870 build issues

J

JSSK

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Background, I just bought an old 870 receiver that came with all the internals, no barrel and no stock. Ordered up a bunch of random parts and put it all together.

Parts as follows
1956-ish wingmaster
Magpul furniture
S&J hardware 870 “upgrade package”
Volquartsen extractor
Mossberg built 18 1/2 870 cylinder bore barrel

The issues I’m having are fresh rounds hanging up slightly and not feeding into the chamber, and fired buckshot cases not ejecting properly. Fired target loads eject perfectly fine though and the difference is negligible. Any insight would be appreciated!
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2 3/4” or 3” rounds? You’re receiver likely has a 2 3/4” ejector unless the receiver has an M at the end of the serial number.

No input on the feeding issue, sorry.
 
Well, one part of the problem for sure found. My ejector is broken off and doesn’t engage the barrel at all. Will have to replace that part and polish the chamber on this new barrel up a bit.
 
enefgee said:
A '50's Wingmaster is definitely a 2 3/4 inch receiver. Are the shell latches tight? Also, the rim on that Buckshot doesn't look concentric, is it all like that?
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It is his issue but they did make a 3” receiver in the 50’s. I have a 1957 wingmaster magnum. Not sure what year they started making 3” or how common it was but they exist.
 
tjoke said:
It is his issue but they did make a 3” receiver in the 50’s. I have a 1957 wingmaster magnum. Not sure what year they started making 3” or how common it was but they exist.
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I did not know that, I've certainly not seen one. I have found a reference to it though, in Field and Stream -

"A 3-inch magnum 12-gauge joined the lineup in 1955,"
 
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Take out the parts from the s&j “upgrade kit”. I would guess part of the loading issues could be the heavier magazine spring and aftermarket follower. You don’t need that lime green follower because your Wingmaster already has a nice metal one. Those are made to upgrade shotguns that came with plastic followers. You also need to make sure you’re using the correct length spring for the length of magazine tube you have it doesn’t need to have a ton of tension on it when the magazine is empty. It seems like you also have an ejector issue. I would replace with an oem Remington one not aftermarket. As others said, you got to get the newer style for 3” shells if you want to shoot them
 
Is the dog carrier spring for the shell lifter getting a little weak so it doesn't bring the new shell fully up to the chamber?
 
enefgee said:
I did not know that, I've certainly not seen one. I have found a reference to it though, in Field and Stream -

"A 3-inch magnum 12-gauge joined the lineup in 1955,"
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I thought 2 3/4 and 3” receivers were all the same dimensions and the only one that was different was the 3.5” magnum models
 
JSSK said:
Shooting 2 3/4”, receiver is 2 3/4” barrel has a 3” chamber.
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I think you've floundered into a common problem. A modern magnum barrel will fit into the 2.75 receiver~sort of~not really though. You'll often find old Wingmasters with their original barrels, tonnes of shells on them and aside from some wear, all is good. You'll just as often nowadays find the same old Wingmasters with a 3" barrel and broken ejector. The 3" chamber doesn't exactly fit the ejector on the 2.75" receiver and if it doesn't break it outrightly, it eventually will, and will have erratic extraction/ejection until it does.

My opinion is a 3" barrel can only really be shot out of a 3" Magnum receiver, even if all you intend to shoot out of it is 2.75".
 
tjoke said:
It is his issue but they did make a 3” receiver in the 50’s. I have a 1957 wingmaster magnum. Not sure what year they started making 3” or how common it was but they exist.
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Nevermind, back reading I see enefgee beat me to it and the year is '55.
 
Painkillers said:
I think you've floundered into a common problem. A modern magnum barrel will fit into the 2.75 receiver~sort of~not really though. You'll often find old Wingmasters with their original barrels, tonnes of shells on them and aside from some wear, all is good. You'll just as often nowadays find the same old Wingmasters with a 3" barrel and broken ejector. The 3" chamber doesn't exactly fit the ejector on the 2.75" receiver and if it doesn't break it outrightly, it eventually will, and will have erratic extraction/ejection until it does.

My opinion is a 3" barrel can only really be shot out of a 3" Magnum receiver, even if all you intend to shoot out of it is 2.75".
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? The tip of the ejector is the same and that’s the only part that interacts with the barrel.
 
Painkillers said:
I think you've floundered into a common problem. A modern magnum barrel will fit into the 2.75 receiver~sort of~not really though. You'll often find old Wingmasters with their original barrels, tonnes of shells on them and aside from some wear, all is good. You'll just as often nowadays find the same old Wingmasters with a 3" barrel and broken ejector. The 3" chamber doesn't exactly fit the ejector on the 2.75" receiver and if it doesn't break it outrightly, it eventually will, and will have erratic extraction/ejection until it does.

My opinion is a 3" barrel can only really be shot out of a 3" Magnum receiver, even if all you intend to shoot out of it is 2.75".
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The ejector was broken when I got it, that’ll happen when you’re buying 70ish year old guns. I think I’ll replace it with a 3” ejector though since everything else is the same and open up a few more options for other ammo.

Possible that someone back in the day got rid of it because it was giving them grief. It was also the dirtiest gun I’ve ever opened up so they didn’t break the extractor by over cleaning it and removing/reinstalling the barrel constantly
 
No name said:
Is the dog carrier spring for the shell lifter getting a little weak so it doesn't bring the new shell fully up to the chamber?
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Dog carrier spring is brand new upgraded version from S&J hardware so that shouldn’t be the issue with the feeding, I think though that there’s just some rough machining on the barrel that need polished up.
 
JSSK said:
The ejector was broken when I got it, that’ll happen when you’re buying 70ish year old guns. I think I’ll replace it with a 3” ejector though since everything else is the same and open up a few more options for other ammo.

Possible that someone back in the day got rid of it because it was giving them grief. It was also the dirtiest gun I’ve ever opened up so they didn’t break the extractor by over cleaning it and removing/reinstalling the barrel constantly
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Let us know how you make out. The parts are pretty hard to come by and it’s not exactly cost effective if you’re only doing one shotgun. Don’t let that discourage you though. I’d like to do it myself just for the sake of doing it.
 
Painkillers said:
I think you've floundered into a common problem. A modern magnum barrel will fit into the 2.75 receiver~sort of~not really though. You'll often find old Wingmasters with their original barrels, tonnes of shells on them and aside from some wear, all is good. You'll just as often nowadays find the same old Wingmasters with a 3" barrel and broken ejector. The 3" chamber doesn't exactly fit the ejector on the 2.75" receiver and if it doesn't break it outrightly, it eventually will, and will have erratic extraction/ejection until it does.

My opinion is a 3" barrel can only really be shot out of a 3" Magnum receiver, even if all you intend to shoot out of it is 2.75".
Click to expand...
The receivers and barrel interface are identical. The only difference is the ejector and spring, and as m1008 points out the most forward portion of the ejector that indexes the barrel is identical.
 
It’s real easy to blend the mouth opening and polish it if you have a dremel and some polishing compound, I’ve done this on a few to improve feeding on a mag fed grizzly.

When you look at the lip of the barrel/feed ramp where it sits in the receiver you can grind out and and blend the step a bit better if that makes sense. It’s different feeding from a box mag vs a lifter but it’s a good mod to do. Just don’t grind past the edge of the mouth into the chamber area.
 
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