870 Express Rant

+1, I've heard the same thing a lot about the latter Expresses. I even helped someone pry out a shell once at the range and it was definitely stuck more than some extra grease. I think it depends largely on what the shell head is made of and how hot the load is. The more expensive light target loads with brass bases seem to work better. Polishing the chamber is probably the ticket.

 

Cleaned. check.

Lubed. check.

Back out to the range....

"Pull." Fire. Jam. check.

Yep, same prob. I only bothered to cycle about five rounds through it, then one additional one I grabbed from another guy who said "maybe it's those cheap shells you're using." (Same problem, naturally enough.)

One interesting thing was: he suggested cycling a spent cartridge casing through it. We did that, and the ejector actually tore a hole through the lip on the brass cap. We had to push the spent casing out by running a rod down the barrel. So perhaps the chamber is a little too small or too rough.

At any rate - I'm gonna send it back to them and make them fix it.

I rang up their 800 number just now, but they're closed. Voicemail message system says they're open 9AM to 5PM Eastern time. Since I'm on the West coast, that means I can at least call up on Monday morning before work to get a return authorization.

As with anything else: don't discard the packing carton till after you know it works.

 

bummer man

hopefully they can get you taken care of quickly.

 

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-151048.html
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=182812
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336194

Its new. Manufacturing often has burrs and sharp points. Take 30 minutes and some elbow grease to get ti to function smoothly

 

This ^
I've been shooting older Wingmasters for years with no trouble.Fit and finish are great.
Lots of machining and chatter marks on some of the Express models I've seen.

 

Your first problem was buying an 870 (Benelli Nova FTW) J/k man 870's are tried and true... great shot guns. But seriously... Ive had issues like this before due to cheap ammo. The brass expands and makes it difficult to eject. I would just clean it really well and lube it up and get a different box of ammo...

Edit... I should have read the whole thread... seems like your getting this sorted out

 

i have the 870 super mag that gets the damn shell STUCK in the chamber. the ejector literally rips the brass head trying to pull the shell out. it only does it sometimes and does it for any kind of shell. (mainly when i really need it to eject haha) it pisses me off. i think it needs to be bored out a little bit more... but i cant get a gunsmith to take me seriously. everything he puts it goes smoothly of course. but yes i agree that ive always heard they are the most reliable things on the planet but mines a little bitch apparently...

 

what is the Tacomworld of 870s? I have an 870 Tactical and just want to read some good forum stickies on maintenance, accessories, and tips.

 

Everything you need to know about any shotgun.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/index.php

 

My 870 has an issue with Winchester shells. It it tougher to pull the fore grip back and you almost have to force it. I can shoot hundreds of reminton shells and have no issue.

 

OK, I rang up today and talked to customer service.

The rep said that it's probably a burr or the chamber is slightly undersized.

He said they used to just send out a new barrel in these circumstances, but now like to have the gun in hand so they can verify it's working. He emailed me a shipping label (note that the printed warranty says shipping is on the customer's dime) to an authorized service dealer "J&G Gunsmithing" in Granite Bay.

I'll drop it off with UPS tomorrow.

 

My friend and I both own Remington 870's. His is used in 20 gauge and mine is brand spanking new in 12 gauge. First time out shooting with me after about 100 rounds through it the damn thing got jammed up. We managed to fix it and went to the local gunsmith and saw there was a piece within the trigger assembly that moved. It was like a millimeter movement or something and threw the whole gun off to jam and stop shooting. Just an addition to this...we were using Remington gun club target loads and bird shot loads as well as Winchester universal loads.

Mine also got jammed up at a different time of course when he wasn't there with me. Now mind you at least at my turn to go shoot. Between my brother and I, we both must've shot over 250 rounds through the gun if not more. We had an empty white flyer clay box full of empty shells, all remington gun club target loads. And still jammed a few times.

Considering we pushed so much through the gun to a point where it was piping hot on the barrell and most of the gun. It needed a break. Plus we were shooting in maybe 85 degree weather. Humidity was up there though too.

Met up with my buddy and we took apart every piece of the gun we could and inspected everything and all looked good to us. Cleaned every nook and cranny and oiled the crap out of the parts that need oil. I need to get to the range soon before I can get out and deer hunt here on Long Island in a few weeks for our firearms season.

Hope this helps in the hurt of a jamming gun.

 

There are a couple of videos you can find by searching youtube "clean remington 870 express." I almost gave up on the one by peanutapt, because it starts off with really jittery handheld camera work - but he pretty quickly switches to a tripod fixed camera.

None of 'em are completely great, especially in showing the left and right spring tabs you need to release in order to slide the fore-end fully forward and off the receiver. But the videos, in combination with the manual, some time, and patience, should help you out.

For me, the key to success is not having any time pressure. If I've got enough time, I can read and re-read the instructions, study the part I'm looking at, and suss it out.

 

Try new ammo. You should be fine

 

Alot of times there is rough spots in the chamber and along w/ cosmo from factory the shells like to grab. We took my nephews and cleaned it then took steel wool on a bore brush and polished it out. Helped quite a bit but still isnt right. My old wingmaster was smooth as butter, theese new remington 870's are junk!

 

+1

What others said, Ammo.. I've never seen an 870 act up.. Def possible but never seen one..

 

+1, that is THE site for shotgun owners.

About the ammo, I think a lot of the special priced ammo on the market today, while it is very good and shoots fine, seems to have a more flexible fomulation of metal in the case head. Thus maybe a bit more expansion after firing. This would tend to make any minute irrregularities in the butt of the chamber show up more.

One reason these shells are cheaper is they are made with components (i.e. the hulls) intended for one time use only. Not for multiple reloading by high volume shooters. And some of them are pretty stiff too, in terms of the powder and shot charge. A lot heavier than you need for an afternoon of shooting 150+ clay targets. Higher charge = higher pressure/more expansion of the case.

 

Weird, i have a 870 short barrell that ive had in the back of a wheat truck for 3 years, havnt cleaned it, never failed me.... I should probably go clean it while im not doing anything today. Thanks for the reminder

 

UPDATE:

Actually two updates.
1st - I have an additional Express 870 - this one's a youth model - that I bought *before* the other one, but actually didn't get a chance to shoot until TODAY. Naturally, THIS ONE works as you all would expect - we ran 100 shells through it with nary a problem all while showing a bunch of Boy Scouts how to do it. And no, I didn't have time to clean this one first either. But it just worked.

Meanwhile, the original 870 is now at the gunsmith. Here's a tip: Gunsmithing is an "old school" business.

Consider an example. If my Dell laptop gives me trouble for some reason, I ring up support, they email me a shipping tag, I plop the laptop in a box with the shipping tag on it, drop it at the UPS store, and call it good until they ship it back to me.

Gunsmithing? Not so fast. The relationship between the local authorized smiths and the factory is a looser one. If you don't put a letter with the problem and your personal contact info in the box with the firearm you're returning - they become confused because the factory has NOT forwarded on to them the detailed problem info you ALREADY provided to the customer service rep.

I suppose this isn't surprising as it's the way things have ALWAYS been. But it caught me off guard given how so many other businesses now operate their customer service department. My bad. Anyhow, I now have to sort some details out by phone during "normal working hours" with the gunsmith.

 

Yeah, go clean that thing. If you're gonna be that lackadaisical about it, at least get a BoreSnake.