Removing barrel from 870 HD?

FoghornLeghorn · December 22, 2012, 01:59 PM

Like the title says, I've got the HD 870 w/18 inch open choke barrel.

I want to put a 20 inch barrel w/rifle sights on it.

The shotgun has the magazine extension. The magazine extension screws into/out of the barrel nut.

Before I attack the barrel nut with tools, does the barrel nut screw off the magazine like the magazine cap on my 870 Wingmaster?

thanx

TxGun · December 22, 2012, 02:13 PM

If I understand you correctly, the answer is yes. Mag extensions for the 870 screw onto the barrel just like the regular magazine cap does. Now, it may be screwed on exceptionally tight, or it may even have been loctited on by somebody along the way. In those cases, just pad your tools well.

FoghornLeghorn · December 22, 2012, 02:21 PM

Thanx. It's on so tight I was thinking, "Surely this isn't soldered on."

But hey, you never know about stuff.

Thanx. I need to find some scrap leather to pad my tools.

FoghornLeghorn · December 22, 2012, 02:36 PM

Thanx. I made the swap. Now, I'm curious. How critical is it to reinstall the barrel/magazine clamp?

Mrgunsngear · December 22, 2012, 09:52 PM

The book answer is that it's important. But, I've seen a ton of 3-gun guys put thousands of rounds through their 870s with 3-5 shot extensions (no clamp) without issue.

bamaranger · December 27, 2012, 03:49 AM

Plooueff has the answer. The clamp adds support and a point for a sling swivel stud. The clamp is intended to make it difficult to prong the extenison. But you see heavy use guns w/o them.

drail · December 27, 2012, 08:31 AM

If the mag tube ever gets bumped on something you will understand why they make the clamp for it. It can get pretty expensive to repair.

Dfariswheel · December 27, 2012, 08:17 PM

On the Remington factory extension, the clamp prevents the extension tube from unscrewing under recoil.

On any shotgun, the clamp prevents a bump from knocking the extension off the gun.
This invariably damages the threads on the guns magazine tube, which with a Remington means an expensive trip back to the factory to have a new magazine tube brazed into the receiver and a refinish job.

December 22, 2012, 01:59 PM	#1
FoghornLeghorn Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2011 Posts: 961	Removing barrel from 870 HD? Like the title says, I've got the HD 870 w/18 inch open choke barrel. I want to put a 20 inch barrel w/rifle sights on it. The shotgun has the magazine extension. The magazine extension screws into/out of the barrel nut. Before I attack the barrel nut with tools, does the barrel nut screw off the magazine like the magazine cap on my 870 Wingmaster? thanx

December 22, 2012, 09:52 PM	#5
Mrgunsngear Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2011 Location: Carolina Posts: 3,415	The book answer is that it's important. But, I've seen a ton of 3-gun guys put thousands of rounds through their 870s with 3-5 shot extensions (no clamp) without issue. __________________ Mrgunsngear Youtube Channel

December 27, 2012, 03:49 AM	#6
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	support Plooueff has the answer. The clamp adds support and a point for a sling swivel stud. The clamp is intended to make it difficult to prong the extenison. But you see heavy use guns w/o them.

December 22, 2012, 02:13 PM	#2
TxGun Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Family ranch - Central TX. Posts: 467	If I understand you correctly, the answer is yes. Mag extensions for the 870 screw onto the barrel just like the regular magazine cap does. Now, it may be screwed on exceptionally tight, or it may even have been loctited on by somebody along the way. In those cases, just pad your tools well.

December 22, 2012, 02:21 PM	#3
FoghornLeghorn Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2011 Posts: 961	Thanx. It's on so tight I was thinking, "Surely this isn't soldered on." But hey, you never know about stuff. Thanx. I need to find some scrap leather to pad my tools.

December 22, 2012, 02:36 PM	#4
FoghornLeghorn Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2011 Posts: 961	Thanx. I made the swap. Now, I'm curious. How critical is it to reinstall the barrel/magazine clamp?

December 27, 2012, 08:31 AM	#7
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	If the mag tube ever gets bumped on something you will understand why they make the clamp for it. It can get pretty expensive to repair.

December 27, 2012, 08:17 PM	#8
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	On the Remington factory extension, the clamp prevents the extension tube from unscrewing under recoil. On any shotgun, the clamp prevents a bump from knocking the extension off the gun. This invariably damages the threads on the guns magazine tube, which with a Remington means an expensive trip back to the factory to have a new magazine tube brazed into the receiver and a refinish job.