Questions about 870 20 gauge

[scrowe]

i am working with a scout camp to help them with getting their firearms ready to go for the summer. I went down to the camp to inspect the firearms in February of this year. They have 5 870 20 gauge pumps and I brought three of them home for repair. All of them need fore end tubes, one of them needs the collar for the tube. Kids/staff broke a slide arm on two of them and broke the tube at the threaded part on the third. One of them has a broken ejector.

I have a couple of questions. In looking at the parts list, there is no ejector spring listed for a 20 gauge, only .410 and 12 gauge. The parts diagram shows one. None of the three guns has any ejector spring and there is no sign of the rivet missing the part. The two that have good ejectors will eject a dummy shell, the broke ejector gun will not. Does the 20 gauge use an ejection spring?

The rivets are listed front and rear. The front is a two stage deal to accommodate the ejection spring. Does the 20 gauge just use two rear rivets?

Called RemArms about parts. They told me to talk to Gun Repair Center in FL. Their website is useless unless you want to bling your gun out. They will not pickup the phone or return messages. Can't find an email address to communicate with them. Brownells, MidwayUSA. Midwest Gun Supply and Numrich also out of stock on the fore end tubes. Any other sources?

FWIW, I brought back a Mossburg 500 that needed a couple of small parts. One call to Mossburg and the parts are on the way. Very nice people to work with. The gun is whole lot easier to work on. Their ejector is screwed to the receiver and mag tube is screwed into the receiver. Just might have 3 parts guns that will be replaced with Mossberg 510 Mini Bantam.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Scrowe

[scrowe]

An undate on my situation.

I was finally able to get someone at www.gunrepaircenter.com to pickup the phone and talk to me. The good news is the individual was somewhat helpful. I provided him with an email address and he sent me pricing and availability on the parts that I need. The bad news is that there are no fore tubes to be had. RemArms is currently not making them and there is no indication when they will be available.

I asked the person that I talked to about the ejection spring. He stated that all 870s have an ejection spring. He also gave me pricing on those parts, however the front rivets are also unavailable from them, but I can source them from other places.

I have the 3 guns that I brought back from the camp. I have looked at two other 870 20 gauge pumps that have had less than 100 rounds shot through each of them and none of them have an ejection spring nor to they look like they did. I am inclined to just replace the one broken ejector that I have and call it done. I would just use two of the rear rivets if I am not install the ejector spring.

If anyone knows different, I would love to hear from you.

scrowe

[BKinzey]

AFAIK, the 20ga has an ejector spring. Mine has one but it was made when Rem was using the 12ga receiver for 20ga (pre mid '60s?). The newer 20ga receivers have a "LW", for lightweight, designation.

You could pull the good extractor from one of the other guns to see if it will work.

[870exp20gNWA]

Hi guys - late to the party - but wanted to note - I bought a REM 870 20 gauge in the summer of 2020 for my son. At the time I had to search all over the Midwest and drive to Milwaukee to get it. This past year when shooting clays his gun is jamming when pulling the pump action slide back to eject the empty shell (and chamber the next shell). The jam occurs just as the 3” chamber is about 3/4” open… the “shell latches” and “slide assembly” and “fore-end tube assembly” stick - metal on metal and I am physically unable to continue pulling the pump/fore-end assembly back to eject the shell. So this is what brought me here… but I wanted to note for the thread: there is NO ejector spring on this 20 gauge Remington 870… and there never was!

[Sully]

The first 20 gauge 870's had ejector springs, as already mentioned they were made on a 12 gauge receiver of which is taller and wider as compared to the smaller one they sell today. In 1972 they changed to a smaller receiver, which changed the style of the ejector, and it won't need the spring anymore as the receiver is narrower in width and doesn't need the spring. The pre 1972 receivers not only had the ejector spring, but the ejector was totally different in shape, as compared to the smaller receiver style that is used today. If someone is looking for the older style on the larger receiver, a little internet searching and they can be found, as they are not a common part as compared to the smaller receiver models of today.

CY6
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
Weapons Armorer
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