🔫 Ghost Load a Remington 870? Add +1 Without Mods! [Video Demo & Written Instructions]

[Brandon Breeze]

I know this is not a new concept, but remember when my mind was blown before I knew about Ghost loading the 870, so I figured I'd share a quick demo showing how to ghost load a Remington 870 and squeeze in an extra round without any modifications. This trick can be handy for certain applications, but it’s not commonly discussed for pump guns. Recently spoke to 3 of my buddies that have 870's and they had never heard of it.

Anyone here tried this before on their 870 or similar pump guns? Curious if anyone runs this setup regularly or sees any downsides.

And for those of you that would rather read about how it's done than watch a video:

⚠ Note: This technique adds +1 to your shotgun's capacity without any modifications. However, it may induce malfunctions, so do not use this method for home defense or critical applications. Proceed at your own risk.

1. Load the Magazine Tube Fully
   Fill the magazine tube to its normal full capacity.
2. Chamber a Round
   Cycle the action to chamber one round from the magazine, then fill the mag tube again.
3. Press the Action Release
   Depress the action release lever to unlock the bolt.
4. Pull the Bolt Back
   Slowly begin pulling the bolt rearward—just until another round is about to be released from the magazine.
5. Insert an Extra Round ("Ghost Load")
   With the bolt held in that slightly past halfway position, place an extra shell directly on the carrier (not into the magazine or chamber).
6. Push the Shell Down on the Carrier
   Ensure the shell is seated low enough on the carrier so that the bolt can slide over the top of it when you push it forward.
7. Slightly Lift the Carrier (if needed)
   If the shell isn’t sitting right, lightly press up on the carrier to help it align correctly to the magazine tube.
8. Push the Bolt Fully Forward
   Carefully close the bolt. It should slide over the shell sitting on the carrier.

Result:

Your Remington 870 is now “ghost loaded” with one shell in the chamber, a second on the carrier, and the rest in the magazine tube—+1 round over your standard maximum capacity.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Some might like it, I ain't one of them. Reliability is everything- buy/install/use the appropriate magazine and be done with it. DAYSF.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Some might like it, I ain't one of them. Reliability is everything- buy/install/use the appropriate magazine and be done with it. DAYSF.

This was covered in the video as well as the OP:

 

[NorCalBusa]

This was covered in the video as well as the OP:
View attachment 70762

Important enough it was worthy of saying again.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Important enough it was worthy of saying again.

You may not understand the liability aspect of this type of stuff or how to read in between the lines.

 

[DesertDepotArms]

I gotta try this.
Ive loaded up a bunch of 2-1/4 shells years ago which Ive really liked shooting and have given the 870 some extra capacity.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

I gotta try this.
Ive loaded up a bunch of 2-1/4 shells years ago which Ive really liked shooting and gave given the 870 some extra capacity.

Let us know how it works out. 20+ years and not a single malfunction for me.

 

[hambam105]

You kinda lost me when you said it might cause a malfunction.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

You kinda lost me when you said it might cause a malfunction.

Anything can cause a malfunction, this is a public video, with a disclaimer.