My dad gave me a Remington 1100. 12 gauge auto shotgun. Wondering if it's ok to keep loaded or if that will mess up the internals. I grew up hunting with this gun. But, I don't know too much about it other than it likes to drop geese, ducks, and pheasant from time to time.

Also, any way to tell how old it is by the serial number.

Compressing the springs will at some point lead to weaker springs. I tend not to load the magazine to it's total capacity. Mag tube springs for an 1100 are not spendy so buy more.....it's good insurance.

If you keep it loaded I assume it's for a self defense reason, with a trigger lock or better if you have children......

I dunno, if I was worried about it, I'd put 3 in the magazine instead of 4. But I probably wouldn't worry about it.
If it was used for waterfowl there is probably a plug in the mag taking up the space of two rounds....you might want to take that out for SD. Hopefully you don't get in a gunfight where you need all 5
Otherwise your max will be 2+1.

I've put a lot of rounds through 1100's (18" slug, 28"M, 30"F) and really like 'em.


I would email Remington with the S/N.

Go to Remington's website, they list production years by serial number. Thats what I did for the old 788 that I got as a hand-me-down in .223.

You have to use the search feature on the site as I've never found a direct link, but it was there a month or two ago.

Drew

Slugs are the preferred round for SD, 'specially if you need to thread one....

Definitely go to Remington's website with the serial number because quite a while back they had a recall on a run of some barrels for both the 1100's & 870's. You maybe able to get a rebate check for a new barrel. A Gunsmithing buddy of mine used to call the 1100 Remington's the All American Beer Can, cheap, effective, and built hell for stout. I have a complete guage set (410, 28, 20, & 12), each guage having two barrels, one for skeet (cylinder bore chokes) which I used to shoot competitively, and Upland barrels (modified chokes) for getting birds for my GSP's enjoyments. Those 1100's have had thousands of rounds through each guage without one single mis-que. I did have my gunsmith buddy once a year drop the trigger sets out and clean. They get gummy as all get out and in the cold can mis-fire.

Thanks for the info.

Have sluiced alotta things via the "dreaded" compressed magazine tube spring of an A5,that's only been relaxed betwixt reloading same.

I doubt said spring is much more than 80 years old,though I'll happily report the first "malady" infused by same.