Remington 1100 20 bore - chamber lengthening?

[nath_]

Hello all

This seems this wisest place to ask this, does anyone know if it would be possible to have the chamber on my 1100 lengthened from 2&3/4” to 3”? From what I can find on the internet, the 20LT and the magnum have the same action so in theory if my research is correct that shouldn’t be an issue (happy to Be corrected if I’m wrong!)

If it is possible, is there anyone in the Kent area that could carry out these works?

I know Teague do it but it’s a lot of faff sending it off to them etc I much prefer using a local gunsmith where possible.

Also, I know I could just buy another semi auto but I quite like this one and it holds some sentimental value so would love to put it to more use on the foreshore


Thanks
Nath

 

[Smellydog]

My memory does not serve me well but I think there is more difference than just the action.
If in deed it is the same action.
I seem to recall the 3" 1100 having a longer receiver.
The ejector might be in the wrong place on the LT for starters. The gas ports maybe to large as well. I would not be at all surprised if the bolt return spring was different as well.
I wouldn't do it buddy.
Just my opinion...

 

[Geoff9]

There were 2 20 bore 1100 frames. The full size, same as 12 bore, and the LT frame which was smaller thus lighter hence the LT name. Whether the barrel thicknesses are the same I don't know. I had 2 LT20s, 1 secondhand skeet gun and a new 1 on FAC .
I had Ladbroke and Langton of Park Street near St Albans lengthen the forcing cone on a 12b 11/87 so they may be able to help.
Catch the tunnel right and you'll be there in an hour.

 

[webley701]

Assuming there’s nothing about the action & loading port geometry which would be an issue - as mentioned above there’s the likely cost of different parts to be considered (assuming they are readily available) - then there’s the cost of lengthening the chamber, getting it to the proof house & re-proofing it. After all of that your gun would be worth less than if left as ‘standard’ (this latter point may not be important to you of course).

 

[Heym SR20]

Why would you want to lengthen a 20 bore to a 3” cartridge.

A 20 bore works very well with a 2 3/4” cartridge with a 28 gram load.

Trying to shoot a bigger load out of a 3” cartridge just blows patterns, adds lots of recoil and adds hugely to cartridge cost.

If you want to use more shot go to a 16 or a 12 bore.

Same argument applies to the rediculous 3 1/2” 12 bore cartridges.

 

[nath_]

Why would you want to lengthen a 20 bore to a 3” cartridge.

A 20 bore works very well with a 2 3/4” cartridge with a 28 gram load.

Trying to shoot a bigger load out of a 3” cartridge just blows patterns, adds lots of recoil and adds hugely to cartridge cost.

If you want to use more shot go to a 16 or a 12 bore.

Same argument applies to the rediculous 3 1/2” 12 bore cartridges.

I do alot of wildfowling. I have a stock of 3” 25gram 1s that I’d like to run through it. I have several other guns, I don’t need to ‘go up to a 12 bore’ besides I can always take my ten bore out if I want to……

Thanks for the useless input though

 

[nath_]

Why would you want to lengthen a 20 bore to a 3” cartridge.

A 20 bore works very well with a 2 3/4” cartridge with a 28 gram load.

Trying to shoot a bigger load out of a 3” cartridge just blows patterns, adds lots of recoil and adds hugely to cartridge cost.

If you want to use more shot go to a 16 or a 12 bore.

Same argument applies to the rediculous 3 1/2” 12 bore cartridges.

Also you can’t get a 28gram steel load in 2 3/4” in 20 bore…..

 

[Acerforestry]

I know an independant gunsmith in Kent (no expensive buisness premises) who may be able to help, if as stated in prior replies it is realistically (and financially) possible. PM me if you need his details, Phil

 

[Smellydog]

I do alot of wildfowling. I have a stock of 3” 25gram 1s that I’d like to run through it. I have several other guns, I don’t need to ‘go up to a 12 bore’ besides I can always take my ten bore out if I want to……

Thanks for the useless input though

You can get 24g steel in a 70mm case but you want to shoot just 1 more gram in a 3" case.
That's puzzling.
If it's a typing mistake you may only be able to use 28g, an extra 4 grams!
Seems an awful lot of risk for 4 grams.

The chap that contributed earlier that you thanked for a useless post was kindly suggesting that in a round about way you might be wasting not only your money but also a perfectly fine shotgun as is in the process.

 

[Heym SR20]

I do alot of wildfowling. I have a stock of 3” 25gram 1s that I’d like to run through it. I have several other guns, I don’t need to ‘go up to a 12 bore’ besides I can always take my ten bore out if I want to……

Thanks for the useless input though

The reasons why converting a perfectly good 1100 into 3” just because you have a load of 3” cartridges is not a good idea

1) your 2 3/4” gun was designed and built around a 2 3/4” cartridge. The gas system, spring system, bolt system are all designed to operate and cycle a standard 2 3/4” cartridge.

A 2 3/4” gun is proofed to 3 tonnes of pressure, a 3” gun is 4 tonnes.

2) Barrel - if you look at a 3” chambered barrel on the outside you will see that it has a significantly longer parallel outside wall before it starts tapering into the forcing cone. When you lengthen a chamber you remove not only metal from the front of the chamber, but you also need to recut the forcing cone.

You may well not have enough wall thickness to accommodate the lengthened chamber. And reduced wall thickness and increasing chamber pressure from 3 to 4 tonnes is probably not too clever.

3) 3” magnum guns have a significantly stronger and heavier action, frame and internals to cope with the increased pressure of magnum cartridges. Even if you can rechamber it 3”, a diet of heavy cartridges will quickly shoot it loose. You will put significantly more stress through all the mechanisms as the bolt will recoil with significantly more energy and slam into back of action etc etc. so a nice gun will soon end up as a useless piece of junk.

4) cost - you are probably looking at £200 plus to have a chamber and forcing come lengthened. Then you have proof costs and sending to and from proof - another £150.

And value of a 20 bore 1100??

5) a diet of heavy cartridges is never a good thing for any gun. In my younger days I fed my 2 3/4” AyA yeoman on 1 1/2oz 2 3/4” baby magnums. It shot loose very quickly. Did I kill any more ducks and geese - no.

So my advice is to leave your gun alone. If you do want to use 3” magnum 20 bore cartridges, find an appropriate gun. Or sell those 3” cartridges to somebody who has.

But it’s your gun and your mistakes to make.