Overview of Magazine Extensions for Remington 870 Shotgun (Choate, TacStar, Remington, ATI)
This is overview of the most popular magazine extensions for Remington 870 shotgun: Choate, TacStar, Remington. Some of the information is based on my own experience and some is from other owners of our favorite Rem 870.
I haven’t reviewed plastic magazine extension (ATI) because I don’t think that it is reliable and I don’t recommend it to anyone.
Let’s start with the original Remington magazine extension, it is different from other ones.
Remington Magazine Extension
Bundle:
Extension
Spring
Clamp (without swivel)
Mounting screw for clamp
1. Remington magazine extension is little longer than the other ones. There are many theories about the purpose of this nose cap in the end of the tube, but the truth is that it allows to attach a bayonet (for example, M7). If you want to add a bayonet to your shotgun you will need an additional bayonet adapter. For example, the one from S&J Hardware, the price is about $80-100.
Original military U.S.M.C. M870 MK1 Bayonet Adapter/Magazine Bracket (which is no longer manufactured) is difficult to find and will cost you about $250.
2. This extension has a groove around it that provides an interlock for the mounting screw of the barrel clamp. It positions the clamp on the extension and locks it in position. This is one of the advantages of the Remington extension because clamp can’t move under recoil. Some of the shooters say that other barrel clamps are not as reliable as the one by Remington.
3. Extension consists of two parts. This allows smooth feeding. All other extensions are made from solid tube and have small “step” inside tube which can cause jamming of the spring or follower to malfunction.
This extension is the most expensive one, the price is about $100-120
Next extension in this overview is made by Choate
Choate Magazine Extension
Bundle:
Extension
Spring
Clamp (with swivel)
Mounting screw for clamp
Orange follower with tail
This is one-piece extension made from metal. It is available in polished blue or matte blue finishes. There are several known problems with this magazine extension:
1. Spring need to be cut to proper length.
2. Follower is too big and diameter need to be reduced to slide freely in the magazine tube.
3. It is difficult to thread it fully on to the existing magazine tube. Fits very very tight.
4. Problems with feeding, follower sticks. Can be fixed by polishing the inside of an extension tube.
It looks like this extension was stamped and not made of solid piece of metal.
The price is about $40-50
And the last extension in this overview is from TacStar
TacStar Magazine Extension
Bundle:
Extension
Spring
I think that this is one of the most popular magazine extensions for Remington 870 shotgun. You can select polished blued or matte parkerized variant. Some of the users of this magazine extension say that parkerized coating was not very durable. Other that that it works perfectly and does not need any modifications.
The tube is made from solid piece of metal.
Price of this extensions is about $50-60
Attention: Manufacturers of extensions consider that the standard capacity of the Remington 870 Express shotgun is 5 rounds (4+1), that is why when you want to buy magazine extension for 2 rounds, you need to choose the 7-shot magazine extension.
Please leave a comment if you have experience with Remington 870 magazine extensions from this review.
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Are these all +3s on a 20″ barrel? I don’t like how the factory extension sticks out past the end, it looks odd, but the other ones look normal.
Kris, yes, all extensions are on 20″ barrel. Yes, I agree that factory extension doesn’t look good with the end which sticks out, but it allows to install a bayonet
Also, there is another extension which looks like the factory one but it doesn’t stick out past the end. It is made by Sage International, one of the readers of the blog sent photos and information about it:
http://www.rem870.com/2009/11/13/remington_870_photos_sage_international_extension_forend_strap_vang_comp_follower/
With a careful rework of a +2 Choate extention on my 870, I have managed to make it a +3 extention while still being only as long as the normally +2, took some careful triming of the spring, which I had not trimmed before at all, and modifications to the follower and plastic endplug in the extention tube. Seems to work well running snap caps thru it, have to take it to the range to see for sure though.
Thanks for your comment! It would be very interesting to hear about results your field test.
WE at S&J hardware allso make a +3 mag tube and it does not stick out past the end of the barrle.
http://www.sjhardware.com
One thing everyone must remember is that these extensions are not threaded on very well. Look at the shallow threads and the low number of threads actually enagaging the extension. As such, a clamp must be used (like the factory extension) to secure it to ther barrel or else the extension is easily knocked off if banged into anything. If the extension is knocked off or knocked loose, the force of the spring will launch the extension and the shells in the tube could all fall out. This is why the factory extension has a very well engineered clamp with a groove in the extension to hold the clamp in position.
Hey everyone, I need some help figuring out what i need and where i can find a magazine extension for my Remington 1100 12 gauge shot gun. I have a 22 inch smooth bore deer slug barrel. i am looking for a magazine extension that will be flush with the end of this barrel. I would like to keep with a factory Remington but will settle for anything blued/metal. If anyone can point me in the right direction or give me some advise i would really appreciate it. my gun sort of looks like the one on the right of this page.
I mainly want it to be flush with the barrel. I don’t know how many shots i should be looking for and im getting confused.
Thanks in advance fellas