How often have you broke or wore out an 870 spring, extractor, etc..?

my762buzz · August 31, 2007, 09:33 PM

Which part and how much use before it happened?

Glenn Bartley · August 31, 2007, 09:43 PM

I have put thousands of rounds through my Remington 870 Express in the 21 or 22 years (maybe even 25 years) I have owned it. I have used it extensively for hunting, for quarterly qualifications at work, for tactical shooting practice, on my job (never shot it though while on the job except at the range), for trap shooting, and for fun shooting. Nothing, I repeat nothing has ever broken on it. I did once replace the magazine spring, but only because I lost the original, but that is a whole nother story, and I am not about to get into that right now.

I ahve also seen Remington 870s take the abuse as pool guns at the range on my job. Rarely cleaned, dropped all to often, treated pretty poorly - certainly not like an issue gun or a personally owned one, and always working.

I think it is one heck of a great gun.

All the best,
Glenn B

BHP9 · September 1, 2007, 06:34 AM

Never had to replace parts for breaking on any of the custom builds I do.

My 870 is 28 years old and parts breaking?

Zip.

Zilch.

Nada!

Dave McC · September 1, 2007, 01:48 PM

I've shot 870s since Ike was Prez. Total rounds count, including work, has t be over 100K.

Total parts breakage, two firing pin springs. Both were in a 1978 870TB I owned.

That's it.....

DML · September 1, 2007, 02:58 PM

The only part I have seen break on an 870 is the ejector and I suspect operator error in most cases. On some 870s, if you release the hammer with the barrel out of the gun, the hammer will slip behind the ejector. When you try to open the action again, the bolt snaps it off.

The other failure is the little tab on the ejector housing that positions the barrel. I have no idea as to how people break these, but they do.

Dogbite · September 2, 2007, 08:30 PM

I have the basic 870 Express, and i have used it for about 14 years now for trap shooting, hunting doves and turkey, and sporting clays. There has been no breakage whatsoever. I have been quite rough on it. Also there have been no problems with the finish. Its an amazing firearm.

lockedcj7 · September 2, 2007, 08:39 PM

I've owned three 870s, one 1100 and three 11-87s. One 11-87 was a lemon. Jammed every other shot, choke tube difficult to turn, etc. All the rest have been golden. The 11-87 I have now is my go-to gun. I've taken 2 deer, 10+ turkeys and untold doves and ducks with it. I've never even replaced the O-ring. The 870 I have now is a 12 ga Wingmaster and it's slicker than snot on a doorknob. I just wish it was a 20 ga.

Dfariswheel · September 2, 2007, 11:38 PM

I used to have a friend and colleague who was an armorer for a large police department that used a lot of 870 shotguns.

He used to say that his spare parts supply for the 870 "Would fit into a small shoe box, with enough room left over for a burger and fries".
He told me that most of his 870 repairs were rusty metal, splintered wood, broken-off sights, and bent or squashed barrels.

He said the 870 was the only shotgun the department ever owned that would stand up to the night watch version of "Hold my beer and watch this".

Picher · September 4, 2007, 08:42 AM

I repaired guns for gun stores for several years and never saw a broken 870, though I've replaced safeties with oversized models, or extended the existing safeties by sweating on a piece of drill rod and stippling it.

By having the safety stick out about 3/32" more, it's much faster to operate when a bird flushes.

Picher

williamd · September 4, 2007, 01:27 PM

Popped an extractor one time. Using my own reloads I hate to admit. Cost me $3.00 and 15 minutes .... on a gun I bought with a college schollarship (good use of the $$$) in 1958!! That's it.

Had a shooting Bud who had a broken firing pin! I bought one just in case and have hauled it around for 10 years!

Of course, I don't count the parts that are still on my shop floor .... somewhere!

Zombie Steve · September 4, 2007, 04:39 PM

18 years on my 870 express - killed a lot of clays, pheasant, quail, chukar and even a couple turkeys. I've camo'd it out now that I got a nice O/U, so it's really a turkey gun now... Nothing broken yet...

Zombie Steve · September 4, 2007, 04:41 PM

Quote:

He said the 870 was the only shotgun the department ever owned that would stand up to the night watch version of "Hold my beer and watch this".

August 31, 2007, 09:33 PM	#1
my762buzz Member Join Date: March 21, 2007 Posts: 21	How often have you broke or wore out an 870 spring, extractor, etc..? Which part and how much use before it happened?

August 31, 2007, 09:43 PM	#2
Glenn Bartley Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 283	I have put thousands of rounds through my Remington 870 Express in the 21 or 22 years (maybe even 25 years) I have owned it. I have used it extensively for hunting, for quarterly qualifications at work, for tactical shooting practice, on my job (never shot it though while on the job except at the range), for trap shooting, and for fun shooting. Nothing, I repeat nothing has ever broken on it. I did once replace the magazine spring, but only because I lost the original, but that is a whole nother story, and I am not about to get into that right now. I ahve also seen Remington 870s take the abuse as pool guns at the range on my job. Rarely cleaned, dropped all to often, treated pretty poorly - certainly not like an issue gun or a personally owned one, and always working. I think it is one heck of a great gun. All the best, Glenn B __________________ When I look in the mirror, I am happy to see, some of that nine year old boy, who used to be me. http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/

September 1, 2007, 02:58 PM	#5
DML Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2000 Location: Aridzona Posts: 257	The only part I have seen break on an 870 is the ejector and I suspect operator error in most cases. On some 870s, if you release the hammer with the barrel out of the gun, the hammer will slip behind the ejector. When you try to open the action again, the bolt snaps it off. The other failure is the little tab on the ejector housing that positions the barrel. I have no idea as to how people break these, but they do. __________________ Experience is what you get when you were expecting something else.

September 2, 2007, 08:30 PM	#6
Dogbite Member Join Date: August 20, 2007 Location: From Alaska, now residing in Georgia Posts: 43	I have the basic 870 Express, and i have used it for about 14 years now for trap shooting, hunting doves and turkey, and sporting clays. There has been no breakage whatsoever. I have been quite rough on it. Also there have been no problems with the finish. Its an amazing firearm. __________________ Be prepared. Never, never, never give up. Winston Churchill

September 2, 2007, 08:39 PM	#7
lockedcj7 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2007 Posts: 1,215	I've owned three 870s, one 1100 and three 11-87s. One 11-87 was a lemon. Jammed every other shot, choke tube difficult to turn, etc. All the rest have been golden. The 11-87 I have now is my go-to gun. I've taken 2 deer, 10+ turkeys and untold doves and ducks with it. I've never even replaced the O-ring. The 870 I have now is a 12 ga Wingmaster and it's slicker than snot on a doorknob. I just wish it was a 20 ga. __________________ To a much greater extent than most mechanical devices, firearms are terribly unforgiving of any overconfidence, complacency or negligence.

September 1, 2007, 06:34 AM	#3
BHP9 Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Posts: 76	Never had to replace parts for breaking on any of the custom builds I do. My 870 is 28 years old and parts breaking? Zip. Zilch. Nada!

September 1, 2007, 01:48 PM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I've shot 870s since Ike was Prez. Total rounds count, including work, has t be over 100K. Total parts breakage, two firing pin springs. Both were in a 1978 870TB I owned. That's it.....

September 2, 2007, 11:38 PM	#8
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	I used to have a friend and colleague who was an armorer for a large police department that used a lot of 870 shotguns. He used to say that his spare parts supply for the 870 "Would fit into a small shoe box, with enough room left over for a burger and fries". He told me that most of his 870 repairs were rusty metal, splintered wood, broken-off sights, and bent or squashed barrels. He said the 870 was the only shotgun the department ever owned that would stand up to the night watch version of "Hold my beer and watch this".

September 4, 2007, 08:42 AM	#9
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	I repaired guns for gun stores for several years and never saw a broken 870, though I've replaced safeties with oversized models, or extended the existing safeties by sweating on a piece of drill rod and stippling it. By having the safety stick out about 3/32" more, it's much faster to operate when a bird flushes. Picher

September 4, 2007, 01:27 PM	#10
williamd Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 801	Popped an extractor one time. Using my own reloads I hate to admit. Cost me $3.00 and 15 minutes .... on a gun I bought with a college schollarship (good use of the $$$) in 1958!! That's it. Had a shooting Bud who had a broken firing pin! I bought one just in case and have hauled it around for 10 years! Of course, I don't count the parts that are still on my shop floor .... somewhere! __________________ "Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns!" Unfortunately, we may be moving in that direction. NRA Benefactor, Conservative!, VN '64-'65. Never sell a gun or a car ... and retire rich!

September 4, 2007, 04:39 PM	#11
Zombie Steve Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2007 Location: Old Colorado City Posts: 527	18 years on my 870 express - killed a lot of clays, pheasant, quail, chukar and even a couple turkeys. I've camo'd it out now that I got a nice O/U, so it's really a turkey gun now... Nothing broken yet...

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