Plastic follower in the M3K

[openclassterror]

For those that are building 3gun shotguns on the M3k platform, they are (for the most part) almost ready to rock. The most obvious omission is an extended magazine. The reason they do not come with one is compliance with the 922(r ) rule from ATF, which states that shotguns not "intended for sporting purposes" may not contain more than a specified number of significant imported parts. By the current definition, any semi-auto shotgun that hold more than 5 rounds is not a "sporting shotgun" and therefore must comply with 922(r ). So, essentially, they have a list of "major components", and if there are more than 10 of the named components in the gun, it cannot have an extended magazine and maintain compliance. So just like with an imported AK47, if you want fun options (like big mags) you must replace some original parts with USA made parts to keep the magic number under 10. In the case of an imported shotgun, it is much easier (and cheaper) to just ship it with no magazine extension and let it be the end-user's problem. Otherwise, they would have to ship it here, and then add a couple US-made parts in order to sell it with the magazine extension included.

Long story short, the M3K ships without a magazine extension. No big deal, several companies now make extensions for them. BUT!!!!!! The follower they include is not at all suitable for use with a magazine extension. The original M3000 follower is black anodized aluminum, and although it is a little short, it has sufficient chamfers on the ends to go through the joint between tubes without catching, unless the steel primary tube attached to the receiver has no inside bevel at all. The new M3k has a molded follower made of orange plastic, and it is dead square on all corners, as well as being short. Here is a picture of the M3K follower next to our 2nd Gen low drag follower. Nordic's replacement follower is somewhat similar to ours in terms of overall length and chamfers, and theirs works well too. But the orange factory follower does not work well at all with extended magazines, not even the Carbon Arms extended tube. It will get hung up on the junction with the short extension at the end of the primary tube. So, it really doesn't matter what aftermarket follower you use, just make sure that you get one when you get your extended mag tube or it will not feed reliably.

Edited August 5, 2015 by openclassterror

[Paul-the new guy]

But it's low drag...

[Garmil]

What's the purpose of the smaller diameter on the loading port end as opposed to followers for other models where the end is the full od of the follower?

[openclassterror]

The shoulder that stops the follower from popping out of the mag tube is further forward than the web between the magazine and the barrel. It allows the follower to protrude far enough out of the tube to ensure that the round doesn't hang up on that web when the lifter brings it up. Basically to ensure that the round pops far enough out of the mag tube. The reason ours is beveled rather that square on the protruding nose is that some shells have a very deep crimp with a lip around it, and the factory type sometimes "grabs" the inside of the lip on the first shell into the magazine, especially if inserted at an angle (as in duos or quads). Quite a few factory followers are going to more of this shape, with the big bevel on the nose. Maybe one brand of shells in 50 give a problem, but if it is the brand you use, it sucks. The beveled nose makes it a non-issue.