Good friend gave me an 870 to look at for him. Will only operate as a single shot. Will not feed next shell from the tube magazine. Receiver is a super magnum 3-1/2" 12 gauge. Barrel is marked 2-3/4" or 3". Bolt locks up tight in battery fires and ejects. The action bar on the magazine shell release side of the receiver stops just short of depressing the shell keeper not allowing the next shell to feed. Obviously it is a parts gun but I am not sure how much of it is Super Mag 870, Magnum 870, or 870. Anyone know where to find dimensions to identify which parts are what? The action bar is spring steel so lots of preheat TIG weld then quench and spring temper action bar, adding enough to depress the shell stop. Anyone have any suggestions. Ima tell him to take it back where he got it and get his money back if possible.

Sounds like the gun may have the wrong forend tube assembly. The cuts in the action bar on a 3 1/2” forend tube are different than those for a standard frame. Also are a little longer for the 3 1/2” receiver. They activate the shell latch. Sounds like the gun may have been put together from a stripper receiver.

I had The opposite happen to me on a gun I was setting up. Had a 3 1/2” forend assembly tube on a 3” receiver. Would pump hard at the last 1” or so of the cycle and not release a shell. The ends on the action bar was binding since it was too long and the cuts were wrong to release a shell.

One was to test it would be to take the forend assembly from a working 3 1/2” gun and try it on that receiver. The barrel shouldn’t make a difference being only 3”. I have A few 870’s that have a 3 1/2” barrel on a 3” frame. Works fine. Just limited to 3” shells. By the way who wants to shoot 3 1/2” shells? Lol. Been there done that!!!! No more for me.

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I have a bunch of 870’s. A variety of variations. Turkey guns, slug guns, waterfowl, defensive etc. As far as I’m concerned it’s the best pump shotgun made. I have many pump shotguns. Model 12’s, Remington 31’s, Ithaca 37’s , Browning BPS. While they are all great shotguns the 870 is the most dependable, simple pump shotgun. Easy to take down for cleaning with no tools needed. You may notice I left Mossberg off the list!!!! As far as autos the Benelli is king. Just as simple as an 870!!!!

Woody, ordered a super mag forend tube assembly from Rem. No change, still does not release shell from magazine tube. All parts appear to be super mag except barrel. what is supposed to depress magazine shell stop?