May-fed shotguns: discuss

[Butcherbill]

I guess my opinion is bias as I don’t bird hunt. I skeet shoot and need it for the occasional raccoon or magpie, etc. So one in the chamber and a few down the tube works fine. Low pressure situations... except magpies... you have to sneak up on them and let loose. Lol

The other benefit of the mag fed shotgun is the unspeakable... which brings up the question of long term storage of shells in a magazine.

I prefer a tube fed shotgun to a mag fed, there’s no doubt about that. They’re just all around better for me in a practical gun that gets used day to day and with mag tube extensions you can get box mag capacity without a big ass mag hanging off the receiver getting in the way. I always liked my Grizzly as it was fun to shoot, people always want to know what it is, box mags are fun to use generally.

I just got tired of it sitting around collecting dust so I started using it to swat grouse and it did really well, it still has more cons than pros as a practical shotgun. It’s a norc so it’s heavy, heavy without a loaded 5rd mag, it gets even heavier when you go walking trails with it with a loaded mag, due to the mag follower blocking the bolt when a mag is empty or there’s a shell on the follower you can’t port load an extra shell like with a tube fed version, with a mag inserted slinging over your shoulder is uncomfortable and mags tend to get caught on trees and bushes. With the box mag plugged to 2 for hunting port loading the +1 is slower than on a tube fed gun, there is no lifter to hold the shell when you drop it in so you have to get it in the chamber and rack the slide closed before you insert a mag.

I’m just happy using it for swatting critters on the road as I’m out exploring or heading to my hunting destinations, it’s just a fun cool looking blaster which is fine by me. I’ve done a ton of fine tuning to the action and mags to make it trustworthy and reliable, I would totally trust it as a camp or defensive gun. I have deburred and mirror polished everything that needs to be and it cycles like butter, this is its final configuration. I’ve played around with it and figured out what I like on it and what I didn’t like on it, mag fed shotguns may not be as practical as tube feds for me but I always have a grin on my face while I smash grouse at 30-40y with it.

 

[rommelrommel]

When you're talking about having a mag loaded and ready for extended periods, it's no different for a shotgun or rifle. It's the action is depressing or releasing the spring that puts wear on it, not keeping it depressed as a loaded mag.
So if you rotate your mags around monthly, good to go. If you're rotating it each day, that's a lot of wear.

That said, improved mag springs make a difference. All my shotguns have longer springs just for the extra life and tension.

You can probably figure out what my preference is between tube mags or detachable

The issue isn’t the spring, it’s shell deformation and feed lip deformation.


The Turkish semis are a lot of fun and higher capacity pump action magazines are even more fun.

I don’t think they stack up for serious work, I have 870’s and a versamax for that.

 

[BeaverMeat]

The issue isn’t the spring, it’s shell deformation and feed lip deformation.

That’s what I was questioning... it seems Remington and Mossberg thought of this

The question still remains if the shells will deform while stacked for a long period of time.

 

[Murray 3-D]

3 guns the only excuse I need..... also a very satisfied PM5 owner

 

[Butcherbill]

The question still remains if the shells will deform while stacked for a long period of time.

I haven’t noticed any deformation in my loaded 12g mags, this topic came up last year and I periodically check out of curiosity. I’ve got them loaded with low brass Estate 2 3/4” 00buck, so relatively cheaper bulk shells.

 

[Gatehouse]

Out of interest, have any of you witnessed the new Remington 870DM have issues?

The only issue with the Rem 670 DM is the mags. The shells aren't held in the mags very well. So if you drop a mag or bash it around, expect one or two shells to pop out. I think if someone used one for 3 gun and had mag pouches they may want to figure out a system that deals with this. The mags also are a tight fit so you gotta kind of slam them in and rip them out. They don't drop free like an AR15. But the Turkish semi guns I have don't really drop free either.


I have 2 870 DM and I think they are pretty great. One digests a steady diet of slugs (about 1000 round count so far) and no problems. I think the 870 is more reliable with heavy loads like slugs and buck than the Turkish semis, in that the pump gun doesn't care if you use 3" slugs or light trap loads, and the 870 they won't break parts as readily, and if they do, getting 870 parts is easy, not as easy with the Turkey guns.


Only thing I wish is that the 870 also was offered in a 14 or 15" barrel with choke tubes.

 

[old303]

Only thing I wish is that the 870 also was offered in a 14 or 15" barrel with choke tubes.

Even if it's not sold that way, barrels are easy to swap around on an 870 and there's a strong market for alternate bits for that platform.

 

[Will5189]

Has anyone done any long term testing as to magazine durability regarding leaving them loaded. Perhaps if enough people post their findings and we consolidate the information into a master post it could prove useful. I'm wondering if different magazines have separate issues such as deformation, springs or breakage. For instance my domain arms grizzly has plastic feed lips and the springs seem weak. I'm personally concerned regarding the feed lips breaking (especially in extreme cold) and the springs wearing out. I've loaded a mag and I am going to leave for however how long to test them. Hopefully they will last although the Chinese plastic is all sorts of cheap.

 

[geologist]

I have some 5 and 10 round Turk mags that have been loaded with 2.75" Federal buckshot for a couple of years.

I'll pull the shells and see how they look.

 

[Greenhorse six]

Already been said .

 

[yank]

This was my Grizzly Mag. I loved the idea but it was a jam-a-matic. Sold with minimal regrets.

 

[HIT_MAN]

I’ve got two. 18.5” grizzly mag (purchased used) with thousands of rounds down the pipe. Not a single feed issue. I had a worn out lock on the slide release which I fixed. Second is an 8.5” (purchased new) with a few hundred down the pipe. It has never had a hiccup of any sort.

I like them for predator control because I can have a magazine ready and not have a loaded firearm.

 

[rhino62]

Only thing I wish is that the 870 also was offered in a 14 or 15" barrel with choke tubes.

The "little Beaver two" which is 14" barrel version with a mesa tactical urbino stock was offered by the importer as a custom built version of the 870 DM. One safety advantage of the detachable magazine shotguns is that you do not have to cycle the shells through the action to unload them.

 

[Butcherbill]

One safety advantage of the detachable magazine shotguns is that you do not have to cycle the shells through the action to unload them.

You don’t have to cycle the action to unload a tube fed 870 or many other pump action shotguns, you can use the shell latches to unload. Or a combo of latches, litter and action half open. A round doesn’t even come near the bolt or chamber.

 

[Gatehouse]

The "little Beaver two" which is 14" barrel version with a mesa tactical urbino stock was offered by the importer as a custom built version of the 870 DM. One safety advantage of the detachable magazine shotguns is that you do not have to cycle the shells through the action to unload them.

The beaver had a fixed choke and just a bead sight. The ghost ring sights and choke tubes on the 18.5" version make it much better in my opinion. I guess I want it all-14". tubes and sights.

 

[Dietz]

Shoot a crate of shells/clays every weekend, after a while you won't think loading a shotgun is that slow.