870 Magpul Edition Magazine Tube and Production Years?

[BiggerisBetter]

Hello

Im looking at a 860 Tactical and Im finding two variations of the magazine tube and am trying to get the most recent production year model.

Ive recently got an Express Tactical with XS sights (shotgun got damaged in the mail so im returning it) it has a magazine tube that runs untill the end of the barrel. Its one long peice and ends flat.

Now Ive found a great deal on a 870 MAGPUL edition but I dont know how old they are and when they were made. (Going to see if it has an RS on the vin.) Seeing that Remington had gone through some changes in the past years.

With this Magpul Edition the magazine tube ends before the barrel and has a round cap top to close it. Im not a fan of the esthetics of this but might work better for a +2 extension if theres no obstructions.

Are these Magpul editions old models? Am I better with a newer year model? I want to avoid as many "fixes" as possible.

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Screenshot_20170225-095708.png (490.66 KiB) Viewed 2966 times

There are the two different mags. I am looking at adding an extension so the magpul might be better for me but i dont want any manufacture defects or drawbacks as most companies will make little tweeks along they way.

Thanks

[BiggerisBetter]

So the vin is RS22363R they got the shipment in 2016 but I recon they are an old build.

Im starting to like the magazine tube in the Magpul model (which is a full 6 where the new ones are a two piece 4+3) Just need a good fitting extension.

I hate the idea of getting an old one because I feel they upped the quality as years went on.

I've read the inside use to be quite rough and could have been smoothed out better

[Synchronizor]

I believe some of the real early all-black 870 Magpul packages had the standard 4-round mag tubes with factory +2 extensions, like in your first picture. However, when the Magpul Edition was first listed on Remington's website and started showing up in brick-and-mortar gun shops (around 2013 if I recall correctly), it was built on the Tactical receiver with the special single-piece 6-round magazine tube. The FDE Magpul Editions that came along a year or so later were the same way. It's not uncommon for online sellers to use outdated images of a particular 870 model - or even images of a completely different package - in their listings. If it's an actual factory # 81226 or #81209 Magpul Edition (not a different model that someone else installed Magpul furniture on) that was made in the last few years, expect it to have the special single-piece 6-round tube.

If you're looking for a dedicated fighting shotgun, and you want the Magpul furniture & ghost ring sights, the non-standard mag tubes used by the Magpul Editions should serve just fine. It's less parts that can get lost or cause problems, and it should even save you a little weight. You can even get a bit more capacity by installing a +1 extension in place of the magazine cap. However, you will lose the barrel interchangeability that standard 870s benefit from. If you want to be able to change barrels and go hunting or shoot clays, you should start with a different model, and install the Magpul furniture yourself.

[BiggerisBetter]

Thanks Sync

I got the both a new and the mag pul but returned the newer cause it got damaged in the mail.

Im happier with the single 6 mag. Much better for additions. There seems to be a few differences. I didnt have them at the same time so Im going off memory.

The newer 870 seemed lighter, had better engraving and seemed to have the better extractor. The newer one came with the Remongton 200 years stuff where the MagPul edition came with a magpul flyer/poster that said 2013 on it.

The MagPul was an amazing deal with all the coating, better mag tube, and of course the mag pul. Im really happy with it, it cycles great. Put some motor oil in it and she cycles and pumps great. Really really smooth. Its just heavy im sure the other was less then my hatsan aimgaurd.

Going to send it away for Vang Comp system, better extractor, +1 & +3 extensions and some custom chokes.

[Synchronizor]

Going to send it away for Vang Comp system

Isn't the Vang Comp barrel work for fixed-choke shotguns? Since the Magpul editions come threaded for choke tubes, seems you'd be better off just finding a choke tube that gets you the pattern you want.