Pump shotgun durability

[Chuck Whitlock]

I have found that most of the "true" police/military shotguns (heavier duty steel parts) tend to run ......and at some point they will "break". Usually a shell latch, extractor, broken external spring, broken rails where they attach to the forend, etc. Once this happens, it need to go to someone who really knows what they are doing (armorer or gunsmith with appropriate tools). The good thing is that this usually takes quite awhile, and the reality is most people and police departments don't shoot very much. Some people and groups shoot high round counts and a healthy diet of slugs, and they will see more issues.

The biggest issue is often lack of maintenance or pure abuse...which is inexcusable in my mind, but happens a lot.

Greg "Sully" Sullivan described a pump shotgun as a series of switches and levers.
The good ones tend to run for a while, but when the relationship of the parts gets out of whack, or one of the above things breaks hard, then it is broke.

[shooter220]

I don't have a ton of experience with pumps, but I have a decent amount.

I have never seen problems with the 870Ps except for things like old ammo coming apart in the tube (which is a nasty mess). But, that is also a sign that folks weren't doing much in the way of training or maintenance. What I HAVE seen problems with is folks with 870 Express-types. But, virtually all of those problems were people trying to do piecemeal upgrades like, "I bought a better bolt" but not knowing enough about the action to make sure it was fitted properly.

Because of experiences with a Remington 572, one area in the trigger group that I have always been wary of is the "action bar lock" - I broke a couple in my .22 as a kid, but have never seen signs of the same part failing in the infinitely more robust trigger group of the 870.

In terms of the other brands - the 870's of the early 90s seemed far more reliable to me than the WInchester 1200s of the same era, but that is based on pretty anecdotal information at best. I don't have anything I would consider real data. In the modern era, I think an 870P or a Benelli SuperNova Tactical would be the choice to make for a pump - but the Mossberg 590 is no slouch either.

-shooter

[Tamara]

What I HAVE seen problems with is folks with 870 Express-types. But, virtually all of those problems were people trying to do piecemeal upgrades like, "I bought a better bolt" but not knowing enough about the action to make sure it was fitted properly.

What kind of unlettered rube would do a thing like that?

[shooter220]

What kind of unlettered rube would do a thing like that?

In a recent case a shooting buddy of mine who I was shooting wobble trap with. His 870 hung up after he talked me into giving it a try - causing me to miss a bird, and THEN he says, "it must be the new bolt not cycling". I replied, "what was wrong with the old one?"

I have this crazy belief about solving actual problems...

-shooter

[Tamara]

In a recent case a shooting buddy of mine who I was shooting wobble trap with. His 870 hung up after he talked me into giving it a try - causing me to miss a bird, and THEN he says, "it must be the new bolt not cycling". I replied, "what was wrong with the old one?"

I have this crazy belief about solving actual problems...

-shooter

I was making a joke at my own expense. Having bought an NOS 870 Express with the MIM extractor, I had it replaced with a current-production non-MIM unit... and then flew all the way across country to a big ol' 3 gun match without, you know, function checking the extractor to see if it needed any burrs dressed off.

[167]

I have seen several fairly pricey "custom" 870's all suffer the same type of failure, broken ejectors like this one.



This caused a problem with extracting spent shells from the chamber. The edge of the brass rim would catch on the broken part. I haven't held the same opinion of the 870 since.

[Alaskapopo]

From another thread:


If you have time, I'd like to hear more about the mechanical failures you've seen in pump shotguns. The family inventory includes 500s and 870s.

Surprisingly 870 have been giving more and more trouble lately. At a 3 gun I hosted last September a new shooter with a new 870 had his extractor fly off the gun on the 2 round fired. A few years back I saw several 870's go down at a match I hosted that had over 40 required slug shots. (I will never do that again in a match people hated me for it)

Here is an 870 I had rebuilt (was a old gun I got for $100 bucks) giving me troubles. Something got caught under the shell release arms that hold rounds in the magazine tube. I had to finish the stage single shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e9_Eg0pigo

[BWT]

This, IMHO, is why I'm really not able to recommend 870's.

That and if you're a lefty, you're SOL for the safety.

Oh and don't snag your hand in the feeding gate.

Oh and you'll have to take your hand off the grip to cycle a round in the chamber.

I know I've heard good things but, I'd take a Mossberg 500 or 590 (if you really want a metal trigger guard and bayonet lug) over a Remington 870.

Just my $.02.

[TR675]

I know I've heard good things but, I'd take a Mossberg 500 or 590 (if you really want a metal trigger guard and bayonet lug) over a Remington 870.

After playing around with both, I much prefer Mossberg's control layout.

[TheTrevor]

After playing around with both, I much prefer Mossberg's control layout.

Ditto, even though the safety doesn't work so well with a pistol-grip stock. I'll take it over a cross-block button safety any day.

Oh and don't snag your hand in the feeding gate.

That's true of most every off the shelf shotgun not built for competition. My Weatherby tried to bite off a fingernail earlier thus week, really need to get that welded up.