Hello,
I’m working on a 20 gauge Remington 870. The shell latch isn’t opening when the action is pumped. My nephew asked me to take a look at it, and I suspect it may have been taken apart incorrectly.
Is there a trick to depressing both shell latches when reinstalling the pump/action bars? I have fairly large hands, so I can only manage one finger at a time and it’s a tight fit.
Rem 870 help
Re: Rem 870 help
I've had this issue before and the only thing I could come up with was to wiggle the action bars in so one holds the shell latch while you finger press the other side. I can't recall which side was the key to masking this work, left or right. But eventually you'll get it.
Imperious Moderatus
Retired USN; NRA Life ;
Pain heals, chicks dig scars.....glory -- lasts forever!
Retired USN; NRA Life ;
Pain heals, chicks dig scars.....glory -- lasts forever!
Re: Rem 870 help
When the action bar assembly, bolt & slide are removed from the receiver, the tips of both shell latches will protrude inward. The shell latches are basically leaf springs of sorts, so the tips will flex inward, and you can push on the front tips to move them outward, and then let go and they will spring back inward.
When removing or installing the action bars with bolt & slide, hold the gun horizontal so gravity keeps the bolt & slide on top of the action bars in their cuts.
1. Bring the action bar assembly onto the receiver so the magazine tube goes through the action bar tube. Stop just short of installing the back ends of the action bars into the receiver.
2. Put the slide into the recessed cuts on top of the action bars so the top of the slide sits level with the top of the action bars (hence the relief cuts), and now put the bolt onto the slide.
3. Keep the action bars pinched together so the slide & bolt don't slip out of the action bar cuts, gently bring the action bars with bolt & slide into the receiver (it should go in about 1") action bar track with very light pressure. The light pressure rearward should only be enough to get the action bars into the track, and not so hard that you jamb the action bars so they get stuck behind the tips of the shell latches as this would be a mistake and jamb things up.
4. Now press the front tip of the right shell latch towards the right side of the inside of the receiver, which should allow you to gently move the action bar assembly about 1/8" rearward. (If you push rearward too hard, you will jamb the action bars behind the tips of the shell latches and they won't move out of the way to allow the action bars to clear).
5. Now press the left shell latch towards the left inside the receiver wall, and gently push the action bars to the rear, and the entire action bar assembly with bolt & slide should go back into the receiver about 1.5", and stop.
6. Now push up on the action lock lever on the front left side bottom of the trigger housing, and the action should be able to be fully cycled rearward.
7. Now to reinstall the barrel, put the action bar assembly about 1/2 way forward, as this will allow the barrel to properly align to get the barrel into the receiver, and barrel lug properly aligned with the magazine tube.
CY6
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
WeaponsArmorer
SLR15 Rifles
Defensive Edge Training
(763) 712-0123
When removing or installing the action bars with bolt & slide, hold the gun horizontal so gravity keeps the bolt & slide on top of the action bars in their cuts.
1. Bring the action bar assembly onto the receiver so the magazine tube goes through the action bar tube. Stop just short of installing the back ends of the action bars into the receiver.
2. Put the slide into the recessed cuts on top of the action bars so the top of the slide sits level with the top of the action bars (hence the relief cuts), and now put the bolt onto the slide.
3. Keep the action bars pinched together so the slide & bolt don't slip out of the action bar cuts, gently bring the action bars with bolt & slide into the receiver (it should go in about 1") action bar track with very light pressure. The light pressure rearward should only be enough to get the action bars into the track, and not so hard that you jamb the action bars so they get stuck behind the tips of the shell latches as this would be a mistake and jamb things up.
4. Now press the front tip of the right shell latch towards the right side of the inside of the receiver, which should allow you to gently move the action bar assembly about 1/8" rearward. (If you push rearward too hard, you will jamb the action bars behind the tips of the shell latches and they won't move out of the way to allow the action bars to clear).
5. Now press the left shell latch towards the left inside the receiver wall, and gently push the action bars to the rear, and the entire action bar assembly with bolt & slide should go back into the receiver about 1.5", and stop.
6. Now push up on the action lock lever on the front left side bottom of the trigger housing, and the action should be able to be fully cycled rearward.
7. Now to reinstall the barrel, put the action bar assembly about 1/2 way forward, as this will allow the barrel to properly align to get the barrel into the receiver, and barrel lug properly aligned with the magazine tube.
CY6
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
WeaponsArmorer
SLR15 Rifles
Defensive Edge Training
(763) 712-0123