My daughter has a Winchester 1400 in 20 gauge that has been great for her. However, this year at our dove hunt, she kept having jamming problems. Once a shell would fire it appeared like the bolt cycled without ejecting the spent shell, so that we would have a new shell on the carrier and the spent one in the chamber. It was a bear to get out, I'd have to use a screwdriver to push the fresh shell back into the magazine before I could get the spent shell out. Does anyone know why this is happening? I was on almost every shot. It also happened whether she shot or I shot. It was very frustrating. Could it be just a lube problem or something else? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.
Need Winchester 1400 help
- Thread starter TX1911fan
- Start date
- Status
Milkmaster
Member
Hard to say without seeing it myself. Before you get all thrown outa joint with it, I would buy a different brand of shells and just see if the problem changes. That is an easy trial.
Secondly I would look at one of the hulls that failed to eject and see if it has a pulled out place where the ejector was trying to grab it and maybe just didn't get enough of it. Lastly take the gun down and look for a broken ejector and look closely at the chamber. See if there is some plastic built up in it. If so, Then some CLP left sitting overnight will soften the plastic residue and make it easier to clean out.
I have an electronic copy of the manual to send if you do not have access to take down instructions.
Good luck!
Secondly I would look at one of the hulls that failed to eject and see if it has a pulled out place where the ejector was trying to grab it and maybe just didn't get enough of it. Lastly take the gun down and look for a broken ejector and look closely at the chamber. See if there is some plastic built up in it. If so, Then some CLP left sitting overnight will soften the plastic residue and make it easier to clean out.
I have an electronic copy of the manual to send if you do not have access to take down instructions.
Good luck!
sm
member
TX1911fan,
Check the left side of receiver for a ejector held in with a phillips screw.
Milkmaster, generous of you to send him a copy of the manual. Since you have the manual, you know the part I am referring to. I may have called it a different name than Win does.
Anyway check that part, as if the screw works loose and comes out, so will the "spring", and the gun will shoot, just not eject a spent hull.
This part and screw need to be checked often. What I do is clean and degrease and use clear nail polish on the screw threads.
(Poor Man's Loc-Tite).
This assists very well in keeping that screw tight, still allows for removal if need.
Great Shotgun!
The softest shooting semi there is and one of the best teaching tools and shotguns for a new shooter.
Gook Luck!
steve
Check the left side of receiver for a ejector held in with a phillips screw.
Milkmaster, generous of you to send him a copy of the manual. Since you have the manual, you know the part I am referring to. I may have called it a different name than Win does.
Anyway check that part, as if the screw works loose and comes out, so will the "spring", and the gun will shoot, just not eject a spent hull.
This part and screw need to be checked often. What I do is clean and degrease and use clear nail polish on the screw threads.
(Poor Man's Loc-Tite).
This assists very well in keeping that screw tight, still allows for removal if need.
Great Shotgun!
The softest shooting semi there is and one of the best teaching tools and shotguns for a new shooter.
Gook Luck!
steve
Guys, thanks for the tips. My ejector is not held in by a screw. It just fits over a small post in the back of the receiver and sits in place, held partly in place by the barrel, I think.
When I took this gun down it was VERY dirty. Maybe I forgot to clean it and it was just too gunked up. I guess I'll have to take better care of this gun. I usually clean all of my guns after each session, but shotguns often go a couple times before cleaning. Not this one I guess.
Extractor looks ok:
This is my ejector. It just rests in there:
This is the post the ejector sits on in the back of the receiver:
When I took this gun down it was VERY dirty. Maybe I forgot to clean it and it was just too gunked up. I guess I'll have to take better care of this gun. I usually clean all of my guns after each session, but shotguns often go a couple times before cleaning. Not this one I guess.
Extractor looks ok:
This is my ejector. It just rests in there:
This is the post the ejector sits on in the back of the receiver:
Last edited:
sm
member
Hey,
It was worth a shot anyway. *grin*
Some of those are held in by screws...so for those with 1400s and reading this thread, there is some information for you at least.
Humm.
Chamber is clean, the shells are good shells made to spec...
This leaves me to think your daughter is not shooting this gun with a stick of beef jerky in her hip pocket.
Oh yeah, Really! I mean everyone knows one is a better shooter with a stick of beef jerky in the hip pocket.
Try that beef jerky tip and if that doesn't work, well I tried.
Milkmaster and others are then on the hook to figure out what is wrong. *grin*
It was worth a shot anyway. *grin*
Some of those are held in by screws...so for those with 1400s and reading this thread, there is some information for you at least.
Humm.
Chamber is clean, the shells are good shells made to spec...
This leaves me to think your daughter is not shooting this gun with a stick of beef jerky in her hip pocket.
Oh yeah, Really! I mean everyone knows one is a better shooter with a stick of beef jerky in the hip pocket.
Try that beef jerky tip and if that doesn't work, well I tried.
Milkmaster and others are then on the hook to figure out what is wrong. *grin*
chas08
Member
Milkmasters advice is "spot on" I don't know about the jerky, but it couldn't hurt.
If I recall correctly, the 1400 has another end to the extractor that you can't see inside the bolt assy. It has a small "horn" that a very stiff spring slips over and makes it operate properly. You can only access this with a full bolt assy. disassembly. It is somewhat tricky for the average gunnut, in that it would be very easy to launch pieces to parts unknown. If the interior of the bolt assy is gunked up or broken, it could cause extraction problems. 1400's are very reliable and will tolerate 100's of rounds with little more than an ordinary cleaning. If it proves out to not be ammo or a dirty chamber you might persue this avenue.
If I recall correctly, the 1400 has another end to the extractor that you can't see inside the bolt assy. It has a small "horn" that a very stiff spring slips over and makes it operate properly. You can only access this with a full bolt assy. disassembly. It is somewhat tricky for the average gunnut, in that it would be very easy to launch pieces to parts unknown. If the interior of the bolt assy is gunked up or broken, it could cause extraction problems. 1400's are very reliable and will tolerate 100's of rounds with little more than an ordinary cleaning. If it proves out to not be ammo or a dirty chamber you might persue this avenue. poor_richard
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2006
- Messages
- 466
TX1911fan,
This is just a thought. I have a Win 120, and the ejector looks the same. The instructions for the 1200 that I downloaded say something about the ejector being screwed in, but mine isn't. It is what your's sounds like however, there is a spring to the rear of that ejector, that rests in a hole in the stock. There is a rearward tip of the ejector that goes into the spring (almost like an oversize ball point spring), which in turn goes into the stock. that spring is what keeps the ejector in place, and under tension. Without that spring there, My ejector would also "just rest there". Check your gun, look for that small hole in the stock rearward of the ejector. It might be the problem. Worth a try.
BTW, my ejector looks just like yours.
This is just a thought. I have a Win 120, and the ejector looks the same. The instructions for the 1200 that I downloaded say something about the ejector being screwed in, but mine isn't. It is what your's sounds like however, there is a spring to the rear of that ejector, that rests in a hole in the stock. There is a rearward tip of the ejector that goes into the spring (almost like an oversize ball point spring), which in turn goes into the stock. that spring is what keeps the ejector in place, and under tension. Without that spring there, My ejector would also "just rest there". Check your gun, look for that small hole in the stock rearward of the ejector. It might be the problem. Worth a try.
BTW, my ejector looks just like yours.
- Status