Breaking in a new 870

[tom]

Are there some best practices for breaking in a new 870 and taking it towards that "glass like smooth action" I keep hearing people mention?

What I've read from number of places is that one should NOT try to polish/lap/sandpaper it liberally, but instead shoot the living daylights out of it and it will gradually become smoother. This will eventually happen with my new gun as well, but perhaps there's some steps I can take to help it get there?

[Synchronizor]

Pull the gun apart and give it a good cleaning to remove any old oil from the factory, and any dust or debris it may have collected between the factory and you. Put a drop of oil on the hammer pin, and where the sear engages the hammer (don't use much, excess oil will just gum up with powder residue). Wrap some steel wool around a cleaning brush, and use it in a drill to polish the chamber. If your gun is threaded for chokes, remove the tube and make sure the threads are lubricated.

Other than that, just take it out and shoot it. As you're breaking it in, put a drop of oil on the action bars every couple dozen rounds or so. It's best to let the gun wear in naturally, because this will let the moving parts break in and fit themselves to each other. If you just take sandpaper to everything, you won't have the same fit. There's a reason old, well-used 870s feel so nice, and you can't really replicate that artificially.

[filthy phil]

I didnt do a thing to mine.
First time out i Tried cheap walmart lowbrass birdshot, federal 2 3/4 00 buck and win military spec (what they call it not me) brown box 00.
This all fed perfect.
Sorry for big pic

[Synchronizor]

...and win military spec (what they call it not me) brown box 00.

It actually is military buckshot.

Of course, "mil-spec" here, as it often does, simply means cheap and basic. It's really the exact same load as their Super-X buckshot, just in a different color hull. It's not bad ammo, but the higher-end commercial stuff patterns better (in my gun, at least).

[filthy phil]

...and win military spec (what they call it not me) brown box 00.

It actually is military buckshot.
Of course, "mil-spec" here, as it often does, simply means cheap and basic. It's really the exact same load as their Super-X buckshot, j

Good to hear sir.
Its easy to get my small ammo fix $5/5 rds

[mercman]

Just shoot it like you stole it. It's a ruggedly designed shotgun, not a high tech race car.