870 ejector spring

[abunaitoo]

Anyone know of somekind of modification that can be done to the 870 ejector spring????
These things seen to always go bad, and are a pain to replace.
Not much room to work in, but might a fitted screw and nut work????

[Virginian]

I have never had one fail in over 30 years and six guns, but I have replaced a few. Most converting the gun from 2-3/4" to 3" capability. Replacing the rivets is the conventional and expensive way, but you can avoid that.
One, you can carefully pry the spring off the rivet. Carefully squeeze down the tip of the rivet and put the new spring on the old rivet, and re-rivet it. You will need to back up the rivet. I like a clean smooth piece of steel with a brown bag over it so you don't screw up the bluing.
Two, you can grind down the rivet so it is flush with the spring. Then drill and tap it for a flat head SMALL machine screw. Don't forget the Loctite. One of my "conversions" is still going strong after over 25 years.

[Synchronizor]

One, you can carefully pry the spring off the rivet. Carefully squeeze don the tip of the rivet and put the new spring on the old rivet, and re-rivet it. You will need to back up the rivet. I like a clean smooth piece of steel with a brown bag over it so you don't screw up the bluing.
Two, you can grind down the rivet so it is flush with the spring. Then drill and tap it for a flat head SMALL machine screw. Don't forget the Loctite. One of my "conversions" is still going strong after over 25 years.

I would be very interested in details on both of these methods. I spend a lot of time helping people out and answering questions about the 870, and home fixes are great things to know. The gun's riveted ejection parts really aren't the detriment people make them out to be, but I would love to be able to pass on ideas like these if only to allay concerns.

[Virginian]

IMO, there is nothing wrong with a Wingmaster. Like I said, i have had 5 Wingmasters and one Express, and I have a 28 gauge 1100 with the same set up, and that sucker takes a hit because a 28 gauge 1100 really chucks the empties.

[Synchronizor]

IMO, there is nothing wrong with a Wingmaster.

No argument here. Ejector parts on the 870 tend to last the life of the gun, especially the way most folks use their guns. Even if the spring does happen to break, replacing it is usually a simple matter for a skilled individual with the right tools.

However, haters have jumped on the riveted installation and successfully established the popular misconception that the 870's ejector spring is breakage-prone, and that the gun can only be fixed at the factory (and due to terminology mix-ups, a similar perceived problem has spread concerning the 870's extractor). As evidenced by this thread, the claim has been repeated enough that people have become concerned, and are even avoiding the 870 due to the "weakness".

As I said, I do a lot of work on online forums and how-to videos, helping people out with their 870s. I'm always on the lookout for new information and methods that I can pass on to people with questions, problems, or concerns. This is the first I've heard of any method for replacing the extractor spring without specialized tools, so I'd love to hear details on what you've come up with when working on your guns.