Magazine extension for 870s with 20" barrels

+3 are for 20" barrels. Least as far as 12 gauge is concerned. I think it's the same for 20 but I cannot verify from experience.

I've used choate and tacstar extensions. Tacstar is heavier. But either needs a clamp. I used a cheap clamp with mine, and wasn't satisfied. Course, a good clamp is $75 or more.

A factory Remington 3 round will exceed the barrel length slightly. This is a factory extension on a 20" barrel.

Though I do not have any of Vang’s extension tubes, I have had him do some work for me - top shelf work, top self person!

https://www.vangcomp.com/product-category/parts/

Others have written about Wilson, etc….

I highly recommend the Choate +3 extension for the 20" barrel Rem 870. It's very light, but sturdy and does not extend past the muzzle. I've had a Choate +2 extension on my 18" barrel 12ga 870 for about 30 years and it's never failed me. It still looks like a new one.

Edit: Edited for typos

Remington make 2 and 3+ factory Extensions or at least they did several months ago. Don’t know current availability. They were blued or parkerized but you need to go to their website to order matching clamp. The kit only had parked clamps with blue tube. They work great. Matching the length of the barrell is a problem. The+3 like the previous picture will slightly exceed the barrel ( I think) but no problem and more round are mo betta.

This is a 20" bbl 870 (top) with a choate +3 ext. I managed to find one in blue to sorta match the finish. It comes with spring and barrel clamp/sling swivel for around $50. Great buy imo.

Some gun games have rules about them not extending past the muzzle but I did custom make one for a fellow that passed the muzzle by a good bit.

It looked a little goofy to me but gave him the round count he wanted and shot/wad exiting the muzzle didn’t contact it..

The reason the Remington extensions project beyond the muzzle is because they were originally developed to allow mounting a bayonet.
A few years ago Remington changed their 18 and 20 inch barrels to be 1/2 inch longer, and these will have the factory extension even with the muzzle.

Over the years I installed a good many Choate extensions and their quality was always perfect.
I can't say the same about Tac Star.

I strongly recommend using a barrel clamp with an extension.
Without a clamp, a good bump or drop will knock the extension off center or completely off the gun.
I personally saw three cases of this happening.
This puts the gun out of service, and it damages the threads on the gun, requiring replacement of the gun's magazine tube.
Replacing a Remington magazine tube is a major job including a complete refinish of the receiver because the high heat needed to un-braze the old tube and re-braze the new one destroys the finish.

With the new Remington's service a question, damaging a tube might be a real problem, since special fixtures are necessary to insure the new tube is in perfect alignment. If not, the barrel may not go on at all, or the stress may cause the gun to shoot off.

I put a Choate +2 on my 870, with a clamp/sling swivel as well. The barrel is a factory 2 3/4” 20” smooth bore/rifle sight set up that I bought off of eBay several years ago for $120.00. I used a Wolff spring and an orange follower once it was put together.

So far never had a feeding or loading issue related to the magazine extension. ( I did have a shell stop come unstaked inside the receiver. That issue needed repair since it would drop two shells instead of one.)



This extension, and a 6-slot sidesaddle on the receiver, gives me 9 #1 Federal buckshot and three Winchester segmenting slugs on board.

I pray I’ll never need them…but I have them if I do.

Stay safe.

Riomouse911 said:

I put a Choate +2 on my 870, with a clamp/sling swivel as well. The barrel is a factory 2 3/4” 20” smooth bore/rifle sight set up that I bought off of eBay several years ago for $120.00. I used a Wolff spring and an orange follower once it was put together.

So far never had a feeding or loading issue related to the magazine extension. ( I did have a shell stop come unstaked inside the receiver. That issue needed repair since it would drop two shells instead of one.)

View attachment 1038266 View attachment 1038265 View attachment 1038264

This extension, and a 6-slot sidesaddle on the receiver, gives me 9 #1 Federal buckshot and three Winchester segmenting slugs on board.

I pray I’ll never need them…but I have them if I do.

Stay safe.

Click to expand...

That's a great deal on the 20" rifle sight bbl. I found one recently too for $100. I suspect that a few years ago to find these barrels in that price range was nothing to bat an eye at but lately, yeesh! Look on ebay now and see how far $100 gets you for Remington bbls and OEM remington parts.....

Did you install the orange follower that comes with the choate extension? I intended to install mine buy I left the original in for now because the orange choate follower arrived with a lil bit of damage, chipping around the edges. It seems like kind of a brittle plastic and just didn't have a whole lot of confidence in it although I'm sure it'd work fine. Idk....

I bought a factory follower, the Choate follower I had was black if I recall correctly.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005539522

I think they’re discontinued but I’m sure there are some still out there.

Stay safe.