New 870 woes

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I did not want to insult anyone who told you to use a dishwashing pad so simply said it was the same principle and then clearly told you to use steel wool on a wooden dowl. I often make a mistake and assume common knowledge is just that so I did not mention keep the inside of the barrel and chamber dry so that is my mistake.

At least you didn't watch some utube mess and break out a dremil on it so you have the barrel working as designed. If you will keep the chamber clean with the steel wool and rod after each range session your issues will be history. If not, then my offer to hone the chamber still stands.
 
I see what you are saying AI&P and thank you for the offer I will take it out as soon as I can and shoot it
 
Originally Posted By AI&P Tactical:
You do not have to fix a new 870, you have to clean it. They are coated with a rust preventative since they it will be months before it is in the end users hand or even longer. I have purchased new guns from my distributors that were in their warehouse for almost a year. the inside of the barrel including chamber are not finished so something has to protect them from rusting for that long period of time. So, you have to clean the gun. Guys take a new 870 out of the box and hit the range without removing that from the chamber and the result is a gunk that affects extraction. Anyone shooting a new gun without cleaning it first deserves what ever happens. Yet many come to forums and blame the weapon instead. I think most everyone on this forum that cleaning a new gun before shooting it is "Firearms 101".

The issue is ammo and dirty chambers. Not some bump that someone grinds away at with a dremil tool on some utube video. I have always said "Dremil tools and Loc-tite should be control substances.
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There are a LOT of people who cleaned their 870's (including the chambers) before shooting them and still had these same problems.

There are a LOT of people who polished (or honed) the chambers on their 870's and still had these same problems.

I don't think the problem is simply the surface of the chamber.

If you want to blame the ammo too, that's fine. But in my opinion, it's completely reasonable to expect a shotgun to work with common ammo you often get at Wal-Mart. It might actually be the most common shotgun ammo type in this country. If a gun doesn't work with that, I think something is wrong with the gun.

Joe Mamma
 
I agree completely.

My 1970 Browning A5 auto, and an even older 870 Wingmaster pump work with any ammo I find on sale at Wallyworld.

A brand new 2014 Rem 870 should too!

rc
 
There is enough internet chatter on this issue that Remington MUST know it.
And there's enough expanded availability of Chateau El Cheapo ammo that
a LOT of people have got to irritated.

Surely it can't be that much additional cost to smooth up the chamber and
extension lugs before selling..... :scrutiny:
 
It appears to be a big deal as new 870 Police Magnum is almost twice as expensive as Express Magnum though people said the finish of the police gun is more oxidation resistant.
 
My 870 Express had the same problem, albeit not as much as the OP. After I cycled a few hundred AA's and a couple boxes of Nirto 27s it cycles the promos fine. If it doesn't work out within a break in period I would contact Remington.
 
blue32 said:
My 870 Express had the same problem, albeit not as much as the OP. After I cycled a few hundred AA's and a couple boxes of Nirto 27s it cycles the promos fine. If it doesn't work out within a break in period I would contact Remington.
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One must realize his was special $190 Walmart edition so longer break in period maybe required. About fifteen years ago i payed $239+ tax for 870 HD which is basically 870 Express Magnum. The only ones I seen in this price range new were Chinese-made copies, but those would probably function fine out of the box. Sam Cade says his takes a licking and keeps on ticking so next time it might be wise to buy Chinese 'Hawk' . For more info please see 'Hawk' Shotgun thread.
 
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I recently bought a Rem tactical model even thou I was leery of jams myself,After I took it home I cleaned it and took it to the range.I would get a jam once every 3rd or 4th shell for the first 25 shells.After I got home I looked up AI&P Tactical's site on how to clean/break in a Remmy.Went back to the range 3 days later and fired 25 more shells.No jams.Shot another 35 shells a week later and still no jam.I used federal ammo bought from walmart.Not saying what worked for me will work for you but AI&P Tactical's info was very helpful and now love my rem express.
 
Guys for the record the reason I got it for 190 otd is because a Remington sent me a refund check and b Walmart took 20 percent off of the shelf price right before Xmas last year not because it is a pice of junk and I think I may have found the problem we will see
 
Scotch Brite is actually an industrial abrasive and has been around for a long time. I started using it when I did tool & die and aerospace work 37 yrs ago when I was in my early 20's.

It comes in different grades (abrasiveness) which is color coded for identification.

These four vary in the degree of cut they will do, corresponding to "grit" on abrasive paper, from very fine to course.

White
Gray
Green
Red

Blue is a non-abrasive version.

Depending in the "grit" and technique used, Scotchbrite can be quite beneficial when working with metal, you just have to be judicious in how you use it.

I have taped it to the end of a dowel to help with a rough chamber and also used steel wool. You can also make a "flapper" by cutting a slit in the end of a dowel and folding over abrasive paper and using it to smooth out a chamber.
 
I have encountered the same exact problem with Universal's in at least 3 different 870's. At first I thought it had something to do with the shotgun, that is until I had the same issues with other 870's and Universal's.

So being the reloader I am, I disassembled several Universals and found that the powder in all of them was one very solid clump. I then broke the powder apart, reloaded the shells on my Mec and tried again. This time, everyone of them performed 100% normal, no extraction problems what so ever. It took a while, but I took almost 200 of them apart and fixed the powder problem, which allowed me to get them used up without further issue. I also tried loading some with a standard recipe I use for AA hulls for dove hunting, and the loads functioned just fine.

GS
 
Deltaboy said:
It is a shame that Remmy let the QC go on the Legendary 870. I got my Wingmaster in 1982 and it has never jammed.
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The problem he has is with 870 Express that falls well short of the Wingmaster version of this weapon.
If you want horrendous handling pump try 870 Express 16ga with VR choke tubed barrel. It will give 16ga.com members bad nightmares.
 
I have a few old 870's, including a WM, and yes they are slick as snot and never have problems, but my new WM and other 870's all run fine. A little bit of TLC, in terms of polishing metal to metal mating surfaces, and polishing the chambers and barrels, and they are just as sweet. They still hold up to the reputation 870's have earned over the years. I think I read some where that there have been more 870's manufactured and sold, than all other shotguns combined. You don't get that kind of sales reputation, and consumer acceptance, with a bad product.

GS
 
Yes drcook I know about the sotch Brite pad and using it on metal I have first hand knowdeglegeable experience from my time in a tool and die machine shop I used the green one and I believe I got the problem fixed
 
Yes drcook I know about the sotch Brite pad and using it on metal I have first hand knowdeglegeable experience from my time in a tool and die machine shop I used the green one and I believe I got the problem fixed
Click to expand...

I was simply clarifying that scotch brite is not for simply cleaning dishes as was alluded to in a prior post. That it was in fact an abrasive. Had nothing to do with you or anything you said.
 
I apologize to the makers of Scotch Brite for not knowing the full use of their cleaning products. Guess it does not matter what you use as long as you clean the chamber and don't damage it.
 
"Hey Boss, should we change out that reamer yet? - No, it's still good. Just keep running it. If it starts smoking real bad we'll change it".
 
Update I ran two boxes of cheap 20 year old Winchester universal through it as fast as I could and it ate it all
 
is good news. At least,I learned one thing never buy nothing but a Wingmaster.
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A Wingmaster is about 3 1/2 times more expensive. This was a 50 cent fix and there is no guarantee a Wingmaster wouldn't need the same.

I can appreciate the better wood and polished exterior of the Wingmaster, but if I have a $700-$800 budget I won't be buying a pump. A $200 pumpgun is one you don't worry about getting muddy and dinged up, and while they may need a little tweaking at first they end up being just as dependable.
 
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