Limiting shotgun mag capacity

[Pasc43]

I know you can take apart the mag tube and insert a plug in the spring. I have an older Remington where it's a bit more difficult to do that, so if I wanted to go back and forth easily from hunting/target is there something you can just put in the mag tube itself, like dummy shells or does it have to be plugged from inside? Thanks!

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Pasc43

I know you can take apart the mag tube and insert a plug in the spring. I have an older Remington where it's a bit more difficult to do that, so if I wanted to go back and forth easily from hunting/target is there something you can just put in the mag tube itself, like dummy shells or does it have to be plugged from inside? Thanks!

To be legal, has to be plugged from inside.

LC

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

To be legal, has to be plugged from inside.

LC

Opinion not fact. The actual regs

hunt a migratory game bird using
a firearm loaded with a single bullet
shot, other than non-toxic shot,
a cross-bow
a shotgun that is of a larger size than 10 guage.
hunt any game bird using
a shotgun in which the magazine and chamber combined will hold more than three rounds of ammunition,
a trap, or
bait.

Plugged in the conventional way by putting something into the removed mag may be preferable, but there is no reason a wood blank inserted to block more than 2 in the mag won't work also. On top of that, who has ever had their gun checked to see how many shells it will hold?

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Opinion not fact. The actual regs



Plugged in the conventional way by putting something into the removed mag may be preferable, but there is no reason a wood blank inserted to block more than 2 in the mag won't work also. On top of that, who has ever had their gun checked to see how many shells it will hold?

I have but it was plugged the legal way. The officer pumped it several times to make sure there were no dummy rounds in it and that it was plugged the legal way.

[fps plus]

I have been checked several times . No putting dummies in will NOT cut it

[Dean2]

I agree that dummy shotgun shells are too easily removable and could cause an issue about is it really limited. However, I see no reason why a piece of dowel inserted into the mag, that is not easily removable in the field should not work. No different than pinning a 30 shot AR mag rather than going to all the work of cutting the mag to only hold 5. One way to be sure, call the non-experts that enforce it. At least you will have their interpretation to work from.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I agree that dummy shotgun shells are too easily removable and could cause an issue about is it really limited. However, I see no reason why a piece of dowel inserted into the mag, that is not easily removable in the field should not work. No different than pinning a 30 shot AR mag rather than going to all the work of cutting the mag to only hold 5. One way to be sure, call the non-experts that enforce it. At least you will have their interpretation to work from.

I'm not sure how you could plug a shotgun with s piece of dowel without dropping it into the magazine from the capped end!
Any ideas?
Is that what you mean, because it is danged easy to just cut a stick and drop it into the magazine well with the cap off .
Cat

[elkhunter11]

At one point, it was common to cut a wooden dowel to use as a plug, if the factory plug was misplaced, but with the plastic plugs being available at Cabelas and elsewhere for so cheap, it doesn't make sense to use wood which absorbs moisture and causes rust. The plug for my old 870 was solid steel and heavy, so the plastic plug would reduce the weight significantly, but it would also change the balance and increase felt recoil. In any case, the plug being used must be more difficult to remove than unloading ammunition from the magazine, or you will be charged if checked by F&W.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

At one point, it was common to cut a wooden dowel to use as a plug, if the factory plug was misplaced, but with the plastic plugs being available at Cabelas and elsewhere for so cheap, it doesn't make sense to use wood which absorbs moisture and causes rust. The plug for my old 870 was solid steel and heavy, so the plastic plug would reduce the weight significantly, but it would also change the balance and increase felt recoil. In any case, the plug being used must be more difficult to remove than unloading ammunition from the magazine, or you will be charged if checked by F&W.

I have bought lots of shotguns over the years without plugs and many with dowels or sticks in them.
Never bothered me as long as the gun was plugged somehow .
Cat

[crosman177]

I have often used a cut down chop stick with o rings around it and does that trick perfectly. Use the biggest shell your gun will handle before measuring it off.

[zabbo]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Opinion not fact. The actual regs



Plugged in the conventional way by putting something into the removed mag may be preferable, but there is no reason a wood blank inserted to block more than 2 in the mag won't work also. On top of that, who has ever had their gun checked to see how many shells it will hold?

I've been checked for magazine capacity before. Officer had a hard rubber or plastic rod that went into the magazine.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by crosman177

I have often used a cut down chop stick with o rings around it and does that trick perfectly. Use the biggest shell your gun will handle before measuring it off.

X2 Chopsticks work great

[pgavey]

Yep have been checked before. Officer used a hard rubber flexible rod to check.

[fps plus]

I believe they are not wanting to put a plug in where the spring is in the magazine but rather on the "ammo" side of the follower ?
I have seen pencils ,arrow shafts, branches for plugs

[partsman]

I remember buying my first semi auto 12 gauge and taking it out to try , my brother and I headed out with some clays and did some shooting, well along comes the warden, that is when I remembered I had no plug in it. Was sweating bullets, but luckily I had always been in the habit of loading three shells, so I cycled them all out and then made sure to show it was empty, so got lucky he did not check

[pgavey]

I don't it is a problem shooting clays, but hunting is another story.

[D4l3k]

Only matters while hunting

Otherwise your allowed 5 in the tube and 1 in the chamber for semi auto just like any other center fire so u paniced for no reason lol

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Pasc43

I know you can take apart the mag tube and insert a plug in the spring. I have an older Remington where it's a bit more difficult to do that, so if I wanted to go back and forth easily from hunting/target is there something you can just put in the mag tube itself, like dummy shells or does it have to be plugged from inside? Thanks!

What model of Remington do you have?

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Opinion not fact. The actual regs



Plugged in the conventional way by putting something into the removed mag may be preferable, but there is no reason a wood blank inserted to block more than 2 in the mag won't work also. On top of that, who has ever had their gun checked to see how many shells it will hold?

Ithaca shot guns (pumps) just have a wooden doweling in the mag tube as I am sure most of the others do as well....BUT you have to have the dowel behind the thimble shaped button that slides up and down the tube and in most modern guns is bright red ......And yes I have had the fish cops check my (mag) to be sure it would only hold 2 rounds....

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Opinion not fact. The actual regs



Plugged in the conventional way by putting something into the removed mag may be preferable, but there is no reason a wood blank inserted to block more than 2 in the mag won't work also. On top of that, who has ever had their gun checked to see how many shells it will hold?

When I used to get checked while hunting ducks a magazine check seemed routine.

[covey ridge]

Before plastic became popular all Winchester and Remington pumps came with a factory installed wooden dowel.

[petew]

Originally Posted by Pasc43

I know you can take apart the mag tube and insert a plug in the spring. I have an older Remington where it's a bit more difficult to do that, so if I wanted to go back and forth easily from hunting/target is there something you can just put in the mag tube itself, like dummy shells or does it have to be plugged from inside? Thanks!

Remingtons since the 50's have a hole in the mag spring stopper that a pencil, dowel , etc will drop thru. No need to pull the cap and spring , what drops in drops out with a little shake . If your spring retainer cap doesn't have a hole in it the solution is obvious.

[Dick284]

I’m not sure what clay target sport the OP is doing that requires an un plugged shotgun? Trap, skeet, 5 stand, and walk about sporting clays only require at a maximum 2 shots be loaded at a time. Is there some new style of game in town?

Certainly sounds like a first world sort of problem.

[petew]

Originally Posted by dick284

i’m not sure what clay target sport the op is doing that requires an un plugged shotgun? Trap, skeet, 5 stand, and walk about sporting clays only require at a maximum 2 shots be loaded at a time. Is there some new style of game in town?

Certainly sounds like a first world sort of problem.

zombies

[fps plus]

Originally Posted by petew

Remingtons since the 50's have a hole in the mag spring stopper that a pencil, dowel , etc will drop thru. No need to pull the cap and spring , what drops in drops out with a little shake . If your spring retainer cap doesn't have a hole in it the solution is obvious.

Not the case anymore. FYI The magazine spring retainer is a solid plastic piece that acts as the magazine cap detente .

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

Before plastic became popular all Winchester and Remington pumps came with a factory installed wooden dowel.

My 1952 model Wingmaster had a solid steel plug.

[Bushmaster]

Every now and again I used to pull the plug on my 870....when hunting pigeons or crows. Was hardly worth it....

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

My 1952 model Wingmaster had a solid steel plug.

Those were an option from Remington and used for balancing. They came in sets... some for the mag tube and some for the stock . The standard 870 used a wooden dowel for a mag plug.

[petew]

Originally Posted by fps plus

Not the case anymore. FYI The magazine spring retainer is a solid plastic piece that acts as the magazine cap detente .

plastic should drill easy.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

My 1952 model Wingmaster had a solid steel plug.

I once had a wingmaster trap gun with a tube of mercury in place of the plug.

It was aftermarket and not standard

I doubt if you were the first owner of your 1952 model.