Extended mag tubes or standard?

[Homerboy]

I have another post on this forum, but what happened today is really bugging me. i took my 870 with the factory installed mag extension to the range. I loaded up three rounds (range rule) and fired one shot. SPROING! The mag extension seprated from the mag tube (nut was still around the mag tube and extension moved forward, even though it was still held to the barrel with the barrel clamp) and the mag spring flew out! I rescrewed it in and let abother shot go. SPROING! happened again. Reassembled it and the rest of the ammo (13 rounds) went without a hitch. Took it home and tightened everything and gave a tug to the extension. Feels solid now, but I do not like the memory of that thing flying apart. Like I said, this is a factory extension(I think Choate). This has never happened before. I like the looks of the extended tube, especially with the Knoxx Spec Ops stock installed on the gun.

Opinions? Revert back to the 4 round mag tube, or stick with the 6 round Choate?

 

[Fred Fuller]

Loose lips sink ships, and loose parts come off shotguns. Tighten stuff up properly, and if it doesn't stay put, THEN worry about it. Personally I can take or leave magazine extensions, no shotgun magazine is ever going to be big enough anyway. The answer to that is to learn to load the thing on the fly, as in 'shoot one/load one.' Learn to run the gun, and incidentally to worry less about how it looks than how well you can use it.

JMHO, and not mincing words- guess I'm showing my age 8^).

lpl

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Please dont think I am chasing a thread without a suggestion. Before every shoot, I take the weapons one by one and go over every nut and bolt with the tools and tighten everything. Usually I find one or two somewhere ready to let go as it is.

Good luck!

 

[Jack2427]

Most of the shotguns I use for serious have the regular mag capacity. In fact a good number of the shotguns concealed in various places around the domicile are doubles with 2 rounds rubber banded to the barrel and 5 or 6 shot butt cuffs. They conceal easily and are rapid and quiet to get into operation. If I chamber a round from a 4 or 5 shot gun I immediately replenish the magazine, and I find that some long mag extensions impede the balance I want from my gun, your milage may vary.
For venturing out into the world to have a serious social encounter I do use a 2 shot extension, any more and again I feel the balance is off for me. The exception are my rifled barrel slug guns that are pump or auto, there I have a 23" barrel and a mag extension that is as long as possible. The reason? In the open one may encounter BG at ranges where slugs are important, and if they are important then accuracy is real important, hence rifled barrels and sabot slugs. Now you effectively are using a large bore rifle, and repeat shots may very well be necessary if the BG is moving or shooting back. I feel that with 8-9 rounds of sabot on tap I will score at least one hit, and one hit with a slug will usually settle the matter rather conclusively.
Again just my .02

 

[RH45]

Hmm, it sounds like the flange on the rear of your extension isn't large enough if it slipped past the nut. I have extended tubes on several of my Remingtons that I use for 3-gun and haven't ever had a problem.

 

[sm]

Standard.

Then again since I wuz publik skooled in da south, I have a hard time counting past one...
Which is good, because the only shotgun I have is a single shot.

It does not matter how many rounds the gun holds, it needs to be kept fed. Hence the reason we teach keeping the gun fed. - Clint Smith, paraphrased.

 

[Youngster]

Standard, when I took off the extension off my gun it made the the whole magazine assembly less susceptable to damage, improved the gun's balance and sense of handiness, and even sped up my shot for shot reloading a bit.

 

[CSA 357]

i have a 8 shot extended for my 870 took it off, as said load on the move, and my mod 12 winchester holds 7 any way csa

 

[jakemccoy]

I used to have a mag extension on my home defense shotgun. I took it off. I like the feel of standard better. It's simpler, lighter and more solid. Also, a malfunction is less probable.

 

[Rshooter]

I recently bought an extension and a mesa stock adapter so I can use a pistol grip. The first thing I did was send a picture to Nancy Pelosi.

Seriously, I have been converted to extended mags. Keep the nut and the bracket tight and properly installed I do not see how the tube can move from it's position. IMHO I would recheck everything. We have all made mistakes before.

 

[Coronach]

As far as "extended or standard", I have one answer:

How does the gun balance?

If you like the way it handles with a loaded extended magazine tube, use it! Attach it properly and it will be fine.

Mike

 

[foghornl]

I don't have any mag extensions, because my Mossberg & Maverick can't use them. Shooting Budd has one of the "Security" Model Mavericks with the longer (7+1) tube, and when full, it seems over-weighted on the front to me.