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Posted: 5/1/2006 6:52:38 PM EDT
| Hey guys. Recently picked up an 870 Wingmaster w/20" bead, mag ext, and Choate pistol grip stock/short forearm. Nice gun but in getting aquianted with loading/working the action, it has on more than one occasion, allowed two rounds out of the magazine tube. Well, one and a half rounds. It will jam the receiver and not allow it to chaimber a round. I have to take a screw driver, insert it through the ejection port, and push the round that is half in/half out of the mag tube back into the tube. It will lock back in and then I can chaimber the loose round. It is intermittent so it does not jam consistantly but just sometimes. I need to get it squared away befor I depend on it for HD. I am sure it is just that it is 25-30 years old and had a bunch of rounds through it. Anyone elese had this particular problem? Thanks, Wj |
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On a gun that old, it's very probable the gun is full of grit and fouling, particularly behind the shell releases. Disassemble the gun, and give it a GOOD cleaning. I'd buy a couple of cans of "gun scrubber" spray and really give a good long blast around and under the shell releases. Keep it off the stock. Dry everything, then spray it down soaking wet with Rem-Oil or CLP Breakfree spray, again getting plenty under and around the releases. Drain and wipe off the excess. If this doesn't do it, it might need new shell releases. This requires a special staking tool to stake the releases into the receiver. Best guess is impacted crud under the releases. These things seldom wear out, so I doubt replacement is necessary. However, you might also check to insure the releases ARE staked in place. Some people don't know better and remove them. Loose releases can cause just the problem you're having. |
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I'd just like to add a small caution - often, on older guns with a fairly high round count, the edges of the slots inside of the receiver can get "honed" to be razor sharp... Believe me, I've been cut pretty good on a couple of 870s and an 1100 sliced me REAL good one time... - georgestrings |
| Ok, Disassembled and cleaned action. It was not very dirty at all, maybe as dirty as a box of shells would make it. Did not see anything that could be the root of the problem. Shell latches are free of gunk, spring normally, not much wear(not sharp), and apear to be staked well. When I had the action apart, using a flashlight, I watched down the magazine tube and the shell latches alternated properly and without a gap when the slide was manipulated. After I put it back together I cycled the action a bit while loaded with out any problems but will definatley put it through a lot of range time to make sure there will be no more double feeds. |
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The "usual" is a worn or bent shell release. The 870 feed is about the most simple ever designed. The entire thing is two shell releases and two ramp-like cuts on the action bars. The trigger group plays no part in shell release timing, and the gun will feed shells nicely with the trigger group removed from the gun. That's exactly what I'd do. Remove the trigger group from the gun, then load two shells in the magazine, operate the forearm and watch the feed cycle. What is SUPPOSED to happen is, when the action is pumped, the shell in the magazine is pushed into the receiver for feeding, and the shell behind it SHOULD be caught and held in the magazine by the right shell release. Probably what's happening is, when the gun is pumped, the shell in the magazine is feeding, BUT the shell behind it is slipping past the right shell release and is also feeding. When testing, pump the action to feed the first shell, then look closely at the right shell release and check for how well it's holding the next shell. The right release SHOULD protrude well into the magazine and across the shell head. Probably what you'll see is the release will have little "grip" on the shell and you can probably slip the shell out with a small amount of movement. When you pump the gun on the range, the vibration is allowing the insufficient shell release to allow the next shell to slip past the right release and double feed. The "Fix" is to either find a REAL gunsmith who also has the special Remington shell release staking tool, or send the gun in to Remington to have new shell releases installed. Defective shell releases are nothing you can fix at home unless your willing to invest from $30 to $60 for one of the special staking tools. |
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"Defective shell releases are nothing you can fix at home unless your willing to invest from $30 to $60 for one of the special staking tools." Although not a recommended method, I've had decent luck staking them back in by using an automatic centerpunch... It has to come in at an angle, but it'll still get the job done halfway decently... Also, I'd recommend installing both trigger group pins for guides, and taping the ends of them(a piece of tape on both sides of the receiver will usually suffice) to insure they won't slide back out of the receiver... - georgestrings |
| After stripping the action down and checking it, I do not think it is a problem with the shell latches. I am thinking the proble could be with the mag spring. It is VERY strong and may be incorrect for this three round extension. I have posted a question in another post about others that have a Choate 3rd extension to measure theirs and post the length. I am thinking that maybe there is too much tension on the shells and that is why one will slip through occasionally. However, it has double fed when there are only three rounds left in the mag and when there are seven. I do not have another spring to try or the original spring and cap so the only thing I could try at this point is to trim coils off to see if it helps. Wj |
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"Although not a recommended method".... In a pinch that'll work. It's better than having loose releases. It works best if you first round off the sharp punch tip slightly, so it'll MOVE metal instead of just punching a hole. CEFPARTS: I recommend sending an email to Choate to find out how long the three round spring should be. They're very good about responding. www.riflestock.com/ Truth is, extended magazine springs ARE very strong, and if you can get the full seven rounds into the tube, the spring is correct. If the spring is too long, it prevents getting all seven rounds in. In my experience, this situation of double feeding is always a case of defective shell releases, OR a deformed action bar assembly. Rarely, it's a matter of bad, out of spec ammo. I recommend cutting to the chase, and seeing a gunsmith, or sending it in to Remington. |
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