870 Question

[chezuki]

I just grabbed my 870 express from its "ready" location for a routine cleaning and when I went to unload it, the magazine jammed up. The mag was loaded with 2 Winchester Super X 00 buck shells followed by 4 Sellier and Bellot 00 buck (I know, bit it's what I had on hand) The first Winchester chambered fine, but when I racked again the next Winchester was loose in the mag with no spring pressure behind it. I had to let gravity feed it as well as the first Sellier shell. I had to stick something in the magazine and wiggle the remaining shells to free them before they slammed forward succumbing to the pressure of the follower. My question is, is there something I need to do to lube the mag, or is this just due to the crappy Sellier ammo? I have always considered this to be my "go-to HD gun", but now I'm a little weary.

P.S. I have never had any problem with this gun and have shot a couple hundred Trap/Skeet loads through it as well as several boxes of Winchester 00 Buck.

 

[sloughfoot]

FWIW, S&B 00 12 pellet Buck has never been crappy in my 870 or Beretta 1201FP. I don't think the problem is your ammo. I wouldn't lube your mag.

I don't have an answer to your 870 Express problem, I just don't think it is ammo.....

 

[SSGSAD]

You can, and should, dissassemble the tube and CLEAN, it, and check to be sure, there is no damage...

 

[kb66]

If there was no spring pressure, then the spring probably got stuck just do to fowling. As the other poster suggested, you probably just need to take it apart and clean it.

 

[Zoub]

You never put lube of any kind inside the mag tube.

The 870 is pretty basic and rarely does fouling cause the mag to jam.

Since it happened on the first round, it is likely the follower hung up where the dimples use to be. If you have a plain jane Express, then the dimples had to be removed before the +2 extension was added.

Further proof is you freed it up when you poked it and once the follower got past the problem spot it advanced in the mag tube.

I would remove the extension and clean up the dimples with a dremel. It must be smooth and free of obstructions. You should also upgrade to a quality follower.

You did remove the dimples? When you say rarely had a problem was the mag tube fully loaded when you shoot it or just one or two rounds in it? You would need 5 or 6 in the mag to move the follower past the location of the original dimples.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

As Zoub has said:

If you have a magazine extension on your shotgun, be SURE that you get free-follower motion over those dimples. Rather, where these dimples USED to be.

You can get the follower to go over them as you're loading, but it won't come back down. This will lead to shells in the magazine having no spring tension behind them.

Also, if you leave your shotgun stored for long periods of time, loaded to the max capacity, the tension on the shells CAN deform them. They are, afterall, a relatively weak plastic.

Whether or not any deformation would cause a hangup is another story...

It's also possible that the magazine spring was compressed to the point that it "caught on itself". Shotgun springs, especially those with extension kits, are LOOOOOOOONG. All those coils sitting there next to one another, it's easy for a loop to slide over another loop which will bind the spring up nicely. This generally happens when the shotgun is stored with it's full compliment of ammunition. The way to keep this from happening is to download by 1 shell.

-J-

 

[Gungho_1989]

All of that stated above is correct, Check your tube for the Dimple issue that Zoub mentioned. If it did have dimples then a quick shot or two with a small fine half round file will usually do the trick ricky tick.
Another issue that can cause this issue is if the factory extension is not properly installed of if an after market is not properly made.
On the Remington ext if the ext tube is not run all the way down the the lower tube there can be a gap left big enough to catch the spring in as well.
On an aftermarket this can be an issue as well. You can replace the ext. or put a slight chamfer on the inside of the tube, and I do mean slight. You don't want to over do this.
The factory followers I usually replace out of hand immediately.

 

[chezuki]

Another issue that can cause this issue is if the factory extension is not properly installed of if an after market is not properly made.
On the Remington ext if the ext tube is not run all the way down the the lower tube there can be a gap left big enough to catch the spring in as well.

The extension is from the factory. It appears the last time I reassembled the gun, when I was tightening the nut on the mag tube it was unthreading from the extension at the same time which undoubtedly left a gap for the spring to catch on.

 

[Gungho1989]

Woohooo what do I get??

 

[Gungho_1989]

Crud need to delete that.

 

[chezuki]

Woohooo what do I get??

Crud need to delete that.

Whoa... I've had a little to drink, but not enough to see double...

As to what you get, you will receive a visit to your shop on my next day off!

 

[Zoub]

Woohooo what do I get??

A gentle pat on the butt..................when no one is looking.

Well, that was boring, user error but an easy fix!

 

[Gungho_1989]

Whoa... I've had a little to drink, but not enough to see double...

As to what you get, you will receive a visit to your shop on my next day off!

lol good enough we look forward to seeing you.

Zoub no butt pats here remember I'm a tad jumpy and I have a bad back to boot.

 

[glock2010]

i never had problem out of my 870 and ive had it for 6 years

 

[Gungho_1989]

i never had problem out of my 870 and ive had it for 6 years

Just an aside. I had a customer tell another guy who was looking at an 870 in my shop that he had never had a lick of trouble out of his HD.
I asked him how many rounds he had put through it? He said "Well I havnt actually had it to the range yet."
Guy will never make much of a salesman.

But the 870's are great guns no doubt.

 

[chezuki]

i never had problem out of my 870 and ive had it for 6 years

lol, you've been a mods nightmare the past few days...

 

[Gungho_1989]

lol, you've been a mods nightmare the past few days...

Purely unintentional. Hopefully they will be as forgiving with me as they have been with others in the past.