I recently purchased an 870 Express from which I plan to build a defense gun. I have already bought a two shell extension tube and a short barrel. The factory tube has two dimples which would prevent the extras shells from being loaded. I can grind away the dimples, but then if I want to convert the gun back to a standard configuration for hunting or whatever then the spring retention cap won’t work as it needs those dimples to hold itself and the magazine tube spring in place. Any ideas on how to remedy the situation so the gun can have a Jekyll and Hyde personality? Thanks,
You can pound the dimples flat by making a magazine plug to fit and drive into the magazine that will swage the dimples out and you can then tap on the outside of the magazine and clean up the area where the dimples were then get the old style magazine spring retainer to retain the mag spring. Then you can install a spring loaded detent in the barrel lug like the original 870’s used to have. Seems like a lot of work but it really isn’t. This way the magazine extension will work fine. Ken
PS, some of the barrels come with the detent in the barrel lug as well as the new style with the magazine spring retainer acting as the detent.
Reply:
Thanks for the advice. I am not sure I know what you mean by the barrel lug. But I’ll get started banging out the dimples. I’ll have to do that sooner or later anyway. Thanks again.
