870 pump question.....

Postby **judge jb** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 11:22 am

i got my hands on a like-new 870... i know the gun is several years old. 12 GA, 28 in barrel with screw in choke tubes..vent barrel, the wood looks like something off a higher grade gun. walnut and looks beautiful...

Question is on the reciever it is stamped 870 EXPRESS... on the barrel it says 2 3/4 or three in. shells if a magnum reciever, 2 3/4 on others only.... this gun will load and shuck 3 inchers but i don't dare fire until you say it is safe... why would they handle a 3 in. if it weren't safe..? you can tell i am a NEW remington man.

judge jb

MSDuckmen · Postby **MSDuckmen** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 1:02 pm

Judge
Email me the Ser# and I will tell you if it is a Mag.

Not all guns will say Magnum. I can let you know tonight when I get home, that is where my charts are located.
I can also give you the year of manufacturing if you would like.

Dan

Wildfowler · Postby **Wildfowler** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 1:38 pm

I know this is hardly a scientific reply or anything, but I was looking through some old steel shot reload recipes that I have. I noticed that the recipes for both 2&3/4 and the 3" reloads both generate approx the same amount of pressure. I don't' know much about ballistics or reloading steel shot but the recipes called for the same powder. In fact, one of the recipes for the 2&3/4 rounds actually produced more pressure. I would like to think that these same consistencies hold true for factory loads. Does anyone know if I am way off base here?

I think I have the exact same gun you are referring, which is not labled as a magnum. I have probably shot 2 or 3 cases of 3 inch steel through this gun with no ill effects.

landscaper · Postby **landscaper** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 5:40 pm

If it will easily accept the 3" shells then it is chambered for them. A 3" won't even fit throught the opening if the gun is chambered for 2 3/4" only.

Fire away!

Doc & Nash · Postby **Doc & Nash** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 6:28 pm

Hey Judge,

Glad you got a "real" gun, I have up until the last weekend of this past season used 870's and have never been dissapointed, and I am sure you will not either. As far as the 3" I would wait on Duckmen with the check on the serial number and if for some reason there is any questions, I would call Remington. It is not any fun to have one blow up in your face, Best case you get powder burns worst case, well you klnow the rest.

If you do not for some mysterious reason like it, let me know, My father has decided after a recent purchase of mine that he now needs another 870, go figure, I think we have about 5 between us and that is not counting the Rem. auto loaders.

booger · Postby **booger** » Thu Feb 21, 2002 10:10 pm

If the serial number ends in a "M" it is a magnum receiver. I have yet to see or hear of any variation, but.........

Chuckle · Postby **Chuckle** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 12:07 am

On all of the 870's that I have seen,including the one I had, if the gun has a magnum reciever, it will have 870 EXPRESS MAGNUM stamped on the reciever of the gun.
Most gun barrels will hold 3" shells, but the reciever is not built for over 2 3/4" shells. The gun will fire the a 3" round and most of the time will shuck the shell, but in some cases it may damage the reciever.

Duck Nawteek · Postby **Duck Nawteek** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 12:43 am

Hey judge I got a 870 express just like the one you got. If it says 2 3/4 or 3 inch shells on the barrel, it will shoot those shells. If you get a magnum look on the barrel and see what shell it recommends, usually the magnums will shoot up to 3 1/2 inch shells. [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

HARLEY · Postby **HARLEY** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 12:57 am

I believe the only difference in a magnum and non-magnum receiver is the length of the ejection port. Both lengths of shells will chamber fine, the problem comes after the shell has been fired. Reason is, a 2 3/4" shell is right at 3" long after it has been fired (hence the loading of a unfired 3" not creating a problem), but the 3" becomes about 3 1/4" long after firing not allowing the extractor to kick it out of the port without hanging. Same basic theory for the barrels only withuot all the ejection process. Shot charge starts out a little further down the barrel in a 3" and therefore requires more room inside to open up and release the shot load. Good advice to let Duckmen research and find out exactly what you got. However, you stated that the barrel was made for 3" so you are not in any danger if the receiver was not, as all of the combustion from the round occurs in the barrel. It just wont eject them properly. Hope this helps cause I've almost confused myself! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

booger · Postby **booger** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 10:02 am

Harley, you got the right idea but it's the ejection spring that's 1/4 inch longer in the magnum, not the ejection port. The shorter 2 3/4 spring ejects a 3" shell too early causing the hang up.

(It would be too expensive for Remington to make different size receivers, so they just make different size springs)

Wildfowler · Postby **Wildfowler** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:02 pm

Say Harley, you need to go back and double check your ruler. A 3" shot shell expands to three inches long only after it's been fired. Unfired, a 3" shell actually measures 2&1/2 inches long. At least the 3" Kent and Estate shells are that size. I think a 3" Winchester might measures closer to 2&3/4 inches unfired. The same consistencies holds true for the shorter shells.

I'm not trying to cause any trouble and I agree with ya. The problem with the Rem 870 could potentially occur after the shell has been fired. It may or may not eject properly.

JPII · Postby **JPII** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 8:14 am

Judge..place a fired 3" hull into battery and cycle (shuck) the action..if it's a 3" configuration (ejector spring location) the fired (3.25") hull will fly cleanly out of the ejection port.

Next, I'd check the forcing cones for roughness..would appear as coarse circular grooves or ridges in the "dark" area just forward of the chamber..most gunsmiths charge ~$25 to polish (not ream) the chamber..you will notice a marked increase in pattern quality thereafter..good luck.

HARLEY · Postby **HARLEY** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 1:12 pm

Good information Duckmen, I'm going to print that to have for future referance. Wildfowler, just as you said I'm not trying to get anything started but YOU ARE WRONG! The only name brand shells I have found to be shorter than advertised are the Estate brand. Kent, Winchester, Federal, etc. are all real close to the size advertized. I guarantee you that if you get one of these brands and measure them UNFIRED you will see that they are 3"long. I think that there may have even been a thread on here a while back where someone else noticed that the Estates were shorter than advertised. [img]images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]

mississippi_duc_htr · Postby **mississippi_duc_htr** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 1:49 pm

Of course you know judge you could have avoided all this and gotten you a WINCHESTER..................... [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] .................... [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Postby **judge jb** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 6:47 pm

ALMOST FORGOT WHAT A SUFFIX AND PREFIX WAS....haha..... looks as tho i have an 870 that will handle 3 inchers and made in 1973... that is older than some on this board.....
this is one more good shootin gun... been doing a few skeet the past couple of days, and after being use to 24 in. barrels, the long 28 in. sure swings smooth. at my age i need every advantage i can get....haha...

THANKS DUCKMEN FOR THE INFO....

judge jb

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