Delrin follower question

[Texas Pete]

My first post, I’ll try not to be a bore! My questions will be pertainin’ to 3 Express models in 12 gauge. One a 200th Anniversary (2016) Express (mine), an Express from the late 80s, and one from the late 2010s (my brother’s) All are factory except for Volquartsen extractors. Standard length magazine tubes, factory springs, factory plugs, factory spring retainers, and factory magazine caps.

So, I have some questions about the new (to me) fangled Delrin magazine followers that are available nowadays. Even though we are just casual bird / small game hunters, they sure seem like a solid idea in that they should have smoother mechanical action and are probably more durable than the factory magazine followers in our guns (these guns will be handed down to ensuing generations as all guns should be!). My concern is whether or not the Delrin followers will hamper our ability to load 2 3” shells in the magazine for our 2+1 mandated capacity here in Texas for hunting purposes.

Two brands stand out, the S&J Hardware Type 3 in orange or green, and the Go Gauge w/out the LED. The S&J is a “cup” model that looks like it’ll accommodate the factory spring within the cup (the walls do look a bit thicker than the factory follower), but I’m not absolutely sure of this. The Go Gauge model looks like it does not feature a “cup”, looks solid from front to back, in theory more durable but might impede the loading of 2 3” shells. Right now, our factory setups with plugs hold 2 3” shells w/ just a wee bit to spare. The plugs bottom out w/in the factory follower’s “cup” and top out against that interior ring of plastic that runs the length of the plastic, new style spring retainers, in other words at the base of the retainer.

I can get the Go Gauge followers for almost half the price of the S&J type 3. I’d rather not have to replace (poor as a church mouse!) or modify the factory plugs or spring retainers. I saw where Synchronizer (that awesome Canadian forum moderator that has the best disassembly / re-assembly video on the web, bar none!) has used Acetyl (Delrin) rod material to make his own magazine plugs and that could be a workaround for my length problem (did I just write, “my length problem”? Ugh!) but then again, it’d be more ducats!

Do any of y’all have experience with these followers in line with my / our situation?

Do any of y’all have experience with the S&J Type 1 follower for 20 Gauge (2005 Express) for field use? Did the “tail” on that model hamper loading of 3” shells in an otherwise factory setup? My young neighbor has the 20 and I’m wondering if it’d be a good upgrade for him also.

[Scorpion8]

Hey there. I have the S&J follower, and it works well. The sales material will tell you that the follower with the "tail" keeps it from canting (or tipping) and thus jamming. Truth be told in both my 12- and 20-ga 870's, I've never had that happen. But as a follow-up, I'm not a heavy user or a HD enthusiast. Another fun fact, is that I never had an issue with the factory follower. I mainly bought mine for the color and "finger feel hole" so I could tell if the magazine was empty easier. Since I do carry mine with slugs for bear defense in the Alaska SE woods, that quick check was important. I do know that there is sufficient room in the mag tube for loads and the tailed follower, but some folks just trim the 2-shell-limiter a bit. As far as your Fish and Game wardens should care is the fact that you have the limiter and that it does limit you to 2-shells, not that the limiter is a specific length.

Make sense?

My $0.02 is to buy the one you like, or be happy with the factory follower. Keeping the gun, action, mag tube, etc clean and well lubed is more important in the end.

[Texas Pete]

It does make sense, thanks!
please keep the opinions coming...

[Scorpion8]

It does make sense, thanks!
please keep the opinions coming...

We gots us LOTS of opinions....