Receiver for Remington Model 1100 was nicely shaped, the same size as the receiver for the Model 870. It also had rolled on scroll engraving that some didn’t particularly like, but it was tastefully done.
The gas operated auto-loading shotgun made its first appearance after World War II. Unlike the recoil operated autoloader which first made its debut as Browning’s famous A-5, the gas gun’s first successful appearance was as a military rifle, the M-1 Garand. There were others, of course, but it was the M-1 Garand that set the stage, followed quickly by the M-1 Carbine, both U.S. military weapons. Other countries too had their gas operated semi automatic rifles, the Russian Tokarev SVT, the German GEW 41, the Japanese Type 5 (a copy of the U.S. M-1), and even the Italian Breda Model1935. But all of these guns were used in limited numbers during World War II. None were standard issue nor as successful or as widely used as the U.S. M-1. So, it is only natural that when a first successful gas operated shotgun was developed its mechanism was basically an offshoot of the system used in the M-1 Garand.
In 1956 Sears, Roebuck and Company launched their J.C. Higgins Model 60, the first successful gas operated shotgun. The gun was bulky and heavy, partly caused by the operating rod that was like the one on the M-1. The action was basically the same as on the old M-1, of course it was modified for a shotgun. It was a good gun, at least according to the gun writers of the day who tested and reviewed the new gun. It was bulky, and not the most graceful looking shotgun. The irascible and witty gun writer of the period, Colonel Charles Askins, said in his review of the Model 60, that the initials J.C. in J.C. Higgins stood for “Josephine Clementine,” and that looking at the new shotgun, it was quite obvious that she was “in a family way!”
Receiver for Remington Model 1100 was nicely shaped, the same size as the receiver for the Model 870. It also had rolled on scroll engraving that some didn’t particularly like, but it was tastefully done.
The J.C. Higgins, which was made by High Standard, never gained popularity and disappeared after a few years. In the meantime, Remington was working hard to come up with a better solution. Remington’s very popular recoil operated post war model, the 11-48 sold very well, its only competition being the venerable Browning A-5, to which it owed much of its mechanical design. However, the 11-48 was more or less a stop-gap measure. Remington had been working on a gas operated gun since the war ended. When J.C. Higgins announced their Model 60, Remington went into high gear and before the year was out, announced its own gas operated shotgun, the Model 58.
The Model 58 was a very good gun, soft shooting and with excellent stock dimensions that seem to fit just about everyone. It had a checkered stock and forearm and a game scene was roll engraved on the receiver. Many liked the Model 58 and to this day would not part with their gun. However, the Model 58 was not without faults and one of the major shortcomings was that it could not digest low and high velocity cartridges interchangeably. In order to shoot one or the other, you had to turn the magazine cap, which was marked with an L and an H to indicate load settings and opened or closed the gas ports according to the needs of the load. It was a small thing, but there were those who did not like the idea of having to change the settings. In hindsight, this seems somewhat odd, since the very popular Browning A-5 required the switching of the friction ring for each load setting. So, you would think the shooters of the day would not have minded the mere turning of the magazine cap, a much easier process than removing the barrel and forearm to switch the friction ring as it was required in the A-5 and other long recoil shotguns of the era. However, the newer Remington Model 11-48 did not require any switching of the friction ring, so perhaps the Remington users expected all new Remington autoloaders to shoot low or high velocity loads without any fiddling. Whatever the case, the L and H settings on the magazine cap did not sit well with some shooters.
The Remington Model 1100 20LW version had a smaller, scaled receiver which made for a delightful 20 gauge autoloader.
The Model 58 lasted from 1956 until 1964. In 1959, while the Model 58 was still very much in production and selling fairly well, Remington came out with another gas-operated autoloader. This one was called the Model 878, and it differed from the Model 58 in that it did not have rolled on game scene engraving on the receiver and the wood was completely plain, no checkering whatsoever. Additionally, unlike the Model 58, which was available in several grades, the Model 878 was only available in its “Plain Jane” version. The only choices were a plain or a ventilated ribbed barrel. The one major difference between the two guns, besides the cosmetics, was that the Model 878 did not require the use of different settings to shoot different loads. The Model 878 was produced for only a three-year period, from 1959 until 1962. It was in fact a temporary fill-in, before Remington launched its now legendary Model 1100. In a sense, it was an experimental version of the Model 1100, albeit, not quite as advanced or developed.
In 1963 Remington introduced its Model 1100, a hugely successful gas operated autoloading shotgun that to this day is used as a yardstick to measure all other gas operated autoloaders. Just as the Browning A-5 was used as a measuring stick for all long recoil operated autoloading shotguns, the Remington Model 1100 quickly became the gun by which all other gas operated autloaders were judged. It was beautifully designed with what seemed perfect stock measurements. It was well finished with rolled on scroll engraving on the receiver, and impressed fleur-de-lis checkering pattern on grip and forearm. Although the impressed checkering was not to everyone’s taste, most shooters were willing to overlook the somewhat tacky looking checkering for all the other great virtues that the new autoloader possessed.
A Remington Model 1100 Ad showing “Catfish” Hunter, a very popular baseball player in his day, favoring the 1100 for his shooting. This ad appeared in April 12, 1976 Sports Illustrated magazine. Can you imagine Sports Illustrated running a gun ad today?
Within a decade, the 1100 became the favorite autoloader of just about everyone who shot an autoloader! John Wayne, the iconic Hollywood star, shot an 1100 at skeet. In fact, just about everyone used the 1100, particularly when it came to skeet or trap. The soft shooting gun became an immediate favorite in America. Even in UK, the tradition-steeped land of the side by side double, the “Remmie” as the 1100 was affectionately called, became a favorite among those who used repeaters. It also didn’t hurt its popularity in UK, when a Sporting Clays championship was won by a shooter using a “Remmie,” and a sort of a cult following developed. Everyone sang its praises for its soft shooting quality, its exceptionally “friendly” stocking which seemed to fit everyone. Its reliability was superb, if you maintained the gun properly and cleaned the gas system, the gun seemed to function forever. The 1100s popularity soared.
By the early 1970s, the Japanese made shotguns made huge inroads in the world shotgun market. The Winchester 101s and Nikko, the various Mirokus and SKBs were selling not only in the U.S., but becoming very popular in UK and Europe. In UK the Winchester 101 in its European version was hugely popular with Sporting Clays shooters. Everyone who knew guns was in agreement that Japanese made shotguns were excellent value for the money, durable and well made. Therefore, it was with some surprise that a reporter noted at the 1972 Olympics that the entire Japanese skeet squad was using Remington 1100s! There were no Nikkos, or Mirokus, or SKBs, all excellent guns and all made excellent skeet guns. To a man, the Japanese National Skeet Team was shooting the Remington Model 1100s! Such was the popularity of the Remington Model 1100 that it was not surprising to find it in all corners of the world.
However, the Remington Model 1100 did have its weaknesses, or so it was perceived by some. In a nation where shooters like to stuff the most powerful loads they can lay their hands on, whether they need it or not, the 1100, although it could handle all 2 3⁄4 inch cartridges interchangeably, could not handle the 3 inch magnum load as well. To shoot the longer round, a magnum version of the standard model was necessary with a modified receiver and a longer chamber in the barrel and a smaller gas port. There were those who didn’t mind this “shortcoming” at all and happily continued to shoot their 1100s, even at waterfowl, where supposedly the 3 inch and now the 3 1⁄2 inch magnum is necessary. I knew a very successful California waterfowler who shot nothing but the standard chambered 1100. He had two barrels for his gun, a 28 inch modified barrel for general duck and pheasant hunting and a 30 inch full choke barrel that he used for pass shooting. He was one of the most accomplished and successful waterfowler I ever encountered.
The Remington Model 1100 ad from 1964, its second year of production.
My personal experience with the 1100 has not been as extensive as I would have liked. But, I did own and shoot a few through the years. The first time I shot an 1100 was on a quail hunt in northern California, on the outskirts of the town of Petaluma. My brother Jim had just gotten a brand new 1100 20 gauge LW model. He was extremely pleased with the gun and said it came up to the shoulder and lined up so naturally for him that it was almost effortless for him to shoot the gun. He insisted that I try the gun so we exchanged guns, and when my shorthair Smoke pointed a single, I flushed it and shot it without almost thinking. The gun felt so natural and handled so beautifully. I was impressed.
Throughout its life, the Remington Model 1100 has been made in dizzying number of variations. Initially it was available in 12, 16, and 20 gauges, all built on the same frame. But it wasn’t long before Remington came out with a smaller 20 gauge frame, the one identified as LW or LT and also the diminutive frame for the 28 gauge and the .410, producing the 1100 in three frame sizes. During its peak production period in the 1970s and early 1980s, it was made in countless other variations for deer and turkey, special waterfowl models, etc.
When Remington announced the introduction of the new Model 11-87, the old 1100 was going to be phased out. In fact, for a short while after the appearance of the 11-87, the 1100s were not made any more. The 11-87 was more advanced, mechanically superior to the aging 1100. The 11-87 could shoot all cartridges interchangeably from low base 23⁄4-inch to 3-inch magnum with no adjustments. It looked superficially identical to the 1100 and it had better checkering (cut checkering rather than that awful impressed stuff!) and overall updating. In short, Remington listened to its customers and basically took the 1100 and incorporated all the things that were desirable that were not in the 1100. However, there was one thing that they left out. With all the new features, they still could not duplicate the feel and balance of the 1100. The newer 11-87 had a different feel, seemed a bit heavier. Many shooters did not like the feel of the new gun and literally demanded the return of the 1100. Once again Remington listened and the 1100 was brought back in limited versions.
The 1100 is still with us, a half a century after its introduction. Hopefully it will be with us for a lot longer, at least until another version of the 1100 makes its appearance. But the new version better retain the wonderful feel and balance of the 1100 or else the faithful will again demand that the old 1100 be revived.