1st post:
I've had my 20 gauge pump Express for a few years now and have one problem with it. It's hard to load. When pushing cartridges in the bottom the rounds seem to catch and also are hard to get stated going in. I never had this problem with other pump shotguns. It's hard on the fingers and slows things down when you have to reload chasing a Grouse through the woods. Is this a problem with the guns or a fluke?

Thanks guys.

Hello and welcome to the forum! Have you pulled the guts out of the magazine tube and shined a light down there to see if there is some kind of obstruction? Sounds like the plug is hanging up.

No, I've only cleaned it a few times. It's had very little use since I bought it and has done so (hard loading) from the get-go. Is this typical for these guns, or should they slide in quickly one after another? The shells even seem to catch when loading to. I'll check and see if these is some kind of tapered or chamfered lip in the loading orifice. Kind of like a chamfered mag well on a 1911.

Welcome...

This thread has been moved to the correct subforum...

Any other comments??? I could use more info from the vast group of users out there, that's why I joined this site.

Its hunting season so people arent checking in as frequently.

This is not a normal issue as far as i know. I have a 12g and it has gotten smoother if anything over the years.

Doss it occur with any ammo or only certaim brands?

I would take it apart and clean it really good. I use little to no oil on may mag tube. I use just a little on the spring to keep it from rusting.

Look for any burs etc that may be causing an issue. Also look for any dents or anything out of the ordinary.

I might try pushing the follower in and then remove the spring. Then slowly knsert rounds into the mag ( GUN UNLOADED!) With no spring there should be little resistence and it may be easier to indentify exactly where the friction is coming from. You can also try reversing the spring to see if that makes a difference. It may be putting uneven pressure on the follower causing it to bind.

Have you replacdd the spring or follower? Are there and bends or kinks in the spring?

Sent from my Barnett Raptor using alien technology

I've been using Estate 20 GA field shells for ruffed grouse. I've used it in my 12 gauge w/o a problem. The gun is basically new with very little use. It's done this since I bought it. It seems the shells catch on the edge sometimes and the follower is also very hard to push in with a shell when loading. On my 12 gauge, the shells push in quickly with little effort and no hangups, they just slide right in quickly and easily.

Again the 20 GA I bought a bout 4 years ago from Walmart along with a Ruger 10/22. No problem with the 10/22.

I just happened to have it handy since bringing it in, just looked at it and there is a tang on the right side while holding the gun upside down that protrudes while the one on the other side is recessed. I don't know if that's normal. Also the spring loaded trapdoor on the bottom goes in further than the magtube and it looks like the shells can hang up on lots of areas there. Much different than my 12 gauge of a different brand. I pushed on the orange plug and it is a little rough/catchy while depressing it. I mean I think the shells should go in like the magazine into my 1911.

Without seeing it it.is hard to recommend a solution. You can try disassembling it.and reassembling it to see if you just have something out of place. Otherwise i would take it to a gunsmith and have.them look it over. It might be a shell catch bent a bit of out of alignment.

Sent from my Barnett Raptor using alien technology

I'll take a pic of it if I can figure out how to upload it on this site, full editor I'm guessing?

Figure out where it's hanging up, that's the first step.