870 question for knowledgable 870 folks.

[Lightsped]

I just bought a new 870 Police (model 4091) with 18" barrel, parkerized finish and wooden stock. I also have a 870 Serbu Super Shorty.

I was comparing the two and noticed that the 870 Police has what is referred to as a "magazine spring retainer, old style". The 870 Super Shorty has no such part.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=27374/pid=10921/Product/F91657_MAG__SPRING_RETNR__OLD_STYLE_

What is the purpose of this part? It makes assembling the mag tube much more difficult as it is difficult to get the mag spring retainer into the mag tube while holding the mag spring down. Do I absolutely need to use the mag spring retainer?

Thanks

 

[Youngster]

It's there to keep spring pressure off of the magazine cap, which can help work it loose in conjunction with the jolt and vibration of firing.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

Lightsped, It is my notion that the whole spring retainer/dimpled mag tube deal is a measure to keep you from using after market mag extensions. and buying a less expensive setup than the gun with x mag they offer. The dimples are an effective way to screw up the spring and follower function.The magic of dremel disappered them for me. Beyond that it might be to keep the spring out of your eye, during dis assembly. The one they used since the 60s worked fine, for that.
Thats what pushes me toward the mag x tension theory. Your gun will work fine without it, just have your safety goggles on for disassembly.

 

[jdh]

Actually the new style is there to allow the mag spring to double as the detent spring to keep the mag tube cap from working loose.

The change to the new type was a cost saving/simplification of manufacture issue. One molded plastic part replaced a stamped spring steel retainer, a coil spring, and a steel detent ball. Pressing dimples in the tube replaced drilling a hole for the spring and ball and staking it in place. Dies to press the dimples do not wear out as fast as the drill bit or staking tool.

No sinister plot to keep you from adding a mag extension.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Do I absolutely need to use the mag spring retainer?

Probably not.

For storage or cleaning, a lot of people like to remove the barrels from their 870s. The mag spring retainer keeps the spring in place when the magazine cap is removed for those purposes.

If you remember to hold onto your Shorty's magazine cap as you remove it, you probably won't have any difficulties due to the lack of a mag spring retainer. Without this part in place the magazine spring bears directly on the magazine cap and will NASA it if you don't hold onto it when the threads disengage on removal. You could break a window or shoot your eye out with the mag cap if you weren't careful.

Personally I prefer to leave off the old style magazine spring retainers on working guns that don't have extensions. That makes it easier to clear the magazine from the front in the field in the unlikely event there's ever a problem that prevents clearing the magazine from the loading port. You know, little things like stuffing a shell in the magazine backwards. Of course, a pro like me would never do that... . I never noticed any untoward looseness in the mag cap without the mag spring retainer in place, but I'm paranoid about tightening them anyway.

JMHO, YMMV-

lpl

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

jdh,I was thinking more clever marketing strategy, than sinister plot. Would you expand a little on the recoil spring? I was talking about the magazine.

 

[Lightsped]

Thanks for the info. I have removed the mag spring retainer and tossed it into the miscellaneous gun parts drawer..... The 870 seems to cycle just fine without it....

 

[Dave McCracken]

I built Frankenstein sometime in the 80s. Best guess, 5-8K rounds. No retainer, no problem.

 

[jdh]

Sorry, fixed it. That is what I get for multi-tasking. I cleaning a pistol while reading the forum and typed what I had in front of me not what I was thinking of.