# 11-87 will not fire



## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

I have an 11-97 Premier Shotgun that is about 20 years old and has not been used in the past 10 years. When it was used it was fired very little. I tried to fire it the other day and it would not fore. I heard the familier "tink" when I pulled the trigger but it would not fire. I inspected the primers on the Federal slugs i was attempting to fire and observed that the primers were not indented. I had cleaned the shotgun the previous week and I was not sure if I reassembled it correctly so I got the manual and reassembled it to make sure the Piston seal, piston, and barrel seal were on the magazine correctly. I tried to fire it again and again I heard the familier "tink" sound still no "boom." At least this time I could see that the primers were slightly indented.

Does anyone know what is wrong? how much should it cost to have fixed? Can I fix it or should I take it to a Remington authorized repair shop.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Sounds like a dirty fireing pin problem. If you know how to remove the fireing pin to clean it do that and lube it with a dry lube.
If you don't know how to get the fireing pin out to clean it take it to any good gun shop that has a smith to have it cleaned.

 Al


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## 8x56mn (Mar 14, 2007)

My bet is that you got the gas rings in backwards so as the bolt is not compleatly closed. I will look OK, but the pin never reaches the primer, take another look at the assembly.


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## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks Alley and 8X56. I dropped the shotgun off at Dick Williams Gun shop in Saginaw MI which is a authorized Remington service center. Hopefully it's one fo the the things that either of you mentioned. I will post after I pick the gun up.


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## 9manfan (Oct 22, 2008)

Did you ever find out what was wrong???? I'm curious about it, my brother has a 1187 and the tube where you feed the shells in was coming loose from the reciever(pulling out) and in turn the barrel would come out of the gun when the tube would slide out and his gun wouldn't fire either, he's had it to a gunsmith two times and had it repaired only to have it happen again, never seen this problem before.


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## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

I got my shotgun back from the smith. He said that the rings on the magazine tube were slightly out of round and he replaced the 2 metal rings with a one peice ring and replaced the rubber ring. He also cleaned and deburred her for $50. He said he fired it and it works fine. I haven't had it out yet.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I've heard Dick Willams does good work.
Where in Saginaw is he at?

 Al


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## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

They are on the corner of Houllhan rd and Cole rd on the south side of Saginaw. If you take I-75, get off on exit 149B (Holland Rd). Take 46 about 2.5 miles west to Sheridan Rd. Drive South on Sheridan 4.5 miles to Houlihan rd. make a right on Houlihan and Cole is right there. The neighborhood is pretty rough where you get off 75 but the shop is out near Spaulding township.

http://dickwilliamsgunshop.com/


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I go to the VA hospital on Weiss street so know what a  rough neighbour hood looks like.

 Al


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## willforu1 (Nov 23, 2008)

I am not trying to make this a commercial for Dick Williams. (After all, this was the first time I ever used their shop.) But when I brought my 11-87 in and since they were an authorized Remington repair shop, I also brought in my Dad's old 11-48 that had turned into a single shot over the years. They replaced the shell latch. The Smith fired low brass and high brass shells and said it was fixed. Problem was that the recoil pad disintegrated while test firing. He looked at me and said "This rubber is older than you and I." Since it was finally fixed (it had been in a state of disrepair for over 20 years and the plasticizer from the vinyl case my dad kept it in had melted into the forarm of the stock - they fixed this too) I had them put a new recoil pad on and bore out the barrel to turn the full choke into a modified choke. I love it. This will be my upland game shotgun and when I use it I will think of all thse years my dad took me rabbit and bird hunting.

Point is, I had it in to the shop before and it was never fixed. I am convinced that these guys know what they are doing.


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## DuaneinND (Jan 22, 2005)

Sounds like there is enough old oil and dirt built up around the firing pin to keep it from moving freeluy. The pin strike on an 11-87 is an inertia strike, so if anything slows it down, nothing happens.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Dick Williams has a good reputation in Michigan. I have heard fellows in Jays sporting goods, Clare, talk about them. Once even in Northland sporting goods in the UPPER, a fellow was recommending them (D.W.) to fix a Winchester 94 they were having a problem with.

I go to the other Williams which isn't owned by any of the Willams family any longer. I have bought several used shot guns and rifles from them. They give me a vetrans discount every time too when I show them my VA ID card.
Their in Davison Michigan.

 Al


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## wardsc (Jan 26, 2009)

DuaneinND said:


> Sounds like there is enough old oil and dirt built up around the firing pin to keep it from moving freeluy. The pin strike on an 11-87 is an inertia strike, so if anything slows it down, nothing happens.


I've had that happen on a clean gun with too much oil. Both for an old Mauser rifle and my grandson's youth shotgun. The Mauser was my fault, the shotgun was that I neglected to tell my grandson. But, what happened was that too much oil acted like a hydraulic dampner and would not let the pin extend all the way out of the hole in the bolt on the first shot. Subsequent firings work OK and using less oil keeps that from happening in the first place. My grandson and I both have learned from that mistake.


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