Designed by Wayne Leek and Robert Kelley, the Remington Model 1100 was introduced in 1963 as a successor to the Model 58 and Model 878gas operated shotguns. The Model 58 had supplemented the recoil operatedModel 11-48, which retained the long recoil action of John Browning's original design, present in the Model 11 and the Browning Auto-5. Upon its introduction in 1963, the Model 1100 replaced the Model 58 and Model 878, and later replaced the Model 11-48 as well. The Model 1100 ushered in the era of successful and reliable gas-actuated autoloading shotguns; all models of the series are gas operated with a mechanism that noticeably reduces recoil. As of 1983, it was the best selling autoloading shotgun in U.S. history, in dollar terms. A plain version of the Model 1100 in 12 gauge, named the Sportsman 12 Auto, was sold in stores such as Target, Kmart, and Walmart in the mid-1980s, along with the Sportsman 12 Pump, which was a plain Model 870. The Sportsman 12 Auto had less costly birch stocks and less rollmarking on the gun's receiver. These were simply cosmetic differences, and all Model 1100 parts in 12 gauge are fully interchangeable, including barrels and receivers. Both Sportsman 12 offerings were discontinued in 1987, concurrent with the introduction of the semi-automatic Model 11-87 and the pump action Model 870 Express. In 2011, Remington introduced the Model 1100 Competition Synthetic. A 50th Anniversary highly decorated version was introduced in 2013. Over four million Model 1100 shotguns have been produced. Several variations of the series—in 12, 20, and 28 gauges, and.410 bore—remain in contemporary production.
Design
The Model 1100 bleeds off gases to operate the action through ports in the barrel near the fore end. The gasses then drive a steel action sleeve that fits around the magazine tube and connects to the bolt carrier to the rear, ejecting the spent shell. A fresh shell is released from the magazine, which trips the carrier release, and the action spring in the stock pushes the bolt forward, picking up the fresh shell and loading it into the chamber. With modifications to the trigger group to regulate feed and firing, the design is basically a gas powered Model 870. The design team spent many hundreds of hours test firing and getting input from shooters on the design before it was released for production. The fact that plastic shotshells had come onto the scene, and even the older paper shells were carrying improved coatings, made for more reliable ammunition, which no doubt assisted the Model 1100 to become a true breakthrough in gas operated shotgun reliability. The design was self-compensating to an extent not seen previously, in that any shell could be fired without adjustment in the standard models, and both and Magnum shells could be used interchangeably on the Magnum versions. The Model 1100's carrier release is located on the underside of the firearm, which is unlike a number of other semi-automatic shotguns such as the Mossberg 930 or the FN SLP whose carrier releases are located on the side.
Use
The 1100 is a popular gun used in trap shooting, skeet shooting, and sporting clays; and special versions with high ribs and Monte Carlo stocks are available. The Competition Synthetic model with an adjustable carbon fibre stock set was introduced in 2012 and has been received quite favorably. As with other semi-automatic shotguns, a shell catcher can be used to avoid spent shells hitting others on the squad when shooting trap. Modified versions of the 1100 are popular in multigunpractical shooting events.
Through the years, there have been numerous limited editions and commemorative models. Nighthawk Custom offers a customized version of the Remington 1100 for police use, home defense, and competition shooting.
