I bought a Remington 1100 LW 20-gauge shotgun for my wife to shoot clay targets (informally) and sometimes hunt with me when I go hunting for waterfowl. Since the gun is slightly smaller and lighter than my 12-gauge Remington 1100 standard model, I assumed that LW meant lightweight, which would be perfect for my wife since she is a small lady.
When I bought the shotgun, I didn’t notice that it had “Magnum” engraved on the opposite side of the receiver from the serial number.
This may or may not factor into my question, which involves the barrel on the gun. On the left side of the barrel is engraved “Full,” which I believe refers to the choke. However, on the muzzle, it has a device with which I am unfamiliar. It is marked with the name “Poly Choke” and was made in Hartford, Conn. In addition, it has what appear to be choke selections marked from “Slug” to “X-Full.” Does this mean the gun will shoot different patterns by turning the end of the muzzle? Will it shoot steel shot for marsh hunting?
Also related to the barrel, according to one of the local gun gurus, the fact that it won’t reliably cycle light loads is because it is a Magnum barrel. Is there anything I can do about this, or do I need to purchase a new barrel?
J.G., Onancock, Va.
Your Remington 1100 LW 20 Gauge Magnum shotgun is a bit of an anomaly in that it was only in production for six years, from 1971 to 1977. The original 20-gauge 1100s were built on the 12-gauge frame before downsizing to the smaller frame. In 1977, Remington came out with the LT model to replace the LW model using the same size receiver, but with modifications that prevented the barrels from being interchangeable.
I make this point because while there are a variety of Remington 1100 20-gauge barrels on the market, the ones available for your gun are limited. Full and Modified fixed chokes with either plain or ventilated ribs were available in 28-inch-barrel lengths, along with a 26-inch, fixed-choke Improved Cylinder from the factory. These are your choices unless you have a custom barrel made or fitted to your receiver.
The previous owner of your LW 20 gauge chose to solve the problem of limited choke availability by having a Poly Choke installed on the original Full choke barrel that most likely came with the gun.
The original manufacturers of the Poly Choke were still in business with their manufacturing facility in Hartford until it closed around the turn of the 21st century. This was largely due to flagging sales with the advent of individual screw-in chokes becoming popular, mainly because of aesthetics rather than performance. The buying public liked the sleek look of a barrel with screw-in chokes as opposed to a barrel with an unattractive growth stuck on the end of it. But, there was another problem with the Poly Choke that was not entirely the fault of the muzzle attachment itself.
As you mentioned, there were six different settings on your Deluxe model consisting of Slug, which offered no constriction at all, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified, Full and Extra Full, each increasing in constriction in ascending order.
The problem was not with the Poly Choke, but with the ammunition being fired through the selected choke constriction that produced patterns inconsistent with the selected setting. The Poly Choke was invented in the 1920s, when shotshells were loaded with fiber and card-stock wads with roll crimps to hold all the components together. Fast-forward 50 years or so to where plastic shot cups and folded crimps were the standard for shotshells, advancing pattern technology significantly. Furthermore, where shot hardness and density varied with the materials used, one could see where a Modified choke setting might yield a Full or an Improved Cylinder pattern on the patterning board with all variables considered.
In reference to your marsh hunting with steel shot, you should get satisfactory patterns with no damage to the choke if you shoot with a more open choke setting, the same as you would with screw-in or fixed chokes.
The lesson here is to test your selected load, regardless of its purpose, on the patterning board and adjust your choke accordingly to meet expectations. Had the Poly Choke people educated the buyer of their product that the settings on the product were a suggestion rather than an absolute, the company might still be in business.
Your shotgun is a magnum model, designed to shoot heavy 2 3/4- or 3-inch magnum loads. It should shoot moderate-level target loads reliably, however. If the gun is clean and well lubricated, it would be reasonable to expect it to function with 2 1/2-dram equivalent shells with 7/8 or 1 ounce of shot. You might have an occasional short cycle with lighter loads, which might be acceptable on the practice range.
It would take a gunsmith to modify the gas system to accommodate shooting the lighter loads, but the tradeoff would likely forgo shooting magnum loads. It is therefore a choice requiring consideration.
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