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Remington 11-87
- moderate
- Shop tier 2
- high confidence
- Shotgun
- semi auto shotgun
- gas operated
- pressure compensating
- tube magazine
- hunting
field strip ~5 min · reassembly ~7 min · detail strip ~30 min
Before you begin
Verify this firearm is unloaded. Remove the magazine or empty the cylinder or tube, lock the action open, and check the chamber both by sight and by touch. Keep the muzzle in a safe direction and remove all live ammunition from your work area.
Remington Arms limits owner disassembly
The maker's own procedure goes as far as: Field strip: fore-end, barrel, piston and seals, operating handle, action bar, breech bolt and trigger plate out. The trigger plate is cleaned as a unit, not taken apart.. Remington's procedure ends with the trigger plate assembly removed and says to clean it as a unit with oil only; all adjustments to the trigger and trigger plate assembly must be made by the factory or a Remington Authorized Service Center. (Owner's Manual, Models 1100 & 11-87 (REV 0926) — RemArms, LLC, p. 17 remington-arms.com [2])
Specifications
- Manufacturer
- Remington Arms
- Origin
- United States
- Category
- Shotgun
- Action
- Gas, short-stroke piston
- Calibers
- 12 gauge, 20 gauge
- Capacity
- 4+1 typical
- Production
- 1987–present (discontinued)
- Also known as
- 11-87 Premier, 11-87 Sportsman
Model-specific safety
- Keep the safety mechanism engaged throughout — red band not showing. The manual's reason is specific: with the trigger plate assembly out, an unengaged safety lets the hammer snap forward.
- The 11-87 adds a pressure-compensating gas system to the 1100 design, which lets it cycle a wider range of loads. The gas components are still orientation-sensitive and can be installed backwards.
- The barrel seal O-ring on the magazine tube is a consumable wear part and the most common cause of an 11-87 that stops cycling.
- Unloading a tube magazine takes several cycles. Verify the chamber and the tube.
- Do not let the bolt slam closed repeatedly on an empty chamber — it batters the barrel extension.
Under spring tension
- Action spring in the buttstock tube
- Magazine tube spring
- Hammer spring
Easily lost parts
Gas piston, seal, and compensating components · Barrel seal O-ring · Trigger plate pins
Tools
No tools required for the field strip.
Shop difficulty
Shop tier 2 Tier 2 — moderate among shotguns, for the full job: strip to the parts that get coated and put it back together working. About 98 listed items, a gas system whose piston and seals are orientation-sensitive, the same carrier-dog trigger plate as the 870, a stock nut that needs a proper wrench, and a staked feed latch and interceptor latch spring that need a staker if removed. Several Tier 2 traps but no timing; top of Tier 2.
Parts: 91 numbered parts ('Model 11-87 Parts List' in the combined 1100/11-87 owner's manual), from Remington Model 1100 / 11-87 Owner's Manual — RemArms LLC, p. 22–23 remarms.com [1].
Bench time: about 55 min to strip, 80 min to rebuild (estimate). As 1100; Super Magnum barrel-seal activator adds a gas part to order correctly.
Small parts: 16 pins, 18 springs, 11 detents or plungers (counted from the manufacturer's parts list (one per key number unless a quantity is given))
What comes off for coating
- Barrel / gas system: magazine cap, fore-end, barrel, barrel seal, piston and piston seal/rings (order and direction noted), magazine spring retainer, spring and follower
- Receiver: trigger plate pins and trigger plate assembly, operating handle, breech bolt assembly and action bar assembly, feed latch and interceptor latch spring (staked; bare-receiver jobs only) — shell latch staker
- Trigger plate assembly: trigger plate pins (front/rear) with detent springs, carrier pivot tube, carrier, carrier dog, dog washer, follower and spring, hammer, hammer plunger and spring, sear, connector/disconnector, trigger and their pins, safety, safety detent ball/plunger and spring, action bar lock / carrier latch and spring
- Bolt: firing pin retaining pin, firing pin and spring, extractor plunger and spring, locking block, breech bolt return plunger
- Stock / action spring: recoil pad, stock nut (slotted) and washers, stock, action spring tube plug pin, action spring follower and spring — stock nut wrench or long slotted socket bit
Special tools
- Stock nut wrench (Remington 1100/11-87) or long slotted socket bit — Buttstock nut over the action spring tube
- Shell latch staker — Feed latch and interceptor latch spring after refinish
- Punch set incl. 1/8 in. — Trigger plate and bolt pins
Known pain points
- The gas piston and piston seal/O-ring must go on the magazine tube in the right order and direction; reversed, the bolt does not close fully and the gun will not cycle or fire. (reassembly)
Owners report: model 1100 won't fire — Canadian Gun Nutz canadiangunnutz.com [4] — “Is that new gas piston installed the right way? Because if it is not, the piston sleeve/bolt assembly won't be fully forward and will cause those issues.” - Removing the buttstock (needed to reach the action spring tube) means breaking loose a recessed stock nut that usually wants the proper wrench or a long socket-drive bit. (disassembly)
Owners report: Stubborn Rem-1100 stock nut — Canadian Gun Nutz canadiangunnutz.com [5] — “Does anyone have any tips or tricks to get it off shy of ordering the proper wrench?” - Pulling the carrier pivot tube to strip the trigger plate lets the carrier dog follower and its spring fly; refitting means holding the carrier down against that spring while the holes in carrier, dog washer and plate are lined up for the tube. (both)
Owners report: Carrier on Trigger Assembly Protruding? (page 2) — Rem870.com Forum rem870.com [6] — “lift the carrier assembly off slowly so that the carrier dog follower & follower spring don't go flying across the room.” - The feed latch and interceptor latch spring are staked into the receiver; refinishing the bare receiver means restaking them with a dedicated staker. (both)
Source: Remington 870/1100 Shell Latch Staker instructions — Brownells brownells.com [7] — “are held in place by receiver metal which is swaged, or staked, against them. If the latch loosens, has been removed during the rebluing process or is replaced, it will be necessary to restake it”
Fit or check on rebuild
- Gas piston and seal order/direction — Reversed parts keep the bolt from closing fully and the gun will not cycle or fire.
Source: model 1100 won't fire — Canadian Gun Nutz canadiangunnutz.com [4] — “Is that new gas piston installed the right way?” - Feed latch / interceptor latch restaked — Staked latches removed for refinish must be restaked or they loosen.
Source: Remington 870/1100 Shell Latch Staker instructions — Brownells brownells.com [7] — “it will be necessary to restake it” - Function check: safety, trigger/sear release, disconnector and feeding with dummy rounds — Standard after any detail strip; a mis-assembled sear or disconnector can double or fail to fire.
This is Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's. How tiers are rated. Forum reports are owners' experience, not specifications.
Procedures
Clear and Make Safe
Clear & Make Safe- Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
- Engage the crossbolt safety behind the trigger.
- Pull the bolt handle rearward to eject any chambered shell and lock the bolt open.Removed at this step:
Chambered shell, if present - Cycle the action repeatedly, catching each shell as it ejects, until no more shells feed from the magazine tube.
- With the action open, inspect the chamber and look up the magazine tube with a light.WarningThe chamber AND the tube.
- Physically confirm the chamber is empty and remove all live ammunition from the work area.
Field Strip
Field Strip- Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure, checking both the chamber and the magazine.
- Point the firearm in a safe direction and engage the safety mechanism. The red band must not show.WarningKeep the safety mechanism engaged throughout — red band not showing. The manual's reason is specific: with the trigger plate assembly out, an unengaged safety lets the hammer snap forward.
- Pull the operating handle fully rearward until the bolt is held open by the carrier latch.
- Unscrew and remove the magazine cap.Removed at this step:
Magazine cap - Slide the fore-end forward and remove it from the magazine tube.Removed at this step:
Fore-end - On 12-ga. models, remove the gas cylinder collar. The 12-ga. Super Magnum does not use one.Removed at this step:
Gas cylinder collar - Hold the barrel in front of the gas cylinder and pull the barrel from the receiver.Removed at this step:
Barrel - Slide the gas components from the magazine tube. What comes off depends on the variant: 12-ga. Super Magnum has barrel seal, barrel seal activator and piston/piston seal assembly; 12-ga. 2 3/4 in to 3 in has barrel seal and piston/piston seal assembly; 20-ga. has barrel seal, barrel seal activator, piston and piston seal.TipNote the order and orientation as they come off. This is the part people reassemble wrong.Removed at this step:
Gas system components - Hold the operating handle and close the action, then pull the operating handle from the bolt.TipClose the action first. Pulling the handle with the bolt locked back is how handles get bent.Removed at this step:
Operating handle - Push the carrier release and push upward on the carrier.
- Reach into the bottom of the receiver, press and hold the feed latch, pull the action bar assembly from the receiver and magazine tube, then release the feed latch.TipThe feed latch is the step that makes this work. Without it held, the action bar assembly will not come out and forcing it damages the latch.Removed at this step:
Action bar assembly - Lift the breech bolt assembly from the rear of the action bar assembly.Removed at this step:
Breech bolt assembly - Replace the magazine cap so it is not lost.
- If you need the trigger plate out, tap out the front and rear trigger plate pins, then lift the rear of the trigger plate assembly, slide it rearward and remove it.WarningDo not allow the hammer to snap forward with the trigger plate assembly removed. Keeping the safety engaged throughout is the manual's stated way to prevent it.Removed at this step:
Trigger plate assembly
Reassembly
Reassembly- Point the firearm in a safe direction and engage the safety mechanism. Red band not showing.
- If the trigger plate was removed, fit it into the receiver front first, seat the rear, and tap both pins home.
- Fit the breech bolt assembly to the rear of the action bar assembly.
- Press and hold the feed latch, slide the action bar assembly into the receiver and over the magazine tube, then release the latch.
- Close the action and fit the operating handle into the bolt.
- Refit the gas components to the magazine tube in the order and orientation they came off.TipOn an 11-87 Super Magnum the barrel seal activator is used with 2 3/4 in loads and Remington recommends removing it for 3 in and 3 1/2 in loads.
- Hold the barrel in front of the gas cylinder, place the gas cylinder over the end of the magazine tube, and align the long slot at the rear of the barrel with the stud projecting from inside the receiver.Tip28-ga. and .410 barrels have short extensions: align the ejector slot in the end of the barrel with the ejector inside the receiver, and do not jam the barrel against the ejector.
- Seat the barrel firmly into the receiver, slide the fore-end over the magazine tube, and thread the magazine cap on firmly.WarningModel 1100 and Model 11-87 barrels are not interchangeable in either direction. Remington states this explicitly.
- Cycle the action several times and perform the function check.
Torque specifications
No sourced torque values from the manufacturer are recorded for this firearm. Where a fastener has a specified torque — action screws, scope bases, muzzle devices, barrel nuts — get it from the manufacturer or a gunsmith rather than estimating it.
What the manufacturer does say: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "Tighten the choke tube snugly but DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN." (Owner's Manual, Models 1100 & 11-87 (REV 0926), PDF p. 10) "Replace and tighten the magazine cap." (Owner's Manual, Models 1100 & 11-87 (REV 0926), PDF p. 10)
Reported by other sources — not the manufacturer
Not a manufacturer specificationThese values come from the people and publications named beside each one, not from Remington Arms. They are recorded with who said them and their exact words so you can judge them — not as a recommendation. Confirm any of them with the manufacturer or a licensed gunsmith before you put a wrench on your firearm; a wrong value can crack a stock, strip a thread or loosen a muzzle device.
| Fastener | Torque | Who says so, and their words | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banded front sight attachment nuts (5/16" nut driver) XS Sights banded front sight (winged ghost ring kit) on a Remington 11-87 12 ga (XS: 'Will only work on Remington Model 870,1100, and 1187 shotguns in 12 gauge') |
30 in-lb 3.4 N·m · 2.5 ft-lb |
Reported by XS Sights Threadlocker: Red thread locking compound between band and barrel “If you are using a socket wrench, do not over tighten, doing so may break the attachment screw. The torque spec is only 30 inch pounds.” |
XS Sights Banded Shotgun Front Sight / Winged Ghost Ring — Installation Instructions — XS Sights, PDF p. 1 of 2 xssights.com [3] |
Parts list
Transcribed from the manufacturer's parts list (Remington Model 1100 / 11-87 Owner's Manual — RemArms LLC, p. 22–23 remarms.com [1]) — The combined 1100/11-87 manual prints separate lists; this is the 'Model 11-87 Parts List' (pp.22–23). The Model 1100 list (pp.20–21) was left out here and is used for the remington-1100 entry.. Key numbers refer to the exploded view in that document.
98 parts
| Key | Part | Part no. | Qty | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Action Bar Assembly | 1 | ||
| 2 | Action Bar Sleeve | 1 | ||
| 3 | Action Spring | 1 | ||
| 4 | Action Spring Follower | 1 | ||
| 5 | Action Spring Plug | 1 | ||
| 6 | Action Spring Plug Pin | 1 | ||
| 7 | Action Spring Tube | 1 | ||
| 8 | Action Spring Tube Nut | 1 | ||
| 9 | Action Spring Tube Nut Washer | 1 | ||
| 10 | Action Spring Tube Nut Lock Washer | 1 | ||
| 11 | Barrel Assembly | 1 | ||
| 12 | Barrel Seal | 1 | ||
| 12a | Barrel Seal Activator (Used on 20 Ga. and 12 Ga. Super Magnum™ only) | 1 | ||
| 13 | Breech Bolt | 1 | ||
| Breech Bolt Assembly | 1 | |||
| 14 | Breech Bolt Buffer | 1 | ||
| 15 | Breech Bolt Return Plunger | 1 | ||
| 16 | Breech Bolt Return Plunger Retaining Ring | 1 | ||
| 17 | Carrier | 1 | ||
| 18 | Carrier Assembly | 1 | ||
| 19 | Carrier Dog | 1 | ||
| 20 | Carrier Dog Pin | 1 | ||
| 21 | Carrier Dog Washer | 1 | ||
| 22 | Carrier Dog Follower | 1 | ||
| 23 | Carrier Dog Follower Spring | 1 | ||
| 24 | Carrier Latch | 1 | ||
| 25 | Carrier Latch Pin | 1 | ||
| 26 | Carrier Latch Spring | 1 | ||
| 27 | Carrier Latch Spring | 1 | ||
| 28 | Carrier Pivot Tube | 1 | ||
| 29 | Carrier Release | 1 | ||
| 30 | Carrier Release Pin | 1 | ||
| 31 | Carrier Release Spring | 1 | ||
| 32 | Connector, Left Restricted | 1 | ||
| 33 | Connector, Right Restricted | 1 | ||
| 34 | Connector Pin Restricted | 1 | ||
| 35 | Disconnector | 1 | ||
| 36 | Extractor | 1 | ||
| 37 | Extractor Plunger | 1 | ||
| 38 | Extractor Spring | 1 | ||
| 39 | Feed Latch | 1 | ||
| 40 | Firing Pin | 1 | ||
| 41 | Firing Pin Retaining Pin | 1 | ||
| 42 | Firing Pin Retractor Spring | 1 | ||
| 43 | Fore-End Assembly | 1 | ||
| 44 | Fore-End Support Assembly | 1 | ||
| 45 | Front Sight | 1 | ||
| 45a | Gas Cylinder Collar (Used on 12 Ga. Only - Not used on 12 Ga. Super Magnum) | 1 | ||
| 46 | Grip Cap | 1 | ||
| 48 | Hammer | 1 | ||
| 49 | Hammer Pin | 1 | ||
| 50 | Hammer Pin Washer | 1 | ||
| 51 | Hammer Plunger | 1 | ||
| 52 | Hammer Spring | 1 | ||
| 53 | Interceptor Latch Retainer | 1 | ||
| 54 | Interceptor Latch Spring | 1 | ||
| 55 | Interceptor Latch | 1 | ||
| 56 | Link | 1 | ||
| 57 | Locking Block Assembly | 1 | ||
| 58 | Magazine Cap | 1 | ||
| 60 | Magazine Follower | 1 | ||
| Magazine Plug (3-shot) | 1 | |||
| 61 | Magazine Spring | 1 | ||
| 62 | Magazine Spring Retainer | 1 | ||
| 62a | Middle Sight | 1 | ||
| 63 | Operating Handle | 1 | ||
| 64 | Operating Handle Detent Ball | 1 | ||
| 65 | Operating Handle Detent Spring | 1 | ||
| 66 | Piston 12 Gauge | 1 | ||
| Piston Seal 20 Gauge | 1 | |||
| 67 | Piston Seal 12 Gauge | 1 | ||
| Piston 20 Gauge | 1 | |||
| 68 | Receiver Assembly Restricted | 1 | ||
| 68a | Return Plunger Retaining Pin | 1 | ||
| 69 | Recoil Pad Brown | 1 | ||
| 70 | Recoil Pad Screw | 1 | ||
| 71 | Rubber Grommet (Model 11-87™ Sporting Clays Only) | 1 | ||
| 72 | Safety Mechanism | 1 | ||
| 73 | Safety Mechanism Detent Plunger | 1 | ||
| 74 | Safety Mechanism Spring | 1 | ||
| 75 | Safety Mechanism Spring Retaining Pin | 1 | ||
| 76 | Sear | 1 | ||
| 77 | Sear Pin | 1 | ||
| 78 | Sear Spring | 1 | ||
| 79 | Slide Block Buffer | 1 | ||
| 80 | Stock Assembly | 1 | ||
| 81 | Stock Bearing Plate | 1 | ||
| 82 | Trigger Restricted | 1 | ||
| Trigger Assembly Restricted | 1 | |||
| 83 | Trigger Pin | 1 | ||
| 84 | Trigger Plate RH Safety Mechanism | 1 | ||
| Trigger Plate LH Safety Mechanism | 1 | |||
| Trigger Plate Assembly RH Safety Mechanism | 1 | |||
| 85 | Trigger Plate Pin Bushing, Rear | 1 | ||
| 86 | Trigger Plate Pin Detent Spring, Front (Need 2) | 2 | ||
| 87 | Trigger Plate Detent Spring, Rear | 1 | ||
| 88 | Trigger Plate Pin, Front | 1 | ||
| 89 | Trigger Plate Pin, Rear | 1 |
Function check
After every reassemblyPerform these checks on a verified-unloaded firearm. If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire — stop and see a licensed gunsmith.
- Verify the shotgun is unloaded — chamber and magazine tube — before each step.
- Cycle the action fully and confirm it locks closed.
- With the hammer cocked, engage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
- Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
- Load two dummy shells into the magazine and confirm they feed and eject one at a time.
- Confirm the magazine cap or takedown fastener is tight.
Maintenance
Lubrication points
- Bolt body and locking block
- Magazine tube exterior where the piston rides
- Action bars
- Hammer and sear pivots
Cleaning notes
Clean the gas ports in the barrel, the piston, the seals, and the magazine tube every few hundred rounds. Do not oil the gas piston area heavily — oil there mixes with carbon into a paste that stops the gun.
Suggested inspection interval: roughly every 500 rounds. This is a general guideline, not a manufacturer specification.
Wear parts to inspect
Barrel seal O-ring · Gas piston and seals · Action spring · Extractor · Link
Common issues
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Shotgun stops cycling reliably | Worn barrel seal O-ring or a fouled gas system | Replace the O-ring and clean the gas system. This resolves most cycling complaints. |
| Will not cycle after cleaning | Gas components reassembled in the wrong order or orientation | Check against a parts diagram. |
Also covers
The procedures above are reported to apply to: 11-87 Premier · 11-87 Sportsman · 11-87 Special Purpose. Verify against the manual for your specific model.
Similar manual of arms
Sourcing
- Confidence
- high — Cross-checked against a primary source such as the manufacturer's manual or an issuing military technical manual.
- Verification
- Checked against the manufacturer manual
- Last updated
- 2026-10-29
References
Every source this page draws on, with its web address so you can read it yourself. Numbers in brackets elsewhere on the page point here.
- [1] Remington Model 1100 / 11-87 Owner's Manual — RemArms LLC manufacturer manual primary source
https://www.remarms.com/sites/default/files/2026%20Revised%20OMs/1100%20&%201187%20Manual%20(REV%200526).pdf (checked 2026-09-15) - [2] Owner's Manual, Models 1100 & 11-87 (REV 0926) — RemArms, LLC manufacturer manual primary source
https://remington-arms.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1100-1187-Manual-REV-0926.pdf (checked 2026-09-27) - [3] XS Sights Banded Shotgun Front Sight / Winged Ghost Ring — Installation Instructions — XS Sights manufacturer manual secondary source
https://xssights.com/content/Install%20Instructions/Banded%20Shotgun%20Winged%20Ghost%20Ring%20Instructions.pdf (checked 2026-10-11) - [4] model 1100 won't fire — Canadian Gun Nutz community anecdotal source
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/threads/model-1100-wont-fire.1225346 (checked 2026-10-29) - [5] Stubborn Rem-1100 stock nut — Canadian Gun Nutz community anecdotal source
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/threads/stubborn-rem-1100-stock-nut-pics-added-on-page-3.2106243 (checked 2026-10-29) - [6] Carrier on Trigger Assembly Protruding? (page 2) — Rem870.com Forum community anecdotal source
https://rem870.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10978 (checked 2026-10-29) - [7] Remington 870/1100 Shell Latch Staker instructions — Brownells book secondary source
https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/learn/Inst-187%20Shell%20Latch%20Staker.pdf (checked 2026-10-29)
Notes: Verified and corrected on 2026-09-15 against the factory manual. The outline was right but three things were missing. The safety must be engaged before disassembly and kept engaged throughout, because with the trigger plate out an unengaged safety lets the hammer snap forward. The action must be closed before the operating handle is pulled. And the feed latch — pressed and held from the bottom of the receiver — is what releases the action bar assembly; the entry omitted it entirely, which is the difference between the gun coming apart and being forced. The 11-87 is an 1100 with a pressure-compensating gas system. Maintenance, failure modes, and the barrel seal O-ring issue match the 1100 closely.
Found something wrong?
Corrections are the most valuable contribution to this project. Open an issue with the model, the step, and a source.