I recently had the opportunity to work on a Remington 870 that was having some feeding problems. As I began dissasembly of the gun the magazine cap flew off as I unscrewed it. Along with the cap came the green magazine plug for hunting. Thankfully I still have both of my eyes!
The customer was reporting cycling issues with the gun, and it became evident why. The magazine cap had been placed over top of the magazine plug, which was on top of the spring retainer. The plug should go under the retainer or else you will have the spring compressed by several inches making cycling problematic.
When I explained this to the customer, he said Remington had shipped the gun that way. This is the second time that a Remington 870 has come to the shop this way. I’m not sure how it ends up like this (customer or factory), but if you are experiencing cycling problems, look at the magazine spring setup.
I am working with a customer on what will eventually become the SM-2, a pistol grip 870 that is awesome. Same high quality components, but a Speedfeed pistol grip.
If you are thinking about adding a pistol grip to your shotgun there area a few things to remember. The first is that you must have an barrel length of at least 18″ and the overall length of the gun must be 26″. This last one is a little known fact, but ATF is serious about this one as well. Make sure you don’t overlook this one.
A true pistol grip will only work on the 870, not the 1100 or the 1187. The recoil system on the semi-auto shotguns runs through the stock. The 870 doesn’t have this. Speedfeed offers several pistol grips on full stocks if you need one, but not a true pistol grip.
In this video Massad Ayoob shows the differences in 12 gauge and 20 gauge shotguns for home defense. It may surprise you that the 20 gauge really doesn’t give up anything to its big brother. If you have one of these in the closet, it would be ideal for a conversion like our SM-1 package. Email for details.
Remington is no stranger to the world of shotgunners. We have been using them forever with great success on hunting trips, in the field of competition and on the streets our cops patrol. What you may not realize is how Remington streamlined manufacturing to give you some of the best shotguns ever produced.
Remington introduced the model 58 in 1956. It was in production until 1963. In 1959 they introduced the model 878 that ran until 1963 as well. These shotguns were very similar because they had the same designer, L.R. Crittendon. They had a recoil spring that was mounted in front of the magazine tube, giving the action a pull recoil operated by the gas instead of the more modern version which pushes the bolt into a recoil spring in the stock.
In 1963, both of these shotguns were abandoned in favor of the new model 1100 designed by Wayne Leek. The 1100 remains a staple of the Remington family today that is used in all the shotgun shooting disciplines. This design was followed by the 1187 that debuted in 1987. What is absolutely amazing is how similar all of these guns are to each other.
Remington did not reinvent the wheel in any of the 3 model changes that came after the 58. For instance, the trigger mechanism and safeties are strikingly similar. Another example is the bolt handle. I had a customer bring in a Remington 878 over the weekend with a broken bolt handle. All that was visible was a small piece of the bolt handle that had to be removed with pliers. It was plastic, but it just seemed like it might be the same design as the 1100. I had an extra bolt handle in stock and replaced it.
When you have a good design there is no need to throw it out completely just to make a few improvements. Remington did this and saved itself millions of dollars in parts that could be used. This may be the reason that when so many other companies have struggled, the continue to be an industry standard.
We’ve been asked a lot lately about feeding problems with the Remington 1100. A lot of this is the stuff of unfounded rumors and old tales. The 1100 was originally made in 2 3/4″ chamber, and when they added the 3″ chamber there were feeding issues especially among light loads. In fact, the first 1100 I ever owned was a 3″ that had been modified by its original owner so that it would cycle light loads. I can verify that it will simply run anything that I have ever thrown at it from game loads to buckshot to target loads.
If you have a 1100 that you would like to convert to the SM-1 package you don’t have anything to worry about. We will make sure that you have a reliable gun that will run game loads, buckshot and slugs as that is what you are most likely to use during a 3 gun match or in a L/E application.
Remington rectified these feeding problems with the introduction of the 1187, but don’t count the 1100 out yet. Remington keeps making them, accessories are readily available, and plenty of people are still using them. As far as a tactical shotgun goes, you won’t go wrong with that old 1100 that you have sitting in the closet.
With all of the great shotguns that are out there today, why choose to only use the Remington models for the SM-1? It’s a great question with a few simple answers;
Availability-Most people can get their hands on a Remington 870, 1100, or 1187 easily. They have been around forever, and you can genereally find them used in large quantities at gunshows.
Custom Options-While any other shotgun can be modified, the Remington accessories are plentiful, and easy to obtain without breaking the bank. The Options for the Remington are more often than not well made. There are lots of accessories that are poorly made, and they reflect that in their performance.
Proven Track Record-These guns have seen lots of rounds, and they are great. It doesn’t hurt that everyone at MCC has used Remington products for years.
Price-We have seen 870′s for less than $200, and 1100′s for less than $300.
All that adds up to a great platform for a shotgun.
A few months ago, we were asked to turn an ordinary Remington 1100 into a versatile home defense shotgun. We liked it so much, and the response was so great we have decided to combine the best features available for the Remington family of shotguns into a package we call the SM-1. The great part is that we use your existing Remington 870, 1100, or 1187.
This means that you can have a great home defense shotgun for under $500 with every accessory you need. How do we save you so much? We don’t you the gun. So many of our customers have 2 3/4″ shotguns laying around the safe because they have upgraded through the years to the larger loads. Now you have a use for that gun. One customer found a Remington 1100 at a gunshow for almost nothing and turned it into a great shotgun. Clean out your safe or get to the local gunshow and find a deal that works for you. We supply the parts and do the rest, and you get a great combat, L/E or home defense shotgun.
We have added an entire page to the sight with a full description.
