[CountGlockula]

http://www.neaca.com/images/Remington_M_870_Express_Magnum_12_ga_1_.JPG

As in modifying a boring 870 Express into a nice looker with a minimum budget?

I've heard that they're easy to turn a regular duck boom stick to a nice HD Tactical boom stick. What did you do? Is it easy to switch back and forth?

Thanks for your time and God bless.

[RX-178]

I've done this with my 870 Express Super Magnum.

Full length magazine extension, Knoxx spec-ops stock w/ powerpak, GG&G sling mounts, and a Blackhawk shotshell sling. That didn't cost TOO much to put on, and wasn't difficult at all.


The surefire rail pump forend was a bit pricier, and harder to install. Then there was the scope rail.



Now that all that stuff is installed, I really can't figure out what the hell this shotgun's supposed to be good for anymore, but putting it together was pretty damn fun.

[CWL]

Get a 18" or 20" barrel for it when you are at home.

Shoot the snot out of it.

Repeat the shooting part often.

[jordan1948]

Not yet but intend on having my 870 super mag shortened to a 20" barrel(they don't make 'em for the super mags because of the 3 1/2" cahmber), putting on a magazine extender and pistol grip(s).

[Bailey Boat]

I have made many of them into HD guns by cutting the barrel 1" longer than a 3 shot extension and then added a Surefire with a pressure pad switch. I keep the original stock and forearm because I don't like pistol grips on a shotgun.

[357wheelgunner]

That shotgun looks great as is. If you want to make it handier in the house, buy an 18" barrel with a bead or rifle sights, and buy a +2 magazine extension. The gun will be about as capable as a gun can be, then all that's left is for you to shoot it, a lot.

[CountGlockula]

Thanks for the suggestion and tips, I just don't know where to start.

Your input is very valuable.

[kingjoey]

We have three Rem870 demo guns.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/kingarmory/Fudd/Fudd01.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/kingarmory/Fudd/Fudd04.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/kingarmory/RonRem870sideviewwithDuracoatandKA-.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/kingjoey/Picture458.jpg

[CYANIDEGENOCIDE]

I find it best to cut the barrel a little longer. Then lower the comb of the stock a little higher. Add a little weight to lighten it up, and then add an 8 shot extension and a 5 shot plug.

They are pretty good out of the box

[DaleCooper51]

Thanks for the suggestion and tips, I just don't know where to start.

I would start with a good cleaning and then run a bunch of shells through it before doing anything else.

[Joe Cool]

I started with the 870 Express too for HD, added some on-gun ammo storage and a light with pressure switch plus the extension others mentioned. Also added a fiber-optic rear sight which works well in low light if you don't want to use the flashlight.

Like others have said, shoot it, a lot!...

[76shuvlinoff]

A smooth bore slug barrel and 2 round mag extension, calling it done.

[Smoke]

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=17224&d=1096936134

I bought some nicer wood off Ebay than what you see here.
Added Mag extension, Williams Fire sights, and handmade leather butt cuff.

[mgkdrgn]

http://www.neaca.com/images/Remington_M_870_Express_Magnum_12_ga_1_.JPG

As in modifying a boring 870 Express into a nice looker with a minimum budget?

I've heard that they're easy to turn a regular duck boom stick to a nice HD Tactical boom stick. What did you do? Is it easy to switch back and forth?

Thanks for your time and God bless.

On the left side, Remington 870 Accessories. Have fun. :-)

http://www.havlinsales.com/

IMHO ... shorter barrel, keep the wood, mag extension. Now you have a right fine HD gun.

[rantingredneck]

http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/product.asp?prod=467676&gdftrk=gdfV2348_a_7c404_a_7c1148_a_7c467676

Best barrel IMO for HD.

Keep the wood. Add some form of ammo carrier (butt cuff or sidesaddle). Maybe a sling (avoid the shotshell holder slings). Then learn to run the gun.

Other things to consider are extension (+2 or +3) and possibly a light source.

Beyond that it can get silly quick.

[Dave McCracken]

Here's a list of what you and your fine shotgun need....







AMMO!!!!

[Fred Fuller]

Looker or shooter???

Weapon or toy???

A dependable go-to tool when something goes bump in the night, or a photo prop???

If a shooter, put an 18-20" factory barrel on it with whatever sights you like, make sure the stock fits you properly, then get some training and spend enough practice time with it until you can run the gun in your sleep.

Or if a photo prop- the world is your oyster for 870 accessories. Buy one of each, bolt 'em on and have fun. We could have a contest, whose 870 weighs the most including all attached accessories, with a special prize slot for whose 870 cost the most per pound. The people who start with one of the special versions with "Tactical" in the name will have a better shot at winning that one.

Sound like fun? 8^)

lpl

[Rob62]

Here is a pic of one of my 870 Express'.

Additions include:

18.5" 870P shotgun barrel with rifle sights
Wilson Hi Viz shell follower
Wolff Extra Power SS magazine tube spring
Wilson Jumbo Head Safety
Surefire 618 light fore end
Not real visable is a GG&G single point sling adapter (the metal In between the butt stock and receiver)

Soon to be added by replacing the current iron sights will be XS Express Big Dot night sights.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n103/rhummer/Rem_870_Only.jpg

[Sir Aardvark]

I have 3 12-gauge 870'S, and two of them are franken-guns:

My first is a Wingmaster that is factory original with a 26" barrel.

Next is a Marine Magnum with an 18" rifle-sighted IC Police barrel (parkerized), a police fore-end, a 6-shot sidesaddle, and XS Big Dot 24/7 sights - the barrel has been modified by having the forcing cone lengthened and the chamber polished. I also replaced the J-lock safety, and sometimes I have a light on it.

Last is my Wife's shotgun, which originally was a 7-shot home defense Express, but now has the 18" CYL barrel from the Marine Magnum, a Knoxx Spec-ops recoil-reducing stock, a police fore-end, a 4-shot sidesaddle, and the 2-shot extension removed and replaced with a cap to make it lighter.
My Wife is small and the Knoxx stock REALLY helps her manage the recoil. Oh yeah... it also has a sling.

I have also replaced the original plastic magazine tube followers with sturdier ones available from Brownell's - I like the ones that have a hole drilled in them so I can feel whether or not there is a shell in the tube without having to look.

I think you should leave your 870 just the way it is and purchase another one specifically for home defense.

[Sunray]

"...easy to turn a regular..." Yep. All it takes is money.

[VHinch]

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6497/remington870001ac1.jpg

Slightly shortened stock with Limbsaver recoil pad, 6 rd sidesaddle left, buttcuff right, Streamlight with pressure pad, and many, many, many rounds downrange.

[SGW42]

Have a plain jane hardwood stocked 870 Express.

Paid like $70 several years ago for a Hogue Overmolded stock and forearm set. Installed that with a basic nylon sling and the thing looks like a million bucks. Handles really well, lighter than before, with a better grip. Perfect for any field use.

Plan to get a simple Mossberg HD barrel for it soon. Then it'll be more versatile than any other firearm I own.

[Smith]

I thought about tacticalizing my 870 express, but after owning it for a short time, the wood stock and forend kinda grew on me. I wouldn't want to replace them anymore. The only modification is a (3 round? maybe 2?) mag extension. The barrel is 20" inches and the mag tube just about comes up to the end of the barrel.

[greyeyezz]

Choate MK5 stock, Wilson combat +2 extension.
Thats it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/greyeyezz/P1010475c.png

[Bob F.]

870HD 18" cyl bore, ramp bead front sight all stock. Added a sling w/ QD swivels (don't use it in the house AT ALL!). "Cruiser ready" w/ 3 loads of 00Buck, backed up by a slug. Would love to have time and $$ to take a good class!! And more range time!

IF you're new here, BAUUR is Dave's term: Buy ammo, use up, repeat!
Search and read everything he, Lee, sm, Preacherman and several others have written!
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s110/BobF_photo/rangesessionfeb252005015.jpg

PS: That's 1 round (27 pellets) of #4 buxck at 15 yds.

Stay safe.
Bob

[jpatterson]

VHinch, that thing looks like a beast! Bet its smoother'n hell though :D
I like it!

[Bababooey]

Not too customized and not a express but installed knoxx spec ops dual recoil stock,tac star light mounted side-saddle and will be installing a heatshield w/ ghost ring sights.




http://picasaweb.google.com/MnRepoMan/870REMINGTON#




EDIT: I have removed the side saddle shell carrier,it was binding up the carrier action,the gun is new and I need to get up north to get some rounds down range...

[CountGlockula]

Hi guys. Does customizing your 870 allow it to not function 110%, since it's no longer stock?

I guess my choice would be to pick up two 870s, one Express and one Police Magnum.:D

Thanks and God bless.

[rantingredneck]

Hi guys. Does customizing your 870 allow it to not function 110%, since it's no longer stock?

That's going to depend largely on what you do to it and how much crap you hang on it. Also the pedigree of said crap (Some brands better made than others).

My current 870 (I've owned a few but settled on just one believe it or not), has a factory 20" RS RC barrel, Speedfeed II stocks, a Remington +2 extension, a Remington railed mag clamp. I have a streamlight TLR-1 for it and a light nylon sling.

None of this stuff is too heavy. No wires or big protrusions to snag on things. I can have it restored to 4+1 or 2+1 plugged condition with a 28" VR barrel within 10 minutes and be on my way to a clay range or dove field.

Stick with quality components and you shouldn't have reliability issues.

[CountGlockula]

Thanks ranting.

[Jack2427]

A lot of folks did not know it but many of the guns produced by Wilson, Scatterguns Inc., its predecessor, Novaks and many other customizers started out as express models. In some cases (as in my Novak) they just upgraded everything to a police model spec. Some of them have told me they do it so they control more of the build, I am slightly more suspect that it might be lower original cost

[Six Feet Under]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/CHSpaintballer2/family003.jpg

Mine, but that sling is only used for hunting and my friend broke the swivel on it a few weeks ago. :(

[Taurus44]

If you put a magazine extension on an Express, you have to drill/roll/hammer out the dimples in the standard tube for it to function properly.

That being said, here is my only 870 Express :D

http://www.xdtalk.com/gallery/data/500/870_sbs_full.jpg

I have added a 4-round Mesa Tactical side saddle and a Speedfeed forend since that picture, though.

[r1ng3l78]

don't make it look like a movie prop. also, i can't say enough good things about the knoxx spec ops stocks(even though i think it looks like a movie prop). i've never liked "gimmicky" accessories but i picked up an 870 a few months back with one on it and it blew my mind. makes a 12 guage firing target loads feel like a .22 rifle. added a hogue foreend and the rubber grip through knoxx and i'm good to go. this pics before i added the grips.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c19/r1ng3l78/misc/shot.jpg

[LoadedDrum]

On a budget I would make the following mods:

Shorter barrel
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=958340&t=11082005

Mag extension (this one isn't cheap but the weight savings relative to a steel mag extension, and its effect on the balance of the gun justifies the cost)
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=496329&t=11082005

Mag extension clamp (too many people for go this and risk a hard knock damaging the threads on their mag tube which would have to be replaced)
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=643064


Add a Surefire 618LFG latter as your budget allows.

[Howaido]

I saw some problems with my 870 when I bought it.

J safety. Gone for a factory one.

Lack of ammo capacity. It already had an extended tube, so couldn't do anything about that one. I put a side saddle on it to keep extra ammo handy.

Terrible bead sight. XS big dot.

Recoil. I wanted to be able to shoot hundreds of rounds in an outing with no ill effects. Knoxx specops. Also solved LOP problem.

That is it so far except for a wilson spring and follower. May get around to changing out the express internals for the police/wingmaster internals sometime. Who knows, if I don't, those parts might wear out after 10000 or 20000 rounds.

I now have a gun with much better ergonomics (IMO) than I started with.

[czbegenner]

Ok guys im still stumped on mine do i bour the groves down with a drindle
to get my 8 shot,or what

[76shuvlinoff]

The dimples in the stock magazine tube?

You can drill them out from the outside or try to hammer them out. I used a dremel tool with a 3/8 inch stone and carefully ground them down. It didn't leave a hole but I bet it's paper thin there now.

[El Tejon]

Yes, this is an 870 Express done by Scattergun Technologies before they were purchased by Wilson:

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=1694&d=1046919195

[PTK]

Taurus44

That reminds me of my only 870, as well! :D

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=77924&d=1210282410

[God]

Sorry for bumping an old thread...


CountGlockula, I was just curious what direction you took, and how your scattergun looks today? :)




_________________________________________________________________




Query two: Does anyone have any experience with Mossberg's 870 12ga barrels? How do they stack up against factory replacements?

I ran across a couple new 18.5" (LE) and a 24" 870 barrels made by Mossberg. They're both slugsters with rifle sights ($30 each). I know Mossy has been making Remington replacement barrels for quite awhile, it just feels kinda weird buying a Remington replacement made by Mossy (ya gota wonder if they put their best work & material into a competitor's product :D).