Yes, folks, I finally heard of one wearing out. This is anecdotal, but my source obviously believed it.
I was at the range yesterday doing the testing mentioned on the latest KO thread, and two elderly gents showed up to shoot. I was the only shooter on a 100 point line and told them I had one more round to fire, and then they could walk down with their frames. I finished up and we walked down to the 100 yard line together, me to retrieve my frame and them to set up. When the line went hot again, we looked at each others' guns, of course. They were using custom bolt action and shooting cast bullets into teeny little groups. As they set up, I was admiring their rifles, in calibers I'd never heard of(7.62X40, made from 300 Savage Brass), one asked me how long I had owned my 870. I answered since 1958 or so, and he mentioned he shot a lot of skeet with an 870 starting in the 50s and still had it. He also mentioned that he shot trap also and had placed well in his division at Vandalia last year.
I said that I was fond of 870s, and had never heard of one wearing out. They looked at each other and smiled. One said, "We did", and launched into a story about an acquaintance of theirs, a hotshot local legend and mentioned his name.I'd heard of him. Let's call him Charley.According to these guys, Charley is a bit of a trap hustler, buys shot by the half ton, has a garage that holds nothing but reloading equipment and supplies, and has shot an 870 for decades.ONE 870....
It seem Charley's 870 developed a crack in the receiver. He, being a man of little patience and quick temper, sent it to Remington with a nasty note,saying the 870 was a POS, and demanding redress. Remington called him back,and during the conversation, Charley admitted that he had shot,counting only practice rounds, over 250,000 rounds through that 870 since his purchase long, long ago..
According to the story, Remington provided a new receiver, with the old serial number,installed all the old parts for a pittance and sent it back.
We all smiled at this story, and the gentleman telling it mentioned it could be true. His skeet 870 went better than 50,000 rounds before he switched guns,he stated, and was still quite usable....
After 20 years working in prisons, I've a pretty good BS detector built in,and these guys seemed pretty straight forward. Sure would like to talk to Charley, tho(G)....
I was at the range yesterday doing the testing mentioned on the latest KO thread, and two elderly gents showed up to shoot. I was the only shooter on a 100 point line and told them I had one more round to fire, and then they could walk down with their frames. I finished up and we walked down to the 100 yard line together, me to retrieve my frame and them to set up. When the line went hot again, we looked at each others' guns, of course. They were using custom bolt action and shooting cast bullets into teeny little groups. As they set up, I was admiring their rifles, in calibers I'd never heard of(7.62X40, made from 300 Savage Brass), one asked me how long I had owned my 870. I answered since 1958 or so, and he mentioned he shot a lot of skeet with an 870 starting in the 50s and still had it. He also mentioned that he shot trap also and had placed well in his division at Vandalia last year.
I said that I was fond of 870s, and had never heard of one wearing out. They looked at each other and smiled. One said, "We did", and launched into a story about an acquaintance of theirs, a hotshot local legend and mentioned his name.I'd heard of him. Let's call him Charley.According to these guys, Charley is a bit of a trap hustler, buys shot by the half ton, has a garage that holds nothing but reloading equipment and supplies, and has shot an 870 for decades.ONE 870....
It seem Charley's 870 developed a crack in the receiver. He, being a man of little patience and quick temper, sent it to Remington with a nasty note,saying the 870 was a POS, and demanding redress. Remington called him back,and during the conversation, Charley admitted that he had shot,counting only practice rounds, over 250,000 rounds through that 870 since his purchase long, long ago..
According to the story, Remington provided a new receiver, with the old serial number,installed all the old parts for a pittance and sent it back.
We all smiled at this story, and the gentleman telling it mentioned it could be true. His skeet 870 went better than 50,000 rounds before he switched guns,he stated, and was still quite usable....
After 20 years working in prisons, I've a pretty good BS detector built in,and these guys seemed pretty straight forward. Sure would like to talk to Charley, tho(G)....
I imagine that you would probably be pretty darn good by the end of that though.