Cheap steel on 870s???

[fenriulven]

A couple of months ago, I bought a Remington 870 20ga. So far the gun has been good. That was until this last weekend. Well, I took it quail hunting. Now, I have pits in the interior of my barrel, not many, or large ones, but pits none the less. I clean my guns religiously, usually right after shooting, but because of the situation i had to wait about 48 hours. No big deal, or so I thought. And it was dry all weekend! Right now I'm at a loss, do I call Remington and scream at someone or would that even do any good?

 

[_N4Z_]

Pitting in a shotgun barrel after 48 hours???

You must either live in a a hot humid area, or you've been shooting corrosive, commie, surplus shotgun ammunition.... Wonder if there is such a thing

Anyway, joking aside, that's pretty crazy. I would for sure contact Remington.

 

[1 old 0311]

Those 870's are just a passing fad anyway.

 

[fenriulven]

Re:

No, it hasn't been that humid and the ammo was 1oz Federal Wingshoks No. 6, the expensive pheasant load stuff. This is pissing me off the more I think about it.

 

[ugaarguy]

Pitting or surface rust?

 

[fenriulven]

It was rust, in the bore. Which when cleaned, left pits. So that would be pitting.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Go shoot it and see what happens. The lead and plastic will probably smooth things out.

 

[Whitman31]

A couple years ago I bought a Remington replacement barrel for my old 870. The gun was my dads and had on of the 30+ inch full choke barrels. I replaced it with a 24in with rem chokes. Anyway, I keep a generous amount of oil on the gun, usually rem-oil. I've never had any issues with rust, until one rainy day of goose hunting. The gun went into the field with the usual coat of oil, it was pitted (exterior) before I got back to the truck, less than 4 hours. Cabela's left me out on a limb. Not quite the same situation, but just an example that sometimes "sh*t happens".

 

[GigaBuist]

Anyway, I keep a generous amount of oil on the gun, usually rem-oil.

Rem-Oil isn't really an oil. It's an aresol teflon lubricant. It's great for blowing out gunk and lubricating the trigger group of your 870 but not much else gun related in my opinion.

Great stuff for squeaky doors in the house, bike chains, car doors, and such though. Nine of ten times I pull out a can of Rem Oil it isn't for gun related things.

 

[fenriulven]

Huh, Rem oil is what I used on it per owner's manual instructions, so maybe it was there before I took it out hunting. Didn't think of that before, then again I've never had that problem either... I collect older guns, and this is the first new gun I've bought in years. Usually I use ATF fluid on my guns, but was trying to keep kosher for the warranty.

 

[ugaarguy]

It was rust, in the bore. Which when cleaned, left pits. So that would be pitting.

Give Remington a polite call and see what they have to say. Use the search feature here as well to find a local dealer who's a Remington Arms Repair Center. These are qualified local dealers & gunsmiths who Remington reimburses for handling warranty service. In the unlikely Remington gives you the run around when you call the RARC dealer will almost always take care of you on such an obvious warranty issue. Just stay calm and polite because they will ask questions like "surface rust or pitting?" as part of their making sure they fully understand the issue so they can fully fix the gun. Don't give up on your 870 yet.

 

[Geno]

The steel on all 870s, all 1100s, and all 11-87s is the same (per Remington).

I had been told by a salesperson some years back that "...Remington uses inferior steel on the Express models". So, I called Remington. Per Remington's Customer Service, all Remington shotguns are produced with the identical quality steel. All that varies is the amount of finishing, and nicer wood.

Please update with findings and outcomes. I have three 870s, so I am interested.

Doc2005

 

[rodregier]

I found Rem Oil to be a poor rust prevention product. Understand your concerns about warranty protection. Boeshield T-9 or Birchwood Casey SHEATH® RUST PREVENTATIVE are better rust protectants (among other products).

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

I've had really good experiences with the Hoppe's brand oil.

 

[41magsnub]

Has it changed? My old 870 wingmaster has been so abused it spent a weekend underwater one duck season until we could go back with a dry suit and dive for it and it is rust free inside and out. Granted it went immediately from the pond to a gunsmith to take it all the way apart for a good cleaning.

 

[Chawbaccer]

fenriulven, are you sure it is pitting? When looking down a barrel it can be like an optical illusion, what appears as pitting is in fact some debris, maybe plastic or powder residue.

 

[Blue Brick]

That's why I have a Mossberg

 

[_N4Z_]

Just do what others and myself have already suggested, and contact Remington.

I have and still use a 12ga 870 Express I bought in 1988. It has been in wet rainy fields birding on countless occasions - no issues with pitting of any sort. I also have a short barrel I bought for it a few years ago (remington 20" impoved cylinder w/rifle sights) and it hasn't had any corrosion issues either.

Might just be a lemon. Don't throw in the towel yet. 870's are great shotguns.

 

[Snarlingiron]

I'm betting that if you use a well lubricated tornado brush on a low speed battery drill, well lubricated, you will find that it will go away. I'm betting that it is not pitting at all, but "stuff" stuck on sides of the barrel.

 

[teombe]

$20 says it's plastic residue.

 

[Rustynuts]

Use Eezox, then CLP.

 

[MCgunner]

Modern 870s suck. They turn to rust before your eyes down here. I've seen it several times with friend's guns, especially bad with the express models. Of course, I'm talking salt marsh duck hunting. However, I know 870s have gone way downhill in recent years and finish is one of the things I've SEEN a problem with 'em. Don't know that it's the steel, never seen the bore rust as you describe, but it don't surprise me. I had an old wingmaster as a kid and NEVER saw rust on it and it got used in the marsh. I lubed it with WD40, nothing more. Danged shame, but that's the way it is now days.

I bought a Remington Spartan recently. They should take a lesson from their Russian partners and chrome the bore on the 870.

 

[DBR]

Rustynuts has the right idea but it is even simpler: just use Eezox. It is a better corrosion inhibitor than clp (clp is good however) and it will stay put indefinitely (unlike clp).

Eezox is a more than adequate lubricant for any shotgun and it cleans better than clp. I have been using it since 1994. Just follow the directions on the container.