28-Sep-2026
Long before inertia-driven Italian semi-autos ruled the pigeon hide, one shotgun taught the world that a gas-operated gun could be soft-shooting, reliable and genuinely elegant: the Remington 1100. Together with its successor, the 11-87, it became one of the best-selling semi-automatic shotguns ever made, and clean examples still turn up regularly on the UK second-hand market at prices that look like bargains next to modern equivalents. Searches for both models have been ticking up again, so here is a proper look at what separates the two, and what UK buyers should know.
The Model 1100: A gas-gun landmark
When Remington launched the Model 1100 in 1963, gas-operated shotguns had a reputation for being temperamental. The 1100 changed that almost overnight. Its gas system bled a measured amount of pressure from the barrel to cycle the action, soaking up recoil in the process; shooters accustomed to punishing fixed-breech guns suddenly found they could shoot all day in comfort. Clay shooters noticed first, then wildfowlers and game shots followed, and the 1100 went on to sell in the millions.
The gun’s lines helped. With its glossy walnut, machined steel receiver and trademark scroll engraving, the 1100 always looked a class above its price. Many that come up for sale in the UK today are American imports from the model’s golden decades, often with plenty of life left in them.
The 11-87: The evolution
The Model 11-87 arrived in 1987 as the 1100’s more versatile descendant. The headline improvement was a self-compensating gas system that let the same gun digest everything from light game loads to heavy magnum cartridges without adjustment, something the 1100, which was set up for a narrower band of loads, could not manage. The 11-87 also standardised the Rem Choke interchangeable choke system, where many earlier 1100s wear fixed chokes.
In the hand, the two guns feel closely related, sharing the same soft-shooting character and general layout. The practical difference for a buyer is flexibility: an 11-87 will happily switch between clays on Saturday and heavier field loads in the season, while a 1100 prefers consistency in its diet.
Which one should you buy?
For UK shooters, the choice usually comes down to purpose and price. If you want a characterful clay and game gun and feed it sensible loads, a good 1100 is wonderful value, often the cheaper of the two, and the earlier guns have a collector’s charm the later model lacks. If you want one semi-auto to do everything, the 11-87’s adaptable gas system and screw-in chokes make it the more practical pick.
Bear in mind UK law: semi-automatic shotguns held on a standard shotgun certificate must have a magazine restricted to two rounds (three shots in total), and most UK-market guns are already crimped accordingly. Our guide to UK shotgun licensing explains the certificate side, and if you are weighing a semi-auto against a traditional over-and-under, our piece on choosing your first shotgun is a useful companion.
Buying used: What to check
Both models are famously durable, but they are gas guns, and gas guns reward inspection. Check the gas ports, piston, and magazine tube for heavy carbon build-up or pitting; neglect here is the usual cause of cycling trouble, and a deep clean cures most of it. On the 1100, ask about the barrel seal (a consumable O-ring that is cheap and easy to replace but often overlooked). Inspect the action bars for cracks, confirm the bolt locks back on an empty magazine, and look at the chamber marking to be sure the gun suits the cartridges you intend to use; older 1100s came in 2¾-inch chambers.
Stocks and forends take the same knocks as any working gun, so check the usual places for cracks, especially around the receiver tang. None of these checks should put you off: parts support for both guns remains good, and a well-kept example will outlast its next owner too.
The Remington semi-auto in UK shooting today
The 1100 and 11-87 occupy a lovely niche in British shooting: affordable, soft-shooting classics that do real work. Pigeon shooters and wildfowlers value the reduced recoil over a long flight, clay shooters use them as comfortable club guns, and collectors are increasingly putting tidy early 1100s away. They sit alongside the pump-action Remington 870, the other Remington legend, as proof that the big green brand built guns to last. For a sense of what cartridges suit an older semi-auto, our guide to popular cartridges is worth a look.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Remington 1100 and 11-87? The core difference is the gas system. The 11-87’s self-compensating design handles a wide range of loads without adjustment, while the 1100 is tuned for a narrower band. The 11-87 also standardised interchangeable Rem Chokes.
Can I own a Remington 1100 on a shotgun certificate in the UK? Yes, provided the magazine is restricted so the gun holds no more than three cartridges in total (two in the magazine, one in the chamber). Guns with larger capacity fall under Section 1; see our guide to Section 1 firearms.
Are parts still available for the 1100 and 11-87? Yes. Both guns sold in enormous numbers, and consumables such as O-rings, seals and springs are still readily obtainable through UK gunsmiths and specialist suppliers.
Is the Remington 1100 good for clay shooting? Very. Its gas system makes it one of the softest-shooting 12-bores ever built, which is exactly what you want over a hundred-bird sporting layout.
Find Remington shotguns on Rightgun.uk
Whether you are after a collector-grade early 1100 or a workhorse 11-87 for the foreshore, the used market rewards patience, and the right listing appears more often than you would think. Browse Remington 1100 listings and the full range of Remington shotguns on Rightgun.uk, or explore all shotguns for sale from sellers across the UK. Got one in the cabinet you no longer shoot? List it on Rightgun.uk and put it in front of buyers searching for exactly that gun.
Further reading: Best semi-automatic shotguns, Beretta A400, Beretta A301, A302 and A303, Choosing your first shotgun, and Popular cartridges for clay shooters.
