Remington 870 or 1100?

D

Dawg Down

New member
Finally saved up enough $ to buy a shotgun! Now I just have to decide which 1 to get. I'm leaning towards a 870 that shoots 3 1/2" because I had 1 years ago. I kinda like the idea of a semi auto though. I also would like some input on other makes such as Mossberg ..... so what do you guys shoot and which seems to hold the best pattern? Thanks
 
Not a big fan of 3 1/2" myself. If you have the right ammo and range, a 3" will kill 'em just as dead for less $$ and less recoil.

The 870 is the SBC of the shotgun world. Will last a lifetime and so many options you could get lost in the catalog.

The 1100 is a little bit more maintenance (0-ring every 4 bazillion rounds) but again, will last forever. And again, a multitude of options.

You'll never have to worry what round you shoot in a pump as it doesn't need to operate the recoil. The 1100 with the wrong piston may have difficulty ejecting soft rounds.

Other than that, all personal preference. Either way, rock solid shotguns.
 
I would say that the choice between the two could be influenced by the length of your arms
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I have short arms compared to others of my height so I have a little more trouble operating a pump Scatter gun.
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Thanks SShooterZ, I have never owned a semi auto in any gun. I had wondered about it myself if it would be picky on which shells that it liked. As far as jamming that is.
 
DAB, Thanks for the reply. I'm 5' 11" and my arms are long so I don't have to worry about that. You should see me trying to shoot my sons Rossi! He thinks its hilarious! Lol
 
I have owned both the Rem 870 and a 3" 1100. I still own a 3" 870 and a 3" 11-87.

I would go with a 3" 1100 or a 3" 11-87. My 3" 11-87 shoots the 2-3/4" 1-1/8 oz target loads just fine. The 3" 1100 I bought in the late 1960s would not cycle 2-3/4" 1-1/8 oz target loads.

It is nice to have the lower recoil of the gas operated semi-autos and just having to pull the trigger is great when you are sitting or laying down for long periods of time in cold weather.

I have no use for a 3-1/2" shotgun, I have heard of some problems with them in semi-autos. I don't want to be kicked any harder than what a 12 ga 3" shotgun kicks.
 
1100 little picky until you get a few rounds thru them. 3" will do everything a 3.5 will except kick as hard.

870 hard to beat if you want a pump.

VersaMax will shoot what ever you want it to.
 
Personally... I would go with the 870 in a Wingmaster version (not the Express model). The pump gun will be a little lighter and balance a little better without the gas system slung under the barrel. The 870 is also dead nuts reliable and not ammo sensitive.
 
Well, I own four 1100s 3" 12ga w/ 30" full and a 28" with tubes, 2 3/4" Trap 12 ga w/ Monte Carlo stock 30" Full ( and I have a fully rifled slug barrel for this one sweet setup with the high comb and iron sights), 3" 20ga 25" in w/tubes and a 2 3/4" 20ga Special Field 23" w/ tubes.

Bet that says what my suggestion might be... 1100 2 3/4" 26" 12ga w/syn stock would cover 75-80% of what I use a shotgun for...

But, actually for 95% of uses an 870 Wingmaster 3" 12ga 26" with tubes
 
I don't like cleaning the semi Auto's, and have used a 870 in many different chambers a lot.
I went cheap and got a mossberg 535 that will shoot the 3.5" shell, its a good gun, but not as good as my 870's.
 
Had a lot of different 12 GA over the years. I prefer an 870. I know semi autos are the mainstay of duck hunters but I've had semi-autos fail to cycle in very cold weather sitting exposed in a deer stand. That's been a few decades ago. An 870 is reliable and if an accessory is made, they make it for an 870.
 
I would buy an used 870 Wingmaster over the Express. Just handle one of each and you'll seewhat I mean. That said I have Wingmasters,1100s and an Express and you can't go wrong with any of those.
 
I have a pair of 870s - one 20ga and a 12, both 1960s vintage Wingmasters. I'm not a hard core wing shooter, but these do almost everything. The one weakness is shooting skeet.
 
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