How does an 870 extract shells?

[Gunsmoker]

Can someone explain how an 870 extracts shells? Pics would be great.

I'm looking at the inside of my 870 and there appears to be a piece of metal sticking out that pushes the shells out as the firing pin block moves back. This metal appears to be sort of weak. This may be the cause of my weak extractions.

Thanks. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[RNB65]

It's a combination of the extractor pulling on one side of the shell and the ejector spring pushing it from the other side. You've either got a bad extractor or a bad ejector. Most likely it's something wrong with the extractor. Damaged extractors are a common cause of feed problems with any type of magazine fed gun. Send it to Remmie and they'll probably have it fixed in about 5 minutes.

 

[mnrivrat]

If you are having failure to extract where the base of the shell slips off the bolt face prematurely leaving the empty still part way into the chamber, then the problem is extraction ,and can be caused by a dirty chamber, a weak extractor spring, or a worn/damaged extractor. The extractor is the hook devise that sits at the right side front of the bolt.

If you are having sluggish ejection where the empty shell is not clearing the ejection port, then your problem can also be one involving the ejector system. The ejector is a channeled bar that is rivoted onto the inside of the receiver at the left side and consists of a metal stamping with a protrusion at the rear to dislodge the empty shell from the face of the bolt. There is also an ejector flat spring that sits inside this channeled ejector to help push the empty outward toward the ejection port. Sometimes this ejector spring gets bent during disassembly and cleaning, and may need to be adjusted (bent back to original shape) to give more ejection tension & more positve ejection.

 

[Gunsmoker]

The empty shell leaves the chamber. (I've read posts of people who can't even extract the shell from the chamber. My problem leaves the chamber buy hangs up on the ejection port)

I think it has to do with the ejection strip that is on the left hand side of the gun. I think my empty shells try to leave the chamber to early and get caught up on the ejection port. My ejection strip has a raised strip of metal right before the actual bump that pushes the shell out of the chamber.

I found the first picture on the left on the internet that is a functioning 870

(http://www.tacticalshotgun.ca/content_nonsub/shotguns/compare_870_590.html)

My gun is the last 2 pictures.

It looks like it also has a raised stip of metal right before the bump but it's not as pronounced as on my gun. I think my problems lie in the fact that the strip of metal on my gun sticks out too much and therefor tries to eject my shells prematurely.

(I realize I could have the gun serviced under warranty, but I'd rather not send the gun if I can fix this myself)

What do you guys think? I've put in a shell and slowly tried extracting the shell and the shell starts to extract right when it hits the slightly rasied strip of metal (before the actual pronouced bump) Do me a favor. If your 870 functions can you see when the shell starts to come out of the ejector. Is it when it hits the slightly rasied metal or when it hits the big bump?

Thanks.

 

[MCgunner]

I have extraction problems with my Mossberg when I'm firing rusty ammo. I've started trying waxing the "brass" part of new ammo. Stuff gets wet in the salt marsh and if you don't shoot it up soon, it rusts. If it gets too bad and I can't clean the stuff up with a dremel tool, I just have to chunk it. Nothing wrong with the gun. I wish Activ was still in business. No exposed brass, that stuff was excellent.