# gun parts, which are the worst for wear and tear?



## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

I know the best answer is all of them, but I'm wondering which gun parts are most likely to wear out over time and use. I have decided to beef up my stock of bullets and also spare parts for my gun as well as mags...but I am at an impasse of which parts are the ones to pay attention too. I only have one gun and have my eyes on a shotgun for my next one. My gun is a Berretta PX4 storm .40. thanks for any guidance ^^


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

I tend to keep spring and small parts. The springs can wear out or fly across the room, and the small parts like to hide under the furniture.


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

ah ok..i will get these. maybe two spare of each..i wanna have each firearm set before buying another one. thanks for the tip


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

I keep spare guns! Murphy law states” the part that breaks is the part you don’t have”


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

expensive point but true ^^.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I keep a spring kit, or maybe just a recoil spring for the semi's. Nothing for the revolvers or long guns.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I can't answer about a Beretta, but for your shotgun buy a Remington 870 Magnum Express 12 or 20 ga and you will not need spare parts. Your grandchildren might, though.


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

rice paddy daddy said:


> I can't answer about a Beretta, but for your shotgun buy a Remington 870 Magnum Express 12 or 20 ga and you will not need spare parts. Your grandchildren might, though.


I was looking at the Remington 870 express, the Mossberg 500, and the Browning BPS all 12 gauge. do you think the 870 is the best out of these three picks? I cant make up my mind lol


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

sideKahr said:


> I keep a spring kit, or maybe just a recoil spring for the semi's. Nothing for the revolvers or long guns.


Im thinking maybe 2 extra springs for it would be good and maybe other fragile parts


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Part failure has to be answered by make.
Detail stripping can cause lost parts, that is a different animal.
Most guns today have a relativly long life parts wise.
One thing to concentrate on is magazines, you can never have enough.
General weakness in most guns are the firing pin, extractor, movable ejector and the related springs.
On AR15 styles with DI, they are the gas tube, rings extractor assy, ejector spring. 
In some cases the carrier key. 
If you start taking the AR15 apart, have detent springs and plungers on hand.


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## CourtSwagger (Jan 3, 2013)

OctopusPrime said:


> I was looking at the Remington 870 express, the Mossberg 500, and the Browning BPS all 12 gauge. do you think the 870 is the best out of these three picks? I cant make up my mind lol


Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

The others are fine in their own rights, but nothing can stand the test of time like an 870. I am on my third. Not due to failures, but because I keep gifting them to family members that have fallen in love with mine. I am in the process of adding an extended mag and a shorter barrel to my current version.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

OctopusPrime said:


> I was looking at the Remington 870 express, the Mossberg 500, and the Browning BPS all 12 gauge. do you think the 870 is the best out of these three picks? I cant make up my mind lol


I'm sure there are those who will disagree, but yes, if I was only going to have one shotgun it would be an 870. And nothing tactical, just a plain old 26" barrel bird gun.
Later on, if you feel the need you can get a genuine Remington 18" tacticool barrel for less than $200. But you won't really need it.
I paid $185 for my 870, used.


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

SOCOM42 said:


> Part failure has to be answered by make.
> Detail stripping can cause lost parts, that is a different animal.
> Most guns today have a relativly long life parts wise.
> One thing to concentrate on is magazines, you can never have enough.
> ...


good info. I needed more specifics like this. thanks ^^


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

time to consider things and drink a beer  im out for today. thanks for the great tips and all


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

octopusprime said:


> i was looking at the remington 870 express, the mossberg 500, and the browning bps all 12 gauge. Do you think the 870 is the best out of these three picks? I cant make up my mind lol


I have two Rem 870's a Rem 1187 and a Mossberg 500.
In my opinion the Rem 870 is the best quality for the money.
I think in general the 870 and 1100 series have been perfected over the last 4 decades.
What I do not liike about the new ones are the MIM extractors, I change those out for machined ones at around $22.00 each.
Get a used one from the 70's or 80's, top of the line.
I get very little in for repair, most are operator incurred screw ups.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

OctopusPrime said:


> I was looking at the Remington 870 express, the Mossberg 500, and the Browning BPS all 12 gauge. do you think the 870 is the best out of these three picks? I cant make up my mind lol


Remington 870 is the industry standard. I got a cheap Mossenberg but not real proud of it. Brownings are always nice for those with money. I carried an Ithica deer slayer mostly bouncing around in the trunk for a lot of years and always preformed well when show time rolled around. Cull out the Mossy and add this one to the short list. 
The Ithaca Model 37 Defense


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> remington 870 is the industry standard. I got a cheap mossenberg but not real proud of it. Brownings are always nice for those with money. I carried an ithica deer slayer mostly bouncing around in the trunk for a lot of years and always preformed well when show time rolled around. Cull out the mossy and add this one to the short list.
> the ithaca model 37 defense


I did not enter them because the OP did not list them, but, I have three M37's 
two are like new eight shot 20" riot guns and one like new 18" five shot riot.
All three are parkerized, police issued in the 1970's, look like they never left the racks.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

There is a bunch of folks out here that are big time into skeet/trap shooting. Most entry level shooters will use or switch over to the 870s. They claim that the mossy 500 and benelli novas don't hold up. I have both a 500 and an 870. No complaints about either from me. The 500 sees lots more use because it's setup with the 28" barrel for hunting. The 870 lives by the door with its short barrel and occasionally gets fired at trespassing critters. Like Tennessee mentioned. If one goes down in shtf, the others are ready to fill the hole. Only spare parts I have for the shotguns is the stocks I've switched out for aftermarket.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Proper care, cleaning and maintenance will help. Lubrication is a good thing but in the more complex firearms, things are going to break. Like others have said; springs and pins probably have a good chance to get lost or bent/broken. Spares are cheap and easy to store. Maybe having bolts/BCG is good insurance. 

We all keep good care of our plastic/polymer semis but I realize that having good solid steel revolvers and 1911 platform handguns may be the best long term bet. 

I've got some single shot rifles and shotguns that are over 60 years old and have many thousands of rounds shot through them and I'm sure that with proper care, they will last another 60 + years. Simple is good. 

I wish I had more gunsmithing experience. Good thread to make us think.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

A good cleaning kit, with the proper tools, and frequent use of it, will go a long way toward you not needing parts.

What parts you may need will depend on the gun. For example if you have a garand type rifle you'd want some spare bolt guts like extractor, ejector and springs.

Since people started talking shot guns I can vouch for the M37 ithaca and A5 browning. 

Besides being known for reliability, the inertia loading system of the A5 is wonderful as all the crap from the round goes out the end of the barrel. One of John Brownings finest designs that has stood the test of time.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

mad trapper said:


> a good cleaning kit, with the proper tools, and frequent use of it, will go a long way toward you not needing parts.
> 
> What parts you may need will depend on the gun. For example if you have a garand type rifle you'd want some spare bolt guts like extractor, ejector and springs.
> 
> ...


Mad,
The Auto Five is a long recoil system not and inerta system like a Benelli.
The A5 is probably the best quality auto shotgun ever made, i have two a 12 and a sweet 16.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Springs, all of them. For ARs, gas rings. They need replacing about every 15k rounds or so.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

SOCOM42 said:


> Mad,
> The Auto Five is a long recoil system not and inerta system like a Benelli.
> The A5 is probably the best quality auto shotgun ever made, i have two a 12 and a sweet 16.


Whoops, I should have mentioned the new A5 has been redesigned with an inertia system, and has proven to be reliable as the original. The original is a long recoil system that was produced for nearly 100 years.

I'd be happy with either one.


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Springs, all of them. For ARs, gas rings. They need replacing about every 15k rounds or so.


Gas rings... not on piston driven AR's. It takes 15k just to get my bolt dirty.:smile:


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Battery powered optics have a chance to be the first "gun part" that may fail in a difficult situation. Having back up sights and knowing how to use them I think is important.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Mad Trapper said:


> Whoops, I should have mentioned the new A5 has been redesigned with an inertia system, and has proven to be reliable as the original. The original is a long recoil system that was produced for nearly 100 years.
> 
> I'd be happy with either one.


Browning has not been forthcoming with hardly any innovative designs since their namesake died.
Most of their "new" products have been of others design.
The "new" A5 you make reference is in name only, the design is originally H&K, it was picked up by Benelli who now is owned by P. Beretta.
They modified the external cosmetics try to give the illusion of the REAL A5.
So the bottom line is Browning contracted with Beretta to build the gun with the Browning name and cosmetics.
This is what Sears did with Winchester, Savage and others.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Slippy said:


> Battery powered optics have a chance to be the first "gun part" that may fail in a difficult situation. Having back up sights and knowing how to use them I think is important.


Or, even better, use optics that don't require batteries. Which sucks for me because I must abandon my beloved halo (EoTec)


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

a work buddy and I were talking about 870's toda, hes a gun nut so hes one of my go to sources for valuable information. he was saying not to buy the new 870 out there right now because of some issues they are having but he said like you mentioned that the older versions are outstanding weapons...so looks like im in the market for a 80's 870 ^^.



SOCOM42 said:


> I have two Rem 870's a Rem 1187 and a Mossberg 500.
> In my opinion the Rem 870 is the best quality for the money.
> I think in general the 870 and 1100 series have been perfected over the last 4 decades.
> What I do not liike about the new ones are the MIM extractors, I change those out for machined ones at around $22.00 each.
> ...


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

I looked at Ithica deer slayer last night and they look like great shotguns although the expense..i may just get two lol a cheaper one and then a nice one, eventually. shotguns are probably the most important gun to have for protection/subsistence imo...and its ridiculous I don't own any.



bigwheel said:


> Remington 870 is the industry standard. I got a cheap Mossenberg but not real proud of it. Brownings are always nice for those with money. I carried an Ithica deer slayer mostly bouncing around in the trunk for a lot of years and always preformed well when show time rolled around. Cull out the Mossy and add this one to the short list.
> The Ithaca Model 37 Defense


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

It all depends on the gun(s) you have/buy.
Some may need a spring or pin, some may need nothing for years,
Research you firearms, their reliability, and long term requirements.
Buy accordingly
Also, make sure you have the skills and tools for any repairs, books are available


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

There is a mod kit for the 870, It is for anti jamming.
This phenomena occurs at times although I have never had one happen to me, or ever had an 870 brought to me with the problem. 
To be specific, when you operate the slide mechanism ejecting the fired case, you trip the shell release to let another round into load position.
Sometimes, for some reason, as you bring the slide forward, another round comes out and gets trapped under the first.
At this point you cannot move the slide forward.
An early field mod done was cutting a slot in the elevator and using a key to move the offending round out of the way.
The factory mods which all the new ones come with consist of a U cut in the elevator for the rim to spring over.
The second mod is applied to the bolt, there is a channel milled on the underside to allow the rim to pass over the wayward round below.
When I retrofit them on personal defense guns I mill the bolt myself (saving customer money), and install a new elevator.
If you see the U, most likely the bolt was done also at the factory. 
What may happen is the operator partially moves the slide forward and then comes back again triggering the release a second time.
Operating the slide boldly in determined full strokes in BOTH directions works quite well.


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