Remington 1100 Magazine Tube Extension

[EvilBetty]

I'm pretty miffed.

I will eventually buy and build myself a properly setup shotgun for multigun. Until then I borrowed my dad's late 80's Remington 1100 Special Field. It's got a 20" barrel and a 4 round magazine.

Looking around for tube extensions I saw lots of manufacturers and options but being this was a temporary solution I went for the Choate 8 round tube. My thinking was this would land me 8+1. Well it didn't. Even with the factory spring the best I got was 6+1.

I thought, Ok they must have been assuming at 5 round magazine tube. So I went back to Midway-USA and bought the 9 round tube. I pop it on today and I'm getting 7+1. And that's with the factory spring and follower. The 8th round goes in up to the high brass before it stops. If I lay rounds next to it end to end the only way that 8 rounds would fit in it, would be if the spring compressed neatly inside the factory follower. ***.

The mag tube measures to 10.5"

The mag tube with the 8 round Choate measures to 18.25"

The mag tube with the 9 round Chaote measures to 19.34" w/ 1.24" of barrel still sticking past it.

Why are Choate's numbers so far off from what I'm seeing in reality?

Going by thier FAQ:
http://www.riflestock.com/FAQs_details.cfm?CategoryID=37&DeptID=1

The 8 Round is 8 ½”. I saw a 7 ¾” extension.

The 9 Round is 10 ¼”. I saw a 9 ¼” extension, leaving the extension 1 ¼” shy of the end of the barrel.

I’m guessing the 10 round is going to put me at least 4 inches past the end of the barrel.

Where did I go wrong?

 

[Sam Cade]

Your magazine spring is too long. You most likely have the spring for a longer extension.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ztzICm5lg

 

[sidibear]

What size shells are you using?

 

[Virginian]

Since the Special Field magazine is 2 rounds shorter than a standard one, I would assume every extension is going to give you 2 rounds less than advertised, and it looks like that is exactly what is happening.

 

[EvilBetty]

@Sam Cade: I'm using the stock spring still, haven't even tried to use the longer spring yet. It is only about 3 inches longer than the tube and extension.

@sidibear: 2 3/4 shells.

@Virginian: What's a standard tube hold? This one holds 4. And it looks like the other Rem 1100's on their site also hold 4.

 

[Virginian]

Oops, my mistake. I was thinking 870s. Sincere apologies.

 

[dfariswheel]

The length of UNFIRED shot shells vary. A 2 3/4" shell is that length AFTER it's fired.
Loaded shell length varies enough that a gun may hold one less shell in an extended tube.

Install the spring that the extension came with and try some different shells.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Since the Special Field magazine is 2 rounds shorter than a standard one, I would assume every extension is going to give you 2 rounds less than advertised, and it looks like that is exactly what is happening.

The only way the capacity can be reduced is if there are dimples in the magazine tube which are pretty much permanant, you aren't gonna be able to increase capacity at all. The only other two ways is a plug or something with the end cap and both don't effect a extension. I would say that one of the componants of the extension is wrong or the magazine follower is too long for some reason.

I have a 1100 that sits next to my bed with a remington factory extension that holds the correct 6 rounds. Only problem is that it gets loose during loading and shooting, I just need to get a barrel/magazine clamp.

 

[EvilBetty]

Choate thinks the magazine extension tube I received is 1/2" too short, and wants me to send it back to them, not Midway USA.

I'm not sure that is going to be enough though. Through lots of sizing and testing it looks like it would have to be 3/4 to 1" longer to fit the 8th shell with their spring and follower.

I'm thinking about getting a LM external choke and a longer 10 shot tube.

 

[1KPerDay]

You sure the "8 shot" extension is supposed to hold 8 rounds in the mag tube? Or is it only "8 shots" in the gun, total?

 

[EvilBetty]

Even if that were the case, I have the 9 on there now and can only fit 7 1/2.

Remington 870/1100/1187 9 Shot Matte Blue Extension 12 gauge

Increase your fire power by 4 shells with our shotgun magazine extension kits. These extensions are great for law enforcement officers and competition shooters in reducing the time to reload. They are also a must for home protection.

These kits are constructed of solid blued steel, matte finish, and come with spring, base clamp & follower.

Kit includes : 1 Magazine Extension - (7,8, 9 or 10 shot), 1 Base Clamp 1 High Visibility Shell Follower.

The new model Remington 870/1100/1187 shotguns have dimples that will have to be drilled out with 3/16 drill bit before the spring will extend up into the magazine extension. The older model Remington 870/1100/1187 will readily accept our extensions without any alterations. No extensions for Mossberg 500/600/590.

Will Fit: Remington 870/1100/1187 7 Shot Model fits 18" barrel or longer. 8 Shot Model fits 20" barrel or longer. 9 Shot Model fits 24" barrel or longer. 10 Shot Model fits 26" barrel or longer. (Sling Swivel base clamps included with most Magazine Extension Kits to add needed support. Remington Lightweight Extensions require our lightweight base clamps.)

7 Shot- Length- 6 in. fits 18 in. barrel 8 Shot- Length- 8 ½ in. fits 20 ½ in barrel 9 Shot- Length- 10 ¼ in. fits 22 ½ in. barrel 10 Shot- Length- 14 ¾ in. fits 26 ½ in. barrel The barrel on the 835 Mossberg pump is closer to the magazine cap so you will have to use one size shorter extension than the chart shows. Magazine capacity is measured with 2 3/4 inch shells. You will loose one round of capacity with 3 inch shells.

 

[EvilBetty]

Ok so it looks like the "Special Field" has a 3 round mag tube. I haven't found anything saying that but with the plug removed I confirmed that I could only load 3 and most of a 4th round. I'm betting that if the spring was cut down a 4th would fit, but that doesn't change much for the extension.

That makes Midway's description of these being a +3 and +4 tubes hold true. But Choate calls them 8 round and 9 round tubes, which really added to the confusion of a 2 round discrepancy.

I called Choate and they asked that I send them the tube (which measures almost a inch shorter than he said it should) and a letter explaining the problem and they'd fix it. I'm going to get a ProBore External Modified choke first and measure, and see if they will just cut me one at that length. That would get me my 8+1 for sure.

 

[EvilBetty]

Choate let me down completely. After mailing in my tube they promptly sent me back a new tube and spring... of the exact same size. If they had read any of my letter and broke out a tape measure on the tube before they packed it, they would not have sent it.

I wrote them back and called and left a voice mail. Now they are not returning my calls or letters.

I emailed Midway USA and they are graciously letting me return it.

I've leaned my lesson... buying a Nordic.