H&R 20 Gauge Pardner Pump

pfcperry18 · October 28, 2011, 03:47 AM

Hi. I got a 20 Gauge Pardner Pump last February. It had some issues right off the bat. Mainly hard to work the action and wouldn't kick out shells (probably 'cause I was using Winchester Universals).

I got the shells kicking out right by switching to Federal's. Still sometimes hard to work the action. It helps a LOT of I field strip it and give it a good cleaning inside, even though most of the time, It's not even dirty.

Now as far as I understand, this is an 870 clone. Accepts all the 870 parts, but the barrel. The inside of the receiver looks like it was painted black. There are large marks in the paint where parts are making contact with each other.

Could I get some very fine sandpaper for like a Dremel and polish the inside of it? Maybe make it a bit easier to pump? I shoot doubles in Trap and go bird hunting so I can't have it giving me issues all the time. Sometimes the shells still don't ALL kick out.....One out of ten to fifteen get stuck. Any ideas? Please don't bash me about buying a cheap-o gun and all that. Please!

darkgael · October 28, 2011, 06:34 AM

Not the Dremel. Try polishing with fine sandpaper or emery cloth and oil.

You shoot Trap doubles with a 20 gauge pump gun? God bless you.
Yeah, I'd guess that you'd want smooth cycling.
Pete

Slugo · October 28, 2011, 06:53 AM

you got what you paid for...

pfcperry18 · October 28, 2011, 03:59 PM

thanks, dark. Yeah, it's not the easiest thing to do with a 20 gauge. The right choke makes a world of difference. When it cycles right it's easy as pie

So what you're saying is just some fine sandpaper and do the inside of the receiver? What's emery cloth? I've never heard of it before.

And Slugo, it's actually a great gun. Just needs a little tuning.

hogdogs · October 28, 2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

And Slugo, it's actually a great gun. Just needs a little tuning.

Great guns are factory tuned... Decent guns could use a tune up to function as a great gun...

Mediocre guns require tuning to function decent...

Now that I got that aside...
I doubt inside the receiver needs sanding if cycling a fired hull is at issue... it is a chamber polishing I would start with if shells are harder to cycle out once fired... if they are easy to cycle when full but stiffer once fired, you have grooves of varying degree that the metal of the hull is swelling into under pressure of firing.

To polish a chamber, you must be prudent not to over do it. I would NOT use a sand paper... I would use fine steel wool or a bore swab that fits snug in my chamber with some FINE polish like flitz etc...

But I am not the expert to listen to...
Brent

Dave McC · October 28, 2011, 10:00 PM

4/0 steel wool wrapped on a dowel that chucked into a drill is the method. Run it into the chamber and let it revolve for a few minutes, then reverse the direction and do it again. Once or twice with this should clear things up.

The generic Winchester stuff is notorious for strangling the shuck. Switch ammo until you get a good polish going.

Slugo · October 28, 2011, 10:11 PM

it's far from a great gun. Who you kidding, or, maybe trying to convince yourself...

TheKlawMan · October 29, 2011, 01:02 PM

No one should bash your gun. We would all buy the real nice stuff if we could and we get what we can. The jaming in the chamber is a problem endemic to 870's, but it sounds as if your Pardner clone is worse. Do like suggested witht the steel wool dowel, and drill. If that doesn't do the trick, sometimes the chamber needs to be reamed and that should be covered by warranty.

Also, did you give the new gun a good cleaning before firing? The marks on the inside are probably normal unless you have any burring. I don't know enough to tell you more about that.

LilHog · October 29, 2011, 02:00 PM

I've got a brand new 870 20ga and the slide is very tight to cycle. I took it all apart and cleaned and lightly lubed it and reassembled it, it's better but still tight. After racking the slide 70+ times it is much easier now, it just needs to be broken in. Taking it to the range tomorrow morning and running a few boxes through it, I think it's going to break in just fine.

pfcperry18 · October 29, 2011, 10:25 PM

The shells aren't getting stuck in the chamber. They get stuck either on the bolt extractor or on the ejection port.

LilHog · October 30, 2011, 04:23 AM

Does racking the slide quick and hard solve the problem?

pfcperry18 · November 1, 2011, 02:18 AM

Ok, so I took my shotgun to a local gunsmith and he said he's use super fine (700 grit) sandpaper to smooth the action bars, the side of the bolt that meets the ejector, the entire bolt & some internal places.

Was this a good idea? I haven't got a chance to take it out yet since I just picked it about about 3 hours ago. Have to wait til Thursday to do that.

The action bars are shiny and very smooth along with the side of the bolt. The bolt itself is still kinda rough, not perfectly smooth. Oh, he also smoothed the ejector itself, too.

Slugo · November 1, 2011, 12:57 PM

isn't it just terrific to have to do all that crap just to get it to operate. Real quality there!! LOLOL...

Dave McC · November 1, 2011, 02:59 PM

I've smoothed up a few 870s by using a hard Arkansas stone or crockstick to hone the shiny spots on the bars, then radius them slightly and remove any flashing left from stamping.

You can also just made sure it's unloaded, then cycle it a few hundred times. Lube it up and betcha it's much better.

pfcperry18 · November 1, 2011, 04:18 PM

Actually SLugo, It was working fine before. I just wanted to get it smoothed out.

LilHog, It does actually help. Sometimes I can close the action and rack it again and it'll pop out.

barre.metzler · November 2, 2011, 11:09 PM

I don't agree with knocking someone else's choice of gun brand, model, style, etc. To each his own. I have had 9 or 10 shotguns over the course of my life (so far...) and as my station in life changed over the years I was able to afford nicer guns, but I was proud of every one that I've owned and each one brings me good memories - down to my first single shot Sears 12 ga. that I bought used for $20.00 (try duck hunting with that one!).

My son has a 12 ga. H&R Pardner and loves it. He could use any of my guns but used his money to buy that one from a pawn shop to replace a Mossberg he lost in Katrina. It serves him well and it's his, he's proud of it, likes it and that's all that counts. He's got about 10 others that will all be his when I check out, and I hope he has enough time to put some wear on them all. For now, that gun serves him well.

October 28, 2011, 03:47 AM	#1
pfcperry18 Junior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Location: Wilton, CA Posts: 12	H&R 20 Gauge Pardner Pump Hi. I got a 20 Gauge Pardner Pump last February. It had some issues right off the bat. Mainly hard to work the action and wouldn't kick out shells (probably 'cause I was using Winchester Universals). I got the shells kicking out right by switching to Federal's. Still sometimes hard to work the action. It helps a LOT of I field strip it and give it a good cleaning inside, even though most of the time, It's not even dirty. Now as far as I understand, this is an 870 clone. Accepts all the 870 parts, but the barrel. The inside of the receiver looks like it was painted black. There are large marks in the paint where parts are making contact with each other. Could I get some very fine sandpaper for like a Dremel and polish the inside of it? Maybe make it a bit easier to pump? I shoot doubles in Trap and go bird hunting so I can't have it giving me issues all the time. Sometimes the shells still don't ALL kick out.....One out of ten to fifteen get stuck. Any ideas? Please don't bash me about buying a cheap-o gun and all that. Please!

October 28, 2011, 06:34 AM	#2
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	smooth Not the Dremel. Try polishing with fine sandpaper or emery cloth and oil. You shoot Trap doubles with a 20 gauge pump gun? God bless you. Yeah, I'd guess that you'd want smooth cycling. Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

October 28, 2011, 06:53 AM	#3
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	Lesson learned... you got what you paid for...

October 28, 2011, 03:59 PM	#4
pfcperry18 Junior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Location: Wilton, CA Posts: 12	thanks, dark. Yeah, it's not the easiest thing to do with a 20 gauge. The right choke makes a world of difference. When it cycles right it's easy as pie So what you're saying is just some fine sandpaper and do the inside of the receiver? What's emery cloth? I've never heard of it before. And Slugo, it's actually a great gun. Just needs a little tuning.

October 28, 2011, 10:00 PM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	4/0 steel wool wrapped on a dowel that chucked into a drill is the method. Run it into the chamber and let it revolve for a few minutes, then reverse the direction and do it again. Once or twice with this should clear things up. The generic Winchester stuff is notorious for strangling the shuck. Switch ammo until you get a good polish going.

October 28, 2011, 10:11 PM	#7
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	it's far from a great gun. Who you kidding, or, maybe trying to convince yourself...

October 29, 2011, 01:02 PM	#8
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	No one should bash your gun. We would all buy the real nice stuff if we could and we get what we can. The jaming in the chamber is a problem endemic to 870's, but it sounds as if your Pardner clone is worse. Do like suggested witht the steel wool dowel, and drill. If that doesn't do the trick, sometimes the chamber needs to be reamed and that should be covered by warranty. Also, did you give the new gun a good cleaning before firing? The marks on the inside are probably normal unless you have any burring. I don't know enough to tell you more about that.

October 29, 2011, 02:00 PM	#9
LilHog Member Join Date: February 15, 2010 Posts: 92	I've got a brand new 870 20ga and the slide is very tight to cycle. I took it all apart and cleaned and lightly lubed it and reassembled it, it's better but still tight. After racking the slide 70+ times it is much easier now, it just needs to be broken in. Taking it to the range tomorrow morning and running a few boxes through it, I think it's going to break in just fine.

October 29, 2011, 10:25 PM	#10
pfcperry18 Junior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Location: Wilton, CA Posts: 12	The shells aren't getting stuck in the chamber. They get stuck either on the bolt extractor or on the ejection port.

October 30, 2011, 04:23 AM	#11
LilHog Member Join Date: February 15, 2010 Posts: 92	Does racking the slide quick and hard solve the problem?

November 1, 2011, 02:18 AM	#12
pfcperry18 Junior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Location: Wilton, CA Posts: 12	Ok, so I took my shotgun to a local gunsmith and he said he's use super fine (700 grit) sandpaper to smooth the action bars, the side of the bolt that meets the ejector, the entire bolt & some internal places. Was this a good idea? I haven't got a chance to take it out yet since I just picked it about about 3 hours ago. Have to wait til Thursday to do that. The action bars are shiny and very smooth along with the side of the bolt. The bolt itself is still kinda rough, not perfectly smooth. Oh, he also smoothed the ejector itself, too.

November 1, 2011, 12:57 PM	#13
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	isn't it just terrific to have to do all that crap just to get it to operate. Real quality there!! LOLOL...

November 1, 2011, 02:59 PM	#14
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I've smoothed up a few 870s by using a hard Arkansas stone or crockstick to hone the shiny spots on the bars, then radius them slightly and remove any flashing left from stamping. You can also just made sure it's unloaded, then cycle it a few hundred times. Lube it up and betcha it's much better.

November 1, 2011, 04:18 PM	#15
pfcperry18 Junior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Location: Wilton, CA Posts: 12	Actually SLugo, It was working fine before. I just wanted to get it smoothed out. LilHog, It does actually help. Sometimes I can close the action and rack it again and it'll pop out.

November 2, 2011, 11:09 PM	#16
barre.metzler Junior Member Join Date: June 15, 2009 Posts: 7	I don't agree with knocking someone else's choice of gun brand, model, style, etc. To each his own. I have had 9 or 10 shotguns over the course of my life (so far...) and as my station in life changed over the years I was able to afford nicer guns, but I was proud of every one that I've owned and each one brings me good memories - down to my first single shot Sears 12 ga. that I bought used for $20.00 (try duck hunting with that one!). My son has a 12 ga. H&R Pardner and loves it. He could use any of my guns but used his money to buy that one from a pawn shop to replace a Mossberg he lost in Katrina. It serves him well and it's his, he's proud of it, likes it and that's all that counts. He's got about 10 others that will all be his when I check out, and I hope he has enough time to put some wear on them all. For now, that gun serves him well.