870 Problem!

[deckhandmike]

Got my brand new 870 today and after a few minutes of playing with it I've noticed a potentially dangerous problem. When I have the gun with the barrel pointed safely up in the air the weight of the slide causes it to slide down a quarter of an inch or so opening a small gap in the chamber. This happens loaded and unloaded. Being lefty and seeing the chamber open a bit makes me really nervous. Not sure if it would fire in this position (I have no snap caps) but is this in any way normal?

[nastyhabts26]

Not normal!
Take it back and make them fix it for you!
Probably would not fire a round like that, but it is suppose to lock up tight and stay locked up until you pull the trigger or press the bolt release latch.

[fishboy]

paging aippi...

[9mill]

is the mag nut and barrel tight?

[aippi]

Operator issue. New, weapon and you are playing with it. You indicated you have no dummy rounds yet you are putting live ammo in it and doing what?????? Checking it out?
Stop doing that mess untill you understand the weapon and how it operates.

As Nasty said, it locks forward. Make sure it is empty and safe. Now hit the disconect and rack it back and then rack it forward with authority. It locked that time, correct.

If it did not then you have an issue. If you have taken the weapon apart tell us. We can't help if we don't know what you have done.

I am not being critical I am being serious. Your question tells us you don't understand how the weapon operates and we want you to learn this in the safest way possible.

[Adam25]

my slide had some play once trigger was pulled and firing pin released once you pump it and chamber a round it should lock up tight

[mikey357]

Got my brand new 870 today and after a few minutes of playing with it I've noticed a potentially dangerous problem. When I have the gun with the barrel pointed safely up in the air the weight of the slide causes it to slide down a quarter of an inch or so opening a small gap in the chamber. This happens loaded and unloaded. Being lefty and seeing the chamber open a bit makes me really nervous. Not sure if it would fire in this position (I have no snap caps) but is this in any way normal?

Yikes....excessive headspace condition. Do not fire until problem is resolved.
Check bolt lug and barrel extension locking recess to see what is going on.

[deckhandmike]

Ok, got this gun figured out. "Playing with it" is not the best term to describe what I was doing. More like loading a gun I plan on using for home defense and then giving a shake to check for fit and finish. I did this with out a round in the chamber and thats what the issue was. After racking it with authority (unloaded) as aippi suggested it locked up fine. Remington spends 90% of the damn manual going over generics instead of actual function.

[mikey357]

Ok, got this gun figured out. "Playing with it" is not the best term to describe what I was doing. More like loading a gun I plan on using for home defense and then giving a shake to check for fit and finish. I did this with out a round in the chamber and thats what the issue was. After racking it with authority (unloaded) as aippi suggested it locked up fine. Remington spends 90% of the damn manual going over generics instead of actual function.

Just remember to run the slide with authority when using the shotgun. It sounds like you ran the slide too softly and the gun never locked up. In time the gun will smoothen up with use.

[mikey357]

Or if you can't wait for it to smoothen out you can DIY

http://ingunowners.com/forums/long_guns/187268-diy_hobby_gunsmithing_12ga_pump_shotgun_refinements_pic_heavy.html

[beastie050]

Just remember to run the slide with authority when using the shotgun. It sounds like you ran the slide too softly and the gun never locked up. In time the gun will smoothen up with use.

Agreed!

[swifty]

After racking it with authority (unloaded) as aippi suggested it locked up fine.

Remington spends 90% of the damn manual going over generics instead of actual function.

Aw c'mon now. It's Remington's fault that they didn't tell you to move the forearm forward enough to close the action?

[negolien]

lol

Remington spends 90% of the damn manual going over generics instead of actual function.

Yup because this is Remingtons fault... Glad to hear you don't have an issue with the weapon being faulty though.

[CharlesV]

Just remember to run the slide with authority when using the shotgun. It sounds like you ran the slide too softly and the gun never locked up. In time the gun will smoothen up with use.

I agree with that and it happened that way to me a few times after cleanings, before i got it buttoned up. It just slides open by itself. No biggie at all, we just need to look at what we are doing.