Odd 870 issue

[bigbossman]

I've read up a lot on the current 870's and all the issues that are associated with them, but I never saw this one mentioned.

I bought a "like new" 1992 870 Express, and took it duck hunting a week or so ago. Worked flawlessly, pointed well, killed lots of ducks.

Took it out yesterday for the second time, and had an issue. A flight of ducks go over, I shoot once, rack the slide, shoot twice, rack the slide.... >click<. I open the the action, and there is no shell in the chamber, but the third round is still resting at the mouth of the feed tube..... it did not drop onto the feed ramp.

Immediately I'm thinking "piece of crap Remington, I was warned... ".

I take the barrel off and discover that the plug/plunger is flopping around free in the tube, with no tension. My hunting buddy opines that I must have left the mag tube spring out when I cleaned it, but I had never taken the gun apart that far so I know the spring should still be in there.

We pull the plug out of the forward end, and immediately see the issue..... the entire spring is compressed and coiled over the plug. I had been pushed completely over the mushroom end of the plug, but the end was too large in diameter to allow the spring to go back into position. So - no tension on the shells, and therefore no "push" onto the load ramp.

I whittled down the plug end with my pocket knife until the spring compressed and decompressed without hindrance, and was back in business in no time. The gun went on to work flawlessly after that, and two doubles later we were done.

Anyone else ever see or hear of a Remington 870 magazine plug being too large and completely capturing the spring like that?

Good thing the ducks weren't shooting back!

[eddy 600]

I don't have the same issue as you but i have a 870 police magnum that has been failing to eject about 10 % of the rounds with more than 200 shells down range. I like the looks of it and the bead site but it's strictly a range toy.

[bigbossman]

I don't have the same issue as you but i have a 870 police magnum that has been failing to eject about 10 % of the rounds with more than 200 shells down range. I like the looks of it and the bead site but it's strictly a range toy.

Yeah - that's a more common problem, and there are documented fixes for it here and elsewhere on the web.

[eddy 600]

Yeah - that's a more common problem, and there are documented fixes for it here and elsewhere on the web.

I read a few of them but it is something that should have been taken care of at the factory. I have others so i put it away,probably at a later date i'll look into it.

[wpage]

Of the 11 million + out there. Yes, some issuesl....

[Thefeeder]

&gt;&lt;

The issues seem to always involve an Express

After 30+ years of duck hunting in some of the worst weather with two wood stocked 870 Wingmasters + some Skeet shooting........Not one problem, not one part replaced. Check that, the old steel shot did do a number scratching my 1958 Wingmaster barrel over the years.

[BOBGBA]

Everyone wants to blame the gun, but some of the problems are due to the cheap materials used to make shells these days.

[bigbossman]

Everyone wants to blame the gun, but some of the problems are due to the cheap materials used to make shells these days.

I get that, but how do cheaply made shells (and BTW I was using premium shells) manage to get the mag tube spring captured around and above the plug? The plug end was just too large in diameter, and whittling it down fixed the problem.

For what it's worth, I really like the feel of this gun, and it seems to fit me really, really well. I point it, and things fall out of the sky. I`ve hit more duck doubles in the last two outings than I have in my entire life.

[NATEWA]

Good that you figured it out. I’ve had cycling issues and surface rust issues (that I’ve fixed) but never the specific issue you described. I saw on another thread an 870 safety was engaged (the little j) and wouldn’t fire.

[Henry Shooter]

Years back when I inherited my Grandfathers Remington 870 in 16 gauge there was not a plug in it.
Made one from a 3/8s dowel.
Still works great.

[BOBGBA]

I get that, but how do cheaply made shells (and BTW I was using premium shells) manage to get the mag tube spring captured around and above the plug? The plug end was just too large in diameter, and whittling it down fixed the problem.

Sorry, my comment was directed at those that comment (in many posts here on calguns) on cycling/ejection issues with the 870.

I'm sure that some of the cycling/ejection issues are gun related, but I think that the issues are compounded by some of today's ammo that uses different materials then the ammo that was made when the gun was designed.

Even when I bought my wingmaster in the 80's, the express models seemed to have more problems than the wingmaster.

In regards to your issue with the plug, your experience with the plug is the first I've never heard of that problem.

Glad you like the way your 870 points and that you are shooting it well. I've always thought they were the gun to shoot.

[ojisan]

What are the mechanical differences between an Express and a Wingmaster?

[Thefeeder]

What are the mechanical differences between an Express and a Wingmaster?

Mechanically the same ..... the refinement of the parts is the difference

[NATEWA]

Mechanically the same ..... the refinement of the parts is the difference

http://rugerforum.net/ruger-shotguns/61388-remington-wingmaster-vs-remington-express.html#/topics/61388

Post 5 has the specific differences

[bigbossman]

http://rugerforum.net/ruger-shotguns...#/topics/61388

Post 5 has the specific differences

Interesting - one of the differences cited is that the Express has a plastic trigger group. Mine does not, it is definitely metal of some kind. Since my gun was made in 1992,maybe that was before they went full-on" cheap"?