First time shotgun owner...question about sticky action

cranswick

Regular
Rating - 100%
9   0   0
Location
Ontario
Hi, I recently acquired my first shotgun, it's a maverick 88 pump (I'm poor, don't hate)...anyway I took it out today and shot it for the first time, and after some time, the action became sticky when chambering a shell, even when empty, cycling the action forward felt like there was quite a bit of resistance, like it was full of honey...I cleaned and oiled it lightly with hoppes #9 from Canadian tire, when I first got it (used) and put it in the safe. Anyway it was about 5 celcuis, just wondering if it was normal in the cold, or if it's the oil I'm using...or maybe cause it's a lower quality shotgun? now that the gun is warm in the house it cycles freely.
 
Could just be parts wearing in. How many rounds are we talking? I wouldn't think a difference of 15 degrees (5 deg c to room temp) would make that big of a difference, but I could be wrong.

When I got my first shotgun (870 clone), I racked the action a few hundred times and then smoothed the mating parts (you can see where it's been rubbing) with sandpaper and a buffing wheel. What once was a stiff and inconsistent action is now slick as glass.
 
the gun is used, and the previous owner told me there are a couple hundred rounds through it (assuming estimate is on the low end, it's definitely not a break-in issue...in the house it cycles fine...after about 15 minutes in the cold it started to drag...and it was a strange kind of drag, not gritty or jammy (not good words, I know), just like a resistance, like trying to run under water...
 
Hoppes #9 is pathetic as a lubricant. Try a decent lubricating oil that doesn't gel up in the cold..
didn't see this while I was typing...I'm assuming you've had personal experience like this...my only other gun is an SKS, and I use hoppes on it in storage but wipe it down when I take it out, and shoot it pretty dry...plus it's an SKS, it would probably cycle dripping with thick, sub-zero temperature oil...

any recommendations for a pump gun? is it safe to run it dry?
 
Sounds like a tear down and good cleaning are what you need. I polished the bolt carrier, lifter and action bars and it's smoother than my buddy's 870. I've found in the cold a very light coat of synthetic oil works great in my 88. Hard to hate on you, they're a great shotgun for the price and I don't have to worry about a little wear and tear bouncing around the boat on the river.
 
Thats fine and easy for you to say, but the guy sounds relatively new to the game, got any brand name advice for him to seek out?
Just saying....
What shells where you using when you experienced these symptoms ?
Rob

Any of the many products that are actually designed to be a lubricating oil would be suitable. Even a light weight synthetic motor oil would work well.
 
There is nothing wrong with the 88, love mine. I have had one zero issues. Round count is about 500 shells.

Take your 88 apart and lub with some motor oil put it all back together and cycle the action a good number of times and see what happenes.

Cheers,

Lawrence
 
when i first received the shotgun, i took it down completely and clean it meticulously, then put a coat of oil on every little surface of everything...even cleaned the mag tube an spring as the spring had developed some corrosion...i obviously didn't take the bolt apart, but i cleaned it and the receiver the best i could. I just find it strange that without cleaning, once it was warmed up in the house, the action was smooth as ever, even ...it may have been a little colder than 5 C, but it wasn't sub-zero...

I shot 25 of the regular grey box 2-3/4" winchester 1oz slugs, and a 5 pack of remington 3" magnum "sluggers", and then i shot some steel target loads i forget which...but even empty, it was sticky...i really feel like the oil is the problem...I can't think of what else it could be...unless the cold metal changes the tolerances in the action...
 
I find light oil on the action bars as well as a drop under the bolt/carrier helps a lot. You can also try Remington Dry lube when shooting in colder temperatures.
 
I find light oil on the action bars as well as a drop under the bolt/carrier helps a lot. You can also try Remington Dry lube when shooting in colder temperatures.
thanks for the tip...where on the carrier? where it and the action bars ride in the receiver?

A box of slugs...wow you gotta good shoulder..
Not anymore, lol...it was yesterday and it still hurts...I was testing a 24" cylinder bore with rifle sights that my in-law's neighbor let my try...two 5 round groups in, I was in discomfort, haha...I remember even saying to my buddy I was shooting with, "these slugs aren't too user friendly"...my first time shooting it...I won't be doing it again any time soon...I even got my thumb across the bridge of my nose on the first shot, lol, that's still tender also...
 
So what does your actual experience while using it as a lubricating oil tell you?
well it's my first pump action...my experience was stated in the first post...why the wise-ass comments? nothing you've said has been very helpful...I was just wondering if it was the specifically the oil causing the issue...do you have any recommendations other than motor oil?
 
Back
Top Bottom