Remington 870 Express Magnum sticks

[hqmhqm]

I have a 870 Express Magnum, and a couple of times
I have had trouble where after I fire, the slide will not budge.
I find I need to pull it forwards with a hard shove, and it seems to move forward a millimeter and then frees up and slides back and ejects the shell.

Anyone else see this happen? Is there something I did wrong when putting it back together after cleaning? Maybe I should be pulling forward on the slide a little when I pull the trigger? It seems like maybe if I am pulling the slide towards me a little when I fire, it might be putting pressure that hangs up the slide release catch...

 

[JohnBT]

You do need to release the rearward pressure on the slide before it will work. I don't think it should take a hard shove though, so try shooting it while maintaining neutral pressure on the slide and see what happens.

I actually shoot mine while pushing the slide lightly away from me - sort of using my front hand to track and aim at the flying target. I use my back hand to hold the gun firmly to my shoulder.

John

 

[hqmhqm]

Yeah, it would be smart to be holding the bolt closed as opposed to pulling it open it while firing ! I think I may have developed a little habit of pulling the whole shotgun to me with both hands.

 

[556A2]

You could have a rough chamber since Expresses tend not to have polished bores when leaving the factory. This usually happens with cheap shells with the metal bases instead of brass bases. I've had it happen fairly constant with cheap shells on my Express until I polished my chamber.

You can polish the chamber by wrapping a worn bore brush with 0000 Steel Wool (Use a little bit of lubricant also). Put it on a cleaning rod section, and put the rod into a power drill. Run the brush through the chamber for 5 minutes, give or take.

When you are done, you should have a shiny chamber which is found on Wingmasters and Police shotguns.

 

[Fred Fuller]

I find I need to pull it forwards with a hard shove, and it seems to move forward a millimeter and then frees up and slides back and ejects the shell.
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In computer terms it's a feature, not a bug. It's designed that way as a safety feature. Wouldn't be much fun to open the bolt as a shell fired, would it?

If you want a gun that 'speed pumps,' you have to get a Winchester 1300. The 870 properly used is every bit as fast, of course, but selling points are selling points.

Stay safe,

lpl/nc

 

[elcaminos]

My 870 did this to me the first time I took it out to shoot. I got it on video, it's actually kinda funny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSOL66_A-c4 It's pretty obvious my friend and I never fired shotguns before.

 

[Lone Star]

el camino-

How did you cure the problem? THat seems rather common with many recently produced M-870's.

By the way, the first shooter didn't seem to be cyling the action firmy enough.

Lone Star

 

[elcaminos]

I can't remember exactly how, but it wasn't that difficult. I think I just closed it hard and that seemed to fix it. I think it got stuck because I didn't open it fast or hard enough.

 

[JuryRig]

That happened to me the first time I shot my 870, but only when firing slugs. When I cleaned it, I removed some metel burrs from the chamber side of the barrel and oiled all the moving parts well. Hasn't happened since.

 

[Bix]

hqm -

Were you using promo loads with silver-colored heads?

 

[hqmhqm]

I was trap shooting with either Estate cartridges Dove and Quail load, or else Winchester AA reduced recoil shells, I forget which. I did have a moment when it stuck a little when firing some buckshot and slugs though also. I'll try polishing the chamber, can't hurt..