Remington 870 pump action can't handle heavy turkey loads-action opens on its own

[Virginian]

Good grief. Now we're bashing the most popular shotgun thee world has ever seen for normal operation ?!?!
Go edit the title of this post please.

 

[Funderb]

Sometimes I think if I started a thread saying "Hey, every time I shoot my Saiga-12, it ejects the empty shell and loads a new one. Is that normal?". People would argue about it.

it shouldn't do that, that saiga needs to be serviced!

 

[Grizfire]

Good grief. Now we're bashing the most popular shotgun thee world has ever seen for normal operation ?!?!
Go edit the title of this post please.

sorry charlie,

This is not meant to be bashing, this was a question/concern of mine as I have not used an 870 before and all the other pumps I have shot have never done this.

If this is normal operation, then I am disappointed, I would like to be in control of when to eject the empty or not. If I wanted speed of use, I'd buy an autoloader.

Thank you all for helping me get to the bottom of this.

 

[kmrcstintn]

I had a similar problem with my Benelli Nova when shooting heavier recoiling loads; I learned to have a good grip on the forearm and use a bit of forward pressure to keep the action from opening right after I trigger a shot;

also seen it with Remington 760's & 7600's (slide action rifles); foreend sits on a bag on a shooting bench while sighting in a scope and action unlocks when a shot is triggered

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Ive decided to grow up and hold onto that gun when firing heavy loads. It seperates the men from the boys.

 

[Jubjub]

So the shotgun in question has one of those spring loaded Knoxx stocks?

It seems like this might be what's going on.

You fire the shot while everything is locked up as it should be. Now that the hammer has fallen, the bolt is unlatched automatically, as it should be. That big shot charge goes thundering down the bore, Newton's third law kicks in, and the shotgun moves back, bringing your hand and arm holding the forend with it. With the Knoxx stock, it can really move, too, since there is a good inch or more of travel. Next the springs in the stock push the receiver and barrel of the gun forward, while all that momentum in the forearm, action bar, bolt, your arm, etc. keep it moving back.

It's sort of halfway to being a Benelli.

 

[bhk]

This is perfectly normal. Holding the forearm tightly and pushing FORWARD on it is not the way to hold a shotgun properly. Both the front hand and the pistol grip hand should be pulling the gun back into the shoulder.

I just picked up my empty 870 a minute ago, pointed at a mounted quail I have in my den, and pulled the trigger. The action opened slightly just from the rearward pull from my front hand, even with the gun empty. Why would you not want it to work this way. Pumps are fast!

 

[Hungry Seagull]

I agree.

I stuck a A-Zoom 12 gauge snapcap in mine, fired it and lo and behold the action is released to allow the real shell to hop out (If it was real)

Done. Settled that for good in my mind and this gun recently came back perfect from the smith.

 

[Grizfire]

Why would you not want it to work this way.

I have been firing my BPS for over fifteen years by

1) firing
2) pumping back to eject
3) pumping forward to load


I am so used to this process, that when this new gun pumps back to eject for me, my brain becomes discombobulated.

Now that I know that this is just the way it is, I will practice and try to get used to it.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

discombobulated

AHA. Old word means off track!

Gotcha. Im gonna get used to it myself!

Maybe if I keep it up there on the shoulder it might save me the weight lifting exercise LOL.:banghead:

 

[Virginian]

My BPSs all did exactly the same thing. 'Course I wasn't shooting wimp loads in a 10 gauge.

 

[Bix]

I'm surprised this one is still going - even after Snarlington posted the language from Remington's website....

This question has been asked and answered here and elswhere on the forum. Here's our very own moderator addressing it (at the end):

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=1664699&postcount=8

 

[Virginian]

If it was about a "B" gun it would have never gone this far.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

This thing keeps going and going. lolz

 

[Bad Hammer]

It's funny, My wife was weak in her closing of the action of the moss PRIOR to pulling trig. She risked a blow back into her face if she did fire... I got her trained so that she will not fire until that action closes with a satisfying CLICK!

Although proper technique should always be a priority, I wouldn't be too worried about the "blow back".
None of my Mossbergs will fire if the action isn't in battery (locked in the closed position).
The disconnector won't trip the sear with the bolt out of battery.

 

[Snarlingiron]

I am so used to this process, that when this new gun pumps back to eject for me, my brain becomes discombobulated.

So I guess you need to practice until you are combobulated?

 

[darkknight]

My nova has never done this and I have fired 3in magnum 00 buck loads and 3.5 in #4 turkey loads. I would send it back to remington, it just doesn't sound right to me.I am not a shotgun expert but I don't like the idea of my gun opening up without me doing it (excluding semi's).

 

[Virginian]

I almost don't believe this. I can tell who slept in physics and who didn't. Will all of you know it alls go out and shoot any pump shotgun, with a decent load, without a hand on the forend and come back and tell us if it doesn't open after the shot. It in fact does not open until after the shot, but of course you cannot see that fast.
The silence will be nice.
There is nothing wrong with this shotgun.

P.S. - If you have a BPS 10 gauge, wear some safety shoes, because that big hull could hurt your tootsies when it comes flying out the bottom.
P.P.S.- Hint - The same thing keeps the action closed, after the trigger pull allows the bolt to unlock, that makes the Benellis work. The bolt opens because your body stops the rest of the gun's rearward motion.