Author Topic: Easiest shotgun to completely strip down to clean? (Read 7959 times)

Terry1 · « **on:** November 30, 2002, 04:08:16 PM »

I am looking for a shotgun that is really easy to take apart. By that i mean taking out the trigger assembly and the rest of the internals including the firing pin. Right now the Benelli's seem to be the best for this. You can take them completely apart to clean. You cant do this with lower end guns like Remington and winchester for example.Any opinions? Thanks.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2002, 05:39:59 PM »

I can't imagine any gun being easier or quicker to field strip than the Remington 870 and 1100s. I can totally strip to clean in under 60 seconds with my eyes closed. What more can you ask for?

GB

mike8946 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2002, 02:23:57 AM »

I would have to agree with GB. I've owned a couple of 870's and I can't imagine it being much easier to strip down any shotgun. Everything but the trigger floor plate comes out without tools, and a small pin punch is all that is needed for that. I've even used a ball point pen in a crunch. Plus spare and custom parts for the 870 are plentiful and it has stood the test of time as a quality shotgun.

savageT · « **Reply #3 on:** December 01, 2002, 05:07:46 AM »

For field stripping, It's pretty hard to beat the double and single break- action for simplicity and dependability. Never found the need to take apart the trigger mechanisms. Cleaning is about running a brush and a few patches through the barrels from the breach end and you're done.
savageT

encore31 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2005, 03:50:52 PM »

i totaly disagree with graybeard i have taken appart 870, 1100,browning fusion and benellis and as much as i dont like benellis i will bet anyone out there that if i had a benelli i can break that gun down dissasemble the bolt completly take the trigger assembly out and have it put back together far faster then the very best person with any remington 870 1100 1187 as long as its a pump or an auto loader. and in regaurds to the 870 the time it takes you to slide the rail out of the reciever to get to the bolt i would allready have the benelli taken appart not tryin to insult anyones inteligence with all due respect i am simply stating the facts. so in part benelli wins the gold for the easiest shotgun for complete breakdown for cleaning just take one appart sometime and you will know what i am talking about but i still wouldnt own another benelli i to am a big remington enthusiast as well as browning (AMERICAN MADE!!!!)... :grin:

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2005, 05:20:10 PM »

Quote

as well as browning (AMERICAN MADE!!!!)...

Seriously WRONG! Brownings are not haven't ever been made in the US since since the Browning Bros. died or before even. They have always been made in either Belgium or Japan and are owned by the French.

Makes me wonder about your first claim too. :eek:

Bullseye · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2005, 04:46:39 AM »

I have stripped Benellis, Remingtons, Browning and Winchesters. I cannot see enough difference to matter. They need the barrel pulled, bolt pulled and two pins drop the trigger on them all.

Critter · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2005, 10:59:22 AM »

I have worked on and off in various gunshops since I was 17. I have taken apart and cleaned/repaired hundreds ,if not more,shotguns. I would have to say that any of them is a draw. Takedown is basically the same on all of them. I can take an 870 apart in my sleep in less time than most people can take a barrel off anything. Benelli's are nice but I would hardly call the Remington guns "lower end". Remington has produced 6 million 870's and I'll bet most of them are still out there going strong. They have to be doing something right. But, to each thier own.

Dali Llama · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2005, 07:50:10 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard

I can't imagine any gun being easier or quicker to field strip than the Remington 870. I can totally strip to clean in under 60 seconds with my eyes closed.

Yeah, but can Graybeard REASSEMBLE bolt and slide rails into receiver so quickly, ask Dali Llama?

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2005, 06:34:58 PM »

Usta cud afore I got old and senile. Back when I shot Rem. 870s and 1100s all the time I could put one together as fast as I took it apart. Sure didn't on my last experience. :oops:

TennSquire · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2005, 08:50:47 AM »

Been shooting the same 870 for over 44 years. My dad bought the 870AP in mid-1950, hunted with it for 9 years, then gave it to me in 1959 on my 10th birthday. In spite of getting old and senile, I can take my gun apart, or put it back to gether in 60 seconds, regardless of the conditions, or situation. While serving in Viet Nam 2 years as a combat photographer, I think I stripped, cleaned, and reassembled my issue 870 even faster. Of course that was over 37 years ago and I was a lot younger!

I can't imagine a shotgun that would be easier to take apart than a Remington 870. If there was one, I'd be afraid it would fall apart by itself when I shot it! But my question is: What's the hurry? I take my 870 apart once at the end of the season to clean the moving parts, receiver, and trigger assembly. I do clean the barrel and bolt face after a day in the field, and put a drop or two of oil on the rails. But when I'm cleaning the gun at the end of the season I want it clean and preserved. I'm not in a race to see if I can do it in a New-York-Minute.

I'm sure anyone, after shooting the same gun for as long as I have, whatever brand or model, would be famaliar enough with it to take it apart and put it back together without having to ponder each step. It's all just a matter of personal perrogative in what we shoot and field strip.

TennSquire

Dali Llama · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2005, 06:36:27 AM »

Quote from: TennSquire

I can take my gun apart, or put it back to gether in 60 seconds, regardless of the conditions, or situation.

Please share secret of relatively rapid REASSEMBLY of Model 870 bolt and slide rais into receiver, request Dali Llama.

encore31 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2005, 10:29:40 AM »

my apologize on were brownings were made mr.greybeard.but don't insult my iinteligancein rregardsto brake down on guns now as i stated before i have owned browning, remingtons,and benellis now for someone that has not owned any of them i will promise you that a benelli would be far easier to figure out a benelli over a remington 870 much less a gas operated remington 1100 let me ask all of you how long does it take you to get the fire pin out of an 870 or an 1100 to clean the inside of the bolt were the fire pin is located because that after all would be a complete break down on an auto or a pump shotgun there is 1 small pin to hold in the fire pin on a benelli put your thumb over the fire pin and pull that pin in turn will release the ffiringpin not to mention the fact that there aren't two rails that the bolt has to sit on to put the bolt back in and with your finger try to push in the piece inside the rreceiverto release the rails to get it out none of this being rrelevantwith a benelli because they are made for easy break down and reassemble oh yea have you ever owned a benelli??? if so i cant understand how you could say that a remington is easier to brake down because it is just not true and for the sake of saying i am not ppartialto either gun i own a browning fusion and have owned both the benelli and the remingtons and have had the best luck with my fusion.So if your still in question on my comments i guess i can try to be more specific but i don't know how much more plainly i can put it :evil:

Dali Llama · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2005, 10:45:03 AM »

Quote from: C130E

relatively easy

Slide the forearm on, with the tip od the rails almost in the reciever

Position the side block assy and breech bolt on rear of the action bars, can't miss it, fits like a puzzle piece.

guide action bars into reciever untill stopped by RIGHT shell latch.

Push shell carrier upward and push right shell latch

slide forend rearward untill stopped by left shell latch

it is said to press the left shell latch at this time, on mine I push the action bar lock & pull the slide the rest of the way down.

I did this last night (been a while) goes in about a minute, easy :wink:

This is nice to have too, a bit more detail than needed but good.

http://refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?t=66406&page=1&pp=20

Dali Llama say he express appreciation for instructions and link provided by C130E. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Graybeard · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2005, 12:24:18 PM »

I believe most everyone here is addressing break down for normal cleaning not necessarily for replacing a firing pin. I'd reckon I've fired at least 200,000 and likely more rounds down the barrels of Remington 870s and 1100s. In that time I've needed to replace a total of ZERO firing pins or firing pin springs. For that matter I've never had to replace ANY part that required taking the trigger assembly out of receiver. Not once.

I replaced a few of the O-rings in 1100s, a action bar handle or whatever the correct name is. The piece you pull back on to open an 1100. The sucker just broke one me on a 28 ga. We had one in the club house so it was a simple fast job.

Beyond that I just honestly don't recall ever needing to replace any other parts on either gun. So why I'd care how long it takes to pull the firing pin is beyond me. But to each his own.

Quote

Oh, Please don't jack with Graybeard, I think he's a bit cranky today.

What you mean TODAY? :eek: My wife says I'm always like that.

Critter · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2005, 12:33:07 PM »

encore31,
FYI, There is also one pin holding the firing pin in on Remington shotguns. I don't have a dog in this "fight", just thought you would like to know.

encore31 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2005, 04:46:27 AM »

C130ae,
actually i thought we were comparing the easiest shotguns to clean pump or auto loader.Im not tryin to come off like a no it all in any way all im sayin is that i don't appreciate greybeard insulting my iintelligencei thought this was to be a ddiscusionforum if i am wrong on something and am ccorrectedlike brownings not bein made in the us thats fine but like i say i have had the rems.,browns,and the bene.. and all i was sayin is in comparing all of the guns the benelli is the easiest to brake down period! my oopinionstrictly! and for that matter greybeard has stated in other post that he ddoesn'town a benelli so how can he even make a valid comparison as to wich gun is easiest to breakdown of course he can break down his rems.. he has owned them for a long time so when you do something all the time you should be able to take it apart with ease but that was not the question it was he was looking for the most simple gun to break down fire pin included for ease of cleaning unlike ggreybeardi am not partial to any particular gun just saying the more parts you have to deal with on a gun the more time it takes to break it down thats just common sense. so unless you your a gunsmith or have owned the different shotguns and have actually broke all of them down i don't see were a person would have a legitimate reply as to wich shotgun is easiest to break down rather come on and own one kind of gun there whole life and say that i cant imagine any gun bein easier to break down then this one. well i got news for ya there is!

Dali Llama · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2005, 07:37:09 AM »

Quote from: encore31

i don't appreciate greybeard insulting my iintelligencei thought this was to be a ddiscusionforum

Dali Llama say get used to it, as Graybeard do that to Dali regularly. :lol: :lol: :lol:

TennSquire · « **Reply #18 on:** January 18, 2005, 04:08:40 AM »

C130E,

Thanks for explaining how to do it. That's just how easy it is. I go ahead and push the right shell latch, slide the forearm assembly into the receiver a little more, then push the left shell latch since my fingers are already up in the receiver. Sitting in my easy chair in the living room, I can do it in just a few seconds.

The only part I've ever had to replace on my 54 year old 870 was the carrier dog follower spring. It got a little weak from the tens of thousands of shells I put through it, and sometimes the carrier wouldn't lift the next shell up all the way so it would feed into the chamber. I called Remington to order the spring. They told me it was 59 cents. I told them I'd send them a buck to cover the cost and a stamp. They told me they'd send it "no charge." I replaced the spring and the gun feeds like new again.

I've always thought of the 870 as the "chevy small block engine" of the shotgun world. Millions made, always works, and easy to fix. Just like the sign on the local bar-b-que stand, "Nuttin Mo Betta."

TennSquire

TINY · « **Reply #19 on:** January 26, 2005, 02:42:50 AM »

I HAVE A WINCHESTER 120 WINGMASTER AND TO REMOVE THE WHOLE TRIGGER ASSEMBLY YOU ONLY HAVE TO PUSH OUT ONE PIN.
TO DO THE REST FROM START TO FINNISH TAKES MINUTES.

Graybeard · « **Reply #20 on:** January 26, 2005, 04:39:45 AM »

Quote

I HAVE A WINCHESTER 120 WINGMASTER AND TO REMOVE THE WHOLE TRIGGER ASSEMBLY YOU ONLY HAVE TO PUSH OUT ONE PIN.
TO DO THE REST FROM START TO FINNISH TAKES MINUTES.

Tiny, how about finding that CAP LOCK key and stop shouting at us.

But aside from that, how long since you looked closely at that gun? A Winchester 120 Wingmaster? Hmmm. Wingmaster is a Remington Trademark name. Winchester made guns called model 12 and I think model 1200 but model 120?

Dali Llama · « **Reply #21 on:** January 27, 2005, 08:53:17 AM »

Quote from: C130E

Graybeard, A bit of a rambucktious fart. Hey, his site :wink:

:toast: :agree: :agree: :agree: :agree:

hillbill · « **Reply #22 on:** February 04, 2005, 08:45:55 PM »

hey c130 is right! get the one that feels the best and shoots the best for yur personal self. then learn what it takes to clean and maintain it. aint none of them that difficult anyway!

msorenso · « **Reply #23 on:** February 06, 2005, 09:00:05 AM »

wow, we are on fire here :oops:

Grizer · « **Reply #24 on:** June 23, 2005, 05:42:16 PM »

Hi, Greybeard.
Little known fact, from 1940 (ser #229,000), thru 1951 (ser #346,000) all A-5's were made by Remington for Browning. Known as American made Browning, St Louis Mo. on barrell. FN started production in 1952 with ser #346,001. Browning plant was bombed in WW II, to cause this to be done.