Best mag fed pump shotgun??

[Butcherbill]

I don't see the Grizzly Mag on the list.
Norinco firearms have taken a lot of flak from those who assume anything made in China is garbage. Those who actually own them typically praise them to be well-built, very reliable and a good value. I've had zero issues with my Grizzlies and they're smoother and more reliable than a typical current production 870.

They’re pretty decent once you do some polishing and tuning in the mag end of the spectrum, their biggest issue is the mag length. It’s not long enough to feed 3” shells reliably, the nose of the shell hits the front of the mag and fails to feed most of the time.

If you dimple the nose of the follower and debur/polish the front inner edge of the mag it gets better, opening and blending the mouth of the barrel ramp helps a lot. Doing all these things makes 2 3/4” shells feed 100% and honestly doesn’t take that long, dremel and some sanding and polishing bits makes quick work of it.

Even with the dimple 3” shells hang up on the area of the receiver below the mouth of the barrel, sometimes you get 3” shells feeding but most of the time they hang up. OAL of the unfired shell can help, some 3” shells are shorter than other. Changing the angle of the shell helps to point it in the right direction and makes feeling a lot more positive.

 

[manbearpig]

They’re pretty decent once you do some polishing and tuning in the mag end of the spectrum, their biggest issue is the mag length. It’s not long enough to feed 3” shells reliably, the nose of the shell hits the front of the mag and fails to feed most of the time.

Interesting, I haven't run into feeding issues with 3" shells -- but the only 3" I shot from it were reloads (and they end up a tiny bit shorter than factory shells).

The mag follower mod looks promising, I'll have to try it. What did you use/how did you create the dimple?

 

[Butcherbill]

Interesting, I haven't run into feeding issues with 3" shells -- but the only 3" I shot from it were reloads (and they end up a tiny bit shorter than factory shells).

The mag follower mod looks promising, I'll have to try it. What did you use/how did you create the dimple?

It’s been my only issue with it, I wanted to use it with a 870 rifled slug barrel but it’s never been reliable. I might see if I can undercut the curved radius of the front wall of the mag a bit lower, will have to see if the part of the receiver below the barrel mouth can be blended any.

For the follower I took a piece of scrap 2x4 and drilled a shallow hole in it with a drill bit, place the follower top side down over the hole in the 2x4 block so it’s where you want the dimple. Use a piece of rebar or other piece of round bar the right diameter and pound the dimple into the follower with a hammer from the inside, hopefully that makes sense. I polished the outside of the follower while I was at it.

 

[manbearpig]

For the follower I took a piece of scrap 2x4 and drilled a shallow hole in it with a drill bit, place the follower top side down over the hole in the 2x4 block so it’s where you want the dimple. Use a piece of rebar or other piece of round bar the right diameter and pound the dimple into the follower with a hammer from the inside, hopefully that makes sense. I polished the outside of the follower while I was at it.

Makes sense. I have a bunch of mags so I'll try it with a couple. I've only had a couple of feeding hiccups but if this makes feeding 100% reliable it seems worth it.
One slight negative I can see to this mod is that the shell would be more susceptible to falling/being knocked out of a loaded mag.

It’s been my only issue with it, I wanted to use it with a 870 rifled slug barrel but it’s never been reliable.

Oh wow, 870 barrels index on these fine now?
They didn't index properly on the original runs of tube-fed Grizzlies so I just assumed that they were all like that and never even tried an 870 barrel on my mag-fed.

 

[wrangler4867]

I'm always leary of plastic mag wells.
Iam afraid of what might happen if they get banged a certain way.

 

[Butcherbill]

Makes sense. I have a bunch of mags so I'll try it with a couple. I've only had a couple of feeding hiccups but if this makes feeding 100% reliable it seems worth it.
One slight negative I can see to this mod is that the shell would be more susceptible to falling/being knocked out of a loaded mag.


Oh wow, 870 barrels index on these fine now?
They didn't index properly on the original runs of tube-fed Grizzlies so I just assumed that they were all like that and never even tried an 870 barrel on my mag-fed.

Obviously tuning of the mags only works on the metal mags. If you find shells so loose that they fall out I found squeezing the rear feed lips in a bit helps, I played around with that iirc. I’ve used mine a fair bit for grouse hunting and it functions 100% with 2 3/4” loads, birdshot and slugs, it’s not light as you know so it’s not really a shotgun I’d carry all day but I would trust it in a hunting or bear defense moment with 2 3/4” slugs.

870 barrel indexing is a gun by gun thing I find, the nose of the ejector body may or may not be in the proper spot depending on your gen of Grizzly. My mag fed is bang on, my wife’s tube fed is slightly off. Not enough to make a difference, guess we got lucky lol.

 

[manbearpig]

I'm always leary of plastic mag wells.
Iam afraid of what might happen if they get banged a certain way.

Glock as well as many other modern firearms have dispelled the myth that plastics are inherently a poor material choice for firearms...
But I get what you're saying. Look at all the Kel-tecs with cracked hinges for example.

I winced when I first saw the Mossberg 590M and it's hugeass plastic magwell. It looks very out of place, like someone jerryrigged it with a 3D printed prototype.

 

[wrangler4867]

Glock as well as many other modern firearms have dispelled the myth that plastics are inherently a poor material choice for firearms...
But I get what you're saying. Look at all the Kel-tecs with cracked hinges for example.

I winced when I first saw the Mossberg 590M and it's hugeass plastic magwell. It looks very out of place, like someone jerryrigged it with a 3D printed prototype.

I agree, it does look a little oversized. I use the world little sparingly.

If I had to choose 1 shotgun, I would still lean towards a steel or sluminum magwell.

I know it's by no means a fair comparison, but I remember the vz58 mag wells. Bang it once the right way and it was game over.

 

[davide montini]

Caution with mossberg…just seen a video the buddy drops it on its side and something to do with the lifter if I remember correctly..some how comes out of it’s position and will not cycle…..seen it on YouTube …..
Got me one of the 590m..and to this day still have not used it …bloody work anyways in the way

 

[Royroy]

Caution with mossberg…just seen a video the buddy drops it on its side and something to do with the lifter if I remember correctly..some how comes out of it’s position and will not cycle…..seen it on YouTube …..
Got me one of the 590m..and to this day still have not used it …bloody work anyways in the way

I’ve dropped my Mossberg down about 50 feet on multiple occasions and it was fine.

 

[Royroy]

Go for the newer 590rm. I grabbed one recently and it’s been a blast.

 

[derek2007]

Get yourself a Iron Horse Sentry 12
Best & Smoothest mag fed on the market and made in the USA

 

[derek2007]

Good to know - I looked real hard at these but too many users having issues with them. Thought they might come out with an updated version but apparently not....

The issues in the first get was the mag release spring was weak and would sometime "bump" the mag out with heavy mag slugs .

I have the Gen2 and it's a beast. So smooth and fast, zero issues at all. It's $800 gun in the EE just get one

 

[Painkillers]

Buy the 590M you won’t regret it.
It is in every way great. Fun. Reliable.
We have the 5,10, and 15 round mags and they all work perfect.
We got it from Tenda zero issues there.

Do you always refer to yourself in the plural? Who are "we"? Maybe you take the whole family gun shopping with you?

 

[hawkmp9]

Do you always refer to yourself in the plural? Who are "we"? Maybe you take the whole family gun shopping with you?

Yea I refer to my group as we. Sarcasm is so appreciated. The same information about the firearm was relayed tho.
Would you prefer 3rd person.
Jimmy likes Elaine.

 

[Painkillers]

Yea I refer to my group as we. Sarcasm is so appreciated. The same information about the firearm was relayed tho.
Would you prefer 3rd person.
Jimmy likes Elaine.

I'm so confused right now, I can't tell if i'm angry or excited. Either way, your grammar is elevating my heart rate.

 

[Horilka]

I have Chinese Grizzly 8" mag fed and I had 0 issues, though I shoot only 2-3/4 shells. It's built like tank, not very refined, but very reliable.

Here, just took this pic to post in "shorties" thread.

 

[Gatehouse]

I have 2 870 DM, both with many thousand rounds through them. The are as reliable as a regular 870.

Typically I prefer a 590 over anything in a pump gun but the magwell/magazine interface looked a bit complex for my taste and the Mossberg mags were pretty expensive. As I needed a dozen extra 5 round magazines, the cost became a consideration.

True to form Remington discontinued the production of the shotguns and the magazines so that sucks. I heard a rumor about some aftermarket magazines being made some time ago but not sure if it ever happened.

Anyways, the Rem 870's are reliable, the mags are simple and work fine. But they aren't on the new market anymore.

 

[FRANKENFARMER]

The best thing would be to get the 590M shockwave and put the ATI folding stock on it

I'd say yes, but skip ATI.

 

[Shovel]

Buy the one that isn’t made in Turkey, you’ll thank yourself later.

Why