Messed up my 870 pretty good

snarf · December 14, 2011, 04:58 PM

Hey guys, I need some help, and my gun dealer is only open Fridays and Saturdays. New poster by the way, great forum!

The shotgun is a Remington 870 Tactical with the factory extended mag. I was starting to put shells into the tube, and on my first one I didn't apply enough pressure to get it fully in. The mag kicked the shell back into the receiver, the carrier flipped down, and now I have a 00 buck shell stuck between the closed bolt and the closed carrier.

Every breakdown video I've seen starts with bringing the bolt back half way. Is this required? It certainly feels like it, because I tried removing the mag and it just won't budge. Also tried taking out the trigger assembly, but it won't come out. I feel like there's something there that mechanically requires the bolt to be at least partially open. Everything is totally jammed up.

Any suggestions guys? I'm at a loss here. I'm also a little bit worried about trying all this stuff with a shell in the gun.

fxdrider · December 14, 2011, 05:19 PM

I'm going to ask the seemingly dumb question first (this is like the computer tech asking, "is it plugged in"), but have you pushed up on the action bar lock before trying to pull back the bolt? You probably already have, but I had to ask. Sometimes people forget the most basic things.

rantingredneck · December 14, 2011, 05:21 PM

Don't monkey with the triggergroup just yet.

Remove the magazine clamp (slotted screw on side)
Remove the magazine extension by unscrewing it.
Remove spring and follower (and any additional shells) from magazine.
Turn gun upside down and shake and bump until gravity does the work for you.

For the future, load shells like you mean it.......but you've learned that lesson already

.

oregunner · December 14, 2011, 05:22 PM

If you have taken both pins out that are holding the trigger in, the trigger should come out. If you haven't taken it out before, it might take a good pull on the trigger guard to break it free. Then the shell should drop out. Mark

rantingredneck · December 14, 2011, 05:24 PM

You need not rack the slide halfway to remove the mag extension, but they are pretty tight the first time typically. Got a strap wrench? If so you can use it (carefully) at the very base of the mag extension. Don't bend it........

dgludwig · December 14, 2011, 06:06 PM

Has any of the inputs you've got so far helped? In any event, welcome to The Firing Line!

snarf · December 14, 2011, 06:14 PM

Yep, thanks guys! Everything just needed more force than I was initially comfortable using. Grabbed REALLY HARD on the extended mag to unscrew it, took the barrel off. The shell still wouldn't come out, so I used some brute force on the trigger assembly and it did eventually come out. Put it all back together, works great now.

This was my first time taking apart any firearm, so this was a very interesting experience.

TheKlawMan · December 14, 2011, 06:35 PM

I don't follow why the OP should be messing with his magazine, since there are no sbotshells in it, unless he wants to try to clear the jamb by removing the barrel, bolt and action bar assembly. Whether or not this can be done, if the bolt is locked into battery with the barrel, I don't know. If it is not, I would try to remove the barrel and then remove the bolt and action assembly, which requires that uyou are able to depress both shell stops. He may not be able to do that depending on the jamb.

If the bolt is not in battery, I would try removing the barrel and then removing the bold and the action assembly. Again, you need to be able to depress the shell stops.

Oregunner's suggestion about removing the trigger grouup may be the answer. I had similar trouble as to your own, when I first got my 870, but never jambed it up so tight that I couldn't clear it by using my fingers to clear things.

After posting I see that you cleared it. Good for you!

Edward429451 · December 14, 2011, 08:24 PM

Quote:

For the future, load shells like you mean it.......but you've learned that lesson already

Pump shotguns and lever action rifles too. Loading cartridges or shells and working the action on these type arms is to be done briskly and do not baby it or you are asking for a malfunction. I learned that the hard way too.

Dfariswheel · December 15, 2011, 07:40 PM

If your gun is one made within the last 20 years or so, it should have the Flex-Tab conversion.
This can be identified by looking at the shell lifter on the bottom of the gun.
If there's a long "U" shaped cut in the lifter, the gun has the Flex-Tab unit.

The Flex-Tab was developed by Remington specifically to take care of the problem you had.
To clear the jam, press the bolt release and pull back hard on the fore end.
The Flex-Tab will allow the bolt to open to clear the shell.
You have to pull the fore end with a little force.

December 14, 2011, 04:58 PM	#1
snarf Junior Member Join Date: December 14, 2011 Posts: 5	Messed up my 870 pretty good Hey guys, I need some help, and my gun dealer is only open Fridays and Saturdays. New poster by the way, great forum! The shotgun is a Remington 870 Tactical with the factory extended mag. I was starting to put shells into the tube, and on my first one I didn't apply enough pressure to get it fully in. The mag kicked the shell back into the receiver, the carrier flipped down, and now I have a 00 buck shell stuck between the closed bolt and the closed carrier. Every breakdown video I've seen starts with bringing the bolt back half way. Is this required? It certainly feels like it, because I tried removing the mag and it just won't budge. Also tried taking out the trigger assembly, but it won't come out. I feel like there's something there that mechanically requires the bolt to be at least partially open. Everything is totally jammed up. Any suggestions guys? I'm at a loss here. I'm also a little bit worried about trying all this stuff with a shell in the gun.

December 14, 2011, 05:19 PM	#2
fxdrider Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2007 Location: Stafford, VA - transplanted from upstate New York Posts: 119	I'm going to ask the seemingly dumb question first (this is like the computer tech asking, "is it plugged in"), but have you pushed up on the action bar lock before trying to pull back the bolt? You probably already have, but I had to ask. Sometimes people forget the most basic things. __________________ If you are finished, unload and show clear....

December 14, 2011, 05:21 PM	#3
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Don't monkey with the triggergroup just yet. Remove the magazine clamp (slotted screw on side) Remove the magazine extension by unscrewing it. Remove spring and follower (and any additional shells) from magazine. Turn gun upside down and shake and bump until gravity does the work for you. For the future, load shells like you mean it.......but you've learned that lesson already . __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)

December 14, 2011, 05:24 PM	#5
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	You need not rack the slide halfway to remove the mag extension, but they are pretty tight the first time typically. Got a strap wrench? If so you can use it (carefully) at the very base of the mag extension. Don't bend it........ __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)

December 14, 2011, 06:06 PM	#6
dgludwig Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2005 Location: North central Ohio Posts: 7,486	Has any of the inputs you've got so far helped? In any event, welcome to The Firing Line! __________________ ONLY AN ARMED PEOPLE CAN BE TRULY FREE ; ONLY AN UNARMED PEOPLE CAN EVER BE ENSLAVED ...Aristotle NRA Benefactor Life Member

December 14, 2011, 05:22 PM	#4
oregunner Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: Oregon, of course Posts: 136	If you have taken both pins out that are holding the trigger in, the trigger should come out. If you haven't taken it out before, it might take a good pull on the trigger guard to break it free. Then the shell should drop out. Mark

December 14, 2011, 06:14 PM	#7
snarf Junior Member Join Date: December 14, 2011 Posts: 5	Yep, thanks guys! Everything just needed more force than I was initially comfortable using. Grabbed REALLY HARD on the extended mag to unscrew it, took the barrel off. The shell still wouldn't come out, so I used some brute force on the trigger assembly and it did eventually come out. Put it all back together, works great now. This was my first time taking apart any firearm, so this was a very interesting experience.

December 14, 2011, 06:35 PM	#8
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	I don't follow why the OP should be messing with his magazine, since there are no sbotshells in it, unless he wants to try to clear the jamb by removing the barrel, bolt and action bar assembly. Whether or not this can be done, if the bolt is locked into battery with the barrel, I don't know. If it is not, I would try to remove the barrel and then remove the bolt and action assembly, which requires that uyou are able to depress both shell stops. He may not be able to do that depending on the jamb. If the bolt is not in battery, I would try removing the barrel and then removing the bold and the action assembly. Again, you need to be able to depress the shell stops. Oregunner's suggestion about removing the trigger grouup may be the answer. I had similar trouble as to your own, when I first got my 870, but never jambed it up so tight that I couldn't clear it by using my fingers to clear things. After posting I see that you cleared it. Good for you!

December 15, 2011, 07:40 PM	#10
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	If your gun is one made within the last 20 years or so, it should have the Flex-Tab conversion. This can be identified by looking at the shell lifter on the bottom of the gun. If there's a long "U" shaped cut in the lifter, the gun has the Flex-Tab unit. The Flex-Tab was developed by Remington specifically to take care of the problem you had. To clear the jam, press the bolt release and pull back hard on the fore end. The Flex-Tab will allow the bolt to open to clear the shell. You have to pull the fore end with a little force.