I purchased a used police trade in 1187 about four and a half years ago. I initially could not get the magazine extension connector ring (Remington made) to rotate, and assumed that it had been fastened on with Loc-Tite.
After more than four years and a few hundred rounds I gave the ring another try and lo and behold, it loosened. I then gave the 1187 a thorough cleaning. While the piston seal, piston, and barrel seal were dirty, they cleaned up and look fine. But it got me to thinking, how long before one would want to replace those three parts, and especially the barrel seal? It basically appears to be an o-ring, and Brownells has them available when/should the need to replace it occur.
Should I consider the number or rounds through it, condition of the parts (probably the most obvious), amount of time that they have been on the shotgun, or some other criteria? So far, I have not had any problems with the action, apart from the rare cycling failure (failure to eject) with light trap-type loads. But then, I have heard that this is to be expected with the police type 1187s which were made to cycle heavier loads.
After more than four years and a few hundred rounds I gave the ring another try and lo and behold, it loosened. I then gave the 1187 a thorough cleaning. While the piston seal, piston, and barrel seal were dirty, they cleaned up and look fine. But it got me to thinking, how long before one would want to replace those three parts, and especially the barrel seal? It basically appears to be an o-ring, and Brownells has them available when/should the need to replace it occur.
Should I consider the number or rounds through it, condition of the parts (probably the most obvious), amount of time that they have been on the shotgun, or some other criteria? So far, I have not had any problems with the action, apart from the rare cycling failure (failure to eject) with light trap-type loads. But then, I have heard that this is to be expected with the police type 1187s which were made to cycle heavier loads.
