Thoughts about modifying mag tube for mag extension

71Chevelle427 said:

No problem. I'm wanting it to look more like my police 870's, (or the all black Maverick 88) as far as barrel/mag tube lengths.

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71Chevelle427 said:

Here is the 8 round extension, compared to the 20" barrel.

3" difference, so the 7 round one should be perfect.

I put the stock on, but want to wait until the extension is on first, before adding those pics.

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Sweeeeeeeet!!!

My son just picked up an 870 w/ magazine extension, and it's about an inch longer than the 18-1/2" barrel. He's not concerned about that, at all.
(Even though I have a couple of Scattergun Technologies and a Remington +2 extension in my cabinet.)

He found the 870 after he bought the "Boss Hog".
He found it. I was going to buy it (I had the $$$ in my pocket - he didn't), but, I wound up loaning him the funds.

I need to measure the distance(s) between any pins in the receiver, and find him a shellholder that'll work.

The 7 round extension on that scattergun should be perfect!!

May be a bit late and this is advertised for Rems, but it may work.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...etent-swage-remington-12-gauge-prod75328.aspx

I got one of those extensions years ago. Didn't realize when I bought it that the indents on a stock 870 tube would prevent it from working.

In the end I decided not to mess with drilling or grinding on my Wingmaster or SPS Super Magnum Turkey Camo. Now looking for a (relatively) cheap 870 Express to turn into a tactical shotgun. Bought an 18.5" Carlson barrel with rifle sights threaded for rem chokes on ebay to use on it when I find one.

Growler215 said:

I got one of those extensions years ago. Didn't realize when I bought it that the indents on a stock 870 tube would prevent it from working.

In the end I decided not to mess with drilling or grinding on my Wingmaster or SPS Super Magnum Turkey Camo. Now looking for a (relatively) cheap 870 Express to turn into a tactical shotgun. Bought an 18.5" Carlson barrel with rifle sights threaded for rem chokes on ebay to use on it when I find one.

Click to expand...

Buy one of the plugs you hammer into the extension off ebay. I did that to my 870 and it's like the dimples never existed. Much cleaner than drilling.

This is what I bought:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAGAZINE-T...-/123855635833?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Bisleyfan44 said:

May be a bit late and this is advertised for Rems, but it may work.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...etent-swage-remington-12-gauge-prod75328.aspx

Click to expand...

Growler215 said:

I got one of those extensions years ago. Didn't realize when I bought it that the indents on a stock 870 tube would prevent it from working.

In the end I decided not to mess with drilling or grinding on my Wingmaster

Click to expand...

That's odd.
The Carlson extensions on my Wingmaster and Police Magnum, pictured above, did not have any dimples preventing them from doing what they were designed to do.

Is it only the newer 870's that have the dimples?

My 870 PM is a 1995, and the 870 WM is a 1972 model.

As for the OP...
The Turkish Citadel Warthog (or Boss Hog as some call it) that I am modifying, has a "roll crimp" (Thanks Biggfoot44) which means the entire end of the mag tube is basically "rolled over" to prevent the plastic sleeve and mag tube spring in place. That (the crimp) is what I removed with a carbide bit and sandpaper roll.

To cut the original mag tube down in order to eliminate the crimp, like the video suggests, easily causes the loss of 2-3 threads. There is only 5-7 threads to start with, when the forend is in place. This is why I chose to remove the "crimp", from the inside.

This way, the length, and threads, are 100% the same as they were to begin with.

Growler215 said:

I got one of those extensions years ago. Didn't realize when I bought it that the indents on a stock 870 tube would prevent it from working.

In the end I decided not to mess with drilling or grinding on my Wingmaster or SPS Super Magnum Turkey Camo. Now looking for a (relatively) cheap 870 Express to turn into a tactical shotgun. Bought an 18.5" Carlson barrel with rifle sights threaded for rem chokes on ebay to use on it when I find one.

Click to expand...

Yeah I wouldn't do this mod to any nice Remingtons you have. It is easy to do and the only down side is that the spring retention plug will pop out when you remove the cap, not the biggest issue in the world but might hurt resale if they look for it. I used a Dremel to grind and then polished the inside worked great and no cosmetic issues.

71Chevelle427 said:

That's odd.
The Carlson extensions on my Wingmaster and Police Magnum, pictured above, did not have any dimples preventing them from doing what they were designed to do.

Is it only the newer 870's that have the dimples?

My 870 PM is a 1995, and the 870 WM is a 1972 model.

As for the OP...
The Turkish Citadel Warthog (or Boss Hog as some call it) that I am modifying, has a "roll crimp" (Thanks Biggfoot44) which means the entire end of the mag tube is basically "rolled over" to prevent the plastic sleeve and mag tube spring in place. That (the crimp) is what I removed with a carbide bit and sandpaper roll.

To cut the original mag tube down in order to eliminate the crimp, like the video suggests, easily causes the loss of 2-3 threads. There is only 5-7 threads to start with, when the forend is in place. This is why I chose to remove the "crimp", from the inside.

This way, the length, and threads, are 100% the same as they were to begin with.

Click to expand...

I own/have owned several 870(s) over the years.
My beloved wife bought me a Wingmaster for Christmas, in '88, and it doesn't have 'the dimples'.
The original 'Express', called "Sportsman 12" that I had, didn't have 'the dimples', either. Like a fool, I sold that to a good friend. It was a fantastic scattergun. He still has it.

The first 870 that I removed 'the dimples' on, is an Express model that I bought and gifted to my oldest daughter, when she moved into her first house.
I had read several articles and read on several forums, that using a deep socket (don't remember which size) driven carefully into the magazine tube, can swage out 'the dimples'.
Darned near ruined that mag tube, doing that.
I wound up drilling the dimples out, and touched up the holes with cold blue.
I don't give a crap about re-sale. It's my daughter's shotgun, now.
Knoxx SpecOps stock w/"PowerPak" shellholder. Remington +2 extension. Sidesaddle shellholder added.
She's got a nice HD scattergun, and knows how to use it.

Bountied said:

Yeah I wouldn't do this mod to any nice Remingtons you have. It is easy to do and the only down side is that the spring retention plug will pop out when you remove the cap, not the biggest issue in the world but might hurt resale if they look for it. I used a Dremel to grind and then polished the inside worked great and no cosmetic issues.

Click to expand...

Back when I bought the Express for my daughter, I contacted Remington, and bought several of the spring steel magazine spring retainers that they previously used.
Midway USA had a quantity recently, and I got a couple for 20 ga (now discontinued, per Midway USA).

SWO Daddy said:

Buy one of the plugs you hammer into the extension off ebay. I did that to my 870 and it's like the dimples never existed. Much cleaner than drilling.

This is what I bought:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAGAZINE-T...-/123855635833?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Still planning on getting an 870 Express (don't want a side saddle or extension tube on my hunting shotguns), but I will get one of these swag tools if it has the dinples.

Growler215 said:

Thanks!

Still planning on getting an 870 Express (don't want a side saddle or extension tube on my hunting shotguns), but I will get one of these swag tools if it has the dinples.

Click to expand...

I didn't drill mine because it didn't want to have holes in the tube. A Dremel and a little patience did the job and the outside looks the same.

byf43 said:

Sweeeeeeeet!!!

My son just picked up an 870 w/ magazine extension, and it's about an inch longer than the 18-1/2" barrel. He's not concerned about that, at all.
(Even though I have a couple of Scattergun Technologies and a Remington +2 extension in my cabinet.)

He found the 870 after he bought the "Boss Hog".
He found it. I was going to buy it (I had the $$$ in my pocket - he didn't), but, I wound up loaning him the funds.

I need to measure the distance(s) between any pins in the receiver, and find him a shellholder that'll work.

The 7 round extension on that scattergun should be perfect!!

Click to expand...

Hey there. I made a little "project" thread on the Citadel, if you want to check it out.

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=255135

71Chevelle427 said:

Hey there. I made a little "project" thread on the Citadel, if you want to check it out.

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=255135

Click to expand...

Awesome!!!

Just read it and commented.

GREAT job!