Mag tube Extension spring

[12GAfun]

Hello, I have a Remington 870 Tactical Express 12GA that I had a gunsmith install the Remington Mag extension kit, after shooting it and on the 3rd reload I could not get any more than 4-5 shells in the tube, I could hear a slight rattle in the tube. I unloaded the shotgun and removed the mag extension tube and a piece of the spring came flinging out at me, my gunsmith measured the spring in the kit before install and it was 26.5" long now it is 20" long the piece that flung out went somewhere I was at my outdoor range when this happened. I did get the kit at my local sporting goods store so not sure if it was even the right spring or that it might have been defective. My ? is how long should that spring be on my shotgun with the +2 shot extension, I have a 18.5" barrel with that tactical door breach choke. I have wrote Remington with not reply back yet.

Yes my gunsmith did remove all the dimples and I replaced the Extractor with a non-mim and the follower with a GG&G GGG-1437 stainless steel follower. At this time I have put back on my old style 4+1 rounds and without that extension it looks strange. So can anyone help with this issue. Is it possible for a mag extension spring to break like that. Thanks to all that reply

[Synchronizor]

That's a new one. Was the kit brand-new and unopened? Maybe you got a defective spring, or perhaps your gunsmith messed it up during installation. Or maybe you got ripped-off with a damaged or knock-off extension kit.

26.5" sounds about right for the extension spring. It's worth noting that the factory Remington +2 and +3 extensions were designed to use the same spring, which is why it may seem overly long for a +2. Remington initially developed those extensions for police and military use (that smaller cap at the end of the extension tube is there to accept M16 bayonets), and their design philosophy at the time was very big on common parts.

This means you can get away with a shorter spring in a +2 extension, the gun will still function if you cut off a little bit to make it easier to load - or if part of it breaks off. However, the extension is intended to use the full-length spring, and you can start seeing reliability issues if it's shortened too much. 20" sounds kind of short to me, I would recommend measuring the installed spring force to make sure it's not too soft. If you don't know how to do that, I can try to talk you through it, or you could just play it safe and call Remington to order a replacement spring. They might send you a new one for free, but if not, they aren't very expensive.

[12GAfun]

I got it a local sporting goods store, so it could have been used or bought and returned with a old spring in it. I have emailed Remington and waiting for a reply. I watched my gunsmith measure the spring and I looked at it when I got it, here is some pics of the kit. this is after it broke, when I got home. I put it back onto my shotgun and did some internet searching and found out that there is a proper way to install that kit. That sometimes if not installed properly during shooting the nut can come loose and the spring will hang up on the exposed grove this takes the two tubes out of

[12GAfun]

Correct seal, this gap can cause the spring to get stuck and cause the weapon to not load correctly or not feed correctly. I really have to rack it to get it to load. it kinda tight. Yes, I did check my side saddle bolts and that was not the issue. I think I need to get some more rounds through it and break this shot gun in. Here is a Pic of my 870 tactical express 12 GA

[12GAfun]

Here is that video I was talking about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19Bbflrueh0