How Often To Remove Trigger Group on 870?

[Homerboy]

I shoot my 870 very infrequently, but I am pretty OCD about cleaning my guns. I have a Mesa Tactical side saddle on it so removing the trigger is a little more involved than without it. How often do you remove the trigger? Can I just blast it from inside the receiver when the rest of it is apart?

 

[American_Fusilier]

I wouldn't worry about taking the trigger assembly out. That part of the gun doesn't get very dirty anyway.

 

[red rick]

I only take mine out when it gets wet hunting .

 

[Armored farmer]

An air compressor is my gun cleaning friend.
Blow out the lint once in a while.
Ps. I had a sidesaddle scope mount on my 1100 back in the day....I wanted it tight for the scopes sake. Just a little too tight will lock up an 1100!
Be careful tightening that down...or you'll feel it.
My new HD gun has velcro shell holder on the receiver I have a few different shell holders that I can rip off and replace with different shot size /slugs...or just fresh ammo.
The hook/loop shell holder will also velcro to my hunting pack hook/loop panel for spare hunting ammo....
Pretty cool.
FYI

 

[dfariswheel]

870 trigger groups collect a surprising amount of burned powder particles and slivers of case heads and plastic bits.
This can accumulate and possibly cause operation failures.

I like to clean at least once a year, or more if you're a heavy shooter.

 

[dak0ta]

870 trigger groups collect a surprising amount of burned powder particles and slivers of case heads and plastic bits.
This can accumulate and possibly cause operation failures.

I like to clean at least once a year, or more if you're a heavy shooter.

Agree with above. I use mine for waterfowling, and bits of vegetation and dirt do make their way back there in addition to burnt powder residue, plastic hull bits. Clean it before hunting season and at the end.

 

[Triggernosis]

Never. Unless you drop it in the water.
I've never had any cycling issues with an 870 due to it being dirty inside. And believe me, I got mine dirty when I was a teenager.

 

[Steve51]

I have two 870 shotguns (12 & 20 gauge). Other than dove hunting, they have seen very little hunting use but have had boxes and boxes of field loads ran through them shooting clay pigeons.
I have never removed the trigger assembly on them and so far have never experienced any problems.

 

[PapaG]

Seldom. Use common sense. If you are in the duck blind, swamp, dusty dove field, pull it. DONT dissssemble. Solvent and Farmers air gun are all you need. A few drops of clp and you're good to go.

 

[Bazoo]

I probably remove mine every 500-1000 rounds. I don't remove it every time I shoot it, but I do try to work a rag in the receiver and wipe as much soot out as I can between full disassemblies.

If it's a plastic trigger group, you best be careful with brake cleaner/gun scrubber as it can soften the plastic.

 

[dak0ta]

Cleaning the magazine tube out if you hunt and leaving it dry probably is also good for maintenance. Also check the magazine spring strength.

 

[dh1633pm]

Never ever removed mine. Well it’s newly purchased. But never removed on my older one either in over 20 years. Looks clean to me so I leave it alone.

 

[Hookeye]

I yank em once a yr, but then I hunt mine and get all sorts of brushy bits in em (CRP fields).

 

[PapaG]

My TB gets a complete strip and clean in November after trap leagues are done. My others, maybe, sometimes, oh, not very often. They don’t get out much any more.
1100 skeet, same as the TB

 

[Carl N. Brown]

JBWood "Troubleshooting Your Rifle or Shotgun" wrote that it may be a blessing in disguise that removing the Ithaca 37 trigger group is so complicated: it prevents idle hands from tinkering with it to make questionable improvements.

Remington 870 trigger group is easily removed for routine cleaning. And meddling.

 

[JohnKSa]

As I recall, Remington used to say to blast it out with some kind of an evaporating cleaner/dry lubricant. I believe my manual recommended RemOil by name. Seems like a reasonable approach, but maybe there are better options on the market today--like Hornady One Shot.

 

[entropy]

Yeah, if you never remove the trigger group to clean/check it, I get to when you bring your 870 in because it malfunctioned.
Rem Oil is not a spray cleaner, but Gun Scrubber works well. It is however great for gently fogging into the trigger group to relube it. I also put a small dab of gun grease under the carrier dog and where the end of the action bar latch meets the left connector.
For simple maintenance, once or twice a year pulling the trigger group and gently removing any carbon, unburnt powder and errant vegetation (or feathers as I once found) is sufficient.

 

[tmd16556]

When I hunted with an 870 more often I’d usually have one wet hunt a year and that was the time to pull it out. Just some spray CLP at most then wipe off and it’s good for another year. Sometimes it just needed air drying and brushing out the powder and hay that would find its way back there.

 

[Homerboy]

Thanks for all the replies. I bought this shotgun in 2005. I don’t hunt and it’s a very seldom used range toy. I’m talking I doubt there is 500 rounds through it. It had the plastic trigger group all this time and I bought a metal Police trigger group to install. The last time that plastic trigger group was out was in 2006, when I installed the Mesa Tactical side saddle. When I took the plastic one out last month to install the metal one, the plastic one looked extremely clean. The metal one I bought was of course used, and I sonic cleaned it and lubed it before putting it in. At my shooting rate with shotguns, I figure I’ll worry about it in 20 years or so, or my son will when I’m gone!

 

[entropy]

That's always a good upgrade. Keep good care of your 870, your son will appreciate it.

 

[tactikel]

Never. My 870 special field 20 ga has been carried in the field for 20+ years, a bore cleaning and a spritz of CLP in the action is all it needs to run flawlessly.

 

[PapaG]

I’m remiss in that if I am forced to hunt or shoot in the rain the whole gun gets stripped, scrubbed, and lubed.

 

[RKRCPA]

The trigger assembly in my 870 was installed in 1950. It has remained there it's entire life, I see no reason to remove it now.

 

[JamieC]

Not sure what happened to mine, I'd installed a 'big' button safety about a year ago, haven't shot it much, attended an all day shot gun class, got off about 5 rounds, trigger locked up, safety wouldn't move. The first couple of shots where prone on the ground, don't know if dirt got in or what. Luckily I was able to borrow another 870 to finish the class. Got home, pulled the trigger group, pulled the 'big' button, didn't see anything specific, hosed the whole thing down with WD40, blasted it with air, seems fine now. Not sure what hung up the safety, seems like it got stuck halfway, jamming up the trigger. I 'believe' it got some dirt/crud in it, IDK. Next range trip, I'll run it a bit, see if all is good. The 'big' button safety is from Scattergun Tech, (Wilson Combat).

 

[Steve in NC]

Not sure what happened to mine, I'd installed a 'big' button safety about a year ago, haven't shot it much, attended an all day shot gun class, got off about 5 rounds, trigger locked up, safety wouldn't move. The first couple of shots where prone on the ground, don't know if dirt got in or what. Luckily I was able to borrow another 870 to finish the class. Got home, pulled the trigger group, pulled the 'big' button, didn't see anything specific, hosed the whole thing down with WD40, blasted it with air, seems fine now. Not sure what hung up the safety, seems like it got stuck halfway, jamming up the trigger. I 'believe' it got some dirt/crud in it, IDK. Next range trip, I'll run it a bit, see if all is good. The 'big' button safety is from Scattergun Tech, (Wilson Combat).

Possibly put it in backward? I’m a lefty and I remember you can put a RH safety in backward. It’s doesn’t work from safe perspective, but I believe it can be installed. It just doesn’t sit flush when engaged. But I don’t remember it seizing up the trigger mechanism. Just loose thoughts.

Steve