Rem 870: Occasional Falure To Feed, need a part identified.

[Macchina]

I have a Remington 870 12 ga. I have put around 5,000 rounds through it, and it's failing to load a new shell once every 10 rounds. I can see the problem, but I don't know what the part is called to order a new one.

The shells are held in the tube magazine via two "fingers". The finger that keeps the shells in the mag is fine, but the second stage finger that allows the shell into the action has worn. It does not depress enough to allow a shell through. This piece is a simple piece of steel held in place by the two pins that hold the action together. What is this called?

 

[41magsnub]

This help?

http://www.urban-armory.com/diagrams/rem870.htm

 

[rantingredneck]

Here's the schematic at brownells along with the price list.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/sc...hemid=2&m=12&mn=Remington®&model=870+Express+

 

[Macchina]

Looks like a Shell Latch Left, but they don't sell them from Brownells...

 

[rantingredneck]

May have to try direct from Remington and hope it's not a factory fitted part.

Could also try numrich, they sell used parts.

 

[Macchina]

Midway has them for $12.
I hope it's not fitted, perhaps I will take mine out first and try to bend it back a bit.

 

[rantingredneck]

If midway has them then it isn't a factory restricted part I would think.

 

[jmr40]

Unless I am mistaken the part is staked to the receiver and will be difficult to remove and replace without special tools. Try cleaning it. Crud has probably built up behind the latch and is not allowing it to move out of the way.

 

[simmonsguns]

Pop the old one out by using a punch in the hole at an angle,this will move the metal at the stake points.
You will have to wiggle it up and out, it will come out.
When installing the new one, use the small trigger plate pin to locate the latch, leave it in and tape over it to keep it there.
There are different ways to hold down the front, which needs to go in first, check this before you restake the new one.
I use a magazine follower in the front to hold down the latch, follower is on its side to fit tightly.
Without a staking tool, you can use what is called a prick punch to stake the rear of the latch in the receiver.
If you have not done this before or don't want to try, take it to a gunsmith.
When using a staking tool, becarefull not to hit the receiver when staking, this sucks when you do it.

 

[dfariswheel]

michaelmcgo:

Before replacing anything, try cleaning the receiver, especially the area behind the shell latches.

Get a can of "gun scrubber" spray from the gun store and give the inside of the receiver behind the latches a GOOD blasting to get the crud out.
Allow to dry or blow with compressed air, then spray the receiver and latches with Rem-Oil to lubricate.
Don't get the spray on the stock.

In a great many cases, this "repairs" the problem.

If that fails, have a gunsmith replace the latches. As above, this really needs a special staking tool to do it right.

 

[sacp81170a]

I agree with dfariswheel. The left shell latch would have to be very, very badly worn to have the wear cause the type of failure you describe. If it has any "spring" in it at all, its movement is more than likely being restricted by crud. It's a staked in part so there's not much chance for it to loosen, and it's so strongly built that it's highly unlikely that it would fail mechanically unless some other damage was done to it. At most, it's a 10 minute job for a competent gunsmith, but you'll likely save yourself that trouble with a good cleaning.

 

[dasanii19]

Are you sure its not your carrier? I had to bend my carrier a tad bit for the shell to go into the chamber. Remington told me how to do this step by step over the phone.

 

[Badger Arms]

Agree with the others, it's just dirty. Don't know what amount of wear would cause the malfunction you describe. In fact, it should be the opposite.

 

[Macchina]

It wasn't crude, I completely disassemble a few times a year and clean everything with gun scrubber. I am a metal worker, and I see parts much beefer than this wear and bend over time, I think most of the wear occurred on the arm that contacts the latch and causes it to depress. I bent the part back using two screwdrivers, and then stoned the edge to add a bit of a radius and polish (the shells were catching on the last few thousandths of the latch). I went skeet shooting yesterday and had about a 10% failure to feed rate. After the repairs today, I cycled 100 rounds flawlessly. Thank you for the info guys.