Extractor hitting barrel, will not go into battery

Terik · Post by **Terik** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:15 pm

So I was given a brand new 870 express synthetic 18" for christmas and shot it a couple times and had absolutely no problems. Then I get home and run a boresnake through it and find the gun wont go into battery. Now surely the snake didnt do anything, but what's happening is the Extractor is hitting the barrel instead of following the ramp that's cut into the barrel. I dont have any more shells to see if it'll actually load them, but if there's no Shell in the chamber it will not lock up unless i take a screwdriver and pull the extractor back while pushing the grip forward.
I took the extractor out and put it back together just to see if that was the problem but it's still doing it.
Anyone ever run into this problem? I'm going to try to get some pictures up soon of what it looks like when the extractor hits the barrel.
Pictures -
http://imgur.com/a/5DMUC#0

Website · Post by **Synchronizor** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:46 pm

When you took the extractor out of the bolt, did you also pull out the plunger behind it, and the spring behaind that? If one of those is damaged, defective, or maybe even just really gunked up with something, it could be causing your problem.

Terik · Post by **Terik** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:11 am

yea, i looked at both and they seemed fine, but like i said i've only had the shotgun for less than a week. so it's only had 25 shells through it.

Didnt have any problems at the range until i took it home and ran a bore snake through it an oiled up some of the parts, hadn't even taken it apart yet at that point so it wasn't something I did in the stripping of it.

Wondering if maybe the bolt is too far to the left and that's why it's catching.

Kentactic · Post by **Kentactic** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:46 am

either the bolt is cut wrong allowing the extractor to be pushed too far over or the extractors messed up. On my Express it just barely clears. the angles a little much so you cant just rest it against the barrel and then press forward without some resistance.

Terik · Post by **Terik** » Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:53 pm

So I found a buddy who has an older 870, I discovered if i used his extractor I could get it to lock up like it's supposed to. Just need to try it with some shells to make sure it'll extract them correctly. So it looks like i'll be getting a new extractor.

Website · Post by **Synchronizor** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:06 am

From what I've seen, the issue with the MIM extractors over the higher-quality ones is that the dimensional tolerances on them are a little on the high side. They usually get the job done well enough for the budget models they're installed on; and some are better than others (I have a pretty good one). Once in a while though, one gets through that's just far enough out of whack to cause problems.

You do get what you pay for. The MIM extractors aren't the best, but they do work, and upgrading isn't that expensive or difficult if you want the higher-end part.

In your case, I'm sure that if you call Remington (the number and hours will be in your manual), give them your serial number, and tell them what the problem is, they'd send you a replacement part for free. In my experience, they have good service when it comes to things like that. I couldn't say if they'd give you a forged or Marine replacement for free (worth asking, at least. I've gotten small parts tossed in or upgraded for free before), but they should at least send you a free MIM one.

Baby Gary · Post by **Baby Gary** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 3:04 pm

I'm very disappointed. I bought a 2nd 870 Express Tactical and installed a Knoxx Recoil Reducing Breechers pistol grip. I wanted a short, effective gun for defense while travelling in a dangerous area. First time I shot the gun everything was okay. Recently tried to shoot again and action jammed (two shells in the receiver while pumping). While gun was unloaded, I discovered that action release lever was not working consistently. Pulled the 2 pins and took the action out, everything looked okay, put it back, problems, took it out, looked okay, pit it back, still problems. Finally discovered that the extractor "hook" was trying to enter the barrel on each pump if there were no shells being work through the gun. Extractor hitting the empty barrel buggered up the sharp edge of the notched ramp that is milled into the right side of the barrel. Remington has authorized return of gun for repair under warranty.

I bought this gun for personal defense. I've been relying on this gun based on Remington's claim to fame that this is a dependable weapon.

Lesson learned: Shoot your new weapon a lot to discover any hidden issues before you depend on it.
Other lesson learned: This is too much gun for the wife to handle with a pistol grip. Firing from the hip with 3" 00 buck is like shooting a hand canon. You don't want to hold this thing up in front of your face to sight down the barrel and fire it unless your arms are extended a good distance, but I like it.

I intend to add a "mossberg style" nylon strap to the fore end for better control when this thing kicks.

I'm anxious to see what the repair service actually does.

JBall · Post by **JBall** » Sat Jul 13, 2013 5:21 am

3" shells are useless in a self/home defense role. It is more load than necessary and really only has an application I'm hunting. Second, your right, a "pistol grip" shotgun is certainly not a reasonable home defense weapon for most women. It requires a lot of practice to apply effectively even for a grown man. Personally I believe a "pistol grip" on a shotgun is good for some range fun or on breaching gun slung at ones side but that's about it. Lastly a pistol grip shotgun is intended to be fired from the hip. Do not hold it up to aim it! You or your friends/family will end up with a busted face/ego! Lmao.

reeps · Post by **reeps** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 4:50 am

You can hold a pistol grip only about a foot from your face and aim. Youtube how to do it properly, and also youtube people doing it wrong. I do it just fine with my speedfeed birds head pistol grip.

JBall · Post by **JBall** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 12:48 pm

But if your using an optic (reeps) with your pistol grip, and are aiming, I don't see why you don't just put a short LOP stock on and call it a day. I know its not going to be quite as short but your follow up shots can not be nearly as consistant or quick with the pistol grip. Obviously to each his own but tactically it's just not very effective.
Pistol grips were invented for "riot guns" which were fired from the waist w/birdshot at the ground (on pavement or asphalt type surfaces to slow down velocity and also help widen shot spread to hit more protestors etc..) or directly into unruly crowd. Birdshot was used because of its less lethal capabilities and likeliness to injure rather than kill as long as the shooter maintained a reasonable distance. I'm sure birdshot recoil forces were also what was in mind when the pistol grip was invented. Today, less lethal rounds are mainly used in place of birdshot for riot control or other non lethal LE environments but still have less recoil than any high brass most would typically be using for home defense. Sorry to go on just giving a little history on where it came from. In my opinion, knowing the original purpose in which something was designed helps us know how and when to better deploy and operate the system.

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