17 replies to this topic

[Bronco]

OK, last year I bought a Remington 870 pump and have kept it for my home protection weapon. A couple of weeks ago I went shooting with my buddy and his son and my buddies son had got a 870 a couple months earlier and was telling me he had spent shell ejection problems. Well I got to see it first hand and that made me start thinking about my 870 at home. Last weekend we went shooting again and I brought my 870 with me to see if I would have the same problem. Well sure enough I have the same problem. It doesn't happen all the time but its a PITA when it does! I've heard stories about Remington making the chambers a wee bit tight and other guys have had this problem in the past and heard horror stories of multiple returns to Remington to get it corrected. Some recomend that you polish the chamber to help resolve this issue while others say it will go away after 100 rounds or so. Any advice?Sure glad I have my Benelli Super Nova I can depend on.

[4RHUNTS]

Bronco,What exactly is happening? Is the shell not extracting at all from the chamber? Only partially extracting? Or is it extracting the shell but not ejecting it?

[Old timer]

Had my 870 for ten years now used a lot durning waterfowl seasons never had a problem with ejection shells

[Bronco]

Bronco,What exactly is happening? Is the shell not extracting at all from the chamber? Only partially extracting? Or is it extracting the shell but not ejecting it?

You can't get the slide to work. You have to either really jerk on it or hit the buttstock on the ground just to get it open to kick out the spent shell. Lots of talk about this over at calguns. Nothing new from what has been said.

[4RHUNTS]

So once the action opens/releases it extracts/ejects just fine? I have seen this occur on some newer 870's. The action release button/lever is sometimes very stiff to depress and does not get fully depressed, not allowing the action to open. Sometimes it has to be depressed passed flush with the trigger guard in order to work properly.

[Bronco]

I'm told that the metal tub of the shells is hanging up due to the clearance issue. The action release doesn't play a part in this problem. You can push it all day and you still can't get the slide to come back.

[clampdaddy]

Yep, that has been happening to alot of remingtons and not just the pumps. Seems like it all started about the time they went to the plastic trigger group on the 870 express. I read somewhere that remington made up a huge number of barrels that had this chamber defect and they didn't catch it until people started sending them back in for warranty work. Part of the reason the 11-87 super mag got such a bad rap for reliability. Seems like everyone has been polishing the heck out of the chambers and the problem goes away.

[sum-rifle]

Any advice?Advice? Never keep a firearm for home defense you have not put 200 rounds through with ZERO malfunctions.I hope you have learned your lesson. Your life could depend on it.

[timmy]

Contact Remington. I had the same problem with my Remington 870 Express Magnum. The extractor pulled past the spent shell, and left it in the breech. Then it tries to load a new shell behind it. They told me the problem was in a bad batch of barrels. There was some defect in the breech, sort of like a bur. When hot gases heat the shell on ignition, the brass expands and it sticks in the breech.Under warranty, they had me bring it to a gunsmith. They polished it out and it corrected the problem. I did this after the first waterfowl season, and probably had about 200+ through it. There was no sign of it getting better before I sent it in, so I have no faith in the 100 shell theory.On the up side, the Remington folks were very responsive to me, and the fix cost me only gas money.

[zippy1970]

Bronco , pardon me for asking but where you protecting yourself ( you stated it was a house gun ) with a firearm that you have not fired a few 100 rds through , with your d fence load , to ensure that there was no problems ? Like Sumrifle said you must fire the gun alot with your dfence load to make sue that it will fire , function as needed & for flaws in your actions too . Its great that Remington have such a rep that people have that much confidence in hem but still they must always be tried . When I worked for a firearm distributer I was told that there some Moss 590's for protection . One day Iwas bored & "serviced " the guns to find out that the mags "froze" & would NOT feed the 3rd rd from the mag unless I tilted the bb up . Bu definatly hve your gun checked by a local rep if you have one to limit the guns tiem away & then take it for a test spin with your dfence loads (100 -- + ) for function & cycleing . Andy

[bzzrd feedr]

Any advice?Advice? Never keep a firearm for home defense you have not put 200 rounds through with ZERO malfunctions.I hope you have learned your lesson. Your life could depend on it.

+1 Great advice. What I usually do is go out to our duck club where we have a trap thrower and shoot at least a few boxes of target loads at clay targets 3 or 4 times a year. I can take my wife out there in the off season and spend the weekend shooting shotties, pistols and some other toys. I don't think it's necessary to shoot a lot of buckshot but it is necessary to know the gun functions properly and that all that have access to the weapon know how to use it. I like her being familiar and comfortable with her handguns and the shotties I have for PD. I'd send the 870 to a smith or to Remington to get it functioning properly and verify it when you get it back. 12 ga. target loads are cheap practice.

[milkman]

take it to a gunsmith...its still under warranty

[Kevin Burroughs]

Polish the chamber and the problem will go away. They have the problem for several years on & off.----------kevin---------

[Mookie]

This sounds similar to a friends 870, brand new and will sometimes not eject 3.5" shells. Seems they can be a bit to long. The other problem is it will sometimes jam closed and a lot of force is needed to cycle the pump.

[saeleaw n]

U have to pump it fast

[Colin]

I have an 870 that is about 20 years old with a lot of rounds through it. This same problem showed up for me about 3 years ago. So it's not just the new ones.

[Bronco]

Well I dropped my 870 off at Barnwood Arms in Ripon so their gunsmith can correct my problem. Will let all know if the fix works. For now my Mossberg 500A will handle the HD duties.

[Haywood]

I know it's a little late but what rounds are ya using? My 870 hates Winchester rounds, bough some a couple of bird seasons ago cause they were cheap and it did what yours was doing. If I feed it Federal, Hevishot or Remington it works just fine.