870 express mag tube dimple

T

TCman

New member
Does the dimple need to be removed to use a mag extension? How do I remove it? Also does the extension need a barrel clamp?
 
Yes it does and it is easy to remove. I inserted a deep socket (that was a snug fit) into the tube and "floated" the dents out with an auto body hammer, lots of little taps. With tape on the hammer head you could hardly tell. Not like you could with the wood back on it anyway.
 
Using a hammer won't take any metal off, but if you screw up and knock your mag tube out of round the 870 has to go back to the mother ship for replacement of the tube. It is not user replaceable.

File, dremel, drill. Easily done without major risk of screw up.

Yes use a mag tube clamp. Otherwise the first time you knock that extension against something you can bend your mag tube. (see "trip to mothership" above).

Also, for God's sake use a quality mag tube extension. Avoid Tacstar and ATI like the plague.
 
After messing about with them for a few years, the best advice I can give you is to leave it as is, and buy an 870 without magazine tube dimples if you want to put on an extension. Jury-rigging is always going to be jury-rigging, and I'd rather leave it as the factory made it.

JMHO, YMMV of course.

lpl
 
simple sheet metal working is hardly jury rigging. It is a fundamental and accepted part of gun and metal 'smithing since the bronze age. :D
Brent
 
Sure.

And folks what have no clue about such things jam sockets down magazine tubes and bend/warp/distort them to the point of nonfunctionality.

And when they manage to get it right, there is no more detent for the magazine cap, which has to be secured by teflon tape, or some other makeshift, if the extension is not being used at the time.

It's jury-rigging, sez I. I stand by the accusation :D

lpl
 
Okay, I will concede half way... Monkey fisting thru sheetmetal working is jury rigging but a delicate approach is not... While I is a redneck, I ain't a "bubba"!
Just like a tootsie pop... "how many licks" shouldn't be tap, tap, TONK!
Brent
 
Hammering a socket down a mag tube can be very risky. It is very easy to get the mag tube out of round. If you damage an 870 mag tube it will be very costly to replace. If you must remove the dimples it is best to drill them out with a 3/16" bit. It's a very safe and easy method of removing the dimples.

A side note: The 870 Express shotguns that come from Remington with the factory mag tube don't have dimples and have the detent on the barrel ring lug.


GC
 
It only took me 5 min. to file down the dimple with a hand file (a dremel may take to much metal to fast). I had no problems "jury rigging" my shotgun since that is how the directions said to do it.
 
1/4" drill bit to remove the dimples and a sanding drum on the Dremel for deburring. Cold blue afterwards.

Using this method, I've never had the follower hang up. I've seen them hang up using the socket/bar/hammer methods.

FWIW I replace the followers with the Vang Comp unit, but the Wilson unit is good too.
 
Nordic clamp, the best. Won't budge.
http://www.cpwsa.com/nordic_components.htm


P1020115.jpg
 
None of my 870's have the dimple, but I've seen a few of them and it seems to me that drilling them out would be the simplest way to go.
 
I used a course and fine half-round files to take the dimple out the mag tube in my 870. Worked very well for me, I used a little emery cloth to smooth the area down after i got the dimple removed.
 
mag tube

I just repaired a stevens 22 that had the mag tubestock bolt crush it in three places.I used transfer punches and taped the dents out worked fine.the transfer punches were a tight fit.
 
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