870 express reliability?

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Reaper of the apocalypse

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As we know, the good ole' Wingmasters and Police are very smooth and awesome.
The express isn't as smooth, but still good.
I was shooting a bunch of slugs yesterday, and 2-3 time the action became seized up, requiring me to "mortar" the pump in order to eject the fired shell.
I think the issue was that I didn't lube it, it was almost completely dry.
Could this be the reason? What's your experience with express Reliability when firing sort of high volume?
 
Well...I've had the same 870 Express for 30 years. It's built like the Russian tank of shotguns and has kept running flawlessly over the years. I've had no issues with it while doing anything...skeet and hunting, over that time period. It's a "duck gun" and has been dunked, covered in mud, ice, rain, used as a canoe paddle, and it keeps on ticking.

Now, mind you, as an older wiser guy, I no longer subject myself or my guns to much adversity the likes of which I did as a kid!
 
It's the chamber, needs to be polished or certain brands of shells will stick no matter what else you do.

Even my Police did this until I polishing it with steel wool spun by a drill.
 
Reaper of the apocalypse said:
Is there a thread somewhere that shows how to do this proper?
Click to expand...

Take a section of a 3 piece cleaning rod and attach it to a cordless drill, put a 12g cleaning mop or brass brush on the end and wrap some 0000 steel wool around the mop/brush. Put oil on the steel wool and run it in the chamber for 5-10 min or until it looks and feels polished, once you are satisfied make sure you clean out any bits of steel wool that remain. It's really easy to do, doesn't take any time at all. I would give the action bars and track they ride in an inspection for any roughness or burrs and use some 600-800 grit wet dry sand paper and oil to smooth them up if you find any, once things are cleaned and oiled it should cycle smooth as silk.
 
Butcherbill said:
Take a section of a 3 piece cleaning rod and attach it to a cordless drill, put a 12g cleaning mop or brass brush on the end and wrap some 0000 steel wool around the mop/brush. Put oil on the steel wool and run it in the chamber for 5-10 min or until it looks and feels polished, once you are satisfied make sure you clean out any bits of steel wool that remain. It's really easy to do, doesn't take any time at all. I would give the action bars and track they ride in an inspection for any roughness or burrs and use some 600-800 grit wet dry sand paper and oil to smooth them up if you find any, once things are cleaned and oiled it should cycle smooth as silk.
Click to expand...

I'd add, spin that drill on the low setting, @1000 RPM max to keep heat in check. Try to keep the mop shaft in straight to avoid any ovalizing of the chamber. It is the brass of the cartridge that gets stuck so there is no need to 'go deep' lol.

I used small in out movements to hone the chamber walls while spinning. I was getting short brass ejection issues, polished now all is good. Also replaced the MIM extractor with a Volquartzen tool steel one.

I don't have history with older 870's but noticed a wee bit of DIY Gunsmithing makes them run very smoothly.
 
Wester said:
I'd add, spin that drill on the low setting, @1000 RPM max to keep heat in check. Try to keep the mop shaft in straight to avoid any ovalizing of the chamber. It is the brass of the cartridge that gets stuck so there is no need to 'go deep' lol.

I used small in out movements to hone the chamber walls while spinning. I was getting short brass ejection issues, polished now all is good. Also replaced the MIM extractor with a Volquartzen tool steel one.

I don't have history with older 870's but noticed a wee bit of DIY Gunsmithing makes them run very smoothly.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you could "ovalize" a shotgun chamber with 0000 steel wool if you tried. I use it (wrapped on a dowel, in a drill w/ Kroil or WD40) to clean shotgun barrels maybe once a year, and I don't think that the 0000 steel wool removes any material from the barrel.
 
00 Spool said:
I'm not sure you could "ovalize" a shotgun chamber with 0000 steel wool if you tried. I use it (wrapped on a dowel, in a drill w/ Kroil or WD40) to clean shotgun barrels maybe once a year, and I don't think that the 0000 steel wool removes any material from the barrel.
Click to expand...

Agreed, nor get it hot enough to damage anything. 0000 steel wool driven by a drill won't get anywhere near as hot as firing off a box of 00buck, even if the brass or aluminum cleaning rod contacts any part of the barrel its softer than the steel.
 
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