I am a retired skeet shooter, gun dealer, and gunsmith. I ain't retired from hunting and casual clay shooting.... yet. I have owned somewhere upwards of 45 semi auto shotguns, and shot many others. I have two left, both 1100s. The first is my 1963 model with somewhere north of 115,000 rounds thru it. It still has the O ring I installed in 1967 so I wouldn't lose the original metal V ring, and the only part I have ever had to replace was an extractor in 1982. I don't know how people manage to do it, but I have replaced about every part on other peoples' 1100s. It still works fine, and I never did join the spring changers guild.
There have been many changes since the 1100. Opinions vary as to whether they were improvements. Guns have gotten lighter because although people have gotten bigger, they have apparently gotten weaker. Many newer designs will go longer between cleanings, and will shoot a wider range of loads, but I never found a more reliable platform than a properly maintained 1100, or one that shot better, for me.