Magazine Extension Spring ?

[Quadkid]

Hey guys. I'm having an issue with the magazine extension on my 870. When I load more than 2 or 3 rounds in the tube the spring gets bound up and won't press the rounds into the receiver. I feel like the spring is far too long and getting bound up. The spring is literally twice the length of the magazine tube. My other thought is the magazine tube to extension tube lip may be too severe and jamming the plunger. Which issue is more likely?

Thanks
Sean

 

[Sir Aardvark]

Your spring is most likely getting hung up in the little space created where the magazine extension is supposed to butt up against the magazine tube. Sometimes taking the extension off and putting it on more carefully (by adjusting the threaded ring a turn in or out) may make this problem go away.
Aftermarket followers seem to have this same problem, so getting a new one of those may or may not help.
Some 870's seem to do this all of the time, and some seem to never have this problem.
I really doubt that your spring is too long - it would take more than 2-3 rounds to cause it to fully compress so as to not accept any more shells in the magazine.

Also, is this a factory extension on an 870 that was intended to accept an extension? The 5-shot Express has little dimples at the end of the magazine tube that would cause similar issues (usually after 4 rounds were loaded). Some aftermarket stuff is just junk and may not ever work correctly.

 

[Sir Aardvark]

dup

 

[Quadkid]

ah sorry, should have specified that its an old 870 without the dimples, and the extension is a choate. I left the choate follower in and reinstalled the old spring and magazine cap, and it cycles fine. I'll try and tinker with the extension tomorrow and see if i can get it to sit better. I had installed it as tight as I could before.