Failure to eject - can not rack

[Trader914]

I am sure this topic has been beaten to death here but I was unable to find the thread. So please bear with me.

I bought a used 870 and immediately I encountered the above problem. After shooting the ammo, I am unable to rack the gun and eject the shell on a regular basis. I would then have to rack it several times to get it loose and be able to rack/eject. I have read and seen various YouTube vids about cleaning/polishing/sandpapering/dremmeling the chamber/ejection port areas and I used emery paper and steel wool to do that. It did help a little bit at first but then went right back to the same problem after maybe 40-50 rounds. I am about to try using the emery paper again - this time, more thoroughly.

Actually, I am pretty disappointed. I expected the 870 not to give me this much problem given it's history. I just assumed it was an American classic and would work 99% of the time like all my other firearms. At this point, I am looking for any advice to help me fix this. I have not yet contacted Remington about it. Would buying a new barrel resolve this issue? Any suggestions?

[Synchronizor]

Often the ammo is a major cause of sticking shells. What exactly were you shooting when you experienced the problem?

[ponycarman]

What type of ammo were you using? Some of the cheap birdshot can give issues if the shotgun isnt well broken in.

[Trader914]

The shotgun is well broken in...I bought it used and I can tell it is kind of old.
I have used 5 or 6 different kinds of ammo....From cheapest Fiocchis to others. But...I mean - am I supposed to experience these kinds of problems with cheap ammos? Is that acceptable in the shotgun world? If that is the case;i.e., cause of the problem is the type of ammo I am shooting, then Im still disappointed with the 870. I shoot all kinds of firearms and except for the S&W M&P22 having issues with the bulk Federal Walmart ammo, none of my other firearms in all variations and calibers have ammo-specific problems as it is being suggested here. Believe me - I am really pissed off that my M&P22 won't shoot the Walmart ammo like the Ruger Mark 3 or the M&P15-22 does.

[Synchronizor]

But...I mean - am I supposed to experience these kinds of problems with cheap ammos? Is that acceptable in the shotgun world? If that is the case;i.e., cause of the problem is the type of ammo I am shooting, then Im still disappointed with the 870.

Doesn't matter how good your car is, it'll still have issues if your gas station lets water get in their tanks. Good or bad, firearms require ammo manufactured to a certain spec, and there are one or two brands of inexpensive, steel-based, bulk-pack shotshells that are just horribly made. Google "Winchester Universal" and "jam" or "FTE", and in addition to 870s, you'll find stories about Ithacas, Mossbergs, Benellis, Saigas, pumps, semi-autos, even break-actions. Ponycarman and I have both been active members on this site for a while now. We were quick to bring up ammo not because the 870 is a picky eater, but because we've seen that your exact problem can very often be traced to these bad brands. It was a logical first guess based on experience.

Rest assured that the 870 is a very good design. If it were otherwise, Remington would not be working toward their twelve-millionth 870 as we speak, and this forum would be dedicated to Winchesters or something.

Anyway, if you're experiencing this issue with several different brands of ammo, then that's probably not the cause of the problem. Factory defects or gunked up chambers are always a possibility in new guns - for any brand of firearm, but in your case I think wear or damage in or around the chamber are more likely. Before you start sanding and grinding things, I'd suggest giving everything a thorough look, maybe try cycling some empty shells to see if you can identify the exact source of the hang-up. One thing I've personally seen on heavily-used chambers is peening from repeated bolt impacts that create a pinch point for the rim of the shell.

If you can upload some pictures, we might be able to help you out, or you could take the gun in and have a gunsmith look at it in person.

[ponycarman]

Synchronizor hit the nail on the head. The 870 is an excellent design. Tough, rugged, reliable, and simple. No firearm manufacturer is without issues. I have a buddy that just had to return a brand new sig rifle because it would fail to go into battery with even good ammo. It happens.

The cheap Winchester ammo was the first thing that jumped into my head haha. I've seen it lock up multiple shotguns. Even my double barrel didn't like them and had a harder time extracting the shells. After changing to the cheap federal shells all problems have disappeared. Ever now and then I have one to stick a little but thats the nature of the cheap shells.

Definitely not an ammo issue if is with multiple types of ammo.

[Trader914]

I am going to re-polish the chamber (better, this time) and give it a one more go at it. That seems to be the go-to remedy.
I will also make a detailed note of which ammos are giving me this problem and see if there is a pattern.
Which ammos would you recommend that I try that you KNOW for certain will work well with the 870?

[Synchronizor]

Which ammos would you recommend that I try that you KNOW for certain will work well with the 870?

Remington's Premier target loads are the smoothest shells I've ever been able to find. Genuine brass base (most modern shells use steel), smooth polyethylene hull, and excellent crimps on every round. These things cycle like butter even after being fired. If you can get these to hang up, it's definitely an issue with the gun. Higher-end Winchester shells also have a good reputation for quality. Remington shotshells at any price point have always treated me well, as have Estate buckshot loads. If you want cheap stuff for practice, the bulk pack Federal target loads have been pretty reliable for me, and in my area at least, they're as cheap or cheaper than the garbage Winchester Universals.

Really though, like we've said, an 870 in proper operating shape should eat anything even halfway-decent. The Winchester Universal Wal-Mart shells are just a bad product that should be avoided.

[ponycarman]

Stay away from the bulk Winchester shells. The bulk federal has been dine for me as well. I haven't had any issues with any high brass stuff yet. Federal, Winchester, or Remington.

[Trader914]

Today, I went shooting with a friend who has a Mossberg 590. We shot the same cheap Fiocchi shells and his Mossberg fed, shot and ejected 100% while my 870 got stuck while racking 70%+ of the time. It is definitely my gun. Now, just have to figure out what to do.