870, stoppages on the first outing!

[Ian]

1st trip to range with the 870 resulted in many stoppages. :shocked:
It was sometimes impossible to work the Fore-End in order to eject and chamber another round, without pushing the Action Bar Lock and jiggling the Fore-End
Any ideas why?

[MrMurphy]

1. Make sure you had the right rounds. 12ga 2 3/4" should be correct.
2. Was the gun lubed?
3. Was the gun assembled/reassembled correctly (probable cause right here)
4. Have you ever actually worked a pump shotgun before?

[1-2man]

Do you have any accessories installed on it? Improperly installed heat shields, flash light mount, side saddle, etc. can cause issues as well.

[Ian]

Thanks for the replies.
1: correct rounds used
2: everything had a light coat of oil. Is there something that needs extra lube, that may have caused this type of failure?
It was as if the slide was frozen.
3: I believe that I reassembled it correctly. I only removed the Breech Bolt, Slide Block, Barrel, and Fore-End.
4: No, first time. So I asked someone more proficient, and he had exactly the same problem.
Nothing installed on it yet, except for a Knox Stock.

I have shot tens of thousands of rounds through Glocks, and can count the stoppages on one hand.
However I purchased a Kel-Tek P3AT (didn't know that I should clean it first) and every other round was a failure of slide to return to battery. With a few stovepipes thrown in.
My student's P3AT also had multiple stoppages, but these were all double feeds :shocked:
So that's why I wanted the most reliable shotgun out there.

[ElevatedThreat]

Remington 870s work, period.

If yours won't, take it to someone who can take it apart and make sure it is re-assembled correctly. If it still bobbles, send it back to Remington or go to an authorized Remington repair center, or otherwise find a Remington armorer.

The 870 is about the most bobble-free shotgun around, and many are still working for their 2nd or 3rd generation owners. So yours will work too once things are put in proper order.

-ET

[Ian]

Thanks.
I will take it to the range again on Saturday, and if I have another "freeze up" will have to return it.
Maybe I am not oiling it enough, and in the right areas. I am only used to cleaning Glocks

[Blitzer]

The bolt for the Knoxx stock could be shorter than the old stock's bolt. Did you use the bolt that came with the Knoxx stock? If not the old bolt could be intruding into the action and that point it would be very close to the parts in questions.
:thumbsup: ;)

[Ian]

Yes I used the bolt that came with the Knoxx Stock. Had to purchase a special extended allen rench with a ball end to tighten it.

[awcrooks]

Is your 870 the Express model with the regular matte finish? My 12g Express had the same symptoms as yours. You fire a shot, go to rack the pump to eject and chamber another shell to find out that it's practically stuck, and that you really have to work the forearm to get it out. I used to hate my 870, until I found this good link on how to fix it. I followed the steps which MSDuckmen lists and polished the chamber. This completely fixed my problem with the shells sticking.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=8527&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=cbe68b62c94902410028b70c11ad0132

[9mmMike]

I'll second that rough chamber. Most of the issues I've seen/heard have been with the badly finished chambers in the current 870's.
An 870 should be able to run with even the crappiest promo loads IMHO.
Mine all run like freight trains. I had two barrel problems with "new" barrels that I bought for my 870's.
If you have access to another barrel that you know works OK, I would suggest a simple swap and test before you do anything else.
Mike

edited to add:

After re-reading your post, it does seem odd that you can cycle the weapon by releasing the slide.

Does the gun cycle OK if you dry-fire? (MAKE SURE IT'S NOT LOADED!)

[Glock Bob]

I had a similar problem the first time I fired a pump. I figured out that if I pushed the fore end forward then rearward after a shot it would work fine.

[ElevatedThreat]

Originally posted by awcrooks
Is your 870 the Express model with the regular matte finish? My 12g Express had the same symptoms as yours. You fire a shot, go to rack the pump to eject and chamber another shell to find out that it's practically stuck, and that you really have to work the forearm to get it out. I used to hate my 870, until I found this good link on how to fix it. I followed the steps which MSDuckmen lists and polished the chamber. This completely fixed my problem with the shells sticking.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=8527&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=cbe68b62c94902410028b70c11ad0132

My God, what is the world coming to? If Remington is letting shotguns leave the factory that have chambers so rough that a plastic shotshell will stick in them, they should be ASHAMED.

That high-pitched sound you hear is Ephilet Remington spinning in his grave at about 10000 RPM!

I know Remington now assembles its Law Enforcement guns in a special dedicated division, but I assumed that was to ensure extra-high quality.

But your experience suggests that it is because the non-LE guns that are going out the door are being allowed to go out as CRAP.

What happened? Did the UAW force its way into Remington?

-ET

[Black_Talon]

Originally posted by Ian
1st trip to range with the 870 resulted in many stoppages. :shocked:

Any ideas why?

Are you using those cheap promo loads from Walmart? The Winchester "Universals" are the worst of the bunch.

[Ian]

They were from Walmart, but they are Remington game #8 birdshot.
That is all that is allowed at this particular range.
Why aren't slugs allowed, is it because of splashback?
The range is only 50 feet long, and has no curtain.

[ElevatedThreat]

Originally posted by Ian
They were from Walmart, but they are Remington game #9 birdshot.
That is all that is allowed at this particular range.
Why aren't slugs allowed, is it because of splashback?
The range is only 50 feet long, and has no curtain.

I have fired at indoor ranges that ban shotgun slugs because accidentally hitting the metal arm that hangs the target-frame from the overhead carrier, on certain kinds of indoor range equipment, will bend/destroy it. (Most handgun bullets won't.)

Ditto for the new .500 S&W.

-ET

[sigarmorer]

Originally posted by ElevatedThreat
I have fired at indoor ranges that ban shotgun slugs because accidentally hitting the metal arm that hangs the target-frame from the overhead carrier, on certain kinds of indoor range equipment, will bend/destroy it. (Most handgun bullets won't.)

Ditto for the new .500 S&W.

-ET

Also depends on the backstop rating at the range some can't take slugs without damaging it

[Black_Talon]

Originally posted by Ian
They were from Walmart, but they are Remington game #9 birdshot.
That is all that is allowed at this particular range.
Why aren't slugs allowed, is it because of splashback?
The range is only 50 feet long, and has no curtain.

Try using something other than the Walmart promo stuff. It's really cheap and tends to cause extraction problems in otherwise perfect guns.

[Ian]

Thanks.
I will try today with something else.