870 fix needed

[07AMF]

I have a 14 year old 870 Express that has a broken ejector. Can this be replaced and how is it done?

Thanks

[RobertCohn]

I would probably not attempt this myself, but here's a link to Brownell's to give you a glimpse of what it might take. Hope this helps as a first step.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/General/DisplayPDF.aspx?f=Inst-218.pdf

[mnrivrat]

The ejector consists of two parts (ejector & ejector spring) that are rivoted to the left side of trhe reciever with two rivots. The rear rivot hols the back of the ejector . The front rivot is a step rivot and normaly required a special tool to install. The larger dia part of this rivot holds the front of the ejector and the smaller diameter portion holds the ejector spring. (tool is used to flare the larger diameter of the front rivot, securing the front of the ejector, then the spring can be fitted over the smaller diameter and then the smaller tip of the rivot is flared to hold in the spring)

The old rivots have to be drilled or ground out in the inside , and the new ones have to be fitted so that they fit flush with the outside of the reciever on the left side. (the factory flush fits these prior to the receiver being finished) A touch up can be done on the rivot heads once installed so that they blend in with the receiver.

You will need the ejector, ejector spring, front and rear rivots .

PS: Order the parts for the magnum (3") as it will work with either a 2&3/4 inch or 3 inch chambered barrels that way.

[Virginian]

If you find the right gunsmsith, they can often change (upgrade to 3" ?) the ejector without having to replace the rivets and then refinishing the receiver/rivets. This was pretty popular back when Remingtron was making 2-3/4" 870s.

[mnrivrat]

And when you find this right gunsmith who can pull off that trick let us all know who he/she is !! :what:

[Virginian]

No trick. I have done it twice myself. I am a fair gun mechanic, but I do not call myself a 'gunsmith' by any stretch. A gunsmith has some artisan in them, and I don't have a drop in my whole body. It is not difficult, but some care and finesse is required, and the reason I recommend taking it to a gunsmith is that if you screw up the fix is expensive. A decent gunsmith will know this and take that into account before he agrees to do it. Or does not agree, as the case may be.
Only the front rivet inside step holds the 'ejector spring'. The best way, I think, is to sacrifice two small flat bladed screwdrivers and grind them down to size and use them as wedges to force the ejector spring off the rivet. Most of them are not that peened over anyway. What you are doing is swaging the rivet thru the hole in the ejector spring. The operating load is 95% in shear, so there isn't that much required to hold the ejector anyway; you can tell that by the itty bitty (technical term for 'real small') rivet. After you force the new ejector spring back onto the rivet, just peen it back again with a steel punch just tight enough to hold.
If you get one that you just can't get off, then you can take a Dremel tool and grind off just enough so that you can get it. But, you may inadvertedly take off so much that there isn't enough rivet metal left to hold the new ejector. Then you better know a real good welder who can lay down one very small tack right on the end of the rivet. You should not transfer enough heat to hurt the temper of the ejector spring, and it doesn't take much to hold it.
I saw one that the owner said he ground the small stub of the rivet down and then drilled and tapped it for a screw. You could see the screw head all right. I would think this would be the toughest because you would have to get that small screw exactly centered on the stud. Requiring a drill press and a darned good eye - neither of which I have anymore.
You may also need to grind the step on the ejector back with the Dremel until it is even with the raised step in the new ejector spring, and you can judge this with the new ejector spring. One I had to do, and one I didn't. You do this before riveting in the new spring.

Oh yeah, last time I looked the only ejector spring Remington sold was the Magnum version.

[mnrivrat]

I have a 14 year old 870 Express that has a broken ejector.

If you have a broken ejector, replacing just the ejector spring will not fix the problem .

[Virginian]

You know, you are 100% correct. I just assumed he broke the ejector spring. Probably just as good odds that it is really the extractor.

[07AMF]

I dropped the 870 off at a gunsmith the other day. It is the ejector inside the receiver, not the extractor on the bolt that is broken.

Thanks