What clamp to use for an 870 mag extension???

S

saands

New member
I'm thinking of adding a mag extension to an 870 Express that currently has an 18" IC bbl on it and I've read (although I can't re-find the post) that a clamp is just about an absolute necessity for reliable use of a mag extension. Given that, what is the best clamp out there? I see that Vang and Scatterguns don't even use them, and all I've read is how the design of the Choate clamp is marginal. I'm thinking of going with the Scatterguns extension, but which clamps should I be looking for?

By the way, will SG's +2 extension extend beyond the muzzle of an 18" bbl? Most of the shorter aftermarket 870 bbls are 18.5, but the one I got was from Brownells and it looks to be a real 18 incher.

TIA,
Saands
 
i have an 870 with an 18.5" and it's almost exact with the barrel, so yours might stick out a tiny bit...will the factory clamp not work if you ordered the part from Remington?
 
You really won't need one if you plan on going with the sacttergun extension; they are indeed a high quality design. If you look at the Wilson scattergun site, none of their complete shotguns have a clamp on the extension.

If you do go with a Choate or Tacstar extension, I suggest the use of an ATI clamp.
 
The best clamp is the Remington factory model, but it will only fit a factory extension.

Luckily, Uncle Mike's makes a very close copy of the Remington version, that will fit any extension.
http://www.unclemikes.com/adtemplat...y=1465723&subcatky1=4548843&subcatky2=2000180

As has been discussed many times on the gun forums, how strong an extension is, or how well made it is doesn't matter. The extension can be a solid steel bar.

The "weak link" is the GUN'S magazine tube. The magazine tube is made of fairly thin steel, further weakened by the deep, wide, square threads in the end.
This means that a bump can knock the extension off the gun, damaging the gun's magazine threads.
This means the gun is out of service until you can send it in to Remington for a new magazine and a refinish of the receiver.
This is rather expensive.

Bottom line: An unsupported extension is a handy lever that can be used to pull the extension off the gun.
There are no really good reasons NOT to use a barrel clamp, and several good reason why you should.

As to why some makers don't supply an extension, you'd have to ask them.

I have three personally verified cases of extensions being knocked off.
One I personally saw at a police training course, and one was a local police chief who arrived ALONE at a bank silent alarm call only to lose his gun's extension when he bumped it on the car door getting out.
That extension was a Wilson.
 
This is what I bought from a gun show for under $30. It works great as a mag clamp. It's a lot stronger than any other clamp I've seen, and you can mount whatever you want on it. I just put the plastic clamp on there so I could use my sling. I need to get one of those rail mount sling studs.
 

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Personally, as to what was said earlier, I do not find the Wilson extensions to be of high quality, except for the +1 piece. Choate, ATI, and TacStar are no better.

The best extensions, and the only ones I will use, are the factory Remington piece, or the Tank's Rifle Shop clone. I have not had a chance to play with a Vang tube, but I am sure it is very high quality. The price paid for a Remington tube, at around 80 bucks, is not that much more than a junky TacStar or Choate, and the quality difference is immense.

As for a clamp, they are not optional, IMO, and I have seen at least two broken off. I prefer the remington clamp, but as stated,it only works with the factory tube. For other tubes, again which I do not recommend, the Uncle Mikes is a good clamp. This is one of the few things they do well.
 
While I prefer the Rem police factory extension and clamp, the flat out strongest combination might be a Tacstar tube, which is heavy guage MACHINED steel, with the Clark Clamp which costs as much as the Tacstar extension, but is machined steel and strong as a bank vault!;)
 
Thanks so much for the info ... I have been looking at the Remington extensions, and at $90 (40% of the price of the NIB 870!) they seem pricey, but might be worth it. I looked at the Tank version, but if I go $75, I may as well go factory. Where does one go to take a peek at a Clark clamp? I tried Clark Custom Guns, but they don't seem to be the same Clark :rolleyes:

Thanks again,
Saands
 
Brownell's carry them:

WARNING, hold on to your wallet, and prepare for sticker shock.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=5022&title=SHOTGUN+MAGAZINE+BAND

If you're going to go with the Remington factory extension, use the factory clamp, it's the best one made.

The factory extension has a groove in the tube, and the clamp screw interlocks with the groove, preventing the clamp from moving under recoil. This eliminates having to tighten the clamp so much it marrs the barrel.
 
Cool ... since I have a 18" bbl I am leery of going with one of the bayo adapted models that will stick out past the muzzle (Rem and Tank). The Wilson extension and the Clark clamp seem like the hot ticket at this point. Actually, is the Wilson extension shorter than the Remington factory version?

Thanks,
Saands
 
Yes, but so is the Tank's version of the Remington factory model.
About the only extension that does project beyond the muzzle IS the Remington model.

Personally, given the choice, I'd buy a Tank's.
It's the best of both, made like the Remington, but shorter.
 
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