plugging an 870 magazine

[Newbshooter]

my brother in law let me borrow an 870 however it holds over 2 rounds in the magazine. I need to plug it to make it legal for hunting. My brother in law was telling me to get a dowel that would fit in snugly and cut to fit. Is there anything commercially made to do this. Knowing my luck I'll put a dowel in there and it will either slip and jam the gun or get stuck permanently.

[Squid]

my 870 came with two lengths of orange plastic thingys.

But I'm sure he is right. You should be able to find the info and instructions all over youtube.

I don't think there is anything to get 'stuck' when you unscrew the tube end, so have confidence and start 'gunsmithing'.

[chain]

There are plastic plugs for sale that has a large end that goes over the magazine spring so it doesn't move around. I'm guessing you want to do this for hunting regulations. I've used dowels for years to plug the magazine and never had it jam or stuck. It is annoying having it move around in the tube and the plug only cost a few $$.

[Ribkick]

Remove magazine cap/extension. Get a dowel that fits loosely inside the magazine spring i.e. if spring internal diameter is 1/2", buy a 3/8" dowel. On a bench, lay out the number of shells you want to reduce the magazine capacity by. Cut the dowel to that length minus 1". Round both ends with sandpaper and slip it inside spring. Replace magazine cap. Done.

Manufactures did it this way for decades.

ETA: If magazine follower fits inside spring, reduce dowel length accordingly.

[Newbshooter]

@ribkick, thanks for the detailed instructions!

[CrippledPidgeon]

Remove magazine cap/extension. Get a dowel that fits loosely inside the magazine spring i.e. if spring internal diameter is 1/2", buy a 3/8" dowel. On a bench, lay out the number of shells you want to reduce the magazine capacity by. Cut the dowel to that length minus 1". Round both ends with sandpaper and slip it inside spring. Replace magazine cap. Done.

Manufactures did it this way for decades.

ETA: If magazine follower fits inside spring, reduce dowel length accordingly.

Or just throw in the follower before measuring the dowel ;p

[sleepur606]

But I'm sure he is right. You should be able to find the info and instructions all over youtube.

I don't think there is anything to get 'stuck' when you unscrew the tube end, so have confidence and start 'gunsmithing'.

Older 870s, I mean real old, have a push in, sheetmetal plug that retains the magazine spring after the magazine cap is removed.

By older, I mean REALLY OLD. I haven't seen one on either of the two newer 870 Expresses I've bought, but my Grandfather's 1959 vintage had one.

It also had a WOOD magazine plug. I laughed a little when I saw it come out.

But, to the OP, you should be able to go to Home Depot or Lowes or your local home improvement type place and find a dowel smaller than the magazine spring ID and then just cut to length.

[xtra870]

One year i forgot mine when going out hunting and figured out an unsharpened pencil will do in a pinch

[Driftwood]

Usually remember I need one in the field:
1. Break a stick to the correct length.
2. Insert into tube.
3. Shoot birds.

[BigDogatPlay]

A piece of dowel or even a stick isn't rocket science and it won't get jammed up. Remington sells OEM plugs through their web site and aftermarket plugs as below can be had at most any good sized sporting goods store for ~$5. If you have a Dick's Sporting Goods nearby they should certainly have them.

[P5Ret]

Depending upon the configuration of the gun you may need to do more than just put a mag plug into it to make it into a hunting shotgun. If may need a different barrel also. A HD shotgun with a cylinder choke is pretty much worthless for anything beyond 10 to 15 yards with bird shot.

[xtra870]

ive taken down pigeons with 8 shot out of an 18 cylinder out to 30 yards. There not worthless and unless its rifled barrel it can be used to shoot birds with. However a choked barrel will help you down more birds at longer distances

[jyo]

Two of my older (2 3/4" only) 870s came with wooden plugs---just a bit of stick really. Warning; when removing magazine cap, the spring may FLY OUT and possibly take out an eye---when prying off spring holder on 870s the holder and the spring can fly out at high speed---be careful!

[dog]

I took a wood chopstick I had in the drawer and snapped it in half to reduce my capacity. Works flawlessly.

[tpuig]

As mentioned above, the green plastic Remington magazine plug is available for about $5 from Cabela's, Midway, Brownells, etc. But I just bought a piece of wooden dowel today for an old Winchester...