I'm having the same problem with my 870 super mag. Another guy at the gun club is too. I've tried all major ammo brands. I called remmington and they were willing to send me a new barrel until they found out I was Canadian. Their Canadian rep will do a repair if I send the gun to him on my dime.
So it's a brand new Remington 870 Express - and it jams...
- Thread starter Uncle Den
- Start date
I had a Super Mag I bought new about 3 or 4 years ago. Alot of guys had issues with them, I never did. I guess I was just lucky but it cycled well and ate anything I fed it. I had no extraction or ejection issues at all. 
When it comes to 870 Super Magnums, there are parts that are for use in Super Magnums only. Who know which parts people flip and flop without knowing better to cause problems for the next owner. Maybe even the factory workers install the wrong parts by mistake.
Another thing one might want to look at which might be interpreted as an extraction problem, is the locking block notch under the barrel hood for burrs and sharp edges. Burrs cause the locking block assembly to jam in the barrel notch and the fit between the barrel and the locking block could be too tight when locked up. The locking block itself may need some fitting by cutting just a wee bit of metal off the top of the locking block head. Barrels seem to be a common replacement and like I said many times before, firearm parts are not always a drop-in fit. The parts might work, but not the right way.
I understand that a gun should work well out of the box, but the days of a smith paying specific attention to every gun going out the door are gone. I don't think that Remington even test fire all their guns any more, they hand cycle them, they work and out the door they go.
Gunsmiths will always be needed whether for repair of old guns, or proper fitting of new ones. More so new ones these days it seems because of all the cost saving methods manufactures take advantage of to sell us a more economical firearm. Just the way it is. I'm not complaining, It's how I turn a buck sometimes.
Another thing one might want to look at which might be interpreted as an extraction problem, is the locking block notch under the barrel hood for burrs and sharp edges. Burrs cause the locking block assembly to jam in the barrel notch and the fit between the barrel and the locking block could be too tight when locked up. The locking block itself may need some fitting by cutting just a wee bit of metal off the top of the locking block head. Barrels seem to be a common replacement and like I said many times before, firearm parts are not always a drop-in fit. The parts might work, but not the right way.
I understand that a gun should work well out of the box, but the days of a smith paying specific attention to every gun going out the door are gone. I don't think that Remington even test fire all their guns any more, they hand cycle them, they work and out the door they go.
Gunsmiths will always be needed whether for repair of old guns, or proper fitting of new ones. More so new ones these days it seems because of all the cost saving methods manufactures take advantage of to sell us a more economical firearm. Just the way it is.
I'm not complaining, It's how I turn a buck sometimes.
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I am laughing at all the "loose cheapo wally world specials ammo", blah blah blah.
My mossy 500 eats abso-f**king-lutely everything i give it with no problems whatsoever.
So maybe it is not the ammo that is the problem here
PS
i have not cleaned it since i bought it about 6 months ago, too
I was at the range on Sunday, with another board member, and he had his new Outlaw.
You had to break it open across your knee when using cheap Wally World/Scrappy shells, but when we used my 1 1/4oz reloads (stiffer) with brass bases, the gun opened as it should.
and it did not occur to you that maybe it's the gun that is bad, and not the shells?
when i go shooting my buds and i use those 100pack specials for 25bux. You know, the red hull AA's. Not a single problem, and as i said *ducks from the wrath of shotgun gods*, i have not cleaned mine in 6 months. Other shotties are 12" grizz and some turkish 870 clone.
Re read what I wrote in bold and underlined.
They are NOT AA hulls. The new ones are grey and the last box of AA red shells I bought were about $16/25 15 years ago.
Good news on the 870 Express...
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Bought an 870 Express that was just manufactured, and nice surprise, they've upped quality. I've had a few, and the gamut of 870 models from Expresses to Wingmasters to Police models, and this new Express is internally as polished and smooth to pump as my Wingmaster was. The bolt group now shines, versus the slightly rough unit in my old Express, and the thing has zero grit and slides smooth. Receiver's internally very, very nicely machined as well.
So impressed I had to write a note about a $300 firearm. Not what I've come to expect from Remington after following their products from the late 90's to today. Things are looking up quality wise, despite a poor economy and sales.
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Just came accross this posting in another tread here. I think it solves the pozzle of 870's quality and why people are so far apart on this issue. If true, it turns out that remington may have quietely improved the quality of Expresses very recentely, starting with non mag. ones.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303255&highlight=remington+870
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Bought an 870 Express that was just manufactured, and nice surprise, they've upped quality. I've had a few, and the gamut of 870 models from Expresses to Wingmasters to Police models, and this new Express is internally as polished and smooth to pump as my Wingmaster was. The bolt group now shines, versus the slightly rough unit in my old Express, and the thing has zero grit and slides smooth. Receiver's internally very, very nicely machined as well.
So impressed I had to write a note about a $300 firearm. Not what I've come to expect from Remington after following their products from the late 90's to today. Things are looking up quality wise, despite a poor economy and sales.
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Just came accross this posting in another tread here. I think it solves the pozzle of 870's quality and why people are so far apart on this issue. If true, it turns out that remington may have quietely improved the quality of Expresses very recentely, starting with non mag. ones.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303255&highlight=remington+870
I had a small burr on the very base of my barrel on time. The gun wouldn't eject the cheap stuff. I pulled the gun apart and after a quick finger inspection I found the burr. I must have dinged it on the garage floor when I cleaned it. A few minutes with the fine file and an emery cloth cleaned it up. It hasn't given me a single problem since.
canadaman30
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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There's also problems with the stocks-(pump) as when the barrel heats up the stock is to tight to the barrel and binds causeing the gun to jam. You may need to sand down the stock-(pump) to solve problem
Well - Heres a consideration for the Super Mag Ultra Express models, whatever they're called. As the cartridge length increases, so does the pressure. Upon firing, both cylinder and brass base expand. The cylinder returns to dimension, however the ductile case remains expanded slightly, giving a friction fit.
So the higher pressure models become more dependent upon cylinder polish, etc to overcome this friction. Couple this with Remingtons variable QC, cheap shells, and you can see the issue.
Someone mentioned a new issue beefier barrel - perhaps thats the solution, as it would expand less, causing less cramping of the case.
So the higher pressure models become more dependent upon cylinder polish, etc to overcome this friction. Couple this with Remingtons variable QC, cheap shells, and you can see the issue.
Someone mentioned a new issue beefier barrel - perhaps thats the solution, as it would expand less, causing less cramping of the case.
BOLLOCKS!
Where did you get your info from?
10 gauge and 12 gauge share the same chamber pressures up to about 11000 psi.
Length has absolutely nothing to do with it.
I had the same problem with my 870 express super mag.
I started out firing about 500 federal top gun 2 3/4 shells and didn't have any problems. When I got back to Newfoundland I swapped to winchester universal shells from crappy tire/wally world and had many jams after using about 200 shells. I switched back to federal, this time the game shock version, and after 500 more shells was still getting jams from time to time. I polished the chamber with steel wool by hand but that didn't help. A more thorough polishing with a stiff brush is my next step.
I've seen many other people at the range have problems with the cheap wally world shells.
I started out firing about 500 federal top gun 2 3/4 shells and didn't have any problems. When I got back to Newfoundland I swapped to winchester universal shells from crappy tire/wally world and had many jams after using about 200 shells. I switched back to federal, this time the game shock version, and after 500 more shells was still getting jams from time to time. I polished the chamber with steel wool by hand but that didn't help. A more thorough polishing with a stiff brush is my next step.
I've seen many other people at the range have problems with the cheap wally world shells.
I have an 870 Wingmaster that was made in 1974 and it has no problems with the cheap Federal shotshells.
Personally, I think a used Wingmaster is a better buy than a new Express. There are lots of them out there for reasonable prices. Also, they have a metal trigger group body and the ball detent to retain the magazine cap instead of the plastic magazine spring retainer.
Personally, I think a used Wingmaster is a better buy than a new Express. There are lots of them out there for reasonable prices. Also, they have a metal trigger group body and the ball detent to retain the magazine cap instead of the plastic magazine spring retainer.
RePete - Tell us how you really feel! First off - I must confess, I do not reload shotgun shells. My comments about pressure were speculation on my behalf. However, I went on the Hodgdon website and perused shotgun loads. Within a given shell length, pressures are generally proportional to shot weight, and MV.
There is a wide range of shot weights for 2 3/4 shells, some exhibiting very low pressures, say 6-8 ksi. Using a heavier load as a baseline, say 1 1/8 oz shot , the max pressure is about 11 ksi.
Going to 3 1/2 in shells with a comparable heavy load, say 2 1/4 oz shot, the max pressure is close to 14 ksi.
Que Pasa?
There is a wide range of shot weights for 2 3/4 shells, some exhibiting very low pressures, say 6-8 ksi. Using a heavier load as a baseline, say 1 1/8 oz shot , the max pressure is about 11 ksi.
Going to 3 1/2 in shells with a comparable heavy load, say 2 1/4 oz shot, the max pressure is close to 14 ksi.
Que Pasa?
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