870 Express MIM extractor - ever seen one fail?

oldguy870 · May 18, 2012, 09:42 AM

I have been shooting my 870 Express for a year now. Everyone says to upgrade the extractor to the milled version. The logic is that it is cheap insurance. I would be interested to know if anyone has first hand experience seeing a MIM extractor fail?

Bonus question - people also say to upgrade the carrier dog follower spring. The idea is that the heavier duty one makes the gun more reliable. Has anyone ever had a feeding failure due to the standard express follower spring?

Dave McC · May 18, 2012, 01:27 PM

No and no.

NYCShooter · May 18, 2012, 07:28 PM

As I previously posted to this question in another forum:

"Nope, I have never seen an 870 Express stock MIM extractor fail, and issues relating to the carrier dog follower spring are rare. However, I always upgrade both because the cost and time involved in doing so are minimal (the spring costs about $4 and the extractor about $12). Interestingly, Remington charges the same for either carrier dog follower spring, so you have to wonder why they just don't use the heavier spring (used in the Police) in the Express. The answer, of course, is marketing. BTW, I also always upgrade the magazine spring to a heavy-duty Wolff spring ($8.99)."

oldguy870 · May 23, 2012, 11:09 PM

I just ordered the heavier duty dog carrier springs for my 870s. I think I will keep the MIM extractor for now.

.300 Weatherby Mag · May 24, 2012, 12:19 AM

I've had one that consistently slipped off the rim and left spent rounds in the chamber... Replaced that one and never had another problem.. I've never seen one break...

LockedBreech · May 24, 2012, 01:12 AM

Hm. I have an 870 Express Tactical and never knew those parts were MIM.

bamaranger · May 24, 2012, 03:12 AM

My outfit bought a number (a dozen or so) of 870's that were not "police " guns, but were not marked "wingmaster " or "Express" guns either. Seems like they were simply marked "Magnum" w/ parkerized finished.

This would have been about 20 years , back, say early '90's. About half of those guns developed feed problems, the fresh round not being elevated enoough to reliably hit the champer mouth, this problem solved by installing a new dog spring. The remaider of the guns got new springs before probs developed.

I hear and see discussion indicating that the std dog spring has been eliminated and all the dog springs are HD. I dunno, but our guns run better now with new springs, installed in the past couple of years.

My 30 yr old Wingmaster is getting a bit finicky, and sluggish lifting shells to the chamber mouth. I am considering a dog spring for it too.

May 18, 2012, 09:42 AM	#1
oldguy870 Member Join Date: June 1, 2011 Posts: 34	870 Express MIM extractor - ever seen one fail? I have been shooting my 870 Express for a year now. Everyone says to upgrade the extractor to the milled version. The logic is that it is cheap insurance. I would be interested to know if anyone has first hand experience seeing a MIM extractor fail? Bonus question - people also say to upgrade the carrier dog follower spring. The idea is that the heavier duty one makes the gun more reliable. Has anyone ever had a feeding failure due to the standard express follower spring?

May 24, 2012, 03:12 AM	#7
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	carrier dog spring My outfit bought a number (a dozen or so) of 870's that were not "police " guns, but were not marked "wingmaster " or "Express" guns either. Seems like they were simply marked "Magnum" w/ parkerized finished. This would have been about 20 years , back, say early '90's. About half of those guns developed feed problems, the fresh round not being elevated enoough to reliably hit the champer mouth, this problem solved by installing a new dog spring. The remaider of the guns got new springs before probs developed. I hear and see discussion indicating that the std dog spring has been eliminated and all the dog springs are HD. I dunno, but our guns run better now with new springs, installed in the past couple of years. My 30 yr old Wingmaster is getting a bit finicky, and sluggish lifting shells to the chamber mouth. I am considering a dog spring for it too.

May 18, 2012, 01:27 PM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	No and no.

May 18, 2012, 07:28 PM	#3
NYCShooter Senior Member Join Date: October 2, 2009 Posts: 103	As I previously posted to this question in another forum: "Nope, I have never seen an 870 Express stock MIM extractor fail, and issues relating to the carrier dog follower spring are rare. However, I always upgrade both because the cost and time involved in doing so are minimal (the spring costs about $4 and the extractor about $12). Interestingly, Remington charges the same for either carrier dog follower spring, so you have to wonder why they just don't use the heavier spring (used in the Police) in the Express. The answer, of course, is marketing. BTW, I also always upgrade the magazine spring to a heavy-duty Wolff spring ($8.99)."

May 23, 2012, 11:09 PM	#4
oldguy870 Member Join Date: June 1, 2011 Posts: 34	I just ordered the heavier duty dog carrier springs for my 870s. I think I will keep the MIM extractor for now.

May 24, 2012, 12:19 AM	#5
.300 Weatherby Mag Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Posts: 1,777	I've had one that consistently slipped off the rim and left spent rounds in the chamber... Replaced that one and never had another problem.. I've never seen one break...

May 24, 2012, 01:12 AM	#6
LockedBreech Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2009 Location: Rocky Mountain West Posts: 3,395	Hm. I have an 870 Express Tactical and never knew those parts were MIM.