointing for me. Anyway.....for me if i wanted an auto, the Remmy 1100 is it.
Macon

[jem375]

Take a look at this website, small MN company that is into 3 gun competitions:
www.jprifles.com

[John Fettes]

I heard an interesting comment on shotguns at the excellent Rangemaster Tactical Conference this year. Our shotguns started out life as basically sporting blasters. They have been reformatted as LE and perhaps military weapons with mostly cosmetic changes. I don't know for sure that any of them are truly drop-safe, with the possible exception of the Mossberg. I suspect that most of their safeties just block the trigger, vs. blocking the sear.

A steady diet of full power slugs & buckshot would be an interesting test of any "tactical" shotgun.

It's interesting to note that when Remington developed their 1100 Competition Master, they obviously chose an 1100. It looks like it has now been basically repackaged as a green 'tactical" model. More of the same.

John

[OnPoint]

I have an 11-87 Police w/ the following:

Ghost Rings
Extended Charging Handle and Bolt Release
Mesa Tactical Side Saddle
Vang Comp Stainless Follower and Over Size Safety
Sure Fire 9v Side mounted

As long as you use full power loads (low recoil won't always eject) and keep the gas system clean its pretty much bomb proof, accurate w/ slugs, and very reliable.

(I've carried it on numerous K-9 tracks for armed robbery suspects and certainly wouldn't do so if their were any type of reliablity issues)

Still trying to figure out the pic thing sorry

[Stik]

I have an 1100 tactical 24" and love it. Just stay away from the cheap Tac Star side saddles or similar that replace the reciever pins with screws. If the rear (largest) screw is too tight, it will turn it into a single shot. You can get a good side saddle at 3-gun gear.com or through blue press. It "velcro's" on and off. The Tac Star side saddle is going on the other 870 reserved for hunting. But I have fed my 1100 tactical the lightest bird shot walmart has along with full power 2 3/4 slugs and buckshot. Only downside to the 1100 series is cannot use 3" shells so I have to keep all 3" hunting shells stored seperately with my 870's. Juts FYI, the 1100 Tactical was bought specifically for 3 gun matches but other than the side saddle issue, I have had no problems or malfnctions once I figured out that was causing it. I would however, if the SHTF, grab both my 870's first, just due to pure reliablity and can feed them anything I have in the house.