ATI Remington 7 Shot Fluted Aluminum Magazine Extension

[don1911]

I put this tube extension on my old wood 870. ATI Remington 7 Shot Fluted Aluminum Magazine Extension. https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product ... 2130655.do I had problem. It functions great at first. Later after gun has set awhile (a day or two or even a few weeks) It will not feed shells. They seem to be stuck in tube. Sometimes it feeds one, sometimes none. I had to sand dimples off end of tube when extension was installed.

Anyone have any experience with this extension? Anyone have any ideas or suggestions how I could fix this problem?
Thanks in advance.

[don1911]

I guess no one else has one and its safe to assume it"s not a good one. So a different brand or model would be better. What brand/model is a good one? What makes it a better choice? Or what is on yours? Was it easy to install? is function/performance excellent? Poor? Please share your opinions. Thanks.

[NnF000]

I am a novice Shotgunner and no experience with your Extension Tube.
I have read a few of the posting about Mag Tube Extensions (Ext) because I wanted to be informed before I purchased mine and have come to the following conclusions:
1) The gap between the Mag Tube and the Ext should be as small as possible.
2) A two piece Ext creates the smallest gap vs the one piece Ext.
3) The follower spring should be replaced with a proper length spring when doing this and the follower is high on the replacement list too !

I looked at your Ext on the manufacturers sight and could not find a picture of the inside thread or specs on the length of thread to attempt to determine the amount of gap you could have when this Ext is installed, so I can't say if the gap between the Mag Tube to Ext is too large or not !

Note: You might want to get some measurements from your setup. Check the amount of thread on the Ext and the amount of thread that sticks out on the end of the Mag Tube, when compressing the barrel. Compare these two measurements and the difference will be the gap. Remember too large of a gap can cause a twisting in the follower and a jammed state in the feed of the shells. Also, the Spring, from reading here it appears that all springs are not created equal, some have a coating to allow for smoother operation, some are a little different in outside diameter ( which can cause a hang up) so measure everything and start comparing what worked in your gun and what isn't working as well.

Also, there are a few Videos and How-To's on this sight that cover a lot of the problems that come up with a one piece Ext vs a two piece Ext, if you haven't watched the vids or read the info it might be a good idea to check them out.

Remember one thing, all of what I am stating above is from reading on this site and made my determinations based on this material and a few other postings on the web.

And to note... I purchased a +2 Mag Tube Extension made by... Duh daaa... Remington, I figure if it was made by the same manufacturer as the shotgun it has to work.

Luck on your problem and I hope it works out.

[Synchronizor]

The inevitable internal gap in single-piece extensions can be a source of reliability problems. However, the width of the gap is much less important than how the gap is designed, and how well the follower used in that magazine is able to handle that gap.

For example, The Vang Comp +2 extension has a fairly significant gap, but it's also very abrupt; shrinking from a large diameter down to the standard internal mag tube diameter quickly and at a sharp angle. When combined with the triple-bearing-band follower that comes in the kit, this extension is very prone to loading hang-ups. On the other hand, the S&J Hardware +2 has even more space between where the magazine tube ends and the extension reaches its normal internal diameter. However, it is designed so that this transition is very gradual, and the solid-bodied follower that comes with it can make the transition from mag tube to extension without snagging anywhere.

Single-piece extensions can be perfectly reliable if they're a good design and they're paired with the right follower. They're also much easier to install and install correctly; two-piece extensions can be finicky if you don't install them just right, since their internal mate is much more sensitive. Also, when you have to deal with separate couplings & extension tubes, and hold everything in place with a clamp or bracket, switching configurations becomes a lot more of a pain. I used to use Remington factory two-piece extensions on my 870, and I still think they're very good, but lately I've been using single-piece kits almost exclusively, since they're so much faster and easier to install & remove (keep in mind that I reconfigure my 870 a lot - sometimes several times a day when I'm evaluating some new part or accessory)

If you don't think your hang-ups were due to damaged or deformed shells, I would suggest trying a different follower to see if that solves the problem. I've found that even with troublesome single-piece extensions like the Vang Comp, the right follower can make them work reliably. If you want to try a different extension though, the single-piece Wilson Combat extensions are great kits that work well. They're kind of chunky & heavy, and don't exactly make the most efficient use of their length, but considering that you get a good spring & reliable follower, as well as a wave washer for use with barrels that don't have magazine cap detents, they're a great value at their low price.

[don1911]

excellent info. Thanks.

Heard a lot of good things about Nordic Components follower. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/660691 ... e-aluminum What do y'all think?

[NnF000]

Don't overlook the Remington +2 or +3 Mag Tube Extension.
Just a thought, look at the S&J Hardware Followers and Springs.

[Synchronizor]

Heard a lot of good things about Nordic Components follower. What do y'all think?

Never tried one myself. I'm not a huge fan of aluminum followers since many common aluminum alloys are soft enough to get messed up with hard use (Nordic may use a harder alloy that can resist peening better, but they don't specify the alloy on their website).

Peened Brownell's Follower_SJ.JPG (16.36 KiB) Viewed 4776 times

If you don't use your 870 too heavily though, that probably won't be too much of an issue for you. I will say that the Nordic followers have pretty long bodies. That can help reliability, but you may lose some magazine capacity if you try to pair one with an extension that has an internal stop, like the factory Remington kits. And since they're cup-style followers, you'll want to use a spring with a compatible outer diameter to avoid jams or sluggish operation.