870 Problem

[savage112]

I have a question for the 870 experts here. I have a 20 gauge Express that occasionally will drop a loaded round out on the ground instead of chambering it when I cycle the gun.I've tried different makes of ammo and good cleanings.Nothing I do seems to make any difference.Any thoughts as to what the problem is?

 

[Fusilier]

I had a similar problem with my 12 ga 870 when I first purchased it years ago. It would do something similar - when the slide was cycled, it would release an extra round (sometimes more) from the magazine.

At that time I purchased the AGI video on 870 gunsmithing (I've since sold it here on EE) and although it didn't solve the problem, it helped me solve the problem.

The 870 has two spring shell latches (as per your Remington Manual exploded parts diagram), one to the left of the magazine tube and one to the right. One shell latch (I forget which one) stops the next round to be loaded from coming completely out of the gun. The other shell latch stops the round in front of that round from coming out of the magazine.

What I figured out, and did, is I just squeezed the two shell latches inward a little to give them a bit more 'action' or 'bite'. This ensured the next round was caught properly by the shell latch and the problem went away. I've never had a double feed since.

I'm not a gunsmith but this is what I did. My advice is worth the ink it is printed with.

Cheers and good luck.
Fusilier

 

[guntech]

Make sure you are not short shucking... If you are cycling it fully it sounds like one latch is letting the shell out of the magazine when the follower is still up... whether the follower is sticking up or the latch is letting it go too soon I don't know without trying it myself.

 

[Ike]

I have a question for the 870 experts here. I have a 20 gauge Express that occasionally will drop a loaded round out on the ground instead of chambering it when I cycle the gun.I've tried different makes of ammo and good cleanings.Nothing I do seems to make any difference.Any thoughts as to what the problem is?

Can you clarify whether the loaded round in question is dropping out underneath the carrier as it elevates or is it going into the open action like it should but then falling out the ejection port when you go to close the action? Does it occur when you are opening or closing the action and is it the one round or more than one round involed?

If you can describe step by step what happens would be helpful. A regular double feed will have both rounds in the action above the carrier and will jam the gun so it doesn't sound like that

Cheers

 

[savage112]

Can you clarify whether the loaded round in question is dropping out underneath the carrier as it elevates or is it going into the open action like it should but then falling out the ejection port when you go to close the action? Does it occur when you are opening or closing the action and is it the one round or more than one round involed?

If you can describe step by step what happens would be helpful. A regular double feed will have both rounds in the action above the carrier and will jam the gun so it doesn't sound like that

Cheers

The loaded round drops out underneath the carrier when I close the action.It only does this after firing a round and then trying to reload. If you're just shucking the loaded rounds through it, it does so without a problem.