Proper maintenance of 870 trigger assembly

[SparrowHanger]

Just how should the trigger assembly of my 870 be maintained? I know I don't want to be like some that let it get encrusted with crud before they even think to pull it but I also wonder about the wisdom of pulling it and cleaning it every time I shoot 25 or 50 rounds.

I have heard about some folk letting it get so nasty they boil them like a carburetor. Not my style.

When it is time to clean it, what should be done. I am tbinking of taking a toothbrush dipped in Hoppes to it and getting what I can out with a pipe cleaner. Then blowing off with compressed air, spraying it with RemOil and wiping the excess oil off.

I don't know if I am having an issue with the fit of the trigger assembly. I have only pulled it twice on the gun, which now has about 750 rounds, 50 0f which were high brass loads, through it. The first time it was a little difficult to get the smaller retaining pin to budge. I may have tapped it like a sissy.
It is really difficult to slip the assembly back into the receiver. It will go and I don't force it, but I have to play around quite a bit until it just slips in.

Thanks.

[aippi]

Unless you drop it in the sand or get caught in the rain there is little need to pull it and clean except about once a year. Maybe more if you are shooting hundreds of rounds a week but even then only every few months and then after thousands of rounds.

Get a can of Cyclo Parts and break cleaner from your auto parts store. Pull the trigger plate assembly and blast it out with that. It has a high evaporation rate so it will dry or you can assist in the drying with a compressor. After dry, put a very, very, very small drop of oil on the hammer plunger, the trigger and the carrier dog spring plunger. You are finished. If you over oil this assembly you gain nothing but crud build up as that is what oil does. Most shooters can go once every couple years without cleaning the trigger plate assembly because of low round counts.

Oil is a blessing and a curse and I bet 9 out every 10 weapons of any kind out there are over oiled.

Keep the a coat of oil on all outside metal surfaces. That is where it is needed . Again, if you drop the weapon in sand or it gets wet do a complete break down and clean it.

[SparrowHanger]

Unless you drop it in the sand or get caught in the rain there is little need to pull it and clean except about once a year. Maybe more if you are shooting hundreds of rounds a week but even then only every few months and then after thousands of rounds.

Get a can of Cyclo Parts and break cleaner from your auto parts store. Pull the trigger plate assembly and blast it out with that. It has a high evaporation rate so it will dry or you can assist in the drying with a compressor. After dry, put a very, very, very small drop of oil on the hammer plunger, the trigger and the carrier dog spring plunger. You are finished. If you over oil this assembly you gain nothing but crud build up as that is what oil does. Most shooters can go once every couple years without cleaning the trigger plate assembly because of low round counts.

Oil is a blessing and a curse and I bet 9 out every 10 weapons of any kind out there are over oiled.

Keep the a coat of oil on all outside metal surfaces. That is where it is needed . Again, if you drop the weapon in sand or it gets wet do a complete break down and clean it.

Thanks. I was hoping for your input. In fact, before posting I checked your website. Break cleaner makes sense.

[aippi]

I use about two cases a month of Cyclo Part & Break cleaner as I also use it to clean anything I bead blast before it goes into the parkerizing tank. It is under pressure and even comes with a straw you can install to get into tight spots. It is the same as that Gun Blast stuff but half the price and twice the size can. Just don't get it in your eyes and get the non-flamable kind. Works great on dirty breech bolt assemblies also. I even spray it down the bore if I get a filthy barrel in and it cuts all that mess out. It is my wonder cleaner for my gun shop.

[BigDogatPlay]

Pulling the trigger assembly and giving it a quick cleaning as aippi calls out is on my PM schedule for every other year. I shoot at most 200 rounds per year + / - through my HD shotgun. I've never found it so gunky that I needed to pull it apart more often than that.

Monthly I check the ammo and general serviceability of the gun, making sure it works properly, that everything is tight and that the SureFire is good to go. Every other month, or after I shoot / clean, I give the parkerizing a light coat of Rem-Oil. If I haven't shot it within a four month period, I clean it just to make sure there aren't dust bunnies gathering moisture in the bore.