Remington 870 repair question

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Staff member
I have an 870 Express that I bought in 1987 which was the first year they came out (I think). The left and right shell latches (parts 33 & 34 in the exploded view), that run on both sides of the reciever won't stay in. They are supposed to slide and lock into a slot milled in the reciever. Mine slide into place but pop out under their own tension. I have to put the trigger assembly in to hold them in place and that is a three handed job and I only have two hands. Is there a fix for this? Should I order a replacement pair or is my problem one of wear in the reciever. Seems to me I remember someone mentioning that you have to use a peen and roll over a little bit of the reciver metal to lock the latches in place. I figure with the popularity of the gun someone has had this problem before and there is a fix.

Remington_870_pbd.jpg

 
Eric,
they are staked in, which means a dimple of metal is pushed over the edge of the slot with a pointed punch and a hammer blow.
Brownells sells a tool for it but I think it is expensive for what it does.
You can do it with a bit of creativity and a couple of tools from your kit.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=9495/Product/REMINGTON_870_1100_SHELL_LATCH_STAKING_TOOL

My express did the same thing and I fixed it over 5 years ago without problems since.
 
Eric, I own several 870's and I have an older Wingmaster that has that problem on one side. On that gun you can see where the reciever side of the "joint" was peened or punched in two spots to hold them in place. Since only one side is the problem I have never tried to fix it. The main problem I have is that the shell latch as you call it will slide forward or to the rear and out of alignment with the hole for the pin that runs through the reciever from side to side. There should be evidence of where the shell latch was peened at the factory to hold these parts in position. If your gun doesn't show these possible I can take a picture of the inside of the receiver area on mine to show you?
 
Eric,

The Midway instructions are very accurate. I too would suggest the use of a proper tool rather than a hammer and punch. The tool will allow you better quality control in creating the proper dimple to hold the shell latch.
 
Great info and especially the link with pictures of the process. Thanks for the help. I may buy the specialty tool after I check on what a local gunsmith charges to reset the latches. I bet the cost of the tool with shipping runs about the same as a gunsmith.

Eric
 
I have a 1982 Rem. 1100 with the same type of part. After a couple of years putting up with it I finally fixed it by using a small metal punch and hammer as you were thinking. That was about 10 years ago and it has not fell out since. Hope this helps.
 
Eric,

I had the same problem as Wayne on my 1100. Being a backyard machinist, I just 'beat the hell' out of it ( I think with a hammer and screwdriver ) and it's worked fine since.
 
Everyone is spot on with the staking being the issue. I'm a huge Remington fan, and have several 870's, 1100's, and 11-87's around. I staked my shell latches in a couple guns with a Stanley nail set and a hammer. I screwed a piece of 2x4 to my bench for the receiver to rest against during the procedure. The tool looks very slick; I may go ahead and add that to the Remington tool arsenal I'm accumulating.
 
"Being a backyard machinist, I just 'beat the hell' out of it ( I think with a hammer and screwdriver ) and it's worked fine since".
Click to expand...


Is that why you machinists are so expensive to hire? You have a special technique I see of "beat the hell out of it with a hammer and screwdriver". I know that technique from working on older sportscars. Maybe I can learn this technique to fix any upcoming gun problems as well. Glad to see some things in life are universal.

Too funny.

Mark W
 
Eric, I also am a huge 870 fan and the tool refered to is slick. Everyone at the gun club knows I have one and every so often I get a call. Ussually good for a box of shells and I will always be able to fix my own. Just be carefiull not to chip out metal from the reciever, makes them real hard to stake when there is nothing to "beat the hell out of" ;-)
 
The restaking tool is easy to use. Done 40-50 jobs. Read the instructions or you'll damage the side rails. Then you'll need a good gunsmith. I've marked my tools for depth.
 
I have that problem with one of mine as well. I just hold em' place and get it back together and it works fine. Once the trigger assembly is in they stay in place.

Never really thought about fixing it.
 
Eric, I also am a huge 870 fan and the tool refered to is slick. Everyone at the gun club knows I have one and every so often I get a call. Ussually good for a box of shells and I will always be able to fix my own. Just be carefiull not to chip out metal from the reciever, makes them real hard to stake when there is nothing to "beat the hell out of" ;-)
Click to expand...

Hey, now I know a guy close buy who has the tool and it will only cost me a bvox of shells to borrow - cool.

Mark W
 
Let me know when you get back Tom and we'll get together to do the decoy swap. Please don't shoot too many birds over the guy, he needs to have some mojo left in him.

Mark W

Good huntin Tom -
 
Will do,no worries about me overshooting his mojo but I would worry about that Suzie. They have already been making eyes and you know those mallards. I may have to seperate them.
 
I went to the Remington Armorers School several years ago and remember that the shell keepers fit into a slot inside of the reciever and are staked into place. When I say staked, I mean that there is a simple tool that fits inside of the reciever and allows the armorer to strike the tool with a small hammer. The tool has a hardened point and causes a small dimple between the reciever and the shell keeper. This dimple, stakes the sheel keeper to the reciever and holds it into place. This is a very simple procedure for someone with the armorer's kit or knowledge of the process. I beleive a carpenter's nail set might even create the same effect. With the gun disassembled, a gunsmith should be able to fix this problem within two minutes. The stake mark should be made somewhere towards the end of both shell keepers. Staggering marks on the top and bottom if the shell keeper inside of the reciever slot should hold them in place. Hope this helps.
 
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