Wow! That's all good information; thanks guys.
The first question was about the ammo that didn't cycle. Every year when Walmart puts out the huge display of ammo for hunting season, I grab several boxes. These are the Remington "game loads" that come in a box (green and tan) of 25, and now cost about $3.27. As I look at all the boxes, here's what I see
12gauge, 1390fps, 7/8oz shot, #6.
12gauge, 3 1/4 DR. EQ., 1oz shot, #6.
12gauge, 1290fps, 1oz shot, #7 1/2.
I didn't realize that they varied that much from year to year. I'm kinda' shocked. They pattern real well in my other guns and I've taken a lot of rabbit and squirrel. It is probably time to realize that if they work in my other guns, then I should
use them in my other guns.
If you like running cheap gas that's fine, but if you buy a Mercedes, don't expect the same results. I'll call the 1100 the Mercedes, so I need to bump the octane some. If I spend an extra buck or two a box for ammo, that will probably be money well spent. Point made; point taken. Thanks guys.
I really started looking at the 1100 when I heard people singing their praises. Mike, I know you love them and have several. Another friend has one and has never had a problem (his is 30 years old). I shopped around and found a NIB discontinued model (from 2004) that had synthetic stocks and a matte finish for about $200 less than the current models. I'm not a huge fan of the 28" or longer barrels, so I ordered a Remington brand 21" with rifle sights and screw in chokes. That right there is the issue. If I want to shoot any run-o-the-mill birdshot loads, I need to put the 28" barrel back on. I realize that now.
I clean my guns (97% of the time) after every shooting session. This is a high quality arm and it deserves to be treated as such. That barrel is the most beautiful barrel I've ever seen on the inside from a factory. The forcing cone is the right length and the bore is highly polished. I may hone the forcing cone a little and burnish the bore to make it more resistent to fouling. Either way, I don't want anything sitting in it for more than 24 hours that may ruin it. I've also found that the sooner you clean a gun, the easier it is to clean. The longer it sits, the more you scrub.
I'm sure that if I keep experimenting and trying different ammo, I'll find something that works reliably at the lower end of the ammo spectrum. I just need to keep buying ammo and shooting; there's certainly no harm in that!
Routine maintenance-
On the 1100, the rubber-like ring is the "barrel gasket" right?
Then the two metal rings, one on top of the other, are the "gas ring"?
Am I correct on this?
I've been told to replace the "gas ring" periodically to ensure reliable function.
What is the advisable duration for this?
Every 500 rounds?
1000 rounds?
Once a year, or every two years?
What's been your experience?
Do I need to replace the barrel gasket at the same intervals?
Is there anything else I need to replace at these times?
Yes, I did see the advice to watch the extractor for rounding. Thanks for that! Is that a real booger to get in and out?
Thanks in advance,
2guntom
454 Casull + AntiAmericanDestruction