Can't load all the rounds in the new 870?

JohnB · August 26, 2002, 10:55 PM

My friend just bought a new 870 express magnum with the 2 shot extension. Unfortunately it only loads 6rds. Neither him nor myself know a ton about shotguns but thought this would cover the basics. What is going on here, it was advertised as a 9 shot gun and it ain't goin' there. I have heard about the dimples but this is supposed to be a factory gun. What's the deal?
Thanks

skeeter · August 26, 2002, 10:59 PM

This gun is advertised as a 6+1 capacity gun. Maybe a 26" barrel gun with the longer extension will give a 9 shot capacity but for this gun 6 sounds right.

Coronach · August 26, 2002, 11:31 PM

Standard capacity for a Remington 870 is 4+1 (thats 4 in the tube and 1 in the chamber). You have a factory +2 extension, so that brings your total to 6+1.

Mike

JohnB · August 26, 2002, 11:40 PM

I was in the gun shop when he bought it and it was advertised as a 9 shot gun. This is the 18" model. I thought stock was 6+1 and this would be 6+2+1=9.

labgrade · August 27, 2002, 12:06 AM

Stocks're 4+1 far as I know. Got two & that's all they do.

Who "advertised" it as such? Gun shop owner or firearm literature?

Dfariswheel · August 27, 2002, 12:33 AM

I suspect it was the gunshop people who told you it was a 9 shot gun.

There is no way an 18" barreled gun can hold 9 rounds. Lay 9 rounds end to end, and compare it to the barrel.

The most an 18" Remington 870 can hold is 6 in the tube and one in the chamber.

49hudson · August 27, 2002, 12:45 AM

LH870/5shot extention;9+1=10shot 870

JohnB · August 27, 2002, 06:44 AM

Well from the looks of it he was hosed. Both the tag and the salesperson stated this held six shots plus the extension for 8+1 capacity. Factory is four shots. I'm sure he'll be pretty pissed when I tell him but I wonder what the shop will do. Normally they don't accept returns on guns but this is a huge mistake.

Is there anything that can be done to this gun to increase capacity?

Thanks for the info. BTW, what do you have to get in a 870 or 590mossy to get the higher capacity? There are too many choices and they are not very clear.

HSMITH · August 27, 2002, 07:19 AM

6 shots is all you can get without the extension extending past the muzzle on an 18" barrel. A 20" gun will hold 7and a 22" will hold 8 without passing the muzzle.

Dave McC · August 27, 2002, 07:31 AM

John, any AS scenario not handled by a 4+1 870 in trained, cool hands will likely not be handled by anything short of a heavily armed Marine platoon.

Extensions are a nice to have, but not mandatory for HD or other "Serious" use.Mods are nice, but an out of box 4+1 870 is an awesome close range weapon of tremendous effect.

Shoot the thing as it is, with some fastnclose COFs, maybe requiring fast reloading. After 100 rounds of ammo, come back and tell us if you still feel it's inadequate. My guess is you will not think so any more...

cslinger · August 27, 2002, 09:30 AM

Which is really just a stainless nickle version of what your friend got. 18 inch barrell. 6+1 is all you are going to get.

I figure if I need more than 3 round of OO I am in a world of hurt and it is time to retreat to the assault rifles..

Hell to be honest one round should do the job if you can hit your target.

labgrade · August 27, 2002, 11:44 AM

Nice thing a bout an extension tube is that you can stuff the regular 4 in it without compressing the spring completely & leave it that way for extended periods.

CWL · August 27, 2002, 12:11 PM

Here's a simple question. Are you loading 3" magnum rounds or 2.75" standard loads?

Mag capacities are generally calculated for 2.75" shells.

stinger · August 27, 2002, 05:33 PM

Take it back on priciples alone, I say.

Stinger

Sundance · August 27, 2002, 08:56 PM

A word to the wise...

Here is a good rule of thumb: Always know more about the product you intend to buy than the salesman you intend to buy it from before you ever leave the house to go shopping.

If you don't follow this rule, prepare to bend over and get screwed.

Salesmen are dumb...salesmen are liars...salesmen are sneaky...salesmen are only in it for the money.

Now I realize there are exceptions, and to those exceptions I apologize for grouping you in with the rest of them.

Rip Torn said in Extreme Prejudice that the only thing worse than a politician is a child molester. Well I would add that the only thing worse than a child molester is a salesman (or maybe a lawyer or a liberal).

OK...off my soapbox and back to my point. With over a dozen gun related periodicals, books like The Shooters Bible, Gun Digest, Gun Traders Guide, Blue Book of Gun Values, a million other gun specialty books, and the Internet, you really can't blame anyone but yourself if you don't know the facts before you buy.

DML · August 29, 2002, 12:05 AM

Text deleted because of confusion.

For some reason i thought the picture of the 870 was of the shotgun in question.

Poodleshooter · August 29, 2002, 03:04 PM

Did you remove the magazine plug? It's a wooden or plastic plug placed in sporting shotguns to limit magazine capacity for hunters who legally need that ability. Though it sounds as if you have a "tactical" shotgun, there may still be one in there.

m14nut · August 29, 2002, 03:42 PM

here's an extended gun, a Winchester defender 20 that is 7+1....

DML · August 29, 2002, 10:04 PM

TEXT DELETED BECAUSE OF CONFUSION

JohnB · September 1, 2002, 01:25 AM

Thanks for the many replies. I went with the guy on a spur of the moment buying binge. Myself, I would have done a bit more homework. As far as those that say if you can't do it in four shots you're **** out of luck; I live in one of the safest cities in America but I personally want as much firepower as the law currently allows as five years from now we'll only be able to have single shot pump guns with rubber pellots.(maybe a little more than 5 but you get the point)

Dave McC · September 1, 2002, 04:54 PM

Sigh....

JohnB, the gummint spent lots of money and time teaching me to shoot well with a variety of weapons,including 870s with a dinky li'l 4+1 capacity. My lifetime use of 870s covers 40 years and maybe 50K rounds.Lots of that ammo was fired under short time frames.

If you live anywhere close to Md, we can meet and I'll bring along a fully gizmoed 870, and also Frankenstein, my homely little parts 870 with a mere 4+1 setup.

We'll shoot fast, REALISTIC COFs right out of the FBI manual. If your scores or mine differ between the two weapons by more than 5%, the coffee and Krispy Kremes are on me.If your scores are within 5% of mine, I'll agree your opinion on this is an informed one.

Bells and whistles are nice to have, but experience earned the hard way counts a whole lot more.....

August 26, 2002, 10:55 PM	#1
JohnB Member Join Date: October 24, 2000 Posts: 25	Can't load all the rounds in the new 870? My friend just bought a new 870 express magnum with the 2 shot extension. Unfortunately it only loads 6rds. Neither him nor myself know a ton about shotguns but thought this would cover the basics. What is going on here, it was advertised as a 9 shot gun and it ain't goin' there. I have heard about the dimples but this is supposed to be a factory gun. What's the deal? Thanks

August 26, 2002, 11:31 PM	#3
Coronach Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 1999 Posts: 3,147	Standard capacity for a Remington 870 is 4+1 (thats 4 in the tube and 1 in the chamber). You have a factory +2 extension, so that brings your total to 6+1. Mike __________________ The axe bites into the door, ripping a hole in one panel. The maniac puts his face into the hole, cackling gleefully, "Here's Johnny...erk." "And here's Smith and Wesson," murmurs Coronach, Mozambiquing six rounds of .357 into the critter at a range of three feet. -Lawdog "True pacifism is the finest form of manliness. But if a man comes up to you and cuts your hand off, you don't just offer him the other one. Not if you want to go on playing the piano, you don't." -Sam Peckinpah "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein

August 26, 2002, 11:40 PM	#4
JohnB Member Join Date: October 24, 2000 Posts: 25	hosed I was in the gun shop when he bought it and it was advertised as a 9 shot gun. This is the 18" model. I thought stock was 6+1 and this would be 6+2+1=9.

August 27, 2002, 06:44 AM	#8
JohnB Member Join Date: October 24, 2000 Posts: 25	Hosed? Well from the looks of it he was hosed. Both the tag and the salesperson stated this held six shots plus the extension for 8+1 capacity. Factory is four shots. I'm sure he'll be pretty pissed when I tell him but I wonder what the shop will do. Normally they don't accept returns on guns but this is a huge mistake. Is there anything that can be done to this gun to increase capacity? Thanks for the info. BTW, what do you have to get in a 870 or 590mossy to get the higher capacity? There are too many choices and they are not very clear.

August 27, 2002, 09:30 AM	#11
cslinger Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,045	I have a Marine Magnum..... Which is really just a stainless nickle version of what your friend got. 18 inch barrell. 6+1 is all you are going to get. I figure if I need more than 3 round of OO I am in a world of hurt and it is time to retreat to the assault rifles.. Hell to be honest one round should do the job if you can hit your target. __________________ "Is there anyway I can write my local gun store off on my taxes as dependents?"

August 26, 2002, 10:59 PM	#2
skeeter Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Posts: 883	This gun is advertised as a 6+1 capacity gun. Maybe a 26" barrel gun with the longer extension will give a 9 shot capacity but for this gun 6 sounds right.

August 27, 2002, 12:06 AM	#5
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Stocks're 4+1 far as I know. Got two & that's all they do. Who "advertised" it as such? Gun shop owner or firearm literature?

August 27, 2002, 12:33 AM	#6
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	I suspect it was the gunshop people who told you it was a 9 shot gun. There is no way an 18" barreled gun can hold 9 rounds. Lay 9 rounds end to end, and compare it to the barrel. The most an 18" Remington 870 can hold is 6 in the tube and one in the chamber.

August 27, 2002, 07:19 AM	#9
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	6 shots is all you can get without the extension extending past the muzzle on an 18" barrel. A 20" gun will hold 7and a 22" will hold 8 without passing the muzzle.

August 27, 2002, 07:31 AM	#10
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	John, any AS scenario not handled by a 4+1 870 in trained, cool hands will likely not be handled by anything short of a heavily armed Marine platoon. Extensions are a nice to have, but not mandatory for HD or other "Serious" use.Mods are nice, but an out of box 4+1 870 is an awesome close range weapon of tremendous effect. Shoot the thing as it is, with some fastnclose COFs, maybe requiring fast reloading. After 100 rounds of ammo, come back and tell us if you still feel it's inadequate. My guess is you will not think so any more...

August 27, 2002, 11:44 AM	#12
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Nice thing a bout an extension tube is that you can stuff the regular 4 in it without compressing the spring completely & leave it that way for extended periods.

August 27, 2002, 12:11 PM	#13
CWL Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,576	Here's a simple question. Are you loading 3" magnum rounds or 2.75" standard loads? Mag capacities are generally calculated for 2.75" shells.

August 27, 2002, 05:33 PM	#14
stinger Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Location: west texas Posts: 772	Take it back on priciples alone, I say. Stinger

August 27, 2002, 08:56 PM	#15
Sundance Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 836	A word to the wise... Here is a good rule of thumb: Always know more about the product you intend to buy than the salesman you intend to buy it from before you ever leave the house to go shopping. If you don't follow this rule, prepare to bend over and get screwed. Salesmen are dumb...salesmen are liars...salesmen are sneaky...salesmen are only in it for the money. Now I realize there are exceptions, and to those exceptions I apologize for grouping you in with the rest of them. Rip Torn said in Extreme Prejudice that the only thing worse than a politician is a child molester. Well I would add that the only thing worse than a child molester is a salesman (or maybe a lawyer or a liberal). OK...off my soapbox and back to my point. With over a dozen gun related periodicals, books like The Shooters Bible, Gun Digest, Gun Traders Guide, Blue Book of Gun Values, a million other gun specialty books, and the Internet, you really can't blame anyone but yourself if you don't know the facts before you buy.

August 29, 2002, 12:05 AM	#16
DML Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2000 Location: Aridzona Posts: 257	Text deleted because of confusion. For some reason i thought the picture of the 870 was of the shotgun in question. __________________ Experience is what you get when you were expecting something else. Last edited by DML; August 29, 2002 at 10:08 PM.

August 29, 2002, 03:04 PM	#17
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	Did you remove the magazine plug? It's a wooden or plastic plug placed in sporting shotguns to limit magazine capacity for hunters who legally need that ability. Though it sounds as if you have a "tactical" shotgun, there may still be one in there.

August 29, 2002, 03:42 PM	#18
m14nut Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2002 Location: United States Posts: 375	Way off topic but... here's an extended gun, a Winchester defender 20 that is 7+1....

August 29, 2002, 10:04 PM	#19
DML Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2000 Location: Aridzona Posts: 257	TEXT DELETED BECAUSE OF CONFUSION __________________ Experience is what you get when you were expecting something else.

September 1, 2002, 01:25 AM	#20
JohnB Member Join Date: October 24, 2000 Posts: 25	Thanks for the many replies. I went with the guy on a spur of the moment buying binge. Myself, I would have done a bit more homework. As far as those that say if you can't do it in four shots you're **** out of luck; I live in one of the safest cities in America but I personally want as much firepower as the law currently allows as five years from now we'll only be able to have single shot pump guns with rubber pellots.(maybe a little more than 5 but you get the point)

September 1, 2002, 04:54 PM	#21
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Sigh.... JohnB, the gummint spent lots of money and time teaching me to shoot well with a variety of weapons,including 870s with a dinky li'l 4+1 capacity. My lifetime use of 870s covers 40 years and maybe 50K rounds.Lots of that ammo was fired under short time frames. If you live anywhere close to Md, we can meet and I'll bring along a fully gizmoed 870, and also Frankenstein, my homely little parts 870 with a mere 4+1 setup. We'll shoot fast, REALISTIC COFs right out of the FBI manual. If your scores or mine differ between the two weapons by more than 5%, the coffee and Krispy Kremes are on me.If your scores are within 5% of mine, I'll agree your opinion on this is an informed one. Bells and whistles are nice to have, but experience earned the hard way counts a whole lot more.....