Securing 870 Express barrel on Wingmaster

[dak0ta]

I have a Wingmaster receiver and an Express barrel without the ball detent. My magazine cap is the older Wingmaster style, not the Express ratchet style.

How can I secure the Express barrel on so it doesn't loosen up after firing?

I looked into sling plates with the ball-detent, and was wondering if those are spring loaded to keep the magazine cap tight.

Solutions appreciated.

 

[Fred Fuller]

No, they depend on the spring-loaded detent on the barrel ring for that.

Several possibilities - teflon tape on the mag tube threads, a spring washer or O-ring under the mag cap, etc.

 

[LeonCarr]

Go to www.brownells.com and do a search for a Wave Washer. Hopefully that will solve your problem.

Brownells also sells a kit to install a ball detent in your Express barrel if you are handy with tools.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Virginian]

I prefer an 'O' ring myself. 3/16" thickness.

 

[dak0ta]

Does the O-ring work with Wingmaster mag caps without the ratchet teeth or only with the Express style mag caps that have the teeth inside so they dig into the O-ring?

Also, if I decide to add an extension later, would the O-ring work well enough? And if the mag extension has a sling plate that doubles as a barrel support, would the extension work itself loose?

 

[Virginian]

The 'O' ring goes outside the mag tube and will work with either style cap. Doesn't need any teeth or grooves either.

 

[dak0ta]

If I were to put an extension on and then use a bracket that secures the extension to the barrel, would that stop the extension from loosening?

 

[Fred Fuller]

The barrel clamp should work just fine, on a one piece extension. If it's a Remington two-piece or the like, the coupling might still loosen, unless the O ring or whatever is used as with the magazine cap.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

O-ring.

 

[dak0ta]

I'm considering just getting my gunsmith to add a ball detent. Any idea how much such a job costs?

 

[Fred Fuller]

On newer Express barrels made for non-HD guns (which had factory extensions), they didn't even drill the hole in the barrel ring for the detent and spring. On transitional Express barrels, the hole is there but the spring and detent are not installed.

If your barrel has the hole in the barrel ring, getting the detent and spring staked in place is pretty simple and shouldn't cost much at all.

If there's no hole already drilled, I don't know what it might require, but it will definitely cost more as a good bit more work will be required to lay out and drill the hole (how small is the chuck on your drill press?). Price the job first and then call Remington to see if it might not be cheaper to just buy an 18.5" Express or Police barrel with the detent already in place...

And some free advice - save yourself hassle from here on out by NOT buying barrels which are not made for your specific 870 model . I won't even buy 'dimpled' mag tube Express guns any more, I'm done fiddling with them. Show me an older one and if it's a deal it will go home with me, but newer ones... no thanks. Wingmasters, no problem - but I don't try to put post-dimple Express barrels on them, either.

 

[dak0ta]

I love the Wingmaster, but finding 20'' barrels with rifled sights are scarce in WM configuration. I traded my 12.5'' barrel for an Express 20'' as I didn't like the lack of balance.

 

[JohnB]

Go to www.brownells.com and do a search for a Wave Washer. Hopefully that will solve your problem.

Brownells also sells a kit to install a ball detent in your Express barrel if you are handy with tools.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Yep. The wave washers were designed for this and work well for me. Regardless that it says 1100, it works just fine on an 870.

http://www.brownells.com/search/ind...larsSold (Descending)&k=wave+washer&ksubmit=y

 

[btg3]

For a few dollars, try the o-ring and wave washer. Betcha there's no need to think further about the ball detent. Get 'er done!

 

[LordDunsany]

I just fixed this problem on my oldest Express Magnum. Wave washer worked like a charm and will definitely not come loose. I helped mine a bit with leather padding and channel lock pliers to tighten the nut down.

Still easily removed but is much more secure now. I use a sling and one end anchors on the Tube Nut, which had caused it to work loose over time. Looks like that will not happen anymore.

If you order from Brownells, note that the package contains three wave washers. I didn't notice that and ended up with a lifetime supply of them.

Ron in Texas

 

[dak0ta]

What diameter O-ring do I need for the mag cap and Virginian mentioned 3/16'' thickness.