M14 Forum

Sweets

I own a couple of 7 shot 12 gauge 870s that have factory-installed magazine extensions (a 'police' and a marine magnum), and I've had the same problem with both of them: when loading, a shell doesn't get catch in the magazine and as soon as pressure is released snaps forward and jams under the magazine loading plate. This is really serious, or would be in a bad situation, because it requires disassembly of the gun, either taking off the magazine and removing the 18" magazine spring or punching out the pins and removing the trigger assembly. I thought this was happening because I was trained to be careful not to get a finger trapped when loading in shells and so I've been relearning that slightly and shoving the shells 'way up- but yesterday I had a shell hang for a split second after release and then slide under the @&%$# trap door just as before. Any feedback on this issue?

SOCOM42

sounds mostly like a manual dexterity problem wrather than mechanical. I would suggest a new approach to loading. try using thumb with thumbnail facing elevator using joint to hold it down while inserting round.

pjomalley

shell latch?

mercman

Well, since it is happening with two different 870's I would think that it may be operator error! be sure to push the shells all the way in to the magazine so that they engage the shell retainer. I presume this is happening with the last rounds loaded in the tube? Are you sure that they are seven round tubes and not six rounders? The 7 shot is a six in the tube one in the chamber and the 8 round is 7 in the tube and one in the chamber.

Roadrunner

I’ve had similar problems with some of my 870s with four shot magazines. When it happened to me it was either my fault for not making sure the cartridge rim went past the left shell cut off (or latch). Or it was a worn out left shell cut off. I ordered a new one and fixed it in no time. I’m sure you have noticed if the shell cut offs are not staked properly, your 870 turns into a Chinese jig saw puzzle when you try to put it all back together.
When a round does pop back past the shell cut off you can, if you’re carful and determined, push it back into the magazine without taking the gun apart. At least you can with a four shot mag; I’ve never tried it with an extended mag. Still, it’s not something you want to do in the middle of a covey rise, or a gunfight.

Sweets

Actually, mostly happens on the first round, or the first three. I don't much doubt that it's something I'm doing, I'm gonna have to sit down and watch carefully while trying to load the way I do at the range. They do have 6 round mag tubes, when I said 7 I was referring to the one in the chamber as well. You can't do more than start to load 7.

I'll check the latches but the Marine Mag at least is new, or as new as a gun can be that's had a couple hundred rounds of birdshot put through it by the proud new owner. I'm planning on putting in a magnum size plug and hunting birds with it on rainy days, tired of nervously drying out my DBBL barrel for hours after returning. But let me tell you when the shell jams in the way that's been happening, you couldn't lever it out with a lot of risk of firing it. Which I don't want to happen.

mjconnau

I had the exact same problem with my 870 in 12 gauge. Interestingly, the one that I have in .410 does not have the same problem.

Sweets

Since I'm usually pretty good on mechanical issues, I WAS wondering if it was me or the gun(s). Did you find the answer for what was happening? Or a solution that hasn't been mentioned?

mjconnau

The first time that it happened I couldn't even get it remedied without taking it to my friend who is a smith. He told me that he had seen it before with 870's and advised to make sure to jam it in there deep enough to catch. He couldn't find any malfunction that would lead to the problem. Now that I take a little extra care when I load it I haven't had another problem.

NE450N02

You must push the shells into the magazine tube fairly deep.

Just today I had to use my 870, so afterwards i empried the magazine to realine the order of buckshot in the "tube".

As long as you push them in far enough you should not have any problems.

I have been using an 870 for 40 years or so, never had a problem with any one of them.

a308garand

You can update the shotgun by buying the flex tab conversion parts from Brownells. Newer 870s have a change in the bolt/internals that allows you to clear the jambed shell without taking the gun apart.

The parts kit was less than 70.00 and is really good to do for a defensive gun. Straight parts replacement and just racking the pump handle clears the jamb.

mercman

You can actually empty a loaded magazine by racking the slide back, dump the shell in the port and then place the butt of the SG on the ground and with your right index finger reach up into the loading port and trip the shell retainer. It's a little protrusion against the rx wall. The next round in the magazine will pop out. Watch your digits so you don't get barked. Continue on with this until the magazine is empty.

The new design flex tab is for clearing jams. The kits are free from Remington to LEO's, they just ask for the old parts to be returned to them.

For immediate action drills we were taught to take a knee and rap the butt of the SG smartly on the deck which adds force to help clear the jam. For a failure to clear the ejection port you can just sweep your support hand across the ejection port and knock the obstructing empty clear. Only had this happen once to me.

Sweets

I've just been through every 870 product on the Brownells website and didn't find the latch kit. Can you quote me a product number or something? If not, I'll phone and talk to one of their nice customer service ladies; they have some of the last friendly ones anywhere last I knew. And, I wonder if the police thing applies to officially retired Canuck cops... naw!

dozier

If I remember right, when inserting a new shell into the tube mag you can hear the shell latch "click" over the rim of the shell. Keep inserting till you hear it. Still waiting to hear from "sweets" if that is the problem!!!! dozier

Sweets

Yeah and if they had invented hearing protection some little time before they did, that might work for me. I SAY, IT MIGHT WORK FOR ME!

But seriously I do hear the click it just doesn't always mean success.