Anyone prefer no tube extension on HD shotgun?

[Kirk_Ferentz]

Wanting an affordable pump gun for home defense and carrying around outdoors, etc., I decided to pick up an old 870 police for a low price. I chose this over the 870 express or mossberg 500 route. Almost went with a mossberg 590A1, but I'm not a fan of the heavy barrel.

Anyway, I consider it a fixer-upper. It is the 4 + 1 configuration, and I always assumed that I would add a 2-shot mag tube extension. I have seen that some folks feel that no extension makes for better and quicker handling, and I am re-considering. Anyone have that opinion? Anyone think that there is little or no advantage to no extension?

A compromise could be a one-shot extension (it would give me 5 + 1). I don't think that I would need tube-barrel bracket for that (or whatever you call it), and I'm not sure that one would even fit on a one-shot extension, but let me know if you think that I should use one of those with that configuration.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Virginian]

Depends. Are you really talking "home defense" or totally tricked out mall ninja material? Tactical and home defense to me are different, but home defense terminology gets more use as it seems more politically correct. Maybe I am wrong. I believe my home is pretty well defended by my duck gun, with plug installed. After the first couple of perps get blown back bloody it is going to take a pretty dedicated or whacked out soul to press it. Of course if they decide to stand outside and just riddle the whole house with one of those semi rifles the Feds funneled to them a longer magazine wouldn't make much difference.

 

[jmr40]

I have tried a mag tube extension on my 870. The extra weight and awkward balance more than offset a couple of rounds. I just use the factory tube, 4+1 rounds along with a buttcuff with 5 more rounds works for me.

 

[The-Reaver]

Right now I have a Wingmaster that has knoxx stock on it. I had planned on putting the mag tube extension on it. Just because of those extra rounds. More bullets is always a good thing IMO

 

[lemaymiami]

With that old police 12 ga you have all you need in a close quarters defensive shotgun. Instead of any extras for your weapon, spend the money in practice time, pattern the gun with the rounds you're going to use (a standard 2 3/4" shell, OO buck will get the job done on a human target every time, in my opinion), practice with the rounds you're actually going to load your weapon with, and then as a final consideration.... make a point of taking some measurements of your property so you'll know as accurately as possible what the real distances are across the largest room in your house, down the longest hallway, distance from house to driveway, corner of house to nearest property line, etc.

Know your weapon, know your ground, and always aim just a bit low... then pray you never need those skills.

 

[Jason_W]

If I can't solve the problem with 5 rounds of buckshot I'm probably way outmatched.

 

[RickMD]

If I can't solve the problem with 5 rounds of buckshot I'm probably way outmatched.

Amen.

 

[Fred Fuller]

There's a batch and a bunch of 18- 21" barreled 870s here, some with extensions, some without. As a rule I prefer without. They swing better for me that way, and my wife detests the extra weight forward of the support hand.

And the three 'withouts' that live outside the gun safe as 'house guns' (when we're both gone they go back in the safe) have 3 rounds of Federal LE127 00 buckshot in the magazines, with four Brenneke KOs in the Sidesaddles. We habitually keep empty chambers in our long guns when they are not in hand, and the extra space in the magazine is there in case a slug is needed as first round up.

lpl

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

My 870 currently lacks an extenstion. I would like one but just haven't gotten around to ordering one. I had a Tac-Star one that was defective so I would stay away from those.

 

[USAF_Vet]

My Mav 88 is a 5+1. If that isn't enough, call the National Guard

 

[Kirk_Ferentz]

No tricked out ninja stuff for me, other than maybe a side saddle and (perhaps) soldering some rifle sights on the barrel. I'm actually leaning towards keeping the bead sight and no side saddle for a low profile.

The biggest improvement that I have in mind is perhaps to put a really tough coating over the parkerizing ... maybe cerakote. It will go on outdoor trips and I was really disappointed with the coat on my friend's 870 express, which rusted up like crazy from a few raindrops that were wiped off immediately. The parkerizing would be much better than that, but it would be nice not to have to grease it up.

The reason I got this gun is to have something lighter and easier to wield than my big, heavy 11-87 with a mag tube extension. Ninja stuff would defeat that purpose and I guess I'm still someone that thinks that a short pump gun was largely perfected long before picatinny rails and all that.

 

[JRadice45]

I find that with a 2rd extension installed the balance is slightly off. The shotgun does not seem to snap towards the target as quickly as when there is no extension installed. Same thing goes for the feel of the shotgun with a side saddle installed. I chose to go with a Speed Feed standard stock (non pistol grip) with twin magazine tubes. Two loaded with Federal power shock low recoil 9 pellet 00 and two loaded with Federal Hydrashock sabot slugs.

With the spare ammunition at the rear of the Shotgun the firearm snaps up as quickly as I can point towards the target.

 

[OldCavSoldier]

"Too much ammunition" = Three words never spoken in combat

Guns & Ammo on-line magazine has a presentation about HD shotguns, loads, barrels, etc....kinda interesting....

...just wish I could remember the URL for everybody.......

 

[gibson_es]

I have a mossy 500 which is 5+1. However i dont keep the +1. I want then to here the pump, in hopes they get the hell out/away. I feel confedent that the extra round wont make a difference. Same goes for two extra rounds.

I found that mine is 5 in the tube nomatter if its 2 3/4" or 3". So i choose 3" magnum 00 buckshot. You should see if it still holds 4 in your mag with the larger rounds.

So i agree, dont bother with the ext.

 

[JohnBT]

I have 3 loaded duck guns, but no extensions or add-ons. You can find me near the top of the stairs behind the barricade.

 

[batmann]

I have a Browning BPS 'Tactical' with a 20" barrel and 5 round extension and it balances well in tight quarters. I have found that the longer extensions and all the add ons people want mearly make it harder to swing. I use the KISS principle with my HD weapons.

 

[rbernie]

I have tried a mag tube extension on my 870. The extra weight and awkward balance more than offset a couple of rounds. I just use the factory tube, 4+1 rounds along with a buttcuff with 5 more rounds works for me.

This.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I set up my HD 870s close to 30 years ago. They have extensions and peep sights. One has a Side Saddle that holds 5 rounds. I can still wield them with telling effect but I'm faster with Frankenstein, which has a bead and no bolt ons and weighs 7 lbs, not close to 9.

The shooter limits a box stock shotgun, not the other way around....

 

[oneounceload]

Anyone prefer no tube extension on HD shotgun?

Absolutely - the extreme inbalance an extension creates just makes trying to use the gun effectively a real PITA

All that extra weight right near the muzzle makes MOI and swing dynamics horrendus

Take a 2X4 the length of your gun- add a 8oz weight in the middle between your hands, then add that same weight right at the end of the 2X4 - which is harder to use and maneuver?

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Well now that I just sold my 870 and came home with an 1100, I picked up a used factory extension for $20 so now I have 6 + 1 rounds ready to go.

 

[Fred Fuller]

"Too much ammunition" = Three words never spoken in combat

"No magazine is ever big enough." - Louis Awerbuck (from classroom notes)

"Did you notice that this one, even with the long magazine tube, eventually went empty? So we still gotta practice loadin' 'em." - Clint Smith ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhgwHQCJwWw )

Mindset. Skillset. Toolsets are not a substitute...

lpl

 

[oneounceload]

"Too much ammunition" = Three words never spoken in combat

Combat?? For 99.99% of the folks here in reality land.........combat???...come on

Sorry loosen the tinfoil hat

 

[Sam Cade]

Combat?? For 99.99% of the folks here in reality land.........combat???...come on

Sorry loosen the tinfoil hat

That word does not mean what you think it means.

Combat: noun \ˈkäm-ˌbat\

: a fight or contest between individuals or groups

So it is perfectly correct and applicable usage.

 

[oneounceload]

Sorry - don't see it here or anywhere else I have lived -and that's across the entire country- if you need more than what the gun can hold, then you are using the wrong weapon

 

[Chris Rhines]

Mindset. Skillset. Toolsets are not a substitute...

Not a substitute, but toolset is still important. Deny it all you like, but gear does matter. Sometimes it matters a lot.

Anyway, I'll take the contrary position here - I like having the extra shells in a magazine extension on my defensive shotgun. I don't find it awkward or cumbersome in the slightest, mainly because I don't 'swing' my defensive shotgun. Swinging a shotgun is what you do to track a small, fast-moving target in the game field or the clays range. Defensive shotguns are aimed and fired, much like a large-bore rifle.

That said, it's much easier to maneuver a short shotgun in an enclosed space than a long one. I'd take a 14" shotgun with five rounds on board over an 18" shotgun with eight. But that's overall length we're talking about, not magazine length.

-C