Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

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VALongbeard
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Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 3:19 pm

Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by VALongbeard »

Ok guys, this is really just a post to start a good conversation. This will probably especially help someone new to the game.

As most of you know, the magazine cap, especially in 870s, can have a huge bearing on repeatable accuracy and patterns with receiver mounted optics since the sight is not attached to the barrel. My method is to tighten the magazine cap as tight as I can reasonably get it by hand, and then place a pad of some sort around the magazine cap, I have used a thick leather belt or nylon sling material and use channel lock pliers to tighten the cap approx 2 clicks past hand tight.

I then mark the cap with a dot of gold paint and also mark the barrel ring. This way if the barrel is removed for cleaning, it can be tightened back to the same position after reassembly. I have found good repeatable accuracy and patterns with this method, and haven't damaged anything as well. Do any of you guys do this as well? What is your method? I am just curious what other people think on this topic. Thanks for any input.
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Hoobilly
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Re: Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by Hoobilly »

Channel locks like you..

never did mark mine tho
thats a gooder idea!
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VALongbeard
Posts: 357
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 3:19 pm

Re: Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by VALongbeard »

Glad it gave you an idea hoobilly.......it does make it easier to make a witness mark.

I actually see lots of people that do not take this into consideration with receiver mounted optics, and it can have an impact on the shot.

Also, once I tighten the barrel down and sight in before the season, I clean from the muzzle end. That barrel ain't coming off till after the season. No chances here on losing the zero.

In my experience however, if you tighten the barrel down the same everytime, the POI is very close..........
decoykrvr
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Re: Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by decoykrvr »

Ditto on the barrel tightening procedure. I use a piece of heavy rubber on the magazine cap and don't remove the barrel until the end of the season, running a bore snake 3 times from the chamber out the barrel after a shot. I don't do a heavy cleaning during the season unless I see plastic streaking in the barrel.
VALongbeard
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Re: Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by VALongbeard »

decoykrvr wrote: February 11th, 2018, 9:33 pm Ditto on the barrel tightening procedure. I use a piece of heavy rubber on the magazine cap and don't remove the barrel until the end of the season, running a bore snake 3 times from the chamber out the barrel after a shot. I don't do a heavy cleaning during the season unless I see plastic streaking in the barrel.
How many clicks past hand tight do you go? Just curious. I usually go for 2 to 3 on the 12 and 20 gauge 870s, and usually 1 to 2 on the 28 gauge and 410 bore 870 I have. Thanks.
decoykrvr
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Re: Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by decoykrvr »

I do 2 clicks which is plenty tight on an Ithaca Model 37 Turkeyslayer (old King Ferry model) and on a Browning BPS. I have never had a POA/POI deviation during the season using this methodology, but have seen a number of scoped guns which I had sighted in before the season get as much as 3"-6" off center due to the owners removing the barrel and not retightening to line up the marks on the magazine cap and tube. Like anything else, you've got to use a measure of common sense when tightening the magazine cap to protect the knurling/finish and to not over tighten. Over the years I've worked on too many firearms where it was apparent that the owner had absolutely no business touching the gun w/ a screw driver, much less a pair of vice grips, ie. if you don't know what your doing, DON'T!
VALongbeard
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Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 3:19 pm

Re: Tight Magazine Cap- what is your method?

Post by VALongbeard »

decoykrvr wrote: February 12th, 2018, 12:41 pm I do 2 clicks which is plenty tight on an Ithaca Model 37 Turkeyslayer (old King Ferry model) and on a Browning BPS. I have never had a POA/POI deviation during the season using this methodology, but have seen a number of scoped guns which I had sighted in before the season get as much as 3"-6" off center due to the owners removing the barrel and not retightening to line up the marks on the magazine cap and tube. Like anything else, you've got to use a measure of common sense when tightening the magazine cap to protect the knurling/finish and to not over tighten. Over the years I've worked on too many firearms where it was apparent that the owner had absolutely no business touching the gun w/ a screw driver, much less a pair of vice grips, ie. if you don't know what your doing, DON'T!

I agree 100 percent. Some people could tear up an anvil with a rubber mallet. You don't want to go crazy on the tightening. I actually most of the time use an old nylon sling cut up into a shorter piece and fold it on itself......that way when tightening it will slip when it is about right on the magazine cap. No damage either. Not a serious risk of overtightening when it slips if you don't try to bear down and gorilla it. The magazine tubes are pretty tough, but you do have to use some sense.
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