[mjoiner]

Just bought 870 P and want to get mag ext. There are several brands to choose from including a factory remington. I read somewhere that the Rem is harder to put on? I was leaning toward the one that comes with the clamp support included Choc? something another? Anybody had experience with this?
Thanks
Mitch J

[Fred Fuller]

With all said and done, I'd rather have Remington's factory extension. If you bought your 870P new, it would have been just as easy (and likely cheaper) to order one with a factory extension in place. No magazine extension I have ever run across in the past thirty years or so was hard to put on, if it was made for the gun someone was trying to install it on. Remington's design is a two-piece construction with a sleeve that screws onto the magazine tube, into which the magazine extension itself screws. That's the only thing that makes it a bit more complicated.

I think the other brand you were asking about is Choate. They make reasonably good extensions and clamps that cost somewhat less than some other brands.

lpl/nc

[marklbucla]

I had a +3 Choate on an Express and it did not feed the first couple of shells reliably using a "pull-pull" shooting style, as opposed to the "push-pull". The clamp screw was really cheap as well. The threads all stripped after a very short while.

I've switched all my 870s and a 1100 over to the Remington extension and haven't had a single problem with feeding. You'll pay twice as much for them, but I think that they're better.

You've also got Tac-Star and Wilson combat extensions to consider.

[VARifleman]

You won't go wrong with Nordic, DMW, or Briley.

[bones42]

I have the Scattergun Technology (Wilson Combat) extension on mine. It comes with a stiffer spring and new follower. You also have some options as to a mounting point for a sling. It is bombproof without the barrel clamp.

[testify4]

Another vote for the Scattergun Technologies extension.

It's built strong so you could clamp accessories on it, it's got a nice brace built in, a quick-disconnect sling swivel, new hi-visibility follower and a strong spring. I've been very happy with mine- glad I didn't get one of the cheaper plastic ones.

The only pain was that I have an 870 Express and had to file down those little nubs that hold the magazine spring retainer.

[jonboynumba1]

I've had the choat...it's decent but no longer cheap and the end is just kind of crimped in place...the clamp bites...don't use it. I have been using the scattergun tech one for a few guns now...HD construction works great. get the side sling mount version if you are going to add a surefire forend setup later. (so it's out of the way)

Re the nubs...I've "heard" you can find a sparkplug socket the right diameter to tap/press them back out. I've always just used a dremel (VERY carefully) finished by hand with a set of files and a polishing wheel to slick the area over...usually adding a slight campher on the end of the factory mag tube as well. Beware the ST follower will "melt" when exposed to certain cleaners and chemicals...so if you are spraying out a gun take the follower out FIRST. Or you will have possible feed problems later on. The choat orange follower seems less prone to this issue...though I have gone back to the scattergun follower lately...seems less finnicky in some guns and about how clean the magtube is. Some guns seem to have a prefference for one or the other...go figure...most will run either fine.

[madcratebuilder]

I have the Scattergun Technology (Wilson Combat) extension on mine. It comes with a stiffer spring and new follower. You also have some options as to a mounting point for a sling. It is bombproof without the barrel clamp.
+1
I have not had any problem with my Wilson Combat.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d37/madcratebuilder/crop02.jpg

[Fred Fuller]

We keep telling y'all- it isn't the magazine extension the barrel clamp protects- IT'S THE MAGAZINE TUBE THREADS. Take off your extension and look at what that extension screws onto. Metal's kinda thin there, isn't it? Does that look "bombproof" to you?

Your magazine extension acts like a cheater bar to apply leverage to the threads on the end on your magazine tube, if you whack the extension on something solid. No, it doesn't happen often- but if it happens to you when you really need a repeater, you are going to find yourself holding a single shot. Because given a substantial enough lick on the extension, the magazine spring is going to blow the extension off the gun and your magazine all of a sudden won't work any more. Not that it matters much because there won't be anything holding the barrel on the gun anyway, soon as you run the bolt the first time...

Why risk it when a clamp will insure it doesn't happen?

lpl/nc

[dfariswheel]

And for those who doubt that the extension can be knocked off or it's a one-in-a-million chance, I personally have seen three guns on which this happened, one of which I personally saw happen.

Case one was a small town police chief who arrived at a bank robbery silent alarm (false alarm it turned out).
When he stepped from his car and pulled the 870 out, he bumped the Wilson extension on the car door frame and the extension blew off so hard it broke the passenger door window.
He told me how sick he felt thinking he was going to be facing multiple bank robbers armed with who knows what, with nothing but his revolver.

Case two was a local doctor who kept a shotgun for home defense.
It was leaning against a closet door when he accidentally bumped it and it fell sideways.
The extension landed against a low stool and the extension was knocked out of line.
It was barely "hanging by a thread".

Case three was at a police shotgun qualification/training class.
One stage was firing from the cover of a simulated patrol car (actually a table) then standing up and stepping over to a barricade to simulate firing from the cover of a building.
I saw the shooter stand and step to the barricade, as he did, he bumped the extension on the barricade and the extension blew off.
Shells were scattered everywhere and the extension and spring shot down range almost to the target.

In all cases the extension was undamaged except for a slight dent/scuff on one.
In all cases, the GUN'S magazine tube threads were badly damaged and the gun was out of service.

The doctor sold the gun for parts and bought a new one.
The two 870's had to be sent back to Remington to have a new magazine tube installed. This requires a receiver refinish as part of brazing a new tube in, and the job isn't cheap.

Moral of the story: Use a barrel clamp. There is no good reason why not to use one, and several good reasons you should use one.