Remington 11-87

The Remington Model 11-87 is a semi-automatic shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms and based on the earlier Model 1100. The Model 11-87 remains in contemporary production, 34 years after being introduced in 1987. The Model 11-87 is a gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun. Upon firing a shell, some of the high-pressure gases from the burning gunpowder are diverted through two small holes in the underside of the barrel, forcing a piston and the bolt toward the buttstock, which in turn ejects the spent shell. A spring then forces the bolt forward, sending a new shell from the magazine into the chamber. This gas operation has the effect of reducing the recoil felt by the shooter, since the total recoil energy is spread out over a longer period of time than would be the case with fixed-breech shotguns. The Model 11-87 incorporates a self-compensating gas system design, which allows the gun to operate with a range of loads, from light 2+3⁄4-inch (7.0 cm) shells to 3-inch (7.6 cm) Magnum shells, without any adjustment by the operator. It is manufactured in 12 gauge and 20 gauge; both will cycle 2+3⁄4-inch and 3-inch shells.