870: is it me or my shotgun?

[FJC]

I just picked up my brand new Remington 870 Police. Took it home, wiped it off a bit (not a thorough cleaning), and decided to check it out with some A-Zoom snap caps I picked up.

Please keep in mind that it's been so long since I've done anything with a shotgun, that I might as well be considered a newbie with them!

While cycling the snap caps, I had a problem occur twice out of about 10 times. I loaded 4 snap-caps into the magazine tube, then proceeded to cycle them. The action seems quite smooth, and *most* of the time cycled perfectly, ejecting the snap-caps fine and chambering the next one.

Twice, though, I ran into a problem. Both times it was while chambering the second-to-last round in the magazine. Both times what happened appeared to be that the second-to-last round AND the last round were released from the magazine tube, resulting in them being jammed up pretty good. I was able to use my finger to push the last round (still partially in the magazine tube) back into the tube just enough to get the other round cleared out the ejection port.

Any ideas? Error on my part (i.e., short cycling or something)? Problem with my shotgun? Problem with A-Zoom snap-caps?

Any advice recommended!

 

[Dave McCracken]

See if the snap caps are uniform by changing the sequence you put them in and cycle them. If so, try some live rounds IN A SAFE AREA like a range and see if the prob continues. Sometimes new shotguns need a little breakin, it sounds like the shell latches aren't rebounding fast enough.

HTH...

 

[cslinger]

I've never had shotgun snap caps work correctly. They will cause a malfunction in our 870 and Nova and neither of these guns has ever missed a beat with real ammo. Well I have short stroked the Nova but that is me.

Chris

 

[dfariswheel]

Snap caps are just snap caps. If you want to test the gun, buy some action proving dummy rounds from Brownell's.

These are dummy rounds the exact same size, weight, and BALANCE as a live round.

 

[Blain]

Snap caps double feed and jam often in my 870s....as others have noted, it doesn't function the same as real ammo.

 

[FJC]

Thanks everyone - I'm encouraged to here that it's probably just the snap caps.

I'll do some tests with some real ammo, and get some of the dummy rounds from Brownell's, too.

 

[FJC]

As a follow-up, it definitely cycles properly with real shells - seems the A-Zoom just aren't the right weight or something (they are obviously heavier than any real shells I have).

 

[gearbox]

The rims of the bases on my A-Zooms are undersized, causing an ejection problem. The slide must be cycled radiply in order for the ejector to grip the rim long enough for the ejector spring to pop.
I hate them.

 

[4wd_diesel]

I would say these fine gentleman are right on the money--get some live ammo in that baby .........sounds like a problem with the snap caps. I dont claim to be any kind of expert but i am a shotgunoholic. I have owned dozens of scatterguns of all types and varieties over the past ten years. when i bring a brand new shotgun home the first thing i do is thouroughly clean it and drench the action with breakfree clp. I then proceed to the range with about a 100 rds of discount store cheapy light rounds and a handful of last years heavy waterfowl loads. I dont even begin to try to form an opinion on reliabilty until I have cycled approximatley 100 rounds through a shotgun(especially a brand new autoloader). happy shooting....matt