I bought a new 870 recently and when cycling shells I have noticed that the action has a "gritty"/unsmooth/feeling of wanting to catch to it. Its is most noticeable during the last 1/3 of ejecting a shell and the last bit of advancing the next round into the chamber. Sometimes it requires more effort than expected to advance the next round. I haven't had the time to take the gun out for a test run so I know that ejecting the shells will be smoother after firing a round. After buying the gun I assembled, cleaned, and oiled the gun per the owner's manual. I expected this to a small degree but have never experienced this before with any other pump action gun. Any suggestions, did I not use enough oil? Thanks.
lack of "smoothness" with an 870 when loading/unloading
- Thread starter grantman
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snevensmores
New member
Mine was a bit rough around the edges. The action will actually lock up with cheap Winchester shells with the short aluminum (I believe that's what it is) brass. Then, I'd have to hit the butt against the ground to get it to rack the pump.
A wise man once recommended, when it comes to my 870, to "pump with authority." It was my first time even shooting a pump shotgun, and I was treating it like, wellll, a hunk of metal/synthetic that I'd just spent $330 on! Make sure you aren't pulling/pushing the pump, but "racking" it (if that makes sense to you). If your gun is clean and lubed with no obvious malfunctions, I think it just needs a little break-in time. Rack it like you mean it -- she can handle it
. If not, she wasn't good enough for you, anyway.
I should be a relationship counselor...
A wise man once recommended, when it comes to my 870, to "pump with authority." It was my first time even shooting a pump shotgun, and I was treating it like, wellll, a hunk of metal/synthetic that I'd just spent $330 on! Make sure you aren't pulling/pushing the pump, but "racking" it (if that makes sense to you). If your gun is clean and lubed with no obvious malfunctions, I think it just needs a little break-in time. Rack it like you mean it -- she can handle it
. If not, she wasn't good enough for you, anyway.I should be a relationship counselor...
dalecooper51
New member
Other than a good cleaning and possibly a chamber polish, all it needs is shells run through it. I bought myself a wingmaster 20 ga for christmas this year and it felt clunky compared to my early 70's gun. So far, I have put just under 2500 shells through it and it is beginning to break in nicely. It's going to take me another year or two, but this one will be like butter soon enough.
I agree with snevensmores, run it like you mean it. All the way back, all the way forward and dont baby the gun.
I agree with snevensmores, run it like you mean it. All the way back, all the way forward and dont baby the gun.
the rifleer
New member
huh, that's funny, my mossberg doesn't have that problem... I dont know what to tell you.
After 10K shells, it'll be like butter.
Or....
Run a couple hundred rounds through it and tear it down. Or after ensuring it's empty, hold down the slide release and pump it throughout an episode of Jeopardy.
Using a straightedge, make sure the action bars are parallel and straight.
Use a hard Arkansas machinist's stone or a crock stick on the wear marks on the action bars. Also radius the corners lightly and remove any flashing left from stamping. Relube amd reassemble, remembering to add one little drop of oil to the action bars at the front of the receiver and cycle it a few times.
Note it's smoother.
Now run 10K rounds through it to finish the job off.....
Or....
Run a couple hundred rounds through it and tear it down. Or after ensuring it's empty, hold down the slide release and pump it throughout an episode of Jeopardy.
Using a straightedge, make sure the action bars are parallel and straight.
Use a hard Arkansas machinist's stone or a crock stick on the wear marks on the action bars. Also radius the corners lightly and remove any flashing left from stamping. Relube amd reassemble, remembering to add one little drop of oil to the action bars at the front of the receiver and cycle it a few times.
Note it's smoother.
Now run 10K rounds through it to finish the job off.....