Well I finally bought my first shotgun today and I'm having a couple issues with it. It is a Remington 870 express magnum with 28" barrel. First off the shells will not always come out of the tube, all of which are 2 and 3/4" shells. Federal shells will not come out of the tube at all, and the second issue is that it will only hold two shells? Don't these things hold at least three shells? Is there a plug or something inside the tube that I need to remove? I bought it at a pawnshop so I don't know the history of the gun but the bore is in very good shape, and it doesn't look to me as if its been fired much at all. The action is in good shape too from what I can tell. I really don't know much at all about shotguns so you all will have to be patient with me. Thanks in advance!
Remington 870, Help!
- Thread starter atrain08
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Kind of Blued
Member
There very well could be a plug in the mag tube.
Go to Remington's website, narrow it down to 870 shotguns, and you should be able to download the Owner's Manual by clicking an icon on the left side.
Go to Remington's website, narrow it down to 870 shotguns, and you should be able to download the Owner's Manual by clicking an icon on the left side.
Badger Arms
Member
Pawn shop buys are often dicey. It's either somebody who needs the money or somebody that's trying to dump a lemon.
I don't think you have a lemon, but you probably have issues that are fairly simple to solve if you'll bear with the experts here. First, to take the plug out, you must unscrew the barrel nut at the front of the magazine. If there is a metal plug at the end of the magazine, it must be pried gently out. If there is a plastic plug, you just push it in and turn it 90 degrees to fee it, I think.
The plug and spring will then slide out the front of the magazine. Now, look down the magazine and make sure it's clean.
Also, the first thing to check is if you're using the right ammo for the gun. Check to ensure you have 12ga for a 12ga gun, 20ga for a 20ga, etc. The 20ga will be yellow, btw. I'm not trying to be condescending, it's just a good place to start with a shotgun novice.
I don't think you have a lemon, but you probably have issues that are fairly simple to solve if you'll bear with the experts here. First, to take the plug out, you must unscrew the barrel nut at the front of the magazine. If there is a metal plug at the end of the magazine, it must be pried gently out. If there is a plastic plug, you just push it in and turn it 90 degrees to fee it, I think.
The plug and spring will then slide out the front of the magazine. Now, look down the magazine and make sure it's clean.
Also, the first thing to check is if you're using the right ammo for the gun. Check to ensure you have 12ga for a 12ga gun, 20ga for a 20ga, etc. The 20ga will be yellow, btw. I'm not trying to be condescending, it's just a good place to start with a shotgun novice.
Badger Arms
Member
The first thing I'd suspect is that you have a dirty gun. Not the bore, but the shell latches. Often, they get gunk such as sand, twigs, etc. built up behind them that prevents them from moving freely. To test this, unlolad the firearm and ensure the chamber and magazine are empty. Put the safety on and keep your finger off the trigger.
Now, close the slide on an empty chamber. Turn the gun upside down so the barrel is pointed away from you and in a safe direction. Depress the sheet metal carrier in the loading port and depress the shell latch on the right side as you look down at the loading port. It should move freely in and out under spring tension. It moves about 1/8" in and out. This is the latch that holds your shells in the magazine. The tip should go up in front of the first shell in the mag tube.
Next, depress the slide release on trigger guard and pull the slide back until the shell latch on the left side of the loading port pops out. Push the carrier out of the way and test that the latch on the left side moves freely under spring tension. if they seem sticky or you can hear the gunk underneath them... that's probably your problem. Report back on what happens.
Now, close the slide on an empty chamber. Turn the gun upside down so the barrel is pointed away from you and in a safe direction. Depress the sheet metal carrier in the loading port and depress the shell latch on the right side as you look down at the loading port. It should move freely in and out under spring tension. It moves about 1/8" in and out. This is the latch that holds your shells in the magazine. The tip should go up in front of the first shell in the mag tube.
Next, depress the slide release on trigger guard and pull the slide back until the shell latch on the left side of the loading port pops out. Push the carrier out of the way and test that the latch on the left side moves freely under spring tension. if they seem sticky or you can hear the gunk underneath them... that's probably your problem. Report back on what happens.
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I will look into that tomorrow. It's getting a bit late for me to figure it out tonight. Is there a way for me to figure out when this thing was made from the serial number on the receiver? it starts with a C and ends with M (I assume the M is for magnum). I found a chart online somewhere but I was having some trouble figuring it out, probably because its late.
Badger Arms
Member
You need a code from the barrel, left side of gun just in front of the frame. My Express Trukey model has a code of "KO" which corresponds to May of 1994 born on date. The Remington Society (of which I'm a proud member) lists this really good guide:
http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/questions/barrelcodes
http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/questions/barrelcodes
Kind of Blued
Member
I'd set aside a decent chunk of time, sit down with your manual and your gun, and don't get up until you know what every part does, it's clean as a whistle, and lightly lubricated anywhere that metal rubs on metal.
You'll get to know the gun, appreciate it more, and probably figure out any "bugs" which are still keeping it from running 100%.
You'll get to know the gun, appreciate it more, and probably figure out any "bugs" which are still keeping it from running 100%.
dflorida
Member
A really common problem with pump shotguns especially is a dirty chamber. It can look clean to the untrained eye, but have minute particles of fouling that impede ejection of a spent hull. A simple fix is to take 4/0 steel wool and wrap it around a short length of 3/8" wooden dowel and chuck it up in your 3/8" drill. Add some bore cleaning solvent to the steel wool and then insert it into the chamber and take it for a good spin.
You absolutely will not harm the chamber in any way. The steel wool is much softer than the chamber steel. What it will do is totally remove any microscopic particles of fouling and leave you with a super clean, polished chamber. You must remove the barrel of course before you do this.
If you don't have a piece of dowel, an alternate method is to take an old bore brush and wrap it with steel wool and accomplish the same thing.
When you are finished cleaning the chamber with the steel wool, wipe it clean and lightly oil it with an oiled patch.
Your ejection problems will be a thing of the past.
Don
You absolutely will not harm the chamber in any way. The steel wool is much softer than the chamber steel. What it will do is totally remove any microscopic particles of fouling and leave you with a super clean, polished chamber. You must remove the barrel of course before you do this.
If you don't have a piece of dowel, an alternate method is to take an old bore brush and wrap it with steel wool and accomplish the same thing.
When you are finished cleaning the chamber with the steel wool, wipe it clean and lightly oil it with an oiled patch.
Your ejection problems will be a thing of the past.
Don
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
Best bet to establish a manufacturing date is to call 1-800-243-9700 during business hours in NC and ask Remington directly. You need the model number and full serial number.
Barrels are interchangeable...
lpl
Barrels are interchangeable...
lpl
Thanks a lot everyone, I really appreciate the help. I'm going to go through the gun tonight when I get off work and give it a thorough cleaning. My father bought a shotgun yesterday as well after many years of not owning one, and I tried to help him out with it but when it comes to these I really can't offer much. I'm going to post up another thread about it.
Just keep in mind that cycling live ammunition through a shotgun (particularly one of unknown condition) always carries the possibility of an accidental - or negligent - discharge.
Action proving dummy rounds, along with a safe backstop, are best for dinking around with the gun off the range:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...x?p=6811&title=SHOTGUN ACTION PROVING DUMMIES
Action proving dummy rounds, along with a safe backstop, are best for dinking around with the gun off the range:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...x?p=6811&title=SHOTGUN ACTION PROVING DUMMIES
Well I just got back from the range a few minutes ago and did some shooting with both the new shotguns. The Remington 870 would not pull ANY shells out of the magazine tube. The little piece of metal that keeps the shells in the magazine tube is not moving out of the way when the action is open, therefore not letting the round enter the chamber. I'm guessing it either has some dirt or something under it or it is bent. I'm going to disassemble it in a little while and see if I can sort it out. The good news is that I was able to hit about 50% of the clay pigeons! I was told that was pretty good for a newbie.
Badger Arms
Member
Disassemble the shotgun and then you can kinda pry the shell latch out. It is so difficult to bend this that it's really not likely that's what happened. There's a little tab that sticks up from the shell latch that engages a 'wedge-shaped' cam on the left action bar. This should be engaging and pushing the latch out of the way as you pump the action. If the latch is jammed, the action bar will stick when it hits this. That could certainly explain your problem.
When you get the latch out, clean the dickens out of the well behind the latch and remove any rusts you see with steel wool. Do the same to the latch itself. Lube both then wipe most of the lube off so it's not attracting any more debris. Reassemble and the gun should function fine.
If this DOESN'T work, replace the shell latch:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=319652#enlarge
... and if THAT doesn't work I'd cry.
When you get the latch out, clean the dickens out of the well behind the latch and remove any rusts you see with steel wool. Do the same to the latch itself. Lube both then wipe most of the lube off so it's not attracting any more debris. Reassemble and the gun should function fine.
If this DOESN'T work, replace the shell latch:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=319652#enlarge
... and if THAT doesn't work I'd cry.
Virginian
Member
Hard to be positive, but it really looks like the shell latch is bent. That wedge shaped part of the action bar is the cam surface that should have moved the shell latch out of the way. The engagement finger could be broken, but it looks like the bar part of the shell latch is moved back, and the finger on the other side is still catching the shell.
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Badger Arms
Member
Okay I found the problem, I think. Its the for-end tube assembly. Now I have to decide if I want to take the gun back and have him give me something else or keep it and fix the part. Looks like the part is $36.00 plus shipping. I don't know if that makes it worth keeping. What do you all think?
Virginian
Member
Badger, the cam/wedge has already gone by the latch finger. Isn't the gap too big?
Virginian
Member
I don't think that battered rail is all that's wrong with it. The shell latch engagement finger is past that point and it still isn't releasing. I think that thing would be going back if I could. Looks like somebody assembled it wrong and tried to force things before figuring out what they had done.
Virginian
Member
If they won't pay for the parts to put it right I would let them have it back. Those battered places where the slide assembly sits on the forend tube assembly don't make sense, and there is obviously another problem with the shell latch(s?).
Badger Arms
Member
Your replacement parts will cost you about $50 from Midway. Buy a new latch an new action tube assembly here:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=995851
Be careful, though. There are now two types of tubes. One has an extra notch in the rear, IIRC. The one I list here might not be the correct one. It actually looks like you have the "Old Style". Remington changed to a new style with a more gradual slope. I'll post a picture. The new, more gentle wedge slope style is on the left.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=995851
Be careful, though. There are now two types of tubes. One has an extra notch in the rear, IIRC. The one I list here might not be the correct one. It actually looks like you have the "Old Style". Remington changed to a new style with a more gradual slope. I'll post a picture. The new, more gentle wedge slope style is on the left.
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