Opening day surprise

SJ Fairbank

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The CT opener on Saturday had a little twist in store this year. Started off early with a motor that sputtered a bit, but got better so figured it was probably bad fuel working through the fuel line. No big deal. Legal shooting arrives with a good bunch of birds, and lots of shooting in the area.

First bird decoys, I put the 1187 up but something doesn't look right. One shot, one educated duck and the gun is jammed. Oh well, clear the gun, reload, here comes another duck. Put it up and the barrel looks like it's off center but flambe anyway, another jam, and duck college continues. Took a good look this time, the forearm is moving so I figure it's the end cap. When I try to tighten it the barrel falls off in my hand, the braze between the barrel and the barrel lug has failed. This was my second time, it happened some years ago and the barrel went with the shot. Much more dramatic that time. Both times it was using real heavy ammunition, with Tungsten based shot for shoulder therapy. I suppose it costs more than $5/shot for that stuff when you factor in a new barrel every thousand shells.

So I had to explain this to a 2 year old lab, we're heading in at sunrise with no ducks. Gave me the look like he was going to the vet to be neutered. Very sad trip to the launch, head hanging low.

Luckily I have a supply of spare parts so I plunked a new barrel on it and we went back out for the afternoon. A good number of birds visited and some stayed. Gunner and I are on speaking terms again, I had to promise him a grouse hunting trip with his favorite setter to get him to really smile.

On a side note there were quite a few sora in the marsh. No rail were harmed (closed season) but I now hunt with an enthusiastic rail pointing/flushing labrador. He had a great time, between retrieving ducks and chasing railbirds when no ducks were flying. So much so that Gunner celebrated by rolling in a rotting bunker before getting in the truck to go home.
 
Wow, this could have turned out lot different with that kind of barrel failure!
Seems like a serious manufacturing flaw to me.

Glad the day turned out well.
 
Carl, I think the barrels were never intended to take abuse like the big boomer loads. This was the second failure for me. The Remington barrel lugs appear to be brazed to the barrel, I'm not sure whether that's what other manufacturers do. I would guess welding would leave a weak spot in the barrel right at the gas ports. I need to get a picture.
 
Thanks Al, as I'm sure you know Labrador psychology is an art. Part biscuit, part 2x4, with lots of lovin' at home. It's not nearly the fun, hunting without a dog.
 
Gunner is a hoot! I could ignore "the look" from Drake but he learned I couldn't ignore "the heavy sigh" when he was upset with me....

Glad the barrel incident wasn't worse.
 
Dani said:
Gunner is a hoot! I could ignore "the look" from Drake but he learned I couldn't ignore "the heavy sigh" when he was upset with me....

Glad the barrel incident wasn't worse.

Oh boy, the much dreaded sigh. There's no escape, knowing what a disappointment you are to your dog.
 
That sounds like you made the best of the day. glad you had a backup.

From your photo, it sure does look like that failure was a long time in the making.
 
tod osier said:
That sounds like you made the best of the day. glad you had a backup.

From your photo, it sure does look like that failure was a long time in the making.

I think you're correct Tod. From the soot built up between the barrel and lug it probably failed progressively over some time. In any event it's clear the 1187 barrels don't like the really heavy loads as this was the second barrel failure for me.
 
Carl said:
Wow, this could have turned out lot different with that kind of barrel failure!
Seems like a serious manufacturing flaw to me.

Glad the day turned out well.

Yeah, if that's happened twice, it's a manufacturing or design flaw. (Or you just have bad karma for past misdeeds.) I'd get a competent gunsmith to take a look at it and ask if this is something he sees on other guns.

Was it the same receiver? Possible something is off in the receiver or gas system that's putting stress on that braze?
 
Jeff Reardon said:
Carl said:
Wow, this could have turned out lot different with that kind of barrel failure!
Seems like a serious manufacturing flaw to me.

Glad the day turned out well.

Yeah, if that's happened twice, it's a manufacturing or design flaw. (Or you just have bad karma for past misdeeds.) I'd get a competent gunsmith to take a look at it and ask if this is something he sees on other guns.

Was it the same receiver? Possible something is off in the receiver or gas system that's putting stress on that braze?

The barrels failed on different receivers. I spent many years loafing (the offending misdeeds)[;)] around clay target ranges, I've seen it happen on other 1100/1187 guns several times. The difference is that the clay target use barrels had the problem after countless thousands of shells, not 1,000. No doubt the gas ports lose enough in the joint to stress it a little each shot, failure is almost inevitable at some point. I don't recall whether gunsmiths would try to fix this problem. Something in the back of my mind says no. Just happy to have ten fingers, and who doesn't like an almost new gun anyway? [smile] Heading your way in a few hours Jeff, birds are calling.
 
I am hearing wonderful things about partridge numbers. Allagash region was loaded in late September. Hearing good reports from Moosehead area as well.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
I am hearing wonderful things about partridge numbers. Allagash region was loaded in late September. Hearing good reports from Moosehead area as well.

Many birds for sure. If only the weather will cooperate.
 
Maybe this is related, maybe not...

......but my 1187 magazine tube came apart exactly the same way---at the braze where it is connected to the receiver. I sent it back to Remington and they fixed it. It cost a little money, not very much if I remember. The shotgun is a 1996 model, and has seen the bulk of my bird shooting action up until just a few years ago. Now, its exclusively a waterfowl and turkey gun. I figured this mishap was due to age and use/abuse.

Its been a great shotgun, overall, in my opinion.
 
Joe Friday said:
Maybe this is related, maybe not...

......but my 1187 magazine tube came apart exactly the same way---at the braze where it is connected to the receiver. I sent it back to Remington and they fixed it. It cost a little money, not very much if I remember. The shotgun is a 1996 model, and has seen the bulk of my bird shooting action up until just a few years ago. Now, its exclusively a waterfowl and turkey gun. I figured this mishap was due to age and use/abuse.

Its been a great shotgun, overall, in my opinion.

I've shot many Remington firearms, more 1100/1187's than anything else. IMO the quality of the guns began to decline when DuPont sold them, once the hedge funds got control it was a race to the bottom in quality. I've seen the same thing happen to the magazine tube, again at a gun club. Having said that, I still like Big Green, especially their ammo, and am sad to see them going through bankruptcy again. Maybe being broken up will improve quality in each respective line, when they focus on just one product.
 
i had a 11-87 super mag years ago, was fixed by remington for the inabililty to eject 23/4 shells kept jamming so i got rid of the rem.wouldnt even eject 3.5, junk. shoot a browning gold 3.5. no problems
 
Yea, my old 11-87 premier broke mag tube loose from receiver twice. Last time around Remington just replaced whole receiver with tube. That was many years ago. When I shot 11-87,s for waterfowl I ended up buying a second just for when the old girl broke. Gave the back up to my son when I switched to B guns. About the only original part left on the old premier is bolt and trigger.
 
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