How long should an HW break barrel breech seal last

[TonyL]

What lubricant do you use?
Could it be deteriorated by lubricant?

I did wonder that, but the breech only gets an occasional wipe with Parker-Hale Express Gun Oil.
.

Obvious answer would be stop using it, or change to a different product, & see if it makes a difference, a good wipe of silicone grease, just to the rubber seal, before fitting might help a bit.

Normal gun oils are made for metal lubrication and preservation, not lubrication of synthetics.
Wrong lube seems to be the obvious problem here.

Makes sense.

[Barryg]

So, it looks like most think it was the oil that caused it to crumble, I still might get a heavy duty seal

[gsxrman]

So, it looks like most think it was the oil that caused it to crumble, I still might get a heavy duty seal

Could be the oil, is it more likely something lube or grease inside the rifle causing a slight dieseling effect, causing excess heat and drying out the seal?

[blackfrog]

I would remove all lubrication from the seal issue to start with. Hook out the old one, brake clean the area and dry thoroughly before inserting a new one. I worked in the rubber industry for many years and even the slightest touch of a chemical on a synthetic material can cause rapid breakdown of the structure.
In all my years of using Weihrauch rifles, I have yet to see a seal crumble. I have pieces going back to the early eighties, and all have original seals.
If you must clean it, try Liqui Moly Gummipflege. Put a drop on a cotton bud and wipe it over. It has a remarkable way of softening synthetics especially rubber. Approach carefully, as it may soften the seal too much.
For those with crispy recoil pads, this product can breathe life into them. Clean first with diluted washing up liquid, then wipe over with the Liqui Moly. It will penetrate and lift grime out of the rubber. Wipe away with Kitchen towel and wipe over another thin layer and leave for a while before wiping off. Be careful as it will soften the rubber, so while you are waiting, store barrel-down to avoid mis-shaping the pad.
The product works very well on all rubber Items including car trim, tyres, diving equipment etc so worth the investment.

[Barryg]

I would remove all lubrication from the seal issue to start with. Hook out the old one, brake clean the area and dry thoroughly before inserting a new one. I worked in the rubber industry for many years and even the slightest touch of a chemical on a synthetic material can cause rapid breakdown of the structure.
In all my years of using Weihrauch rifles, I have yet to see a seal crumble. I have pieces going back to the early eighties, and all have original seals.
If you must clean it, try Liqui Moly Gummipflege. Put a drop on a cotton bud and wipe it over. It has a remarkable way of softening synthetics especially rubber. Approach carefully, as it may soften the seal too much.
For those with crispy recoil pads, this product can breathe life into them. Clean first with diluted washing up liquid, then wipe over with the Liqui Moly. It will penetrate and lift grime out of the rubber. Wipe away with Kitchen towel and wipe over another thin layer and leave for a while before wiping off. Be careful as it will soften the rubber, so while you are waiting, store barrel-down to avoid mis-shaping the pad.
The product works very well on all rubber Items including car trim, tyres, diving equipment etc so worth the investment.

Thanks for the info, I only use moly grease like bum slide and express gun oil on my guns so I guess it must be the oil, here is a pic after removing the seal it does look a bit greasy around the TP.

[junglie]

I did wonder that, but the breech only gets an occasional wipe with Parker-Hale Express Gun Oil.

Tony, 27 years that's amazing The broken seals in the pic did look OK and worked I only decided to change them because the fps was inconsistent, I wonder if you tried to remove your old ones they would crumble, I have now fitted a new standard seal and the fps are consistent, but I'm thinking of getting a heavy-duty seal from somewhere if they are easy to get, I have had almost indestructible Diana breech seals from Terry Robb but not HW.

I only use silicone oil to wipe them over prior to fitting & they last well over 15 years still soft when i change them.

[Barryg]

I have found two heavy duty breech seals for sale and have sent off for one of them and I won't be putting much lube on it this time

[MartiniDave]

I recently bought a pair from "the bay", fitted one to a 35, after 5 days just sitting in the cupboard I went to use the rifle only to find the seal had split completely! Not impressed at all. I've messaged the vendor and will see what, if anything, they say.

Dave