Help: Possible problem with a new 870 Marine magnum...

[Bennett Richards]

I just brought home my new 870 Marine Mag and when I broke it down I noticed 2 strange things.

1. When I unscrewed the Magazine extension tube and removed the spring, the follower didn't just fall out when I turned the weapon upside down, it was stuck near the end of the mag tube about about 3/4's of an inch below where the threading starts. I stuck some shells into the Mag until they reached the follower then it and the shells fell out. It is snug at that spot. Has anyone else noticed this with their 870 marine? There do not appear to be any dents or rough spots on the inside of the tube...


2. When I turn the assembled weapon upside-down and then rightside up I somnetimes hear the sound from inside the weapon like a washer sliding down a long bolt. It is NOT in the MAG tube, and I can't see anything inside the receiver that might make this noise. Anyone else with the 870 Black synthetic stocks hear this?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[George Stringer]

Bennett, the mag tube just might need a bottle brush and some solvent. There might be some factory grease or something in there. If you've cleaned it already and the follower is still tight enough to interfere with functioning polish with 600 grit wet/dry paper on a split dowel mandrel in your electric drill. "The world is hollow and I have touched the sky." I think that was the title of one of the original Star Trek episodes. I had a guy bring in a Browning Gold Hunter a couple of weeks ago with the same complaint. It turned out to be an extra washer that the factory had left in the stock rattling around. George

 

[George Hill]

My MOSS 590 did the same thing... Brush it out really good - and shove a Marine Tuff Cloth through it a few times. Then clean the follower and spring. It worked for me. My sticky point was about 3 inches from the endcap.
If that didnt work - could be a bent tube. The deformation doesnt have to be very much for that to bind up the works. Just a slight and I do mean slight misshaping in the tube will have that effect. You may not even be able to see it.

------------------
Not all Liberals are annoying... Some are Dead.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac




[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited October 02, 1999).]

 

[Wallew]

B,

I sometimes get depressed over the fact that gun manufaturers spend so little time on QA. I constantly am 'finishing' shotguns, rifles and pistols from all the majors.

Re: your follower. If you can, I agree with George, though I personally polish my customers followers on the wheel. I start at 320, go to 400 and then 600 for a shiny finish. This almost always solves sticking followers in most tube fed shotguns. Caveat, is that tube cannot be bent in any way, shape or form. It also helps it to be clean. I have a tendency to use a shotgun barrel polishing flex hone from Brownells (Cat#52, pg 71 - upper right) on the mag tube as well as the bore. Turns both nice, bright, shiny and slick. This, with a polished follower fixes 99.9% of problems. I have had to replace ONE tube. Oh well. Customer bought shotgun used and said it was that way when he bought it. Also probably explains why previous owner sold it, as getting a shell stuck in tube is frustrating.