# Remington 11-87 not firing ** Pics added (pic heavy)



## BuckHunter31 (Mar 31, 2013)

My B-I-L brought over his Remington 11-87 Premier for me to tinker on and figure out what the deal is. He shoots around the world and he told me it quit firing on his last shoot in Argentina last year. He has THOUSANDS of rounds through this thing. Never had a problem until now. 

So I looked it over and before I even broke it down I studied the fit of the carrier bolt assembly in relation to the trigger hammer. When you pull the trigger the hammer never even reaches the firing pin. It comes up short.

So I broke it down all the way. Took the trigger mechanism out and detail cleaned it. It was pretty nasty. But everything seemed to work perfectly. I then cleaned the firing pin and assembly. Again everything seems fine. Nothing broken, nothing worn too bad. Everything is tight like it should be. 

So that leads me to think this has something to do with the seals. I noticed that when he brought it to me the forearm was loose. 

Well when I reassembled it, I tightened up the forearms like it should be. Now the dang thing won't release the hammer. No click. Just a loose trigger. BUT if you loosen up the forearms a little, it will drop the hammer and fire like normal, except the hammer never reached the assembly. 

I checked all the seals and everything looks good. 

Any idea as to what is going on? When you tighten up the forearm snug, it wont drop the hammer. When you loosen the forearm, it drops the hammer but it doesn't reach the assembly. I'm lost. Please help! 

God bless and HAPPY EASTER!


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## harryrichdawg (Mar 31, 2013)

Doesn't make sense to me.  Can't see what the forearm has to do with the trigger group.  Do you have another 11-87?  If so, swap out trigger groups and do the same tests.  I've got 2 of them.  If you can't figure it out, I'd be glad to bring mine over one evening this week and help you tinker.  Maybe the two of us together could figure out something.

I bought a non-functioning 1100 about a month ago for $125.  I swapped trigger groups with my other 1100 and it worked just fine, so I knew the problem was with the trigger group.  I compared the two trigger groups side by side and finally noticed a bent pin.  I straightened it out, and now both 1100's function flawlessly.


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## miles58 (Mar 31, 2013)

Look at the shell stop and the trigger group.  Sounds like it's bent or just really dirty.

Dave


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## BuckHunter31 (Mar 31, 2013)

Will do it. Thanks guys.

Yea it's pretty odd. I can see where someone has taken it apart before. There are some good screw driver marks on the rear of the carrier assembly. Guess they were trying to take the firing pin out. But he just told me it stopped shooting in the middle of his trip. HE hasn't taken it apart since then.

I've googled it up a little and someone has had the same problem with the trigger not dropping the hammer when the forearm is tightened up, but when loosened it drops just fine. I believe his problem was with the seals. Something about the barrel seal having to be rolled up on the piston seal before it would allow the barrel and bolt assembly to seat properly in the the receiver. Tried that and the carrier assembly wouldn't even seat all the way forward towards the barrel when released. Just made it worse. 

I spent 2 hours looking at everything last night. Nothing seems bent or messed up.


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Okay so I took a bunch of pics in hopes someone will spot a problem. If anything looks out of the normal please let me know. Thanks


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics 2


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics 3


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics 4


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics 5


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics 6


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Pics 7


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

The last pic shows the hammer coming up short to the firing pin. That's as close as it gets. Any ideas?


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## Offroadtek (Apr 1, 2013)

Is the bolt fully forward? Mine's a righthand gun, but from your pictures and description it looks like it's not quite forward all the way, the hammer will hit the bolt/carrier before the pin in that case. And if you tighten the forend down you get a loose trigger? Could it beholding the bolt back far enough that the disconnector is still engaged? Operate the bolt with the barrel off and then with the O-ring not installed and see how it functions.


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

It is all the way forward. If you tighten up the forearm as tight as possible, the hammer won't drop when you pull the trigger. A few bumps with your hand on the receiver and it will eventually drop when the trigger is pulled. But it still doesn't touch the firing pin or assembly. Something is binding up. I'll remove the barrel and rings and see what happens


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

So I took the forearm and barrel off and its hitting the firing pin perfectly. Put the forearm and barrel back on and it pushes the assembly back not allowing it to go forward all the way. Offroadtek you sir are a genius!  

What's the cause? The seal / rings?

Im thinking something is wrong with the barrel fit


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Ok so I put it completely back together without the piston and barrel rings and it works perfectly. Guess I just need to order new ones?


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Just so I'm not missing something, is this the correct way of putting it back together?


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

It's the o ring. It's not letting the assembly all the way forward into the barrel ring. Guess I need to order a new.


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## Offroadtek (Apr 1, 2013)

Glad to hear. That doesn't look like a factory sized ring. You can find those rings online and in some stores.


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Yea it looks a little big. It's just not allowing the action to seat all the way forward. I think he messed with it and couldn't figure it out, now putting it on me lol. Guess it's on to Midway  thanks again


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## 4man150 (Apr 1, 2013)

*Keep us updated!*

I have been trying to ressurect my Remington 1100. It was my first real gun that I got for Christmas when I was younger. Originally, the problem was ejecting shells. Well, I replaced the "o-ring" that was dry rotted, proceeded to shoot it, and it didn't go bang. The hammer didn't move. After some tinkering, I got the hammer to release with the gun loaded, but no indentions were made upon the primer. 

Purchased new firing pin and firing pin spring, but still no luck. Maybe mine is experiencing the same problems are yours. If anyone has suggestions on this particular problems, I'll gladly listen, or should I troubleshoot like Buckhunter?


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## Thunder Head (Apr 1, 2013)

Its been my experince (though limited) with 1100s and 11-87 its always the o-ring. My buddy even keeps a spare in his duck hunting bag. Make sure you have the correct o-ring. Also inspect it carefully to make sure there are no nicks on it.


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## Offroadtek (Apr 1, 2013)

Yeah, it mostly boils down to a bad/worn/wrong sized O-ring. 
The specs for it are 15/16” inside diameter x 1 1/16” outside diameter 1/16” thick. 
It's a #33 if you can find them in Home Depot, Lowes doesn't seem to stock them.

4man, try it without the o-ring and gas rings installed and see how it fits.

PS: Goodness!!! I just priced them on Midway and Brownells, I'm gonna keep getting them on Ebay or parts stores.


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## 4man150 (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks thunder, I may try shooting it without the o-ring, I know it wont cycle, but maybe it will shoot. bad idea?


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Here is pics WITH the o ring. Notice the gap between the barrel ring and the action in the first pic. Notice in the second pic the firing pin assembly is not seated back far enough.


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

Now without the o ring. Notice no gap and the assembly is far enough back and seated properly


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

The o ring is just too big. Guess it's the wrong size. I did notice the barrel was EXTREMELY difficult to slide off when I first broke it down. He did tell me he swapped it out once before and it shot, then it stopped in the middle of a shoot. I think he put the wrong o ring on, then crammed it on and I guess MADE it fit. Then after a few hundred rounds it worked its way out of the barrel ring causing the action to not seat properly.


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## Offroadtek (Apr 1, 2013)

4man150 said:


> Thanks thunder, I may try shooting it without the o-ring, I know it wont cycle, but maybe it will shoot. bad idea?



Shouldn't hurt anything. I would start with a light load. But you should be able to tell by dryfiring it and looking at the hammer like Buckhunter did in his pictures.


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## 4man150 (Apr 1, 2013)

offroadtek, when I dry fire, it strikes the firing pin without a doubt, just that firing pin doesn't strike primer when loaded. I've thouroughly cleaned the bolt out, replaced spring and firing pin. I too, believe that something is off kilter as far as alignment, but my barrell seats perfectly into the receiver.


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## 4man150 (Apr 1, 2013)

buckhunter, glad you got yours figured out!


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## Offroadtek (Apr 1, 2013)

4man150 said:


> offroadtek, when I dry fire, it strikes the firing pin without a doubt, just that firing pin doesn't strike primer when loaded. I've thouroughly cleaned the bolt out, replaced spring and firing pin. I too, believe that something is off kilter as far as alignment, but my barrell seats perfectly into the receiver.



The issue isn't with the barrel seating in the receiver, but in the action/bolt being held back to far. They make guns to pretty tight tolerances and just a little extra space will make things not work. Try it without an O-ring and see how it does. Since the problem changed when you changed the oring I'd start there. A bad oring will cause ejection issues, and oring that's to thick will cause firing pin issues.


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## 4man150 (Apr 1, 2013)

thanks offroad, I think that last statement ranks up there with confucious haha now.... 5:00 come on


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 1, 2013)

I love tinkering with guns. I'm more experienced with simple bolt guns and  striker fire pistols. This is honestly the first SG I've ever had to troubleshoot. Thanks again offroad for your help. And good luck 4man


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## Early-14 (Apr 1, 2013)

I have never worked on the 11-87 however on the 1100 I have always used the O-ring  size #21 ( Industrial )   from  ACE hardware for about 45 cents..    Works well.


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## elfiii (Apr 1, 2013)

BuckHunter31 said:


> The o ring is just too big. Guess it's the wrong size. I did notice the barrel was EXTREMELY difficult to slide off when I first broke it down. He did tell me he swapped it out once before and it shot, then it stopped in the middle of a shoot. I think he put the wrong o ring on, then crammed it on and I guess MADE it fit. Then after a few hundred rounds it worked its way out of the barrel ring causing the action to not seat properly.



Probably so. It definitely looks like the wrong sized O ring. Both the O ring and the piston should slide easily up into the barrel assembly when you slide the barrel back into the receiver and the barrel should mate flush with the receiver without having to force it. The O ring on my 11-87 SPS has a tendency to get stuck up in the collar on dis-assembly. Probably time for a new one.


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## Whiteeagle (Apr 1, 2013)

Spotted the problem right off, somebody put the ejection port on the wrong side....LOL! I had a similar issue with my 11-87 Premier about 10 years ago when I decided I needed a NEW o-ring. Tried several from hardware stores, and finally the man that runs an ACE hdw in Newnan told me I could keep searching for one that fits right or simply order a pack of 5 from Remington and get the right one! 10 Years later I am turkey hunting with the same 11-87 amd have 4 o-rings for spares. Pretty good advice from the young man that runs the ACE Hdw! I will never be without at least 1 spare.


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## 4man150 (Apr 2, 2013)

I fired it yesterday without the o-ring, POW!! the o-ring on there was too big. Gonna get the right one and see if it ejects.


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 2, 2013)

Glad you got it all sorted out and it was a simple fix!


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## Offroadtek (Apr 2, 2013)

Here's the rings I ordered. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290889379310?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649


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## 4man150 (Apr 2, 2013)

I also ordered some off ebay yesterday! the size 19 for the 20 guage. Thanks buckhunter, feels good to revive my first gun ever given to me


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Apr 2, 2013)

Thunder Head said:


> *its always the o-ring.*



Big +1.  I bet upwards of 95% of issues with 1100/11-87 are  something to do with the o-ring.

Glad you got it figured out Buckhunter.  I love my Remington shotguns.


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## Thunder Head (Apr 2, 2013)

Of course 3-4 people dont make it 100%, from me and my friends experiences. An 1100 or 11/87 will shoot hundreds of rounds without being cleaned. You can lose it in the mud for an hour while duck hunting, pick it wash it of a little and it will go bang. You can hunt with it for the rest of the season and discover theres a stick lodged in the trigger assembly. You can bust ice with it, paddle with it or any other abuse you can come up with. It will still go bang.

 BUT if you get on little nick on that o-ring its not going to work right.

4man150
 Its just fine to fire it without the o-ring. Since yours goes bang when you do id bet a $100 thats it will work fine when you put a new o-ring in it.


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 2, 2013)

Was at ACE by the house picking up some stuff and was curious if they had the right size. They had like 100 sizes all neatly organized and YES they had the correct one. I had already ordered some from Midway for like $9. ACE had them 0.49 a piece. Picked up 3 for $1.57 and they work perfectly. Sorry Midway had to cancel

Oh FYI they are #33


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## BuckHunter31 (Apr 2, 2013)

O-ring from ACE


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## 4man150 (Apr 2, 2013)

http://youtu.be/iJL_sr85y9E

Not the perfect size ring as the ones I've ordered haven't came in yet , but this felt awesome ! Oh, and I'm not sure why it's upside down and sideways


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## Offroadtek (Apr 2, 2013)

Haha. Glad to see it works 4man! A Remington will last forever, just carry a spare oring.


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