Who upgrades to the ball detent magazine retention system?

[blgoode]

Just looking at adding a 18" barrel and wondered who got a parkerized barrel with the ball detent over the plastic ratchet magazine cap system?

Anyone ever have the magazine cap just not stay snug with either system?

[Synchronizor]

If you have the choice, I'd say get a barrel with the locking detent. It'll still work with any style magazine cap, so you can keep using your plastic spring retainer and matching cap; but if you ever remove the bumps that the plastic spring retainer engages with to add a magazine extension, you'll still be able to lock the cap or magazine down securely with that barrel.

All my caps and extensions are designed for barrels with the locking detent, and they stay very secure. I do have one barrel (the one I use for trap shooting) without the detent, and since my gun didn't come with the bumps in the magazine tube, I run it without any retention system. I just tighten the cap or extension down firmly, and check it every once in a while while I'm shooting. It stays put pretty well, but does tend to work its way loose during high-volume shooting. Eventually, I want to get a detent installed in that barrel, but for trap shooting, it's not a huge deal to re-tighten the cap occasionally.

[blgoode]

Thanks for the info and your input!!!

[MStarmer]

You can always use one of the "wave" washers.

[Bastard File]

MStarmer is correct...wave washers will certainly work!

[blgoode]

What diameter washer needs to be used?

[MStarmer]

Sorry I was out of town for the last 4 days...

I'm not sure of the diameter or part number but on J.D.'s website (AI&P Tactical) it states the following; http://aiptactical.com/How-To_Videos.html Read under "Tube Extension Kit".

If your barrel does not have a detent ball these is nothing to hold the mag tube coupling from turning. Panic not. Go to www.brownells.com and in the search block enter the words "Wave Washer" you will see these are about $6 for a pack of three. You simply install the barrel then place a wave washer over the mag tube on to the barrel ring then screw on the mag tube coupling. This washer keeps it tight and that three pack will last you many years. Also, the Wave Washers with say for a Remington 1100, don't worry about that mess as they work on any Remington shotgun.

[Synchronizor]

The wave washers work well as a way to keep the cap tight on a barrel without the locking detent; but if you're buying a barrel, you might as well just get one with the detent. All the 18" 870 barrels I've seen have them anyway, since they're used on guns with magazine extensions, and I don't think they're more expensive for it. I was at the area Cabela's this weekend, and they had a basic bead-sight 18" 870 barrel with a fixed cylinder choke for $129, as well as a similar Carlson's 870 barrel that was threaded for interchangeable choke tubes for $20 more. Both had ball detents in their guide rings.

[Synchronizor]

Figured I'd drop back in here and mention this:

I was in the local hardware/sporting store the other day, looking for some spring washers for a prototype I was building. Naturally, I ended up at the gun counter, where I handled an 870 Express Synthetic 18" and an 870 Wingmaster, both in 12ga. Both of these shotguns had the new-style plastic spring retainer/cap ratchet; and both guns had had their mag caps back off, leaving the barrels loose and rattling around until I tightened them down.

I'm sure that shipping, handling, and storage contributed to those caps coming loose, and it would take a lot of rounds to make it happen again on the range; but I'm going to go ahead and stick with my preference for the ball-detent system.

[blgoode]

Where do you find the magazine cap that will work with the ball detent?