870 Action Release Problem

[Lawyerman]

I came up with an old Wingmaster Magnum. Has the factory, machined metal follower, walnut foreend with police style vertical grasping grooves but it is full length like a sporter, 20" deer barrel, Choate 3 shot extension. A nice, old gun.

However, the bolt release doesn't seem to want to engage fully. You really have to press on it to get the bolt to unlock. It releases every time but you have to work it pretty hard to get it open. Will pull it apart tonight and take a look.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Probably just grunge, L-Man. Clean and lube the TG, work it a dozen times or so, it should loosen up...

Congrats on the 870. Sounds like a good'un...

 

[Lawyerman]

Took it apart last nite to clean and inspect. Bad ju-ju. It appears that someone took a Dremel to the top part of the release lever. The height of the lever has been intentionally lowered. I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would do that unless they were worried about it getting pushed in accidently and opening the gun when they wanted it in battery and ready to fire. Perhaps they thought it was a disconnect and by filing it down they could fire the gun by pumping it and holding the trigger back?

Very puzzling. I will have the lever replaced and probably add a Flex Tab while they are in there. This gun was a gift for help with a speeding ticket, can't look a gift horse too far in the mouth!

 

[JohnBT]

My buddy said that he would accept a shotgun for partial payment of legal services...the guy showed up with a sawed-off shotgun.

JT

 

[Lawyerman]

No sawed off here, a pretty fine old piece and not something I expected at all. Got to be careful though these days!

 

[Dave McCracken]

There's a special place in H*ll for idiots with hacksaws and files that think that makes them a gunsmith. Let us know if there's any glitches after you ge this fixed. Thanks...