How To Tell The Age Of My Remington 1100: A Gun Owner's Guide

Determining the manufacture date of a Remington 1100 shotgun requires decoding the two- or three-letter barrel code stamped near the receiver, cross-referencing factory serial number blocks, and examining unique receiver characteristics. By utilizing the official Remington barrel stamping system and tracking production model evolution, owners can pinpoint the exact month and year their firearm left the Ilion, New York factory.

Pre-Operation & Equipment Checklist

Dating a Remington 1100 semi-automatic shotgun requires minimal physical disassembly, but proper inspection tools ensure you avoid damaging the metal finish or missing faint factory stamps. The process relies on locating microscopic alphanumeric characters and matching them against historical manufacturing ledgers.

• Essential Gear: A high-lumen LED flashlight or penlight, a magnifying glass (5x to 10x magnification), a clean microfiber cloth, a soft-bristled nylon brush, and a notepad or digital device to record your findings.
• Prerequisite Standards: Basic familiarity with shotgun safety protocols (verify the chamber and magazine tube are completely empty), understanding the difference between receiver serial numbers and barrel codes, and knowing that barrels are frequently swapped over a shotgun's operational lifespan.
• Time & Budget: Less than 15 minutes of hands-on inspection time; completely free of charge using online reference tables or historical firearm databases.

Step-by-Step Remington 1100 Dating Workflow

Step 1: Verify the Safety Status and Clear the Firearm

Ensure the Remington 1100 is completely unloaded before attempting any inspection. Pull the charging handle back to lock the bolt to the rear, visually and physically inspect the chamber to confirm it is empty, and check the magazine tube to ensure no shells remain inside.

Step 2: Locate the Receiver Serial Number

Turn the shotgun upside down or look at the left side of the steel receiver near the bottom edge where it meets the wooden or synthetic stock. Locate the serial number stamped directly into the metal receiver. Note if the serial number features a letter suffix at the end (such as M, V, or U), as these suffixes correspond to specific gauge groups and manufacturing eras ranging from the gun's introduction in 1963 to modern production runs.

Step 3: Find the Barrel Date Code (The "REM" Code)

Look at the left side of the shotgun barrel, just forward of the receiver ring where the barrel seats into the action. Look for a two- or three-letter combination stamped lightly into the blued steel surface. This sequence is distinct from the serial number and represents the month and year of that specific barrel's manufacture.

Pro-Tip: Factory barrel stamps can be exceptionally faint, especially on older matte or high-polish blued finishes. Shine your LED flashlight at a shallow, oblique angle across the barrel surface to make the stamped characters cast tiny shadows, making them much easier to read through your magnifying glass.

Step 4: Decode the Month Letter

Translate the first letter of the barrel stamp using the standard Remington date code alphabet. The company utilizes a specific 10-letter sequence to represent the months of the year, spelling out the mnemonic word "BLACKPOWDER" where B equals January, L equals February, A equals March, C equals April, K equals May, P equals June, O equals July, W equals August, D equals September, and E equals October. November and December are rarely designated by letters in the traditional system, though some variations exist depending on the decade.

Step 5: Decode the Year Letter

Look at the second (and sometimes third) letter following the month code to determine the year of manufacture. Remington began using single-letter year codes with the introduction of the 1100 in 1963, starting with the letter "W" for 1963, "X" for 1964, "Y" for 1965, and "Z" for 1966. The alphabet sequence continued through subsequent decades, though letters like I, O, Q, and V were frequently omitted to prevent visual confusion with numbers or other stamp types.

Warning: Barrels are interchangeable components on Remington 1100 shotguns. If a previous owner swapped the barrel, the barrel code will only tell you the age of the barrel itself, not the age of the underlying receiver. Always cross-reference the barrel date with the receiver serial number block to verify if the gun is all-original.

Remington 1100 Evolution and Identification Metrics

Common Inspection Challenges & Field Fixes

• Faint or Illegible Barrel Stamps:

  
  
  
  • Root Cause: Decades of heavy bluing oil accumulation, rust pitting, or aggressive refinishing can fill in or polish away shallow hand-stamped date codes.
  • Actionable Fix: Clean the barrel surface thoroughly with a solvent-dampened cloth and a nylon brush. Apply a thin layer of chalk or talcum powder over the stamped area, then wipe it away gently; the powder will lodge inside the stamped depressions, making the characters clearly legible.

• Conflicting Barrel and Receiver Dates:

  
  
  
  • Root Cause: Shotgun barrels were frequently upgraded, replaced, or swapped for different game-shooting disciplines (such as switching from a 28-inch modified field barrel to a 26-inch skeet barrel).
  • Actionable Fix: Rely on the receiver serial number to determine the baseline production year of the firearm frame, and treat the barrel date code as the specific year that component was manufactured.

• Missing Date Codes on Older or Replacement Barrels:

  
  
  
  • Root Cause: Some replacement barrels sold directly over-the-counter by Remington parts departments or third-party manufacturers (like Hastings or Ithaca) lack standard factory date stampings.
  • Actionable Fix: Inspect the barrel for alternative manufacturer rollmarks, proof houses, or contact Remington historical customer service with your receiver serial number for factory ledger verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Remington 1100 barrel has been replaced?

If the year code on the barrel indicates a date earlier than the introduction of the Remington 1100 in 1963, or if the barrel code date is significantly newer than the receiver's estimated serial number production block, the barrel has likely been swapped. Because the Remington 1100 platform features an exceptionally modular gas-operation design, many owners collected multiple barrels for different hunting seasons and clay target sports.

What do the letter suffixes mean at the end of my serial number?

Remington used letter suffixes at the conclusion of serial numbers to denote specific frame sizes and gauge configurations. For instance, an "M" suffix generally denotes a 3-inch 12-gauge Magnum receiver, a "V" designates a 20-gauge receiver, and a "X" typically indicates a 28-gauge or .410-bore frame.

Can I determine the exact day my Remington 1100 was made?

While the barrel code tells you the specific month and year of the barrel's manufacture, Remington's factory serial number ledgers generally only track production by year blocks rather than exact calendar days. For precise archival authentication of rare or commemorative models, you can request a factory history letter through official collector associations.

Are pre-1964 Remington 1100 shotguns rare?

The Remington 1100 was officially introduced to the commercial market in early 1963, replacing the older Remington Model 58 and Model 878 gas-operated autoloaders. First-year production models bearing 1963 barrel codes (typically stamped with the letter "W") are highly collectible among shotgun enthusiasts, provided they remain in original, unmodified condition.

Does changing the barrel affect the collector value of my shotgun?

For standard field-grade Remington 1100 shotguns, having a non-matching barrel has a minimal impact on overall market value since barrel swapping was a routine maintenance and customization practice. However, for rare collector grades, commemorative editions, or pristine original configurations, matching barrel codes and factory-original components command a significant premium.

Master the history and mechanical heritage of your classic autoloading shotgun by accurately decoding its manufacturing stamps today.