[Dirty Bob]

Yesterday I replaced a broken firing pin in my 43-year-old Remington 870. Not quite as easy as it would be with an AR-15 or a 1911, but still within my skill set. All I had to do was drive out one pin, replace the firing pin, and drive it back in. While the gun was taken apart, I gave it a fairly thorough inspection and cleaning. I also removed the forend from the forend tube, cleaned the magazine tube, etc. I've only had it for a short time, and I would have done this very soon, anyway.

One of the biggest pluses with a proven system like the 870 is that it can largely be maintained by the user. Another is parts availability: my local gun shop had a spare firing pin!

I plan to buy a few spares (firing pin, firing pin spring, extractor with plunger and spring) for the 870, so if this happens again I can take care of it more quickly. A pump shotgun is a fairly simple device.

How many here do their own simple parts replacement? Any hints on which spare parts I need for the long term?

Thanks,
Dirty Bob

[Dave McCracken]

The only parts I've had to replace are two firing pin springs.

As for spare parts, with 5 870s here I need only a few. I've a spare bolt and carrier, and a mag spring someplace., That should suffice.

870s are user friendly.I doubt I'd need more spare parts were I 30 years younger and healthier.

[Virginian]

I have a whole bunch of Remington spares. Back when I was a dealer I used to do repairs for others ( I do not claim to be a gun smith). Since 1963, on my own guns, I have replaced one extractor. But, when they start breaking, I'm ready....
The fact that the most popular pump ever built, and the most popular autoloader ever built share a lot of common parts doesn't hurt parts availability either.