870 WM Police-Trade-In Feeding Problem(PIC)

[Seattle206]

Picked up a 870 Wingmaster Police gun today. Everything looks solid and smooth BUT there is a slight feeding problem. I load up 4 shells and only 1 will properly cycle. The rest will not even eject out of the magazine and onto the feeding latch. I took everything apart and it looks like the right side 'stop ramp' isnt fully disengaging all the way for the shell to pop out, the rim of the shell gets slightly caught on that 'ramp stop' preventing to cycle. What should I do about this? Thanks.

 

[Seattle206]

you can see the ramps top catching the shell where it should disengage all the way for the shell to fling out. Odd, this was a police gun and I assume that it should have ran 100% without any problems.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

check the exterior of the magazine tube for a dent one big enough to affect
proper function will be easy to spot. I cant understand right off why it feeds 1 but not subsequent rounds,makes me think something bound up in magazine.
if the rod you picture was problem it should not feed any.

 

[Seattle206]

strange, also sometimes the first round wont even cycle. No dents on the magtube, I put in a new spring as well. the rounds just keep getting caught on that right side ramp stop which barely catches the shell rim preventing it from releasing.

 

[Seattle206]

im stumped. thinking about having a gun smith look at it.

 

[Six]

I would look for a burr on the end of the shell latch (what you called ramp stop), or debris behind it preventing it from moving out of the way.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

yeah six has a good idea, maybe you got an air compressor you can blow it out behind the rod in the picture. If some body before you got it, was tweaking on that catch rod you'll play hell trying to get it straight might have to replace it. I dont think the part would be must but ive never done one, Id say your about ten miles into gunsmith country, at that point. Let me know how it goes.

 

[Six]

If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, the shell latches don't have to be staked in, so while I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as such, there's no immediate harm in working it loose and cleaning, adjusting, or replacing it.

Without staking the shell latch back in place it just takes a little more effort to reassemble the gun after removing the trigger group.

I'm too curious to not try to figure it out myself... and within reason, there's little you can do to a 870 to seriously damage it to the extent that it requires expensive repairs.

 

[RaceM]

Just took the old lady's 870 apart for a look-see. I suspect a wear problem on the slide release.

The shell stop bar is driven into its recess in the receiver by a stamped in nub on the slide release. So, that nub could be too worn, the contact point on the slide release just above that nub could be worn down, the ramp at the end of the left action bar the same, a combination of the above, crud behind the shell stop, bent shell stop (too far out), or finally, the slide release arm may be bent inwards towards the shell lifter (not pushing the shell stop far enough in).

I wonder if your shotty was a range gun for qualifying, and therefore has LOTS of rounds through it.......

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

SIX did they used to stake them, in like 70s wingmasters?
Nevermind, I thought you said they weren't staked.

 

[Seattle206]

Looking at the shell latch inside they are staked in. I took the forend tube and used it in my other 870 and it cycled flawlessly, so it cannot be the forend action slide. I also took out the trigger assembly and compared to the other and I could not see any major points of wear. I guess the next step is to look at the shell latch, maybe there is debris or perhaps it is slightly bent.