870 came apart..

[GoGators10]

For some reason, I was taking the shells out of 870 and it just completely fell apart and I have no idea how to put it all back together....Any ideas what happened?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

One start may be - http://stevespages.com/ipb-remington-870.html

An exploded diag which might help you a bit.

I was hoping to point you to an owner's manual but sadly he took that page down due to greedy people downloading every bit of what he had!

[GoGators10]

Thank you sir. Any ideas what would cause this? I have only shot maybe 50 shells through it, and I bought it brand new.

[ccw9mm]

Thank you sir. Any ideas what would cause this? I have only shot maybe 50 shells through it, and I bought it brand new.

In that photo of the parts, where's the tube magazine's "end cap," the part that screws onto the end of the magazine and holds everything together? I don't see it. Did it happen to come off without your knowledge?

If you remove the cap and move the slide the right way, then the barrel can come right off.

Though, you generally need to manipulate the bolt carrier's stops in order to remove the bolt assembly.

Check this video, if you've got questions about disassembly and the parts involved: Life, Liberty's 870 Disassembly.

[GoGators10]

Is that #11 in the link you provided?

[ccw9mm]

Is that #11 in the link you provided?

Yes, #11 is the screw-on cap on the end of the magazine tube. By removing it, the entire barrel assembly slides off the rest of the gun, assuming you have the slide/foreend moved to the correct position for removal. If it happened to come off during shooting, though, or in a situation when you didn't specifically take off the cap, then I'd think you would have had the magazine spring flailing about, out the end of the tube.

In the link I provided, it's the first "disassembly" video. The tube mag's screw-on cap is the first thing removed from the gun.

[OD*]

The "screw on magazine cap", is the magazine extension, which is still connected to the barrel.

[Tally XD]

If that magazine tube extension is nylon or plastic, then it may be stripped and wont thread onto the magazine tube. Or, maybe someone didnt bother to thread it on to begin with?

That is the ONLY way I can see that this would have happened.

[OD*]

Or, maybe someone didnt bother to thread it on to begin with?

That would be my guess.

[DblTap]

For some reason, I was taking the shells out of 870 and it just completely fell apart and I have no idea how to put it all back together....Any ideas what happened?

Thank you sir. Any ideas what would cause this? I have only shot maybe 50 shells through it, and I bought it brand new.

Don't take this the wrong way, to each their own, but as a gun owner one should be familiar with the operation and assembly before shooting it. It's important that a shotgun, or any weapon for that mater, be thoroughly cleaned and oiled before use.

I purchased my 16 y/o son an 870 for Christmas (his third long gun) and the first thing he did was to break it down and get a complete understanding of the gun, clean it & lube it so we could go to the range. YRMV.

[GoGators10]

I don't take it the wrong way at all. Sorry I just don't really have anyone I know that is into guns. My dad used to be but kinda is anti gun these days for some unknown reason.

[ronwill]

I have had an 870 for many, many years and have never had anything like that happen. May I suggest that, if you can't figure it out from the diagrams provided, you take it to a reputable gunsmith. Have them give it a good going over for any possible defects. If they find any you will then need to contact Remington. Good luck.

[ccw9mm]

... figure it out from the diagrams provided ...

That might well be the best recommendation. The 870 doesn't have many pieces, at least not for a moderate field strip. Simply reference a couple of those videos, use the diagram above, then count the major subassemblies you've got: receiver, barrel, magazine tube (screw-on) cap, mag spring, mag follower, foreend (stock), bolt carrier assy. That's about it. Get those together properly, then I'd say it's near impossible that it will simply "come apart."

I'm with the others: likely, the screw-on end to the magazine tube didn't do it's job. Either it wasn't screwed on properly, or it's stripped. Figure out proper attachment of that piece, and I'm sure you'll have it licked. If not, any local gunsmith should have it covered, as it can be put together in about ~2mins. Any major issue should be simple to find.

[budokaitd]

Don't take this the wrong way, to each their own, but as a gun owner one should be familiar with the operation and assembly before shooting it. It's important that a shotgun, or any weapon for that mater, be thoroughly cleaned and oiled before use.

I purchased my 16 y/o son an 870 for Christmas (his third long gun) and the first thing he did was to break it down and get a complete understanding of the gun, clean it & lube it so we could go to the range. YRMV.

My Dad did the same with me at a very young age and I am grateful.
Glad to hear it.

[GoGators10]

Ok I got it all back together. But I think I found the problem. I can hardly screw the barrel back on. It is almost impossible to turn it. Is this normal? How do you know if it is screwed on enough?