"replacing" 870 express magazine tube

[don1911]

I have an old wood stocked 870 express. I do not want a tube extension added onto current tube. I would like to replace the magazine tube as a whole. add a couple rounds to capacity. Is the tube screwed in with black loctite like a mossberg 500? Or is it pressed maybe bonded? Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get this done? And where I can obtain a higher capacity "replacement" tube?

Thanks.

[Banshee]

The magazine tube on the 870 is silver soldered in place. It can be replaced but is a major job, not something most can do at home, or even most gunsmiths can do. It takes a special jig to hold the receiver, tube and rear barrel surport in place while it all is being soldered in place. After all of the soldering and cleaning a refinishing would be required. Would not be a cheap endeavor to embark upon. Remington sells a replacement tube. It would be cheaper to replace with a tactical model with an extended tube already in place

[Synchronizor]

In addition to what Banshee said, you would also need to move the guide ring on the barrel to match the longer magazine tube. Either that, or bubba up a spacer. Remington does offer a few barrels meant for Tactical receivers with the single-piece 6-round magazine tubes, but those are all 18.5" combat/defensive barrels.

What's wrong with magazine extensions? There are some good single-piece kits that are basically just elongated magazine caps. Installation is very simple, they run reliably, and they're a heck of a lot cheaper than custom-modifying a barrel & receiver.

[don1911]

I originally installed an extension. It worked great. Then it was discovered that after it sits awhile (few days or weeks), it won't feed. Shells seem to stick in tube. It must have something to do with the dimples inside end of original tube that I sanded off, per instructions with the new extension. Don't know now. I just bought new tube cap to make gun usable and reliable again.

[Synchronizor]

Removing the dimples isn't all that complicated, just make sure there's nothing to snag the shells and follower, and you're good. Drilling them out is one of the better methods; it ensures that there's nothing left of the bumps, and all you have to do afterward is deburr the holes.

Anyway, if your extension problems were due to remnants of the dimples, they probably would have shown up immediately. If the issues only started to occur after the gun sat loaded for a while, it sounds like your shells deformed under spring pressure, probably due to an overly-stiff magazine spring. Another possibility is that your extension and follower aren't playing nicely together, and the follower is hanging up at the internal joint. Some extension kits come with a poorly-designed or -matched follower, and need a different one to work reliably. This can happen at random, so it can escape notice at first if you don't test the gun very thoroughly afterward. What extension kit were you using?

Tons of people run magazine extensions without any problems. Getting yours to work (or replacing it if it's a really bad one) is going to take a lot less time, money, and effort than getting custom barrels made and a custom magazine tube installed.

[don1911]

I'll find the box it came in and give brand and model for the extension kit. I thought i did good job of removing dimples. I'll have to look at that again too. Thanks.

[don1911]

This is the one I tried on my 870 Express.
ATI Remington 7 Shot Fluted Aluminum Magazine Extension with Swivel Stud Cap Black A.5.10.1657
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product ... 2130655.do

[Synchronizor]

Afraid I don't have any hands-on experience with that one. Some of the other users here may be able to chime in and point out potential problem areas.