870s - do they all eject shells weakly?

rc601962 · May 16, 2010, 08:53 AM

I have a new 870. There is no sticking of the shell in the chamber after I fire it. However, the ejection strikes me as pretty weak. For the most part, the shells just dribble out when I VIOLENTLY VIOLENTLY work the action. Mine does this with low base, high base shells, buck, and slugs.

Is this normal for the 870?

I looked on youtube at videos of other peoples 870s. And, they were pretty much the same. The shells dribble out 1-3 inches from the receiver. Every once in a while, one shell will be ejected strongly.

the rifleer · May 16, 2010, 09:44 AM

Unfortunantly i think a lot of the new ones do. The Remington 870 is no longer the good quality shotgun it used to be. I have a friend with an 870 that does the same thing. Sometimes when he tries to shoot doubles and he pumps it fast the shell get stuck because he can pump it faster than it can eject. He isn't short stroking it because it does the samething when i shoot it, but my shotgun doesn't (mossberg by the way).

Im not sure what you can do to make it eject stronger. I has to be a problem with the ejector, but im not sure what to do about it.

Hog Buster · May 16, 2010, 11:14 AM

My grandson bought one a few months ago, same problem and some others. The new 870s are just junk. Not worth the money, too many problems. Compared to the older ones the new ones are trash. Makes me wonder about the newer model Remington rifles.

ScottRiqui · May 16, 2010, 11:27 AM

I had an ejection problem with my 870 when it was new. Some people have had success polishing the chamber, but I had a different problem. On mine, the extractor spring and follower were gunked up with corrosion, so the extractor was no longer spring-loaded, it was just flopping around and sometimes wouldn't grab the rim on the shell.

Try this - pull the slide halfway back so you can get at the extractor, and use your finger to pull it away from its "rest" position. When you let go, it should "snap" back into place with authority. If not, you may have to remove the extractor, follower and spring and clean them up. Mine's been 100% since I did this.

Drummer101 · May 16, 2010, 11:30 AM

I had the same problem a few says ago, I had to tip the gun a little to help the shells fall out faster.

rc601962 · May 16, 2010, 05:20 PM

I took apart the extractor and cleaned a ton of gunk out of the hole. No improvement. I have had a few stovepipes with this gun.

I am violently and fully working the action. The reason I am concerned about the weak ejection is it doesn't leave any room for error.

I just cycled some loaded shells in the gun. It launches them 5 feet away.

I emptied the shot from a bird load. Just the plastic cup and powder was in the shell. It sent the semi empty shell about 3 feet away.

Fired shells don't do as well. They vary. They go 1 foot away sometimes. Other times they only go an inch away.

Icopy1 · May 17, 2010, 07:44 AM

My 870P doesn't have this problem at all. But then again, the Police models are made to a higher standard than the regular commercial line.

ScottRiqui · May 17, 2010, 09:03 AM

If you're having problems with spent shells and not new ones, and you've cleaned out the extractor bore, then yours is probably one of the guns that would benefit from smoothing/polishing the chamber.

Before I realized that my problem was gunk in the extractor bore, I polished the chamber with a piece of green ScotchBrite pad inserted into the end of a split dowel rod and chucked into an electric drill. It did make the metal in the chamber noticeably smoother and might solve your problem.

zippy13 · May 17, 2010, 10:09 AM

Dave Mc C, our fearless moderator and 870 aficionado, mentioned that he's at the range every Saturday. I guess that means his 870 ejects weekly.

Dave McC · May 18, 2010, 10:22 AM

Thanks, zippy, for the chuckle. Mostly I shoot the O/U these days at the range, but I often bring Frankenstein for new shooters. It ejects almost weekly...

BigJimP · May 18, 2010, 11:13 AM

Zippy, Zippy, Zippy

( now they're going to come after both you and Dave )...rig for heavy seas ...

May 16, 2010, 08:53 AM	#1
rc601962 Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Posts: 43	870s - do they all eject shells weakly? I have a new 870. There is no sticking of the shell in the chamber after I fire it. However, the ejection strikes me as pretty weak. For the most part, the shells just dribble out when I VIOLENTLY VIOLENTLY work the action. Mine does this with low base, high base shells, buck, and slugs. Is this normal for the 870? I looked on youtube at videos of other peoples 870s. And, they were pretty much the same. The shells dribble out 1-3 inches from the receiver. Every once in a while, one shell will be ejected strongly.

May 16, 2010, 11:14 AM	#3
Hog Buster Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2009 Location: Pointe Coupee, Louisana Posts: 772	My grandson bought one a few months ago, same problem and some others. The new 870s are just junk. Not worth the money, too many problems. Compared to the older ones the new ones are trash. Makes me wonder about the newer model Remington rifles. __________________ Those who beat their guns into plows, will plow for those who don't.-Thomas Jefferson

May 16, 2010, 05:20 PM	#6
rc601962 Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Posts: 43	I took apart the extractor and cleaned a ton of gunk out of the hole. No improvement. I have had a few stovepipes with this gun. I am violently and fully working the action. The reason I am concerned about the weak ejection is it doesn't leave any room for error. I just cycled some loaded shells in the gun. It launches them 5 feet away. I emptied the shot from a bird load. Just the plastic cup and powder was in the shell. It sent the semi empty shell about 3 feet away. Fired shells don't do as well. They vary. They go 1 foot away sometimes. Other times they only go an inch away. Last edited by rc601962; May 16, 2010 at 09:15 PM.

May 16, 2010, 09:44 AM	#2
the rifleer Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2008 Location: Sunny California Posts: 1,281	Unfortunantly i think a lot of the new ones do. The Remington 870 is no longer the good quality shotgun it used to be. I have a friend with an 870 that does the same thing. Sometimes when he tries to shoot doubles and he pumps it fast the shell get stuck because he can pump it faster than it can eject. He isn't short stroking it because it does the samething when i shoot it, but my shotgun doesn't (mossberg by the way). Im not sure what you can do to make it eject stronger. I has to be a problem with the ejector, but im not sure what to do about it.

May 16, 2010, 11:27 AM	#4
ScottRiqui Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 2,905	I had an ejection problem with my 870 when it was new. Some people have had success polishing the chamber, but I had a different problem. On mine, the extractor spring and follower were gunked up with corrosion, so the extractor was no longer spring-loaded, it was just flopping around and sometimes wouldn't grab the rim on the shell. Try this - pull the slide halfway back so you can get at the extractor, and use your finger to pull it away from its "rest" position. When you let go, it should "snap" back into place with authority. If not, you may have to remove the extractor, follower and spring and clean them up. Mine's been 100% since I did this.

May 16, 2010, 11:30 AM	#5
Drummer101 Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2009 Location: DFW Posts: 943	I had the same problem a few says ago, I had to tip the gun a little to help the shells fall out faster.

May 17, 2010, 07:44 AM	#7
Icopy1 Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 415	My 870P doesn't have this problem at all. But then again, the Police models are made to a higher standard than the regular commercial line.

May 17, 2010, 09:03 AM	#8
ScottRiqui Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 2,905	If you're having problems with spent shells and not new ones, and you've cleaned out the extractor bore, then yours is probably one of the guns that would benefit from smoothing/polishing the chamber. Before I realized that my problem was gunk in the extractor bore, I polished the chamber with a piece of green ScotchBrite pad inserted into the end of a split dowel rod and chucked into an electric drill. It did make the metal in the chamber noticeably smoother and might solve your problem.

May 17, 2010, 10:09 AM	#9
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Dave Mc C, our fearless moderator and 870 aficionado, mentioned that he's at the range every Saturday. I guess that means his 870 ejects weekly.

May 18, 2010, 10:22 AM	#10
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Thanks, zippy, for the chuckle. Mostly I shoot the O/U these days at the range, but I often bring Frankenstein for new shooters. It ejects almost weekly...

May 18, 2010, 11:13 AM	#11
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Zippy, Zippy, Zippy ( now they're going to come after both you and Dave )...rig for heavy seas ...