Extended magazine Pros/Cons
- Thread starter Chilean
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Milkmaster
Member
pros...more capacity
cons... too much added weight
Both depend on priorities. Home defense may make the capacity more important. Carrying the gun through the woods all day may make the weight a bigger problem. Both pros and cons can be reversed depending on the intended use etc...
cons... too much added weight
Both depend on priorities. Home defense may make the capacity more important. Carrying the gun through the woods all day may make the weight a bigger problem. Both pros and cons can be reversed depending on the intended use etc...
DaleCooper51
Member
It gives you more shells, but even extended magazines run dry.
It also changes the balance and handling characteristics of the gun which could be good or bad.
Aftermarket extensions and clamps make taking the gun apart to clean more difficult.
Learn to run the gun and the extra magazine capacity won't matter so much.
It also changes the balance and handling characteristics of the gun which could be good or bad.
Aftermarket extensions and clamps make taking the gun apart to clean more difficult.
Learn to run the gun and the extra magazine capacity won't matter so much.
shevrock
Member
Depends on the gun. Oh all of the above apply. but if your using a semi,well it's almost a given.
Calhoun321
Member
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- Jan 11, 2007
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- 99
I used to use 3 shot extensions, now I have cut back to 1 and 2 shot extensions to avoid the use of a clamp that makes disassembly harder.
I use a factory length mag (5+1) for my HD shotgun- along with a shell holder on the stock, and a +5 for my USPSA shotgun (10+1). If you think that you'll need to shoot through 6 rounds of 00 without a quiet couple of seconds to reload, in an HD situation- you should really think about an AR with a C-Mag. 
edit: But they look cool.
edit: But they look cool.
TehK1w1
Member
On the 870 Express series shotguns the mag extension requires modifying the mag tube, and once you modify it the factory cap will unscrew under recoil if you reinstall it.
MAX100
Member
The pros out weights the cons. You will fight with what ammo you have in and on the gun. I wouldn't want over a 8+1 tube ext on a defensive shotgun. Past that you are adding to much forward weight and length.
The Military 590A1 is a 8+1 cap shotgun
GC
The Military 590A1 is a 8+1 cap shotgun
GC
Jeff F
Member
One of my HD guns has a +3 and the other has a +2 on them. Both are loaded with buckshot with 5 slugs in a butt cuff. If I have to grab one and hit the door real fast I don't want to have to worry about grabbing extra ammo on the way out. If 7 or 8 rounds of buck and 5 slugs don't get it done then I'm probably screwed anyways.
On another note, if you are carrying a shotgun with an extended magazine out in the field hunting with it, theres nothing that says you have to load it up all the way.
On another note, if you are carrying a shotgun with an extended magazine out in the field hunting with it, theres nothing that says you have to load it up all the way.
I have a WC/ST extension for my 870P....tried several times to like it....no soap...destroys what otherwise is a trim/fast-handling gun....four rounds of 12ga should be enough...to paraphrase Bill Jordan regarding speedloading a revolver, if you haven't solved your problem with the first six rounds, what makes you think things will get better with another six? or two?
Calhoun321
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
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- 99
Rem 870 mag extensions will not unscrew under recoil. I have shot to many rounds to believe this for a second. If it is evan a remote possibility, then simply check it periodically. It isn't going to happen with just a few shots.
What he was saying was if you go back to using the standard length mag tube after grinding off the dimples on your Express the mag cap can come loose over time. The dimples hold in the spring retainer which keeps the mag cap tight on the Expresses. You can remedy this by using the Wingmaster style spring retainer and mag cap.
Omaha-BeenGlockin
Member
Just buy the 7-shot Express---no dimples.
MAX100
Member
7 shotgun Express - detent ball setup on the barrel ring lug.
GC
GC
rantingredneck
Member
Actually you'd still need a barrel with a ball detente style cap retainer or it will still unscrew. Best bet is do the above and get a proper barrel to mate with that system or stick with the plastic toothy mag spring retainer. Without the dimples you have to be careful unscrewing the cap, but the plastic teeth will still hold the mag cap in place.
To the OP,
My 870 currently has a +2 extension, my 11-87 currently has a +3 extension and my 500 is of course unextended 5+1. I'm of the "I want all the ammo I can possibly have" school of thought on this. HD shotgun in my case will be deployed within the confines of my home, likely from the doorway of my bedroom. Weight is not a factor.
All of these guns also see field use and for those purposes the capacities get converted back to normal.
Landlocked Pirate
Member
This is just personal preference, of course, but I recently replaced the barrel and magazine assembly on my Mossberg 500 in order to change it from a 20" 8-shot to a 18.5" 6-shot. It now feels MUCH quicker and handier, and I like it a lot better.
Calhoun321
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Messages
- 99
FWIW, I have never used any type of mag spring retainer in a shotgun with an extension and have never had a problem, nor have I used one when returning to the standard configuration for hunting. I simply haven't had any problems. I don't believe the mag spring retainers have much, if anything, to do with preventing the mag cap from unscrewing. If someone has had a problem, perhaps the mag cap simply wasn't tight to begin with.
rantingredneck- Say I have a 7 shot Express HD model and wanted to take the extended tube off to shoot trap for example. Would I have to buy a 28" wingmaster barrel since the 28" Express barrels do not have the ball detent? Also, Remington sells a universal mag cap that they claim works on all models. Would this solve this problem?
rantingredneck
Member
The universal mag cap is meant to either engage the ball detent in the barrel ring or the plastic mag spring retainer used with the dimpled express's. You'd have to have either of those in place to work with it, but yes it will solve the problem given one or the other of those setups.
IIRC, there are also some express finished 28" accessory barrels sold that have the ball detent in place.
IIRC, there are also some express finished 28" accessory barrels sold that have the ball detent in place.
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
Expresses were made for a goodly number of years with the barrel ring detent in place, just like Wingmasters or Police guns.
For a bit after the shift to the dimpled magazine tube setup, the holes still appeared in the barrel ring on Expresses, but there were no springs or detents installed at the factory (they can be installed aftermarket however).
Eventually the shift in Expresses to the dimpled magazine retention system was complete, and no holes were drilled in the barrel rings any more.
The 18" barrels for the Express guns that come with factory magazine extensions still have barrel ring detents.
All the above is mostly OT, but still relevant for those considering magazine extensions for factory 870s that appeared without them. If you start unscrewing the magazine cap on a used 870 Express and hear a clack clack clack resonating therefrom, you've discovered an Express gun with magazine dimples. If you have your heart set on a magazine extension, my advice is to save yourself trouble and look for an older Express that is not blessed with dimples. If nothing but that particular gun will do, then have at it- my advice is to drill the dimples out completely as described on these pages before. That means jury-rigging the magazine cap if you go back to the normal sized magazine. At this point in my life I'd rather do without all the drama, and I just take a pass on newer Express guns if someone looking for one has just gotta gotta have a magazine extension. But that's just me, I'm old and tired. All you exciteable boys have lots more nrg and stuff.
Me, I'd as soon do without. Costs less, doesn't weigh the gun down up front as much, and no shotgun magazine is ever big enough anyway.
hth,
lpl
For a bit after the shift to the dimpled magazine tube setup, the holes still appeared in the barrel ring on Expresses, but there were no springs or detents installed at the factory (they can be installed aftermarket however).
Eventually the shift in Expresses to the dimpled magazine retention system was complete, and no holes were drilled in the barrel rings any more.
The 18" barrels for the Express guns that come with factory magazine extensions still have barrel ring detents.
All the above is mostly OT, but still relevant for those considering magazine extensions for factory 870s that appeared without them. If you start unscrewing the magazine cap on a used 870 Express and hear a clack clack clack resonating therefrom, you've discovered an Express gun with magazine dimples. If you have your heart set on a magazine extension, my advice is to save yourself trouble and look for an older Express that is not blessed with dimples. If nothing but that particular gun will do, then have at it- my advice is to drill the dimples out completely as described on these pages before. That means jury-rigging the magazine cap if you go back to the normal sized magazine. At this point in my life I'd rather do without all the drama, and I just take a pass on newer Express guns if someone looking for one has just gotta gotta have a magazine extension. But that's just me, I'm old and tired. All you exciteable boys have lots more nrg and stuff.
Me, I'd as soon do without. Costs less, doesn't weigh the gun down up front as much, and no shotgun magazine is ever big enough anyway.
hth,
lpl
rantingredneck
Member
Then there's always the teflon plumber's tape solution 
.
Unfortunately very true.
. Unfortunately very true.
ltetmhs
Member
I wish the DNR would let me hunt ducks with 9 shells
StealthyBlagga
Member
The more shells, the merrier. If you are worried about balance in a personal defense situation you are REALLY not focussed enough on the problem at hand. Here's mine, set up for 3-gun:
loosecannon
Member
I consider mag extensions to be an after thought and prefer the long style factory mag tube found in Win Defender, some Mossbergs, etc. On an 870P with factory installed extension, the extra rds caused shells to jump past the restricter. This was fixed under warranty. The 870 arrangement appears fragile. I had a well known after market extension that caused malfunctions that did not occur with it off the gun(870).
Once I left an extended mag loaded with Win l.e. buckshot and discovered that the extra pressure had caused 3 of the shells to deform, and these would not chamber.
Also, the extended mags mess up the gun's balance and handling for me. One good point is that 5-6 shells can be in the mag and the spring is still not under full compression.
If you use the big long mag tube, I suggest that you give it some extra scrutiny.
Loosecannon
Once I left an extended mag loaded with Win l.e. buckshot and discovered that the extra pressure had caused 3 of the shells to deform, and these would not chamber.
Also, the extended mags mess up the gun's balance and handling for me. One good point is that 5-6 shells can be in the mag and the spring is still not under full compression.
If you use the big long mag tube, I suggest that you give it some extra scrutiny.
Loosecannon
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