Here’s to a great person who really knows what he’s doing! Thanks for showing and advising us on tips on servicing this great shotgun! May Remington come back strong🇺🇸
Thank you, I appreciate the support. We are in the process of setting up a series of gunsmithing videos where some will be free content and some will be subscription courses aimed at the aspiring gunsmith. Thanks, Dan.
i know Im randomly asking but does anybody know a trick to get back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot the login password. I love any assistance you can offer me
@Braylen Nasir thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process atm. I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
Thanks so much for posting this video, it was very helpful. Especially for us older people with short memory. Nice to be able to look back and be sure which way the parts fit. Also, if in a hurry and don't have time to make a tool to remove the stock I found that a 1/2" or 5/8" wood drill bit drops right into the slot and works with a crescent wrench similar to you tool. Probably not as durable as your tool in a tough or binding situation. Thanks again for posting!! 11-87 Premier is a great gun. The one I own has been hunted by 4 generations of my family. My father, me, my son and grandson so far.
You my friend deserve many thanks. By far the best videos on gun maintenance/repair going. Thank you much for saving me time, money & the knowledge gained on my firearms.
Thank you its been a long time since I serviced a 11-87 . I just bought another one and tore it down . I'm glad I found your video not saying I couldn't do it , but your video was just awesome . I had a lot of fun doing and its always relaxing for some reason. Thanks again
I know this is an old vid but it's an old gun too! The pickle fork in mine is sticking in the stock? I'm going to strip the gun down today to see if I can spot a reason? The gub cycles but often the bolt gets stuck closed and the fork is jammed? It's an old duck gun and seen a lot of use. I'm going to look for bends or an obstruction of some sort. Anything else I should be looking for?
Pickle fork is probably worn along with everything else, the edges have probably worn sharp and may be able to lightly file and stone the sharp edges may help but probably replacement will be the best option, crap built up in the recoil spring guide can also be a problem as well as worn recoil spring. The bolt sticking closed is most likely caused by a raised edge raised in the barrel hood where the bolt locking block engages the barrel hood and smoothing this edge so it is the same height as the rest of the barrel hood will probably help. Depending on wear it may or may not be able to reliably function. Good luck with it, Dan.
My 1187 synthetic isn't grabbing or extracting the shell out of the magazine anymore, it'll fire the first round, then leave the next round in the magazine, is it worn or bent shell latch, the gun is well taken care of, and cleaned everytime after use.
I just shot a follow up to the 11-87 videos and will release it later this week when I get it edited. In the mean time read thru the comments of all three videos because I have responded to these problems there. thanks, Dan.
Thanks for this , I have re-assembled my 1100 many times ,but now when put together ,the trigger won't work ,as if the safety catch is on ,but with or without the safety catch it still won't work once the trigger unit is placed back in
sounds like the disconnector may not be positioned correctly. Often when the trigger group is inserted it may not align properly and if it has been removed and replaced numerous times it may become slightly bent sideways and not align.
Excellent video. Any way I can contact you on some 11-87 super magnum issues that differ from the standard 11-87? I have a gun that I can't get to work properly and I'd like to pick you brain about it if you're willing.
Hi Todd, I no longer am able to provide phone support, if you e-mail me thru the contact page of our atlasmachineshop.com website I will try and briefly answer your questions. Thanks, Dan.
I am having issues with my 1187 and believe it is due to the shell latch. When taking out the trigger housing my shell latch fell out and looks like it is suppose to stay in. How would I go about getting this fixed? My problem seems to the pin to the shell housing. Where could I order one from?
The shell latch was originally staked in place, you will have to find a gunsmith with the PROPER tool to restate it. Now that being said it does not have to be staked for the gun to function properly. The front of the shell latch slides into position and should have one of the front ears under the tab in the front of the receiver and the other ear stops the shell from coming out of the tube, then the back of the shell latch is pushed into it’s groove in the side of the receiver, use one of the trigger pins (just the end so the trigger group will slide by) to position it front to back, then with your third and forth hands slide the trigger group back into position and install the pins.
I just bought a used 11-87 Premier. This is by far the most instructive vid I have found for these guns. Thank you! I am missing one of the front trigger pin detent springs. Is that something I should replace ASAP? I am a real gun novice, but very interested.
I have a question. I have an 11-87 20 ga. that will cycle 2.75" shells all day but will not cycle 3" shells without hanging up. I have broken down the gun to the point you have in the video, cleaned it with brake cleaner, cleaned the inside of the action spring tube, reassembled and slightly lubed, test fired 25 times with 2.75" shells rapidly to heat the barrel and once I loaded 3" shells into it the first shell fired, got hung on the receiver as it was ejecting and the second shell cycled out of the magazine and under the fired hull. I went back to the work bench and polished the chamber with 0000 steel wool for 10 minutes, followed by a very fine grit polishing compound to smooth up the chamber. Same results the second time I fired the gun. I thought it might be the interceptor latch and/or the disconnector after watching another video. Was going to order both but it doesn't seem the company who purchased Remington firearms division is producing spare parts. What are your thoughts on honing the chamber and then re-polishing? I also think there is an issue with shot shell manufacturers using brass plated steel at the base instead of brass and once it expands when the shell is fired it does not contract like 100% brass base which could be holding the fired shell in the chamber just long enough to prevent the gas from pushing the bold back for a full cycle. Your thoughts would be appreciated. I am at the point of giving this youth model back to my friend and telling him to purchase a new gun since parts are not available.
Hi Fred: I suspect you are going the wrong way. I think that you may need to replace the action spring which may or may not help because it will probably cycle the 3” inch but then might not cycle 2 3/4 inch. Polishing the chamber may actually be making it worse ,interceptor and disconnector are not the problem. The gun is probably cycling to fast. I will usually say that the gun is short cycling when it doesn’t eject which is more likely when using 2 3/4” (and can be aggravated by low quality ammunition in both 2 3/4 and 3”)but usually works with 3”. Since it works with the lighter loads that. Is not the case. With the 3” the gun is cycling faster and the longer shell hasn’t had time to get out before the bolt is moving forward (and it has fully cycled to the rear since it has fed the next round from the magazine)My best guess is that a new action spring may have enough extra pressure to restore proper function so I would start there. Be very careful when you start polishing things inside a firearm. A very little goes a long way and I have seen a lot of VERY bad and sometimes dangerous gunsmithing advice given on utube by some that are supposedly very knowledgeable.Dan. Poor quality ammunition can be a problem but you can usually tell if it is hanging in the chamber because it will usually show a very aggressive marking on the rim of the case left by the extractor.
@@hillsgun Thanks for such a speedy reply. My initial thought was to replace the action spring when my friend was telling me about the problem and then he told me he ordered a spring replacement kit at which time I asked if he replaced the spring in the stock and he said he had replaced it. Do you think I should order a Sure Cycle System action spring kit from Midwest Gun Works? It provides two different springs, one for 2.75" and 3" shells and a shorter spring for 3" only. Thank you for your guidance and advice!
I’m not much for changing parts if there’s no real indication that that’s the problem. Did it work with the original spring? And are we sure that it was originally replaced with the proper spring? I feel that the action is cycling to fast which would indicate a light spring , and I am not sure,but I seem to remember that the springs are different between the small and large frame 20 gauge Guns.
@@hillsgun I was concerned the spring he used as the replacement may not have been the correct spring. I have ordered the Sure Cycle System action springs. I have used them on two A-5's I had to go through when multiple gunsmiths over the years could not figure out why they would not cycle 2.75" shells. The problems with the A-5's were not the springs and both cycle properly now. If you would like I can follow up once I get the new springs in and installed in the 1187?
The short answer is no. They are silver soldered in and will ocasionaly break loose due to various reasons. in those instances I have repaired them but I have built tooling to specifically align and position them, it then has to be reblued. I suspect that if yours is damaged and needs to be replaced it will have to be sent to a Remington authorized service center to have it repaired. I doubt that even if you have the ability and tooling to do the repair properly that you will be able to get a replacement part.
Get a Retay Masai Mara and the trigger group just drops out with the push of a button and the pressing of the release button on the side of the receiver. Love the Retay with inertia-plus. Serviced by Briley Choke Company if needed.
I recommend the gun in it's factory configuration for general field and hunting use, the specialty upgrades are most often used if you are playing competitive games
@hillsgun - Thank you for the video and your knowledge on the 1187. Very informative. I have an 20 Ga y9outh model that about every 5 round fails to feed. The round ejects and bolt goes back and seems to stick. And when this happens, the carrier does not go up. It just sticks. I can manually cycle the gun after that and clear the issue. Question: Does that sound like a shell latch issue or something else? I've replaces the oring and the and the piston seal and piston look to be in good shape. Thx again, FletchMan. PS- I am going to go back through and inspect the everything now that I've gone throught all 3 videos.
@@hillsgun - Thank you. I will try some high brass #6's and turkey loads and see if there is any difference. Also, I may replace the piston and piston seal. They seem a little worn and a lot carbon came off when I cleaned it.
@@ReelTimeCapt Could be plastic residue in your chamber. When it heats up , causes the 5th round to stick. Try a brass or bronze only brush on a brill to clean the chamber and bore. You will be amazed at what comes out. I use Hoppes # 9
Because the firearm was in for short-cycling (problem) and cleaning you did not remove the cartridge magazine retainer bar and spring. Would those two need to be removed for cerakote due to the 400* temperature required to bake the cerakote? And if so, how are they removed?
no it is not necessary. the heat should not be run high enough to affect the temper of the springs if done correctly and the shell latch on the right side as well as the spring on the left side are staked in place. you create more problems trying to remove and then correctly restake them than if they are left in place. thanks, Dan.
Sometimes, I have seen some that do and some that stay with the tube and the gun still functions fine . I think it may have something to do with the different types of o rings used, but I am not certain?
Hello, I have a Remington 11-87 Sportsman 20 gauge. I was patterning the gun the other day using Winchester, Remington, & Federal loads (3"). The last shell did not eject. I finally got the shell out but now the breech bolt cannot be pulled rearward. I have to unscrew the end cap and remove the receiver to manually slide the breech bolt rearward and reassemble. But once it goes forward again it is stuck again. Ideas?
Just found your comment so I am not sure where it was hidden, Not sure but it sounds like the fork that rides behind the bolt may have broken one of the legs which will cause it to bind, not to common but it does happen
I have a 11-87 that when you load it and you shoot it. I will not cycle shells and it will not hold shells in the tube. When you load it the carrier will not stay up and try to load two shells at once. I can email a video if I can get some contact information.
Hi David: Sorry for the delay in responding to you. I will be doing a follow up video on the most common issues I have seen concerning the 11-87 but in the meantime read thru the comments on all 3 of the 11-87 series as my responses cover the majority of the problems. I have considered doing one on one consultations to resolve gunsmithing issues and have exchanged videos on several occasions trying to resolve issues, but the reality is that unless I have the gun in my hands to feel what the gun is telling me then what is a simple fix is no teasily conveyed to the owner and becomes frustrating for all involved so I am currently not doing it. My best advice is to find a competent gunsmith in your area who can troubleshoot the issue and is not just a "parts changer" which is unfortunatly what most now are.
Hi, I'm brand new to shotguns and following your great video. I'm disassembling and cleaning my wife's old dirty 11-87 Super Magnum and I just got to the step where I remove the magazine retainer and spring. Once I turned the screwdriver, the retainer popped out, but there was no magazine plug and the spring was all kinked up up. Maybe someone in the past (her brother probably) lost it. Can you help me pick out a replacement part online that you yourself would use for this gun? I just want to make sure I get the right thing and looking for a pro's opinion. Thanks, ryan.
Hi Ryan: just replace them with a factory spring and plug, even though Remington is having problems those parts should still be available from any of the suppliers online such as Midway, brownells, Midwest Gun Works .
I no longer take in outside work. You will have to find a qualified shop to do the repair as the mag tube and support are silver sldered into the receiver, and then it will have to be reblued. It is not a particularly difficult repair, but there is some specialized tooling that I feel is necessary for alignment and positioning for everything to work properly. Only a shop that has done these repair should be considered which is usually a shop that was listed as a remington authorized service center should be considered. I built the fixturing for this several years ago for my shop as there is none I am aware of that is commercially available. The mag tube and support was never ment to be removed from the receiver but I replaced several over the years usually when they were damaged from a fall. Good luck, Dan.
Thanks, I took my 11 87 apart for a clean and lube and couldn't have done it without your vid. I've got a question, the firing pin when pressed didn't visibly come out the bolt face. Not sure if this is normal so after reassembly I took a snap cap dummy round and put a piece of tape where the primer would be then fired the gun. The tape was untouched. I did the same with another shotgun (pump action) and the tape had a hole from the pin. Now I'm thinking what the heck? So I go to the range and fire a live round with the 11 87 and it fired fine. What am I missing? Thanks for any advice.
The disconnector blocks the firing pin when you tried to push it. I suspect that your snap cap may have an out of spec case rim thickness (to thick,or if in spec at the high end ) with a piece of tape added it made it thicker so the gun was probably not fully in battery so the disconnector would not allow the firing pin to release. If it fired when you tested it with live ammo I would not be concerned.
I have a Hatfield sas 12 ga. That is not cycling or ejecting shells..I basically have to use it like a pump shotgun..I took it apart and cleaned it pretty good I think..do you have any suggestions? Company says use only high velocity quality shells but shouldn't I be able to use this gun with any shell? Thanks in advance
In a nutshell no, you will not be able to use any shell. For it to function you will probably have to shoot hi velocity 3" shells. And the problem will probably be worse if you are shooting steel shot as it runs lower pressure. All semi automatics are designed to work within a certain pressure curve and very few manufacturers are able to have a shotgun which has a large enough pressure curve to accomidate the full range of shells. since the sas is a 3" gun to be able to long term be able to handle heavy 3" shells it is working on the high end of that pressure curve so anything less than real heavy loads do not have enough oomf to cycle the gun. conversly a gun designed to handle a light trap load for instance will beat itself apart or try and cycle so quickly that it will not reliably function. Since the sas is a relativly inexpensive shotgun it is in most instances more problematic. Not picking on the gun, if it serves the intended purpose then that is all that is important. As with all firearms price is directly related to quality. Dan
I have a 20 gauge 11-87 with a shell stuck 3/4 of the way in the chamber. It will not fire and I cannot force the handle forward nor backwards. I cannot remove the barrel because the bolt is stuck forward with the live shell. Can you give me any advice on how to solve this issue? I am thinking of trying to remove the trigger assembly and see if that helps but any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any help
Hi Mike: Check this link, I just uploaded and it should get you foing. I did it assuming that it is far enough out of the chamber that you have access to the extractor. As always safety is the main concern ua-cam.com/video/c4WhTW8Bx3E/v-deo.html
The tube is silver soldered into the receiver, If a replacement tube is available it can be replaced, your best option is to find a shop who was listed as an authorized Remington service center as they will probably be the best equiped to PROPERLY do the repair as it has to be jigged in the proper position for the stock to mount at the proper angle and depth for it to fit correctly and then it will have to be reblued.
I don't have the dimensions in front of me, but it is prety self explanatory, It just needs to fit into the hole in the stock and the blade fits in the slot in the nut.
Hi Hillsgun, good video. 1100 20 ga magnum purchased used 2 years ago worked fine. Action recently will not cycle freely by hand and sticks due to binding when trigger group is installed. It takes two hands to open the action sometimes. Action is slides super smooth as glass when trigger group removed. It shot find last fall and no problem...I recently took it out of the gun case and found this problem. I inspected the internal parts and there are no visible broken or bent parts. I did see minor wear marks on the side of the hammer. There is obviously contact somewhere causing the problem....any ideas? It binds throughout the cycle, when bolt is closed and when pulling bolt to rear, it binds enough that it can hold itself open when near to full rearward position before it locks open...but, I just can't see the problem. Thanks. Dennis. Shotgun is very clean and lightly oiled.
it all depends on how it is being used, it should probably have a light clean(barrel ) after every session, if it is being hunted when it is cold outside when it goes from the wet outside into a warm car it will sweat and begin to rust. when I ran the shop I told clients I wanted to see the gun at least once a year after the season for a detail clean so it was ready for next season along with their light cleaning throughout the season. My personal guns get a fairly thourough cleaning after every outing even if the trigger was never pulled
could be the shell latch. Is the spring properly engaged in the intercepter latch? can also be caused by heavy loads hammering the gun.Those are a few of the things that can cause double feeding.
Never seen one that had to be replaced,but the firing pin retaining pin will have to be removed then the firing pin,spring, etc. remove the old buffer. Push in the new buffer, it will then need to be drilled for the firing pin retaining pin, deburr as necessary for free movement of the firing pin and spring and then reassemble the firing pin,spring and replace the firing pin retaining pin. Be sure and remove and replace the firing pin retaining pin in the proper direction as it is directional
have you ever heard of the action tube breaking off at the reciever mine did and it seems to be only silver sauderd into the reciever any ideas thank you
They break usually from a fall or when they are left leaning against the tire when you get back to the rig and are forgotten and you drive over them the broken stub in the receiver has to be de-soldered and a replacement re-soldered. Earlier models were threaded and replacements were available. I don't know if Remington will provide a replacement or if they will require it to be shipped to them for factory repair which is more likely the case.
I am having an issue with my 11-87. The bolt will stay locked to the front when there is a shell in the magazine. It is like the shell is caught on the shell latch and I can move the shell so the shell latch moves and the shell comes out of the magazine tube 1/8-1/4'' more and then the bolt will move to the rear just fine. Is this the shell latch that is the issue? Thanks Jamie
It sounds like the ear on the shell latch may be broken (or has been removed and reinstalled incorrectly) allowing the shell latch to move to far inward which will interfere with the bolt movement and not allow the shell latch to move outward to release the shell. It is also possible that the interceptor latch spring is out of position. hope that helps.
@@hillsgun I was out hunting over the weekend and it just happened so likely something is broken. I ordered a new shell latch and will try that. Is there more information on the interceptor latch spring in your video here? How can I find the correct positioning. Thanks for the quick reply
The shell latch will have 2 extensions at 90 degrees to each other at the front of the latch. Usually the downward leg is broken. The new latch should be staked in place when installed. The interceptor spring is part of the interceptor latch and provides tension to the interceptor latch the assembly is held in place by a circlip which is occasionally lost or broken.
@@hillsgun Thank you. So I know my interceptor latch is there along with the circlip. Is the spring behind the the interceptor latch. I am not looking at the gun now, but will check it tonight.
Spring is just a wire that fits in the notch on the edge of the latch. as long as it is in the groove and is providing spring tension it should be fine.
not without knowing more, Bolt latch may be broken? Gun Dirty? Failure to feed, Is it short cycling or not feeding from the magazine tube, is it a 3" gun or just 2 3/4, what ammo? How is it being hunted (upland waterfowl, out of a pit or blind?) the gun doesnt care functionally but your clothing and how you mount the gun can affect it's ability to utilize the recoil to cycle.
@@ben5434 bolt latch may be why it doesnt lock back manually. I suspect since it is a waterfowl gun it is a combination of things. While it is better than an 1100 it still suffers from the same problems, make sure the ports in the barrel are clean, fresh barrel seal, mag tube clean and dry will be the main things, Steel shot builds less pressure in the gun so it is usually necessary to use heavy 3" shells or the gun will short cycle. Over time if using spray cleaner to "douch out" the receiver it runs down into the stock and washes the gunk down into the recoil spring causing it to gum up. Heavy clothing and hi angle pass shooting make for a less than ideal gun mount which creates less positive cycling. What has worked fine in the past may not work fine now because conditions have changed from gun wear to clothing to hunting style to ammunition and gun fit will all be a factor.
I don't know, can you? : ) The magazine tube is silver soldered in place. They have been known to occasionally break loose. (poor factory job) I have repaired several over the years but you have to be familiar with your silver solder and be fairly proficient at it. You don't want to overheat the receiver or the tube and it needs to be blued afterwards to match. (cold blue won't work here)
not sure what you mean by reset. they are factory installed to be a permanent part of the barrel and I have never seen one come loose. If that happened I suspect I would silver solder it back in place. Can they be adjusted if that is what you mean then my answer would be no. Some will probably say they can be tuned for one reason or another but when you change one thing then something else will be affected so I would not change the factory setup.
@@hillsgun The deal is I bought a slug barrel that turned out to be for a 3&1/2" chambered gun and mine is only a 3" reciever, so I'm considering having the barrel extension shortened to fit my gun but, the problem lies with the ejector being cut off in the process? If I had another way to contact you I would.
Hi Fred: Short cycle is when the gun does not complete it's full cycle of operation so if we consider the beginning of the cycle to have a round in the chamber, we would pull the trigger, the gun would fire, the bolt will unlock and move rearward,the empty case would be extracted from the chamber and be ejected from the gun, another shell feeds from the mag tube, be lifted to the chamber where the bolt on its forward movement will carry the shell fully into the chamber where it is now ready for the trigger to be pulled again. That is one complete cycle of the gun, any interuption of that motion which stops the full cycle is considered a "short cycle".
@@hillsgun Thanks!! My 1187 is doing this. I bought it in 1988 and only turkey hunt with it. The other day, upon shooting, it ejected empty shell just fine but did not fully load new shell in chamber. The bolt hung up about mid way. It has done this a few times over the years and cleaning seemed to make it good. I cleaned it last night but bolt still wants to hang. Guess I will reclean. Perhaps I may need a new action spring?
Hi John: Not necessarily normal but it is not uncommon. it is caused by the action rails cutting on the receiver. Remington has stamped them out and left fairly crisp edges on the action bars when they should have been deburred or slightly rounded on the edges. I will see it on receivers that have seen lots of use , ran with no lube for a good portion of their life, have bent action bars, or were just poorly manufactured.I have seen a couple over the years that had worn thru the receiver.
@@hillsgun I had to find that out the hard way I sprayed lube in there and was rubbing with a patch and it cut me pretty bad. Someone said it was because the gun hadn't been shot that much..
This is a pretty good video sir. Please please turn off the leaking air compressor when u make videos. I watched 3 minutes of the vid and had to turn it off because the air was so loud and not only was it annoying but it made it hard to hear you talk. I'm not hitting dislike bc it's good content with really bad videography. Might watch it later.
It's always good to see a vid put out by somebody who does regular work on these types of guns
thanks, I appreciate it.
Here’s to a great person who really knows what he’s doing! Thanks for showing and advising us on tips on servicing this great shotgun! May Remington come back strong🇺🇸
Thanks I appreciate that
Absolute BEST 11-87 disassembly and video I have seen. Also, great narration and instruction. That you!
Thank you, I appreciate the support. We are in the process of setting up a series of gunsmithing videos where some will be free content and some will be subscription courses aimed at the aspiring gunsmith. Thanks, Dan.
i know Im randomly asking but does anybody know a trick to get back into an instagram account??
I stupidly forgot the login password. I love any assistance you can offer me
@Caleb Lyric Instablaster =)
@Braylen Nasir thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process atm.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@Braylen Nasir it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy!
Thank you so much you saved my ass!
Thanks so much for posting this video, it was very helpful. Especially for us older people with short memory. Nice to be able to look back and be sure which way the parts fit. Also, if in a hurry and don't have time to make a tool to remove the stock I found that a 1/2" or 5/8" wood drill bit drops right into the slot and works with a crescent wrench similar to you tool. Probably not as durable as your tool in a tough or binding situation. Thanks again for posting!!
11-87 Premier is a great gun. The one I own has been hunted by 4 generations of my family. My father, me, my son and grandson so far.
you are welcome
You my friend deserve many thanks. By far the best videos on gun maintenance/repair going. Thank you much for saving me time, money & the knowledge gained on my firearms.
you are certainly welcome, Thanks, Dan.
Thank you its been a long time since I serviced a 11-87 . I just bought another one and tore it down . I'm glad I found your video not saying I couldn't do it , but your video was just awesome . I had a lot of fun doing and its always relaxing for some reason. Thanks again
Glad I could help, thank you
Thanks for your videos. They helped me alot....
You are certainly welcome. I will be loading most of my gun repair videos on my own site shortly since u-tube is not the most gun friendly.
Great video thanks , learned a couple new techniques. Never to old to learn .
thank you Jon
Retay has a machined and removable and replaceable ejector too. Well designed shotgun.
All in what you want to do with the gun.
More parts than i would have imagined. I'd never get that all put back together lol
That would be why I should get the big bucks. Thanks, Dan.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent! Very well presented! Thanks!
Manny Rodriguez thank you
Dan...you are da man!
Great thorough video...Maybe turn off the air in the future...
Thanks Jesse, It's an early video, but I will still choose content over quality if there is a choice.🙂🙂
I know this is an old vid but it's an old gun too! The pickle fork in mine is sticking in the stock? I'm going to strip the gun down today to see if I can spot a reason? The gub cycles but often the bolt gets stuck closed and the fork is jammed? It's an old duck gun and seen a lot of use. I'm going to look for bends or an obstruction of some sort. Anything else I should be looking for?
Pickle fork is probably worn along with everything else, the edges have probably worn sharp and may be able to lightly file and stone the sharp edges may help but probably replacement will be the best option, crap built up in the recoil spring guide can also be a problem as well as worn recoil spring. The bolt sticking closed is most likely caused by a raised edge raised in the barrel hood where the bolt locking block engages the barrel hood and smoothing this edge so it is the same height as the rest of the barrel hood will probably help. Depending on wear it may or may not be able to reliably function. Good luck with it, Dan.
My 1187 synthetic isn't grabbing or extracting the shell out of the magazine anymore, it'll fire the first round, then leave the next round in the magazine, is it worn or bent shell latch, the gun is well taken care of, and cleaned everytime after use.
I just shot a follow up to the 11-87 videos and will release it later this week when I get it edited. In the mean time read thru the comments of all three videos because I have responded to these problems there. thanks, Dan.
Excellent video! Do you have to remove the pickle fork (Link) before you remove the action spring? i'm trying to avoid disassembling receiver.
You will have to remove the trigger group only because the 2 fongers will have to be pressed together to fit in the action spring plunger.
Great video for 11-87 aficionado's.
Thanks, I appreciate it
Thanks for this , I have re-assembled my 1100 many times ,but now when put together ,the trigger won't work ,as if the safety catch is on ,but with or without the safety catch it still won't work once the trigger unit is placed back in
sounds like the disconnector may not be positioned correctly. Often when the trigger group is inserted it may not align properly and if it has been removed and replaced numerous times it may become slightly bent sideways and not align.
@@hillsgun Thanks ,when the hammer strikes doe's it go between the link forks
?
yes
@@hillsgun Many thanks friend , all sorted ,remmy is good to go again
@@hillsgun Many thanks for your help , all working ok
Excellent video. Any way I can contact you on some 11-87 super magnum issues that differ from the standard 11-87? I have a gun that I can't get to work properly and I'd like to pick you brain about it if you're willing.
Hi Todd, I no longer am able to provide phone support, if you e-mail me thru the contact page of our atlasmachineshop.com website I will try and briefly answer your questions. Thanks, Dan.
I am having issues with my 1187 and believe it is due to the shell latch. When taking out the trigger housing my shell latch fell out and looks like it is suppose to stay in. How would I go about getting this fixed? My problem seems to the pin to the shell housing. Where could I order one from?
The shell latch was originally staked in place, you will have to find a gunsmith with the PROPER tool to restate it. Now that being said it does not have to be staked for the gun to function properly. The front of the shell latch slides into position and should have one of the front ears under the tab in the front of the receiver and the other ear stops the shell from coming out of the tube, then the back of the shell latch is pushed into it’s groove in the side of the receiver, use one of the trigger pins (just the end so the trigger group will slide by) to position it front to back, then with your third and forth hands slide the trigger group back into position and install the pins.
I just bought a used 11-87 Premier. This is by far the most instructive vid I have found for these guns. Thank you! I am missing one of the front trigger pin detent springs. Is that something I should replace ASAP? I am a real gun novice, but very interested.
One detent clip on each of the pins is all that is necessary which is usually all that the factory installed. Thanks, Dan.
Thanks for this one
Our pleasure!
I have a question. I have an 11-87 20 ga. that will cycle 2.75" shells all day but will not cycle 3" shells without hanging up. I have broken down the gun to the point you have in the video, cleaned it with brake cleaner, cleaned the inside of the action spring tube, reassembled and slightly lubed, test fired 25 times with 2.75" shells rapidly to heat the barrel and once I loaded 3" shells into it the first shell fired, got hung on the receiver as it was ejecting and the second shell cycled out of the magazine and under the fired hull. I went back to the work bench and polished the chamber with 0000 steel wool for 10 minutes, followed by a very fine grit polishing compound to smooth up the chamber. Same results the second time I fired the gun. I thought it might be the interceptor latch and/or the disconnector after watching another video. Was going to order both but it doesn't seem the company who purchased Remington firearms division is producing spare parts. What are your thoughts on honing the chamber and then re-polishing?
I also think there is an issue with shot shell manufacturers using brass plated steel at the base instead of brass and once it expands when the shell is fired it does not contract like 100% brass base which could be holding the fired shell in the chamber just long enough to prevent the gas from pushing the bold back for a full cycle. Your thoughts would be appreciated. I am at the point of giving this youth model back to my friend and telling him to purchase a new gun since parts are not available.
Hi Fred: I suspect you are going the wrong way. I think that you may need to replace the action spring which may or may not help because it will probably cycle the 3” inch but then might not cycle 2 3/4 inch. Polishing the chamber may actually be making it worse ,interceptor and disconnector are not the problem. The gun is probably cycling to fast. I will usually say that the gun is short cycling when it doesn’t eject which is more likely when using 2 3/4” (and can be aggravated by low quality ammunition in both 2 3/4 and 3”)but usually works with 3”. Since it works with the lighter loads that. Is not the case. With the 3” the gun is cycling faster and the longer shell hasn’t had time to get out before the bolt is moving forward (and it has fully cycled to the rear since it has fed the next round from the magazine)My best guess is that a new action spring may have enough extra pressure to restore proper function so I would start there. Be very careful when you start polishing things inside a firearm. A very little goes a long way and I have seen a lot of VERY bad and sometimes dangerous gunsmithing advice given on utube by some that are supposedly very knowledgeable.Dan. Poor quality ammunition can be a problem but you can usually tell if it is hanging in the chamber because it will usually show a very aggressive marking on the rim of the case left by the extractor.
@@hillsgun Thanks for such a speedy reply. My initial thought was to replace the action spring when my friend was telling me about the problem and then he told me he ordered a spring replacement kit at which time I asked if he replaced the spring in the stock and he said he had replaced it. Do you think I should order a Sure Cycle System action spring kit from Midwest Gun Works? It provides two different springs, one for 2.75" and 3" shells and a shorter spring for 3" only. Thank you for your guidance and advice!
I’m not much for changing parts if there’s no real indication that that’s the problem. Did it work with the original spring? And are we sure that it was originally replaced with the proper spring? I feel that the action is cycling to fast which would indicate a light spring , and I am not sure,but I seem to remember that the springs are different between the small and large frame 20 gauge Guns.
@@hillsgun I was concerned the spring he used as the replacement may not have been the correct spring. I have ordered the Sure Cycle System action springs. I have used them on two A-5's I had to go through when multiple gunsmiths over the years could not figure out why they would not cycle 2.75" shells. The problems with the A-5's were not the springs and both cycle properly now. If you would like I can follow up once I get the new springs in and installed in the 1187?
The blade tool you made to insert into the loosen the nut inside the stock, what are the dimensions of it?
Hi There
Can the magazine be taken of the 1187 to be replaced , thanks .
Best ian
The short answer is no. They are silver soldered in and will ocasionaly break loose due to various reasons. in those instances I have repaired them but I have built tooling to specifically align and position them, it then has to be reblued. I suspect that if yours is damaged and needs to be replaced it will have to be sent to a Remington authorized service center to have it repaired. I doubt that even if you have the ability and tooling to do the repair properly that you will be able to get a replacement part.
Great video thank you!
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Get a Retay Masai Mara and the trigger group just drops out with the push of a button and the pressing of the release button on the side of the receiver. Love the Retay with inertia-plus. Serviced by Briley Choke Company if needed.
I recommend the gun in it's factory configuration for general field and hunting use, the specialty upgrades are most often used if you are playing competitive games
@hillsgun - Thank you for the video and your knowledge on the 1187. Very informative. I have an 20 Ga y9outh model that about every 5 round fails to feed. The round ejects and bolt goes back and seems to stick. And when this happens, the carrier does not go up. It just sticks. I can manually cycle the gun after that and clear the issue. Question: Does that sound like a shell latch issue or something else? I've replaces the oring and the and the piston seal and piston look to be in good shape. Thx again, FletchMan. PS- I am going to go back through and inspect the everything now that I've gone throught all 3 videos.
Are you sure it's not an ammo issue? ammo that is to light will sometimes cause what you are describing.
@@hillsgun - Thank you. I will try some high brass #6's and turkey loads and see if there is any difference. Also, I may replace the piston and piston seal. They seem a little worn and a lot carbon came off when I cleaned it.
@@ReelTimeCapt Could be plastic residue in your chamber. When it heats up , causes the 5th round to stick. Try a brass or bronze only brush on a brill to clean the chamber and bore. You will be amazed at what comes out. I use Hoppes # 9
Because the firearm was in for short-cycling (problem) and cleaning you did not remove the cartridge magazine retainer bar and spring. Would those two need to be removed for cerakote due to the 400* temperature required to bake the cerakote? And if so, how are they removed?
no it is not necessary. the heat should not be run high enough to affect the temper of the springs if done correctly and the shell latch on the right side as well as the spring on the left side are staked in place. you create more problems trying to remove and then correctly restake them than if they are left in place. thanks, Dan.
@@hillsgun Perfect. Thanks Dan.
Sometimes when I take off the barrel, the piston rings and the seal are stuck inside of the piston chamber. I have to push them out. Is that normal?
Sometimes, I have seen some that do and some that stay with the tube and the gun still functions fine . I think it may have something to do with the different types of o rings used, but I am not certain?
Hello, I have a Remington 11-87 Sportsman 20 gauge. I was patterning the gun the other day using Winchester, Remington, & Federal loads (3"). The last shell did not eject. I finally got the shell out but now the breech bolt cannot be pulled rearward. I have to unscrew the end cap and remove the receiver to manually slide the breech bolt rearward and reassemble. But once it goes forward again it is stuck again. Ideas?
Just found your comment so I am not sure where it was hidden, Not sure but it sounds like the fork that rides behind the bolt may have broken one of the legs which will cause it to bind, not to common but it does happen
I have a 11-87 that when you load it and you shoot it. I will not cycle shells and it will not hold shells in the tube. When you load it the carrier will not stay up and try to load two shells at once. I can email a video if I can get some contact information.
Hi David: Sorry for the delay in responding to you. I will be doing a follow up video on the most common issues I have seen concerning the 11-87 but in the meantime read thru the comments on all 3 of the 11-87 series as my responses cover the majority of the problems. I have considered doing one on one consultations to resolve gunsmithing issues and have exchanged videos on several occasions trying to resolve issues, but the reality is that unless I have the gun in my hands to feel what the gun is telling me then what is a simple fix is no teasily conveyed to the owner and becomes frustrating for all involved so I am currently not doing it. My best advice is to find a competent gunsmith in your area who can troubleshoot the issue and is not just a "parts changer" which is unfortunatly what most now are.
Hi, I'm brand new to shotguns and following your great video. I'm disassembling and cleaning my wife's old dirty 11-87 Super Magnum and I just got to the step where I remove the magazine retainer and spring. Once I turned the screwdriver, the retainer popped out, but there was no magazine plug and the spring was all kinked up up. Maybe someone in the past (her brother probably) lost it. Can you help me pick out a replacement part online that you yourself would use for this gun? I just want to make sure I get the right thing and looking for a pro's opinion. Thanks, ryan.
Hi Ryan: just replace them with a factory spring and plug, even though Remington is having problems those parts should still be available from any of the suppliers online such as Midway, brownells, Midwest Gun Works .
@@hillsgun Thanks. I couldn't find OEM parts so did third party from midwest gun works.
Thank you for the detailed information. After the solvent bath what do you use to keep it from rusting without over oiling?
I use a light coat of break free (CLP)
Have a 1100 that the gas block has unattached from the barrel! Looks like it was soldered on? Anything I need to know before I try to reattach it?
silver soldered on, alignment has to be perfect, and gas port will have to be reamed to the correct size
@@hillsgun thanks it's got a pin that goes into a simple that seems to line up to the old solder perfectly!
Can u do the barrel support on the mag tube bc I took mine apart and my barrel support fell off and I need help idk what to do
I no longer take in outside work. You will have to find a qualified shop to do the repair as the mag tube and support are silver sldered into the receiver, and then it will have to be reblued. It is not a particularly difficult repair, but there is some specialized tooling that I feel is necessary for alignment and positioning for everything to work properly. Only a shop that has done these repair should be considered which is usually a shop that was listed as a remington authorized service center should be considered. I built the fixturing for this several years ago for my shop as there is none I am aware of that is commercially available. The mag tube and support was never ment to be removed from the receiver but I replaced several over the years usually when they were damaged from a fall. Good luck, Dan.
Thanks, I took my 11 87 apart for a clean and lube and couldn't have done it without your vid. I've got a question, the firing pin when pressed didn't visibly come out the bolt face. Not sure if this is normal so after reassembly I took a snap cap dummy round and put a piece of tape where the primer would be then fired the gun. The tape was untouched. I did the same with another shotgun (pump action) and the tape had a hole from the pin. Now I'm thinking what the heck? So I go to the range and fire a live round with the 11 87 and it fired fine. What am I missing? Thanks for any advice.
The disconnector blocks the firing pin when you tried to push it. I suspect that your snap cap may have an out of spec case rim thickness (to thick,or if in spec at the high end ) with a piece of tape added it made it thicker so the gun was probably not fully in battery so the disconnector would not allow the firing pin to release. If it fired when you tested it with live ammo I would not be concerned.
@@hillsgun Thanks so much! How nice it is to have a pro give advice!
You are certainly welcome, glad to help
I have a Hatfield sas 12 ga. That is not cycling or ejecting shells..I basically have to use it like a pump shotgun..I took it apart and cleaned it pretty good I think..do you have any suggestions? Company says use only high velocity quality shells but shouldn't I be able to use this gun with any shell? Thanks in advance
In a nutshell no, you will not be able to use any shell. For it to function you will probably have to shoot hi velocity 3" shells. And the problem will probably be worse if you are shooting steel shot as it runs lower pressure. All semi automatics are designed to work within a certain pressure curve and very few manufacturers are able to have a shotgun which has a large enough pressure curve to accomidate the full range of shells. since the sas is a 3" gun to be able to long term be able to handle heavy 3" shells it is working on the high end of that pressure curve so anything less than real heavy loads do not have enough oomf to cycle the gun. conversly a gun designed to handle a light trap load for instance will beat itself apart or try and cycle so quickly that it will not reliably function. Since the sas is a relativly inexpensive shotgun it is in most instances more problematic. Not picking on the gun, if it serves the intended purpose then that is all that is important. As with all firearms price is directly related to quality. Dan
@@hillsgun Thank you
I have a 20 gauge 11-87 with a shell stuck 3/4 of the way in the chamber. It will not fire and I cannot force the handle forward nor backwards. I cannot remove the barrel because the bolt is stuck forward with the live shell. Can you give me any advice on how to solve this issue? I am thinking of trying to remove the trigger assembly and see if that helps but any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any help
Hi Mike: Check this link, I just uploaded and it should get you foing. I did it assuming that it is far enough out of the chamber that you have access to the extractor. As always safety is the main concern ua-cam.com/video/c4WhTW8Bx3E/v-deo.html
Thanks very informative
no problem, Thanks
The tube inside the stick of my 1187 broke off so is there anyway to replace that
The tube is silver soldered into the receiver, If a replacement tube is available it can be replaced, your best option is to find a shop who was listed as an authorized Remington service center as they will probably be the best equiped to PROPERLY do the repair as it has to be jigged in the proper position for the stock to mount at the proper angle and depth for it to fit correctly and then it will have to be reblued.
I don't have the dimensions in front of me, but it is prety self explanatory, It just needs to fit into the hole in the stock and the blade fits in the slot in the nut.
Hi Hillsgun, good video. 1100 20 ga magnum purchased used 2 years ago worked fine. Action recently will not cycle freely by hand and sticks due to binding when trigger group is installed. It takes two hands to open the action sometimes. Action is slides super smooth as glass when trigger group removed. It shot find last fall and no problem...I recently took it out of the gun case and found this problem. I inspected the internal parts and there are no visible broken or bent parts. I did see minor wear marks on the side of the hammer. There is obviously contact somewhere causing the problem....any ideas? It binds throughout the cycle, when bolt is closed and when pulling bolt to rear, it binds enough that it can hold itself open when near to full rearward position before it locks open...but, I just can't see the problem. Thanks. Dennis. Shotgun is very clean and lightly oiled.
After how many shells do I need to clean it I have been doing it around 300-500 rounds
it all depends on how it is being used, it should probably have a light clean(barrel ) after every session, if it is being hunted when it is cold outside when it goes from the wet outside into a warm car it will sweat and begin to rust. when I ran the shop I told clients I wanted to see the gun at least once a year after the season for a detail clean so it was ready for next season along with their light cleaning throughout the season. My personal guns get a fairly thourough cleaning after every outing even if the trigger was never pulled
I'm having issues with my 11-87 . It's double feeding. Would the shell latch be a culprit?
could be the shell latch. Is the spring properly engaged in the intercepter latch? can also be caused by heavy loads hammering the gun.Those are a few of the things that can cause double feeding.
Good vid
thank you Rudy
Can you show how to replace the bolt buffer ??
Never seen one that had to be replaced,but the firing pin retaining pin will have to be removed then the firing pin,spring, etc. remove the old buffer. Push in the new buffer, it will then need to be drilled for the firing pin retaining pin, deburr as necessary for free movement of the firing pin and spring and then reassemble the firing pin,spring and replace the firing pin retaining pin. Be sure and remove and replace the firing pin retaining pin in the proper direction as it is directional
The buffer is shaped differently on each end .
Which end goes to the back of the bolt ?? Toward the butt stock ?
have you ever heard of the action tube breaking off at the reciever mine did and it seems to be only silver sauderd into the reciever any ideas thank you
They break usually from a fall or when they are left leaning against the tire when you get back to the rig and are forgotten and you drive over them the broken stub in the receiver has to be de-soldered and a replacement re-soldered. Earlier models were threaded and replacements were available. I don't know if Remington will provide a replacement or if they will require it to be shipped to them for factory repair which is more likely the case.
I have an 1187 that the chamber won’t close after I shoot. What could be the problem?
Light loads? Your not giving me enough information
I am having an issue with my 11-87. The bolt will stay locked to the front when there is a shell in the magazine. It is like the shell is caught on the shell latch and I can move the shell so the shell latch moves and the shell comes out of the magazine tube 1/8-1/4'' more and then the bolt will move to the rear just fine. Is this the shell latch that is the issue? Thanks Jamie
It sounds like the ear on the shell latch may be broken (or has been removed and reinstalled incorrectly) allowing the shell latch to move to far inward which will interfere with the bolt movement and not allow the shell latch to move outward to release the shell. It is also possible that the interceptor latch spring is out of position. hope that helps.
@@hillsgun I was out hunting over the weekend and it just happened so likely something is broken. I ordered a new shell latch and will try that. Is there more information on the interceptor latch spring in your video here? How can I find the correct positioning. Thanks for the quick reply
The shell latch will have 2 extensions at 90 degrees to each other at the front of the latch. Usually the downward leg is broken. The new latch should be staked in place when installed. The interceptor spring is part of the interceptor latch and provides tension to the interceptor latch the assembly is held in place by a circlip which is occasionally lost or broken.
@@hillsgun Thank you. So I know my interceptor latch is there along with the circlip. Is the spring behind the the interceptor latch. I am not looking at the gun now, but will check it tonight.
Spring is just a wire that fits in the notch on the edge of the latch. as long as it is in the groove and is providing spring tension it should be fine.
Have a 11 87 bolt wont lock back manually. And fails to feed after first shot . Any idea what needs to replaced .
not without knowing more, Bolt latch may be broken? Gun Dirty? Failure to feed, Is it short cycling or not feeding from the magazine tube, is it a 3" gun or just 2 3/4, what ammo?
How is it being hunted (upland waterfowl, out of a pit or blind?) the gun doesnt care functionally but your clothing and how you mount the gun can affect it's ability to utilize the recoil to cycle.
I clean it regularly feeding from tube but getting stuck half way up. 3inch .
@@hillsgun bolt is halfway back when it jams .
@@hillsgun use it for waterfowl.
@@ben5434 bolt latch may be why it doesnt lock back manually. I suspect since it is a waterfowl gun it is a combination of things. While it is better than an 1100 it still suffers from the same problems, make sure the ports in the barrel are clean, fresh barrel seal, mag tube clean and dry will be the main things, Steel shot builds less pressure in the gun so it is usually necessary to use heavy 3" shells or the gun will short cycle. Over time if using spray cleaner to "douch out" the receiver it runs down into the stock and washes the gunk down into the recoil spring causing it to gum up. Heavy clothing and hi angle pass shooting make for a less than ideal gun mount which creates less positive cycling. What has worked fine in the past may not work fine now because conditions have changed from gun wear to clothing to hunting style to ammunition and gun fit will all be a factor.
My magazine tube came loose? Can i fix it?
I don't know, can you? : ) The magazine tube is silver soldered in place. They have been known to occasionally break loose. (poor factory job) I have repaired several over the years but you have to be familiar with your silver solder and be fairly proficient at it. You don't want to overheat the receiver or the tube and it needs to be blued afterwards to match. (cold blue won't work here)
Can you reset the ejector on a barrel?
not sure what you mean by reset. they are factory installed to be a permanent part of the barrel and I have never seen one come loose. If that happened I suspect I would silver solder it back in place. Can they be adjusted if that is what you mean then my answer would be no. Some will probably say they can be tuned for one reason or another but when you change one thing then something else will be affected so I would not change the factory setup.
@@hillsgun The deal is I bought a slug barrel that turned out to be for a 3&1/2" chambered gun and mine is only a 3" reciever, so I'm considering having the barrel extension shortened to fit my gun but, the problem lies with the ejector being cut off in the process? If I had another way to contact you I would.
What do you mean by short cycle?
Hi Fred: Short cycle is when the gun does not complete it's full cycle of operation so if we consider the beginning of the cycle to have a round in the chamber, we would pull the trigger, the gun would fire, the bolt will unlock and move rearward,the empty case would be extracted from the chamber and be ejected from the gun, another shell feeds from the mag tube, be lifted to the chamber where the bolt on its forward movement will carry the shell fully into the chamber where it is now ready for the trigger to be pulled again. That is one complete cycle of the gun, any interuption of that motion which stops the full cycle is considered a "short cycle".
@@hillsgun Thanks!! My 1187 is doing this. I bought it in 1988 and only turkey hunt with it. The other day, upon shooting, it ejected empty shell just fine but did not fully load new shell in chamber. The bolt hung up about mid way. It has done this a few times over the years and cleaning seemed to make it good. I cleaned it last night but bolt still wants to hang. Guess I will reclean. Perhaps I may need a new action spring?
Is it normal for the inside of the receiver under were the bolt rides to be sharp
Hi John: Not necessarily normal but it is not uncommon. it is caused by the action rails cutting on the receiver. Remington has stamped them out and left fairly crisp edges on the action bars when they should have been deburred or slightly rounded on the edges. I will see it on receivers that have seen lots of use , ran with no lube for a good portion of their life, have bent action bars, or were just poorly manufactured.I have seen a couple over the years that had worn thru the receiver.
@@hillsgun I had to find that out the hard way I sprayed lube in there and was rubbing with a patch and it cut me pretty bad. Someone said it was because the gun hadn't been shot that much..
@@hillsgun how can you tell what year it was manufactured
@@johnwalters7415 I don't have a serial # reference for remington, you will have to call remington and maybe they can date it for you.
@@hillsgun thank you
Sir I have a question about a part, how can I get into contact with you?
You can e-mail me directly at dan@hillsgun.com
Okay, I went ahead and emailed you, thanks!
This is a pretty good video sir. Please please turn off the leaking air compressor when u make videos. I watched 3 minutes of the vid and had to turn it off because the air was so loud and not only was it annoying but it made it hard to hear you talk. I'm not hitting dislike bc it's good content with really bad videography. Might watch it later.