How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Tactical, combat, military, law enforcement and home defense use of a Remington 870 shotgun.
kilrain
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by kilrain » Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:52 pm

I keep the magazine fully loaded, as it was designed to be that way. My anecdotal basis for this is 25 years in LE(got about 5 years left) carrying/having an 870 pretty much every day, whether it was my personal gun or the gun issued to a car. I've seen several things fail on 870s over the years including ejectors, front sight base(not the bead, the soldered on base popped off) and stocks among a few. I've never seen a magazine spring lose enough tension to fail.

Like all things mechanical, I'm sure it's a possibility, however life is a crap shoot and you have to play the odds, odds are it isn't an issue in my experience. Good luck and stay safe.

Richard Sveum
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by Richard Sveum » Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:39 am

Same here. 20 years in and have never seen a tube spring fail. Been shooting 870's since 1985.

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USAF Shooter
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Location: Michigan

Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by USAF Shooter » Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:47 am

I have a Nordic +3 mag extension on my 870, and I keep 7 rds in my gun at all times, plus the 6 in my sidesaddle. I like to be prepared. I change out my spring every 2 years just to be safe.
Due to the increased price of ammo, don't expect a warning shot...

ChillyB
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by ChillyB » Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:52 am

Stuffed full, empty chamber.

Hamish
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by Hamish » Mon Aug 16, 2021 2:10 am

Scorpion8 wrote:
Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:22 pm
Image

I keep one of my 870's loaded for bear defense, as there are many in this area. 3 rounds in the mag tube, chamber open so the shotgun can't go off if it falls over. A simple racking and boo-boo can be dealt with. I see these HD shotguns with 6-round mag tubes and 10-round side-saddle carriers and I wonder what somebody's house would look like after an encounter inside that needed that kind of response. What's your threat scenario? A war zone?
I wonder how many she would liked to have had in the tube?

https://youtu.be/84jSh3ASV4k

FloridaWing
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by FloridaWing » Tue Oct 11, 2022 9:47 pm

"I've heard" is one reason why people pass along bad information and gunsmiths stay in business.

rshooter
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by rshooter » Thu Oct 13, 2022 5:27 pm

While I like Lucky gunner videos, I would load my magazine to full capacity. There are several studies that show magazines fully loaded will not degrade the spring. I do not know if it helped lead to this wisdom but my DI in boot camp said to download our magazines in combat in locations such as Vietnam. He experienced this firsthand when a fully depressed magazine spring rusted and affected the presentation of rounds. That was a long time ago and magazine springs have improved since then and Asian heat and humidity is not a factor in the states with the possible exception of a really bad summer in Florida.

FloridaWing
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by FloridaWing » Tue Oct 18, 2022 1:12 am

"How many to have in the magazine tube while stored?"

How many can it hold?
LOAD 'EM UP - an empty firearm is just a club or a paperweight!

It is not tension on a magazine spring which causes wear, it is repeated cycles of loaded-to-unloaded-to-loaded.
I have dozens of pistol and rifle magazines in various calibers all loaded & ready to go and don't lose a wink of sleep over any contrived 'spring fatigue' issues!

SO889
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by SO889 » Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:20 pm

Meh. All our shotguns stayed cruiser ready with a full magazine. Twice a year they came out, shot a qualification course, quick cleaning, and back into the overhead rack.

Never heard of one failing to load or go bang.

SeanE
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Re: How many to have in the magazine tube while stored

Post by SeanE » Tue Mar 21, 2023 10:56 pm

Hamish wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 2:10 am
Scorpion8 wrote:
Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:22 pm
Image

I keep one of my 870's loaded for bear defense, as there are many in this area. 3 rounds in the mag tube, chamber open so the shotgun can't go off if it falls over. A simple racking and boo-boo can be dealt with. I see these HD shotguns with 6-round mag tubes and 10-round side-saddle carriers and I wonder what somebody's house would look like after an encounter inside that needed that kind of response. What's your threat scenario? A war zone?
I wonder how many she would liked to have had in the tube?

https://youtu.be/84jSh3ASV4k
I've never head anyone involved in a shooting state they felt they had enough ammo. Load it up! Have a side saddle or even easier and pretty cheap, a velcro attachement Estac makes good ones.

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