Winchester 1300 Defender won't load last shell

P

PapaScout

Inactive
Hi all, first time poster here. :)

I just bought a Winchester 1300 Defender with the 7 capacity magazine tube and I am having a problem getting the last shell to chamber. The other 6 shells chamber with no problem but when I'm cycling at normal rate the last shell will sometimes fall out through the loader port. :(

When I'm cycling the shells more slowly I can see the final shell through the ejector port barely protruding from the magazine tube. I can encourage it to ramp with my finger and it does spring forward.

This is a gently used gun. New to me but obviously well cared for before my ownership. My first thought was a weak spring but the shell really seems to jump forward when I get a fingernail behind the rim.

I'm pretty much a newbie to shotgunning but I have an early model Remington 870 Express Mag (serial number beginning with A) that feeds flawlessly.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
 
So that's it? Is it common to just stretch the spring a little to fix this problem?

Am I the only one who's ever had this experience?

Thanks for the input.
 
I'm no metalurggist (sp?) but from what I understand, stretching the spring will weaken the tensile strength of the spring and the real fix is to replace the spring for a more permanent fix.
 
Thank you Edward429451. I'll try a new spring to see it this fixes the problem.

Are springs specific to the magazine capacity? Or is it one size fits all?

PapaScout
 
I know when you get an extended tube mag that a new spring comes with it so they probably are capacity specific. I think the thing to do is to count the coils on your existing spring, and make sure the new one has the same amount. Possibly one or two extra? but certainly not less coils.

I had George Stringer make an ext tube for my sons 870 Express Youth(20) but he was out of springs and I was supposed to pick up a new one which I haven't. We've experianced no problems though.

So I really don't know conclusively. Hope this helps.
 
Fixed!

Just a follow-up message to state that I had ordered a new spring for the Winchester 1300 Defender (3 new springs actually - the Sandstrom springs in case anyone else out there is wondering. $5 a piece from Winchester/Repeating Arms/Browning/whatever) and this has fixed the problem. The last shell literally pops into the receiver every time without getting hung up.

Thanks to those who posted.
 
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