SLR15 LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOTGUN ARMORER COURSE
When: April 6-7, 2017
Where: Hutchinson, Kansas
We conducted a Law Enforcement Shotgun Armorer Course at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson KS. This was part of an Armorer Week where we also covered the AR15 / M16 weapons system, and the 1911 Pistol. We have taught numerous armorer courses at this location, and look forward to many more.
In this course we covered the Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590, and Benelli M1-90/M2 weapon systems. The room offered a plenty of table space, as everyone had their own table. There was a very large screen that allowed us to project powerpoint onto, showing close up photos of parts and machining.
We started with an introduction of all present. Everyone was supplied with a course manual, inspection forms, and supplier lists of where to obtain parts, tools and accessories. We supplied every student with their own set of basic tools that are necessary to do most of the general work on the shotguns (short of specialty tools for shell latches and detents, etc). Everyone was introduced and supplied with Slip2000 "EWL" Extreme Weapons Lubricant and #725 Cleaner Degreaser.
We showed our procedure of a series of checks that we use to make sure everything is working correctly, and why we use this series of checks. Everyone was taught a hands on session of the eight basic functioning cycles of the shotguns. From there we broke the same eight functioning cycles down further in greater detail.
We went through the proper way to remove and reinstall barrels. With the barrels removed, they were inspected, in this class I think every barrel was heavily fouled. The fouling inside the barrel is generally plastic from the shot wadding, mixed with powder and shot residue. Everyone was shown that they needed to clean the chamber and bore, as these are different diameters and require different brushes. They were also shown all the other hidden areas of the barrel that need to be kept clean for proper functioning of the bolt assembly and barrel to receiver fit for lock up etc. Also shown were a multitude of tools, brushes, and jags for cleaning the barrel. Everyone with fouled barrels were allowed to clean them, as a hands on session of trying the different methods and tools shows what works better. Everyone was supplied with Slip2000 #725 Cleaner/Degreaser, and Carbon Killer/Cutter, which help to cut through the fouling rather quickly. After a short session of barrel cleaning, the fouling was removed.
Barrels were inspected for damage, stress, missing parts, fouling, etc. We also showed the differences between old and new styles of Remington 870 retaining cap designs, and showed why these shouldn't be intermixed.
Note: Two Officers 870 barrels had missing magazine cap retaining detents & springs. This allowed a hands on demonstration of how to repair these. Both Officers were supplied with replacement detents & springs. They used the installation methods & tools that we recommend, and now both of their barrels are back in proper working order.
We then moved into the bolt assemblies, slides, action bar assemblies, and how they integrate together. Bolts were disassembled and reassembled, and inspections were done, showing where debris and corrosion is found, and why we recommend that certain things be inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. Students were introduced to splined pins, and shown the proper way to remove and install them. The 870's were inspected for old versus new parts, the difference in era's of 870 parts, and shown a hands on difference of forged vs MIM (metal injection molded) parts and why we recommend using the forged parts on police 870's.
Note: One Officers 870 had a broken firing pin spring. He was supplied with a new one, and now things are back in proper working order.
Magazine tubes and their internals were gone through. We had people clean the magazine tubes using a magazine tube brush, there was a lot of debris removed, as nobody was aware that there was even such a thing as a magazine tube brush. Magazine springs and followers were covered showing both good & bad. We showed why we prefer tactical magazine tube followers over the stock cup shaped ones. No magazine tubes were found to be bent or damaged.
We removed the forend assembles, stocks receivers and trigger groups. Forend assemblies were taken apart using the proper wrenches, then the foreends were inspected, action bars inspected, and things were reassembled and indexed correctly. Upon inspection, there were two shotguns with loose forends, which was causing cycling issues, these were reindexed and tightened down of which put them back in correct working order. We showed how the action bars have a timing that controls the shell latches, and if the action bars are damaged or bent that the timing could be off.
Note: About half of the 870's in this class had Surefire forend lights on them. All of them were loose. One of them had been damaged to the point it was causing the action bars to twist as the action bars/forend would go back to its last 1" of travel, which was causing rounds to not feed out of the magazine tube. The Officers is going to get a replacement to get things back into proper working order, along with obtaining a decent forend nut wrench (Instead of the piece of metal that is supplied with the Surefire lights). One thing we recommend that all shotgun armorers obtain is a good quality forend nut wrench, as it allow for proper installation and removal, and it makes it easier to get enough torque on the spanner nut when getting things properly indexed.
We moved into the buttstocks. This class was about half traditional stocks in wood or synthetic, and the other half had Blackhawk/Knoxx type stocks. Stocks were removed, which allowed people to do inspections, and check to make sure the receiver stud was in working order. Stocks were then remounted.
Note: Out of the 10 Blackhawk/Knoxx type stocks in this class, there were two different types. One requires a special key type tool that is inserted into the stock system for the recoil reducing system. Nobody had any of these special key type tools, stating that their stocks came on the guns from the factory. These Officers were advised to contact the factory, and try and obtain the key tool, as if they ever had to do any stock or receiver work where things are mounted, then it will make things easier.
We went through the trigger groups. We went through the safeties, rear & front bushing removals and inspections, carrier replacement, connector (action) springs, front & rear trigger plate pin bushings, carrier assembly, etc. We also showed common mistakes that people make with trigger groups, the problems in function, and how to correct any issues. After trigger groups were put back together, we showed how the carriers integrate, how the slides with action bars work, and how/why the lock forward cycle works.
Shell Latches were gone through next. We covered proper staking and why, how they get damaged or misaligned, and their replacement. We demonstrated, and then allowed people to use several different staking tools that we brought.
The last thing we went through was the ejection system. We showed how to repair, replace, and adjust the ejector systems.
Note: One Officers 870 had a broken ejector track. This usually happens when either someone slams a barrel into the receiver, or many times when someone tries to install a barrel when the action is cycled to the rear which causes a misalignment that results in the ejector track getting pried against. This broken ejector track allowed a hands on leaning experience for the class, as we supplied him with a complete new ejector system. With the entire class supervising and helping, he removed and replaced his ejection system, and now the shotgun is back in proper working order.
Then end of the day was a review, followed by all shotguns being reassembled, then inspected to make sure everything was in spec and ready to go back into service.
Note: When dong inspections and gauging everything, one Officers 870 gauged at a NO-GO for headspace. He stated that this shotgun had been in his agency for decades, and is used for SWAT, but he isn't sure of the round count but knew it has been a lot. He will be speaking with his administration about taking it out of service and obtaining a replacement.
Here is a brief overview of what is covered:
Headspace and wear inspections
Action and function
Barrel inspections
Fore-end assembly & action bars
Bolt assembly (extraction & spring, firing pin, retractor spring, flexitab cuts)
Ejector inspection, repair & replacement
Slide assembly inspection
Stem adjustments
Hook Space
Magazine spring, retainer & followers
Shell latches, inspections, adjustment & replacement
Custom accessories & enhancements
Maintenance
CY6
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
SLR15 Rifles
TheDefensiveEdge.com
(763) 712-0123
When: April 6-7, 2017
Where: Hutchinson, Kansas
We conducted a Law Enforcement Shotgun Armorer Course at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson KS. This was part of an Armorer Week where we also covered the AR15 / M16 weapons system, and the 1911 Pistol. We have taught numerous armorer courses at this location, and look forward to many more.
In this course we covered the Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590, and Benelli M1-90/M2 weapon systems. The room offered a plenty of table space, as everyone had their own table. There was a very large screen that allowed us to project powerpoint onto, showing close up photos of parts and machining.
We started with an introduction of all present. Everyone was supplied with a course manual, inspection forms, and supplier lists of where to obtain parts, tools and accessories. We supplied every student with their own set of basic tools that are necessary to do most of the general work on the shotguns (short of specialty tools for shell latches and detents, etc). Everyone was introduced and supplied with Slip2000 "EWL" Extreme Weapons Lubricant and #725 Cleaner Degreaser.
We showed our procedure of a series of checks that we use to make sure everything is working correctly, and why we use this series of checks. Everyone was taught a hands on session of the eight basic functioning cycles of the shotguns. From there we broke the same eight functioning cycles down further in greater detail.
We went through the proper way to remove and reinstall barrels. With the barrels removed, they were inspected, in this class I think every barrel was heavily fouled. The fouling inside the barrel is generally plastic from the shot wadding, mixed with powder and shot residue. Everyone was shown that they needed to clean the chamber and bore, as these are different diameters and require different brushes. They were also shown all the other hidden areas of the barrel that need to be kept clean for proper functioning of the bolt assembly and barrel to receiver fit for lock up etc. Also shown were a multitude of tools, brushes, and jags for cleaning the barrel. Everyone with fouled barrels were allowed to clean them, as a hands on session of trying the different methods and tools shows what works better. Everyone was supplied with Slip2000 #725 Cleaner/Degreaser, and Carbon Killer/Cutter, which help to cut through the fouling rather quickly. After a short session of barrel cleaning, the fouling was removed.
Barrels were inspected for damage, stress, missing parts, fouling, etc. We also showed the differences between old and new styles of Remington 870 retaining cap designs, and showed why these shouldn't be intermixed.
Note: Two Officers 870 barrels had missing magazine cap retaining detents & springs. This allowed a hands on demonstration of how to repair these. Both Officers were supplied with replacement detents & springs. They used the installation methods & tools that we recommend, and now both of their barrels are back in proper working order.
We then moved into the bolt assemblies, slides, action bar assemblies, and how they integrate together. Bolts were disassembled and reassembled, and inspections were done, showing where debris and corrosion is found, and why we recommend that certain things be inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. Students were introduced to splined pins, and shown the proper way to remove and install them. The 870's were inspected for old versus new parts, the difference in era's of 870 parts, and shown a hands on difference of forged vs MIM (metal injection molded) parts and why we recommend using the forged parts on police 870's.
Note: One Officers 870 had a broken firing pin spring. He was supplied with a new one, and now things are back in proper working order.
Magazine tubes and their internals were gone through. We had people clean the magazine tubes using a magazine tube brush, there was a lot of debris removed, as nobody was aware that there was even such a thing as a magazine tube brush. Magazine springs and followers were covered showing both good & bad. We showed why we prefer tactical magazine tube followers over the stock cup shaped ones. No magazine tubes were found to be bent or damaged.
We removed the forend assembles, stocks receivers and trigger groups. Forend assemblies were taken apart using the proper wrenches, then the foreends were inspected, action bars inspected, and things were reassembled and indexed correctly. Upon inspection, there were two shotguns with loose forends, which was causing cycling issues, these were reindexed and tightened down of which put them back in correct working order. We showed how the action bars have a timing that controls the shell latches, and if the action bars are damaged or bent that the timing could be off.
Note: About half of the 870's in this class had Surefire forend lights on them. All of them were loose. One of them had been damaged to the point it was causing the action bars to twist as the action bars/forend would go back to its last 1" of travel, which was causing rounds to not feed out of the magazine tube. The Officers is going to get a replacement to get things back into proper working order, along with obtaining a decent forend nut wrench (Instead of the piece of metal that is supplied with the Surefire lights). One thing we recommend that all shotgun armorers obtain is a good quality forend nut wrench, as it allow for proper installation and removal, and it makes it easier to get enough torque on the spanner nut when getting things properly indexed.
We moved into the buttstocks. This class was about half traditional stocks in wood or synthetic, and the other half had Blackhawk/Knoxx type stocks. Stocks were removed, which allowed people to do inspections, and check to make sure the receiver stud was in working order. Stocks were then remounted.
Note: Out of the 10 Blackhawk/Knoxx type stocks in this class, there were two different types. One requires a special key type tool that is inserted into the stock system for the recoil reducing system. Nobody had any of these special key type tools, stating that their stocks came on the guns from the factory. These Officers were advised to contact the factory, and try and obtain the key tool, as if they ever had to do any stock or receiver work where things are mounted, then it will make things easier.
We went through the trigger groups. We went through the safeties, rear & front bushing removals and inspections, carrier replacement, connector (action) springs, front & rear trigger plate pin bushings, carrier assembly, etc. We also showed common mistakes that people make with trigger groups, the problems in function, and how to correct any issues. After trigger groups were put back together, we showed how the carriers integrate, how the slides with action bars work, and how/why the lock forward cycle works.
Shell Latches were gone through next. We covered proper staking and why, how they get damaged or misaligned, and their replacement. We demonstrated, and then allowed people to use several different staking tools that we brought.
The last thing we went through was the ejection system. We showed how to repair, replace, and adjust the ejector systems.
Note: One Officers 870 had a broken ejector track. This usually happens when either someone slams a barrel into the receiver, or many times when someone tries to install a barrel when the action is cycled to the rear which causes a misalignment that results in the ejector track getting pried against. This broken ejector track allowed a hands on leaning experience for the class, as we supplied him with a complete new ejector system. With the entire class supervising and helping, he removed and replaced his ejection system, and now the shotgun is back in proper working order.
Then end of the day was a review, followed by all shotguns being reassembled, then inspected to make sure everything was in spec and ready to go back into service.
Note: When dong inspections and gauging everything, one Officers 870 gauged at a NO-GO for headspace. He stated that this shotgun had been in his agency for decades, and is used for SWAT, but he isn't sure of the round count but knew it has been a lot. He will be speaking with his administration about taking it out of service and obtaining a replacement.
Here is a brief overview of what is covered:
Headspace and wear inspections
Action and function
Barrel inspections
Fore-end assembly & action bars
Bolt assembly (extraction & spring, firing pin, retractor spring, flexitab cuts)
Ejector inspection, repair & replacement
Slide assembly inspection
Stem adjustments
Hook Space
Magazine spring, retainer & followers
Shell latches, inspections, adjustment & replacement
Custom accessories & enhancements
Maintenance
CY6
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
SLR15 Rifles
TheDefensiveEdge.com
(763) 712-0123