Remington 870 Shotgun Plugs

0faustus0

0faustus0

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Shotgun plugs – Remington 870

While grouse hunting 2 years ago, I got really annoyed by the standard green Remington magazine tube plug. Every time I changed the carrying position of my 870 that plug would slide up or down the mag tube and make a distinctive “click”. Imagine you are out on a quiet foggy morning … not one noise to be heard … all quiet … you are trying to listen to your surroundings … slowly walking along the trail … and your shotgun goes … click … click … click-click …. click …. ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ….. :-(

Searching the Internet for an alternative plug that would be held in place by the spring turned up nothing …. I couldn’t find another product that I could buy and that would address my issue with the plug.

In preparation for the next hunting season, I decided to make my own plugs. And I decided on Delrin as the material. This is the same material S&J is using for their 870 mag tube followers.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered some Delrin/Acetal rods from “h ttp://plasticworld.ca” and they delivered promptly.

I decided on .875" rods for the end cap of the plug …. and .375" rods for the plug itself.

The .875" fits nicely into an 870 mag tube.

So this week end I made some plugs … I cut off one inch pieces from the .875" rod and to create end caps for the plug. Then I drilled a 3/8 inch whole into each end cap … and fitted a section of the .375" rod into the end cap …. And then adjusted length for my particulate shotgun and to allow only two 3” shells in the mag tube.

The mag spring engages the end cap and holds the whole plug in place. No more sliding inside the mag tube ….. no more “clicks”.

Here a picture of the result.

Plugs for my + 2 extension setup and for my +1 extension one … (the green one is the original Remington plug).

Rem_870_Delrin_Plugs.jpg



I realized that Delrin as a material is super tough …. but is still easy to work with … drilling, grinding, sanding, polishing …. all worked well with the material.

Voila, these plugs should last a lifetime …. :dancingbanana:
 
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Nice neat solution but I think I would have just wrapped enough masking tape around one end of the green stick to fit snugly into the mag tube and be held in place by the spring.
 
My 870 plugs look nothing like yours nor are they noisy
That is universal Allen plug in your pic and hope remington are not using them now
My green remington plugs
Cheers
X52o8h9.jpg
 
0faustus0 said:
3macs1, those look nice! Where can one buy those? I would need one for a +2 extensions!
Click to expand...

I honestly don't know. I have not bought a new 870 wingmaster since 2003 and that was the plug that came with the gun and all of my prior wingmasters came with after they replaced the wood ones
I am sure some one in the EE could help. I will also see if I can find them
Cheers

Looks like Cabelas sells one dam close. Fix the link

https://ww w.cabelas.ca/product/739/butler-creek-shotgun-plug
 
Thanks 3macs1 ...

Does anybody know when Remington switched to the "dimples" in the mag tube? I would assume that is the year they switched to the style of plug that came with my Wingmaster ....


I still need to make another plug for my recent Wingmaster and that has the "dimples".

.875" will not pass the dimples in the mag tube. So, I still have to cut two slots into the end cap of the plug ...
 
0faustus0 said:
Thanks 3macs1 ...

Does anybody know when Remington switched to the "dimples" in the mag tube? I would assume that is the year they switched to the style of plug that came with my Wingmaster ....


I still need to make another plug for my recent Wingmaster and that has the "dimples".

.875" will not pass the dimples in the mag tube. So, I still have to cut two slots into the end cap of the plug ...
Click to expand...

No the dimples started in late 86 when they redesigned the barrels etc and came out with the express
My 2003 has that plug I show factory
Cheers

Found this to confirm from others
Dimples in Magazine Tube of Remington 870
I have received answer about dimples in magazine tube from the first hands, directly from the Remington:

“The dimples in the magazine tube is to keep the new style retainer in place. If the
dimples are removed, the retainer would not stay in place. We do not recommend these
dimples to be removed. This style was introduced in the late 80’s.”
 
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I had the same issue with a different make of shotgun. I ground the plug flat on one end, drilled a small hole in the center, found a washer that cleared the mag wall but still engaged the spring and a second washer that fit the screw perfectly and engaged the larger washer, mixed up some two piece epoxy and screwed everything together to form a tee like the above picture. It has been in place for many years and still works perfectly without a sound. I made a similar one with a piece of alumimun tube for an SKB auto loader that came without one. It too works perfectly and I am sure a wooden dowel could be used as well.
 
3macs1 said:
...
That is universal Allen plug in your pic and hope remington are not using them now
...
Click to expand...


Butcherbill said:
I got the same style plug from the factory when I bought a new 870 express a year or two ago.
Click to expand...

Yups ... me as well ... all my 870s that I bought in the last couple of years came with one of those green "clicker" plugs .... :-(
 
Easy fix for the after market Rem mag plug is drill the end and affix a plastic washer with a screw .drop the plug into the mag tube so the plastic washer sits on top of the spring and reinsert the friction cap . this is what I did for my 1100 20 gauge .
 
0faustus0 said:
Yups ... me as well ... all my 870s that I bought in the last couple of years came with one of those green "clicker" plugs .... :-(
Click to expand...
Is there nothing else in the tube to limit the rounds that it holds? iirc the older wooden plug kept it legal to two 2 3/4, pull the plug for 5.
Naive here, stuck on the oldies
 
boxhitch said:
Is there nothing else in the tube to limit the rounds that it holds? iirc the older wooden plug kept it legal to two 2 3/4, pull the plug for 5.
Naive here, stuck on the oldies
Click to expand...

The old and new 870’s are the same, plug them for 2+1 for hunting and unplug for 4+1 when not hunting depending on your provincial hunting regs. If you add a mag tube extension for 6+1 or more you need a longer plug or you have to unscrew the mag tube extension and use it in the original factory condition.

The only real difference between older and newer 870 mag tubes is the spring retainer, the old style is a press in retainer and the new is a slide in and twist. There are two dimples in the mag tube that hold in the new style retainer when you twist it, the dimples need to be drilled or pressed out if you want to add a mag tube extension.
 
ok got it. the plug is a separate item than the green clicker thingy above.
the only wooden plug retainer in my 870 and 1187 is the end cap )
no guide rods either
 
boxhitch said:
ok got it. the plug is a separate item than the green clicker thingy above.
the only wooden plug retainer in my 870 and 1187 is the end cap )
no guide rods either
Click to expand...

The green rod is the new factory plug Remington includes when you buy an 870, at least when you buy an express. The green one 3macs1 shared pics of it the older plastic version by the sounds of it and I gather there was a wood version at one point from what you’re saying. The old green one looks like it sits between the end cap and spring, the new one floats inside the spring and will rattle and bump back and forth if you only have one shell in the tube or are empty.
 
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