Tac-Com Shotgun Extension Clamp

[CJW]

I usually do not run an extension tube clamp on my Benelli M2, and I really have no interest in messing with my slug impact. On the other hand, with Starlight 3-Gun coming up, I needed to get a flashlight on the shotgun. Enter Tac-Com. I downloaded the STL file Tim Ubl posts on his website, in this particular case for the railed clamp (and since I have the M2 Tactical, the slightly wider Mossberg friendly version worked better), and 3-D printed myself a nice plastic free-float railed tube clamp.

One quick trip to the ACE hardware store to grab some screws and nylok nuts and I was ready to go. The clamp mounted securely and has just enough clearance around the barrel to be able to call it free-floated. The rail was plenty sturdy enough for the flashlight clamp I intended to use. I haven't had a chance to fire it yet, but I am pretty happy with the way it turned out!

Kudos to Tim for making STL files available for parts like this. I think this is a very consumer friendly option!

[sschultz]

If you don't have a printer Tim sells them at TACCOM.

[ffgats]

Hi,

I got 2 of these Stabilizer from Tim, until now Im still wondering how will it stabilize the Extension if it doesnt touch or engage to the bbl, which one is holding the mag extension via the stabilizer. From my amateur point of view, the mag extension is still hanging out unsupported. Hope somebody can enlighten me up on this. The theory is sound by keeping the bbl free floating to avoid change in POI.

[CJW]

I got 2 of these Stabilizer from Tim, until now Im still wondering how will it stabilize the Extension if it doesnt touch or engage to the bbl, which one is holding the mag extension via the stabilizer. From my amateur point of view, the mag extension is still hanging out unsupported. Hope somebody can enlighten me up on this. The theory is sound by keeping the bbl free floating to avoid change in POI.

Basically, it will engage the barrel after just a small amount of flex. That means when there is no pressure on the tube, your barrel is free-floated and there is no POI impact, but if you whacked the tube on a barrel or a prop, the clamp would prevent the tube from moving more than a tiny bit, and this will prevent excessive metal fatigue.

I generally run no clamp, so I see this as an easy way to get a rail on the gun without affecting POI, and with whatever protection it provides as a purely secondary benefit.

[TRUBL]

Here was something I posted over at Boomer Shooter about the stabilizer.....

"Is your tube maybe unscrewing? If so.....use a little blue loctite to secure the threads.

The idea behind the Extension tube stabilizer is to allow the barrel to actually float....yet NOT allow the tube to move enough to snap off.

We all like to see our rifles with a free float barrel......the shotgun barrel should be no different. Using an actual clamp can really play havock on slug zero. When you take your shotgun apart for cleaning.....if you don't put the clamp back in the same spot with the same torque......you run the risk of losing your slug zero. If your clamp does move under recoil, you not only run the risk of losing slug zero, but you can also mess up the finish on the barrel as well.

And here is another thing to think about.....we all zero our shotguns on a rest.....and how many shells are in the tube? one? two? none? Sooooo......now you are going to hang a VARIABLE weight on the end of your barrel (variable as in....the number rounds from a full tube to an empty tube), and do you think that might impact your slug zero? Ever wonder why you KNOW you are on....but your slugs 'seem to be hitting low today'. HAve you ever tried shooting your shot gun with the tube full after you've zero'd it in? I asked a bunch of top competitors this past weekend and they ALL started scratching their heads on that one.

The stabilizer.....because it does not touch the barrel.....removes all the possibilities of impacting your slug zero. And yes.....it's a free down load. You might think.....why? Well....in 2 to 5 years, 3D printers will be almost as common as paper printers are today.

The biggest problem with using these.....are making sure that your extension tube is on tight and doesn't loosen up......using blue loctite will help take care of that and you can still unscrew it when you need to."

Additionally......yes, your tube will move....some.....but the stabilizer will only allow the tube to move so much, and not so much to snap off....like by throwing into a barrel from 4 or 5 feet away like you're sticking a hog with a spear!!