Magazine capacity

[BryanForbes]

FedEx just dropped off some Federal PD13200 which I promptly tried to put in the magazine of my 590, but could only fit 7 (my 590 is an 8+1). The Fiocchi rounds I have fit 8 in the magazine, but these Federal rounds seem to be about 1/8" longer than the Fiocchi rounds. Has anyone ever had this happen before and if you solved it, how did you? Thanks in advance!

 

[MikeD]

It's a pretty common problem due to the variation in case lengths.

You can make more room by trimming the spring slightly (small increments) til the shells fit. Make sure you still have enough spring tension to feed the entire magazine.

In my 870 I had to trim the follower slightly as it had a rather long tail that extended down through the spring and bottomed out when I tried to lad that last round. You can see if this is the case by loading the magazine up with the follower in place but leave the spring removed.

It's also possible that you are catchingon somehting within the tube. This is more likely to happen where the extension tube attaches to the magazine tube, or if the extension, extended tube has been dented enough to inhibit the follower from passing (sometimes from over tightening the magazine clamp).

You may have to play around to find the right combination that will allow you to get that last shell in there.

 

[mingaa]

Lay a tape measure on 'em for us M8!!

 

[BryanForbes]

It's a pretty common problem due to the variation in case lengths.

As someone who is slightly OCD, that frustrates me.

You can make more room by trimming the spring slightly (small increments) til the shells fit. Make sure you still have enough spring tension to feed the entire magazine.

That's what I'm afraid of. It seems the tension on the last shell out of the magazine is already pretty low. Although it ejects just fine.

In my 870 I had to trim the follower slightly as it had a rather long tail that extended down through the spring and bottomed out when I tried to lad that last round. You can see if this is the case by loading the magazine up with the follower in place but leave the spring removed.

I'm using the orange follower that came with it. It doesn't have a tail. Good thought, though.

It's also possible that you are catchingon somehting within the tube. This is more likely to happen where the extension tube attaches to the magazine tube, or if the extension, extended tube has been dented enough to inhibit the follower from passing (sometimes from over tightening the magazine clamp).

I don't have an extension tube. This is the 590 model #50660. It comes standard as 8+1.

You may have to play around to find the right combination that will allow you to get that last shell in there.

That's what I'm guessing. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Lay a tape measure on 'em for us M8!!

Not a problem:

8 Federal 2 3/4" PD13200 (left) vs. 8 Fiocchi 2 3/4" #4 Buckshot (right): http://d.pr/i/e2bx
A bit closer look at the difference of 8: http://d.pr/i/9p8z
1 Fiocchi (left) vs. 1 Federal (right): http://d.pr/i/fmue

It looks like there's about an 1/8" to 3/16" difference between the two rounds. Here's the other thing that gets me: neither one is 2 3/4" long. I'm measuring from the 1" mark, but the shells aren't even 2 1/2". What in the world is going on with that?

 

[masakari]

She 2 3/4 measurement is taken after the shells are fired, with the mouth extended.
But yes it is very common to have shells vary like that. Hornady shells always measure the proper length, and therefore fit with the proper capacity. My 590 with Wolff XP spring measuring 25" i believe and GG&G follower will accept 8 Hornady TAP or Critical Defense shells, but only 7 Remington Low Recoil Slugs, which are y primary types of ammunition.

 

[Rossignol]

All my Hornady shells are shorter than anything else I have.

I've not ever had a problem loading the magazine to capacity with any manufacturers shell. I've also used the the same load in question.

You said it came with an orange follower? Did you purchase the gun new or used?

 

[BryanForbes]

You said it came with an orange follower? Did you purchase the gun new or used?

Used, however it had never (or barely) been fired; it was like brand new. I hadn't thought about the orange follower being aftermarket. I haven't ever handled another 590, so I wouldn't know what color the follower is from the manufacturer.

 

[Rossignol]

The factory follower is black and is like a cup and is little more than that.

My recommendation at this point is to remove the magazine cap, then remove the internal slotted cap. It can be relatively easily pryed out with a screwdriver or butter knife for that matter... car keys, can opener, pocket knife, etc.

Carefully remove that thing as the spring will come out but not with tremendous force. Take a look at the follower as it likely has something of a tail to it where the factory has nothing protruding off the end of it.

It may be a simple case of trimmin down the tail with like a dremmel or file.

 

[BryanForbes]

The factory follower is black and is like a cup and is little more than that.

My recommendation at this point is to remove the magazine cap, then remove the internal slotted cap. It can be relatively easily pryed out with a screwdriver or butter knife for that matter... car keys, can opener, pocket knife, etc.

Carefully remove that thing as the spring will come out but not with tremendous force. Take a look at the follower as it likely has something of a tail to it where the factory has nothing protruding off the end of it.

It may be a simple case of trimmin down the tail with like a dremmel or file.

The follower I have looks like the factory follower you describe, but orange and plastic. It's a cup with no tail. I'll try to get a picture of it either today or tomorrow.

I spoke with a buddy of mine today about the cartridges, and he said it's a problem he has with his home defense shotgun with these rounds as well (his is a Benelli M4 and he can only get 8 Federal PD/LE rounds in a 9 round magazine), so I'm just going to chalk it up to the size of the cartridges.

Thanks for all the suggestions!