870 mag spring getting stuck

[TCW]

Hi!

I have a Rem 870 Express with a Choate 3 rd extension. I use a steel (Brownells) follower. My problem:

When loading the gun, the spring/follower will stick and not let me put any more rounds in. It will only work if I play with it or force it.

Also, Sometimes I'll load the first shell into the mag, pushing it in a little further than needed, and the follower will not come back and put pressure on the shell.

I'm not sure what the deal is. I don't recall this happening when I had the 2 rd Wilson extension attached.

The gun is clean.

Thanks!
TCW

 

[marklbucla]

Very interesting...

I have a Choate +3 and I've developed problems with mine too recently. It worked perfectly last year, but now it doesnt...

 

[dfariswheel]

Chances are the follower is hanging up in the gun's magazine tube or the extension.
The follower could be defective or over-sized, or the gun's tube or the extension could be "squashed" or out of round.

It's possible the follower is hanging up in the joint between the extension and the guns magazine.

I suggest trying a different follower.

One test would be to remove the extension and barrel from the gun, then drop just the follower into the guns magazine. Push it down with a cleaning rod to detect any jamming or sticking.

Check the Choate extension by inserting the spring into it to check for anything that might be catching it.

Check the spring for bends or out-of-round loops that might be catching.

Since you're having sticking problems even with one shell, chances are it's the follower or spring.

You could also contact Choate and ask them about it. If nothing else, they'll replace it.
http://www.riflestock.com/

 

[TCW]

Problem solved!

I changed out the follower with the bright green elongated plastic one that came with the Choate extension. No more binding and easy to load.

The $10 Stainless steel Brownell's follower failed me, so "High-impact polymer" it is.

Thanks!
TCW

 

[marklbucla]

Glad you got yours fixed.

I went through the original follower, the Choate follower, and now a Wilson Combat one...

And switched the spring to a Wolff Extra Power...

Still, the shells aren't feeding properly.

Oh well, I'm about to part it out anyway.

 

[silicon wolverine]

870s of all breeds have problems with platic followers wearing out and misbehaving. Far as i know the only possible defect in this gun.

SW

 

[Terrierman]

error

 

[Dave McCracken]

Most extensions consist of a tube and collar. Put the collar on first and tighten it down one click past hand tight with padded channelocks. Then screw in the tube until it stops. This leaves no gap to hang up either follower or spring.

 

[Gordon]

Dave; Choate tubes and Tacstar tubes are 'one piece'. The original Choate red orange enlongated plastic followers seem to work best in these in my experience. Mag springs are tricky in extension tubes; longer and stronger is not ALLways better. The original Wingmaster metal followers work pretty good in a Remington extension, as I would imagine the Brownell one does too. Any way a quick field repair has been squirting some Marvel Mystery oil down the tube , followed by up loading to capacity and down loading the oily shells(to be wiped off and set aside for non tactical use) . This worked for every one in my last course who had this problem on a previously working system.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Are you sure about that one piece, Gordon? I'm certain one of mine is a Choate, and it goes on like the Rem one. It is early, I had both of these by the mid 80s.

Both of mine have old style steel followers.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Dave,

I can confirm that the current production Choate (and all of them I have ever bought, since the early 1980s) are one piece extensions (or permanently assembled two piece extensions anyway). I put one of the Choates out of the parts box on the Franken870 I just assembled, and I just checked it- it won't unscrew from the collar. And there's a 2-shot TacStar waiting to go in the Bicentennial gun when the barrel gets back from Colonial, the extension tube is firmly attached to the collar in that one too. Likewise the Wilson units that I have.

I can't say that Choate _didn't_ make two piece extensions like the original Remington model- I just haven't ever seen one that I know of, but I certainly wouldn't argue if you said you had one. I learn every week that I am a long way from having seen it all yet.

lpl/nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, Lee. I may be worng, it's been a long time and neither of mine are marked. Both work OK.