Trigger housing pins very tight

[EdC]

The trigger housing pins on my black Marine Magnum XCS are super tight. Everything I've read says that once they are pushed or tapped beyond the detent springs, they should push right out.

Mine do not, and have to be driven out all the way out with a punch. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the trigger group itself because the pins go right through the trigger group when it's out of the gun just fine. Also, I tried putting the pins back through the receiver with the trigger group removed, and they will not push through. I didn't try to hammer them in with the trigger group taken out for fear of damaging the receiver-just tried it enough to confirm that the receiver holes seem to be on the small side.

I'm installing a Mesa sidesaddle, and noticed that the front Chicago screw assembly fits nicely through the front hole, but the rear one is just as tight as the stock pin. (The battery's dead in my calipers, or I'd measure the diameters, just out of curiosity).

My question is this: Is anyone aware of Remington deliberately making some guns with slightly smaller holes in the receiver for the trigger group pins? Is my shotgun "normal" or is worth sending it back to Remington?

Thanks

[Synchronizor]

If it was just your front pin, I'd say look at your shell latches. But if both pins are overly tight in the receiver, maybe it's your finish. Based on what I've heard (no guarantee it's completely accurate), the TriNyte finish is a titanium nitride plating on top of a nickel plating. Perhaps two layers of plating in the holes and two layers on the pins (or maybe just one, if your pins are normal Marine Magnum parts) is causing enough of a dimensional change to cause your issues. I doubt Remington went to the trouble of machining special XCS receivers with oversized pin holes, or special undersized XCS trigger plate pins to compensate for the plating.

When you get a new battery for your calipers, post some measurements, and I'l see how the holes and pins from my Express compare.

[EdC]

Your hypothesis makes sense. I'll post some measurements.

Thanks

[EdC]

Finally took some measurements (inches). I used a Frankford Arsenal digital caliper-the 4th decimal place is a "5" or nothing on this tool. Took each measurement several times.

Rear trigger pin receiver hole: .249 to .2485, depending.

Rear pin diameter on original Remington pin: .249

Rear pin diameter for Mesa tactical side saddle mount pin: .249

Front pin diameter on original Remington pin: .186

Front pin diameter on Mesa tactical side saddle mount Chicago screw: .185
The Mesa part fit through the front hole in the receiver with ease, didn't even have to use a tool to push it through.
The front pin hold was too small for my calipers to take an accurate measurement (at lease I couldn't)

The more times I tapped a pin through the holes, the easier it seemed to get.

I tried giving Remington a call, but couldn't get through.

It's not a problem so much as a curiosity.

[Synchronizor]

Nominally, the front and rear trigger plate pins should be 3/16" (.1875) and 1/4" (.25) in diameter, respectively. That's what mine are, and yours are essentially the same. The pin holes in my Express-finished receiver are a couple thousandths over, but your pin holes (the rear one, at least) seem to be undersized. I'm still going with my theory that the double plating on your XCS is the reason for this. I know nickel plating by itself is enough to cause interference issues on some firearms.

You could open up and refinish your pin holes if you really wanted to, but it doesn't sound like it's getting in your way that much, especially if you're installing a sidesaddle. Just make sure you have everything lined up, then carefully tap the fasteners through with a non-marring object like a plastic screwdriver handle.