Forends for Supermag

Tactical, combat, military, law enforcement and home defense use of a Remington 870 shotgun.
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khill473
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Forends for Supermag

Post by khill473 » Mon Feb 11, 2013 1:46 am

I've got a super magnum that I'd like to convert to tactical. Does anyone know of any forends out there with picatinny rails that are compatible with the super mag?

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Synchronizor
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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by Synchronizor » Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:51 am

I'm not aware of anyone who offers a tactical fore-end for the 870 SuperMag; there's little practical use for those shells in combat (or even hunting, these days).

I believe the issue with using a standard 870 Magnum fore-end on a SuperMag is that it won't usually allow the slide to come back far enough to fully work the action. I don't have first-hand experience, but I have heard of people cutting out some material on a standard railed fore-end to allow that extra bit of travel.

Another option would be to cut down a synthetic SuperMag hunting fore-end, and attach some rails. It might not look as cool, but it'll work just fine.

We'd love to see pictures if you end up doing custom work.

khill473
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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by khill473 » Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:40 pm

My super mag was gifted to me by a good friend of mine. He bought it because of its versatility. You don't have to use the bigger rounds, but you have the option. I'm now finding it near impossible to find ANY accessories for it. Kind of wishing I'd just gotten a normal 870 express...

I'd love to have a forend custom made, but I wouldn't know the first place to start or where to go to have it done. I'll keep going over my options and hopefully some people here can help me along the way too. Thanks for your help.

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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by khill473 » Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:07 pm

Would I be able to replace the tube and rail assembly with that of a 870 express? I would lose my ability to use 3.5 inch rounds, but that wouldn't be a big deal since I could swap out the tube whenever I felt like it.

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Synchronizor
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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by Synchronizor » Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:27 pm

The 3.5" 12ga shell was developed in the late 80s, in anticipation of the impending ban on lead shot for waterfowl hunting, and the switch to steel shot. Because the lighter steel slowed down faster than lead, larger shot was required to hang onto as much velocity as possible. The 3.5" 10ga saw a resurgence because it had more capacity than a 2.75" or 3" 12ga. The 3.5" 12ga shell offered more hull capacity and a slightly higher pressure rating to boost velocity (while adversely affecting patterning, the gun, and the shooter's shoulder). Steel shot still sucked in every way imaginable, but at least you could throw a little more of it.

Nowadays, we have better nontoxic options, some of which are even denser than lead. A properly selected 3" shell with modern nontoxic shot will outperform a 3.5" steel load, with less recoil to the shooter and less wear on the gun.

Plus, a 3" or 2.75" load will pattern better when the shot column doesn't have to make the .5" or .75" jump across a 3.5" chamber (this is more of an issue with other guns; on the 870, nothing stops you from putting a shorter-chambered barrel on a 3.5" receiver).
khill473 wrote:I'd love to have a forend custom made, but I wouldn't know the first place to start or where to go to have it done. I'll keep going over my options and hopefully some people here can help me along the way too. Thanks for your help.
If you can post some pictures of how close your tube - with the fore-end taken off - has to get to the receiver to cycle the action; as well as some measurements of the tube assembly itself, I may be able to help you find a railed fore-end you can modify to make work. No promises, but it sounds like an interesting challenge, and I have heard of people doing it before.
khill473 wrote:Would I be able to replace the tube and rail assembly with that of a 870 express? I would lose my ability to use 3.5 inch rounds, but that wouldn't be a big deal since I could swap out the tube whenever I felt like it.
You'd lose your ability to use 3.5" shells as soon as you put a tactical barrel on the gun anyway; but no, compared to a magnum receiver, the SuperMag's ejector and ejector spring are different lengths to match the longer ejection port, and the trigger plate, bolt, & slide assemblies are all different as well.

Mr16gauge
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Re: Forends for Supermag SLightly Off Topic

Post by Mr16gauge » Sat May 04, 2013 5:49 pm

Syncro

Our best turkey patterns have been developed using 3" loads in 3 1/2" chamber.

870 Super Mag shooting Winchester Supreme #6s. The 3" load patter from 18 - 24 % better than the same load in 3 1/2"

YRMU

Good Luck

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Synchronizor
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Re: Forends for Supermag SLightly Off Topic

Post by Synchronizor » Sat May 04, 2013 6:03 pm

Mr16gauge wrote:Syncro

Our best turkey patterns have been developed using 3" loads in 3 1/2" chamber.

870 Super Mag shooting Winchester Supreme #6s. The 3" load patter from 18 - 24 % better than the same load in 3 1/2"
The problem with that comparison (assuming I understand your description) is that you have two different variables at play, chamber length and load. Did you compare patterning of the same 3" load in both 3"- and 3.5"-chambered barrels?

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Automag
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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by Automag » Wed May 15, 2013 4:29 pm

I have an 870 Super Mag, and have easily converted it to a tactical, home defense shotgun. I have a pic displayed in the New Members thread in this the forum (New Guy Here from Michigan), as well as the Accessories and upgrades, 18 1/2 +2 mag ext thread. The only modification i made was to dremel a little out of the inside of my mako 3 rail forend. Thats it, all other addons went on without any problems whatsoever. I never intended to use 3 1/2 shells anyway, the only drawback is you have to modify your new forend a little. I'll include a pic of my super mag, if it lets me here.
Last edited by Automag on Wed May 15, 2013 9:35 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Synchronizor
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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by Synchronizor » Wed May 15, 2013 5:15 pm

Here's the picture:
Image

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Automag
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Re: Forends for Supermag

Post by Automag » Wed May 15, 2013 9:22 pm

Thanks Synchronizor for displaying a pic of my Rem Super Mag. I was trying to explain that it's not that difficult to turn a super mag into a tactical shotgun--including the forend. I modified my own forend, but my local gunsmith said he would have modified and mounted my Mako 3 rail forend for 45.00, there's not much to it. Yes most addons produced are meant for the 870 in every model except the super mag, however i've had no problems putting addons of every type. Mounting sidesaddles is the same, stocks are the same, those full length top pic rails--the same. Yes the bolt and ejection port are slighly longer, and adding a tactical forend requires an additional step, but i wanted the person asking about this that, yes it's easily possible to put a 3 rail forend on a super mag, as well as anything else desired.
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