Vang Comp Safety Issue

[Max_D]

Afternoon everyone,

I've had a 1950s 870 for 6 or 7 years now. All the parts are stock except for the magazine follower (replaced with a bright orange one to visually see the mag as being empty) and the safety (now a Vang Comp oversized done safety). This past summer the safety started having issues where it would work perfectly fine for 10, 15, 20 cycles between 'safe' and 'fire', then would become jammed in the safe position. The only way to free the safety the safety when this happens is to twist it (i.e. rotate it with my fingers) towards the muzzle or stock. Doing so allows the safety to slide between 'safe' and 'fire' again, but with no resistance so tilting the firearm to the left or right allows the safety to slide between 'fire' and 'safe' respectivly. I was wondering if anyone has experienced a similar issue before and if how it was solved.

Currently, I sprayed the trigger group down with brake cleaner thinking maybe there's some grit or dirt causing the issue but I don't think that's it. Going to try replacing the Vang Comp safety with the stock safety and see if the issue continues with it (I know I did try this already but don't recall what the out come was).

Any advice would be appreciated!

- Max

[Banshee]

Have you tried a little oil in the channel the safety is in? If it was mine i would strip the safety, spring and detent from the housing and clean it and oil and retry it.

[jakebrake]

Sounds like something didn't go in right. Not trying to be a creep. Almost like detent is missing.

[Max_D]

I did try that Banshee. It'd make the safety wrk for a bit then it'd freeze again when it decided to. But maybe I'm using the wrong oil? I normally just use Hobbs #9. What do you use?

The spring and detent are in there Jake, but I did notice when checking it again tonight that the spring's not straight. I ordered a new spring so maybe that'll fix it.

[Banshee]

I did try that Banshee. It'd make the safety wrk for a bit then it'd freeze again when it decided to. But maybe I'm using the wrong oil? I normally just use Hobbs #9. What do you use?

The spring and detent are in there Jake, but I did notice when checking it again tonight that the spring's not straight. I ordered a new spring so maybe that'll fix it.

0W5 Mobil 1

[Max_D]

Thanks Banshee! I'll give that a try next and see if it makes a difference.

[Germansheperd]

The detent in the early guns are a little different than the modern ones. Take it apart, get a new ball and a new spring then reassemble. It will function perfectly for less than $10.

[Max_D]

So this fell by the way-side, partly cause I don't shoot much in the winter and partly cause I got the package, forgot what it was for and didn't think bout the safety again til I "found" the package again.

Replaced the spring and ball detent with new parts. No dice. safety was very difficult to move from "Fire" to "Safe" then would get jammed on safe and require disassembly. Ended up cutting the top ring off the spring figuring there was too much pressure - overshot and the spring didn't quite reach the detent pin when the safety was assembled. With the help of my (much more detail oriented) mother, slowly stretched the spring through trial-and-error til there was enough pressure generated when assembled to keep the safety from moving freely (i.e. sliding from one position to another) but not so much the safety couldn't be safely and relatively easily operated.

Noticed tonight there may be a very slight burr in the channel the safety slides in. So, I guess I'm gonna order another spring and when it gets here file the burr down and see if the safety works correctly with a stock-length spring then. But the monkeyed spring will do for now