[Kharn]

I already have a 12ga Remington 870 combo with 20" IC and 28" Remchoke barrels, but would like to get a dedicated, large-magazine 'Serious' shotgun since I dont want to wrench/dremel on the 870 or beat it up during 3-gun or when riding around in my truck (the 870 was a present to myself for completing my first semester of college, so its got a lot of sentimental value).

I've got a line on what appears to be a good deal on a NIB Mossberg 590A1 with bead sights for $330 (+/- $5) out the door (wholesale price is normally $344, with the ghostring version costing $386 wholesale, the GR model isnt on sale), but I'm wondering about adding ghostrings to it after I get it, should I decide the bead sight isnt for me.

Now to the questions:
Any opinions on that price?
Does the 590A1 reciever come drilled and tapped for the rear ghost ring sight?
How much should I expect to pay a gunsmith to attach the front sight to the barrel?

Kharn

[JStordahl]

Not sure if they come tapped or not without the ghost rings.....my Turkey model 500 is tapped, but if I were you, I'd purchase the ghost ring model up front. That way you don't have to bother adding them later. The Mossberg ghost ring is a pretty decent sight. I have a regular 590 with an Accu-choke 20 inch barrel and ghost ring sights. Seems to me I paid around $340 for that. :)

[Kharn]

I'd grab the ghost ring model in a heartbeat if it was less than $385, but since its not on sale it'd be $425ish out the door and I cant justify the extra $~90 for the ghost rings at the moment.

Kharn

[JStordahl]

If it is the A1 model, the price is higher because of the steel safety button and trigger guard assembly and heavier walled barrel. I wished I had gotten the A1, but at the time, I had to have that screw in choke model. Oh well.........guess I'll have to buy another.

[Andrew Wyatt]

the reciever does come drilled and tapped for the rear. you can D &t another hole in the barrel, mill a step in and drill two holes in the front ramp and screw it on, if you desire. this saves money on reparkerizing.

[Kharn]

Andrew Wyatt:
Thanks for the info about the reciever.
I've got a mill with digital readouts at home, but I'm still learning how to use it, so I'd probably go to a gunsmith to get the hole drilled and tapped (unless this is super, super simple and I did lots of practice runs on pipe lying around). How much metal is up at the muzzle for the second screw? I would think it'd have to be a very small and shallow hole.

Kharn

[Andrew Wyatt]

I drilled all the way through. if you use the hole for the front bead, you only have to drill one hole. (i think it's 6-42, but i may be mistaken).

[Kharn]

All the way through?! :what: That's safe with a shotgun? (6-42 isnt a common screw size, its probably 6-40)

Kharn

[JStordahl]

Kharn: You should get a Brownell's catalog.......lots of choices in there. The Mossberg ghost ring sight kit is about $75, plus there are clamp on barrel sights with dual protective ears, that lock down with two screws. You can purchase or make a jig to get the barrel drilled straight, if you want to do it yourself. Good luck!

[Andrew Wyatt]

it's safe. the bead hole is drilled all the way through. I haven't had the sight part company with the barrel, and i've put about 500 rounds through the gun.


check with mossberg about ordering the sights directly or with gun parts company. brownell's is kinda of a snob shop.

[Kharn]

JStordahl:
I left my copy back at my parents' house, didnt think I'd need it here at school (and Brownell's search engine does everything but search...).

Andrew Wyatt:
They might be a snob shop, but their prices are sure decent with my C&R discount. :D
I didnt know the bead was drilled all the way through, I've only ever dealt with beads on ribs or silver-soldered on riflesights on shotguns.
I've got a lot of scrap lead I could use in my mill vise to hold the barrel in place, but I'm not sure how I would get the thing level with the mill...

Kharn

[Andrew Wyatt]

do all the milling steps on the front sight, drill both holes. then screw the front of the sight to the bead hole. then, stick a punch in there that's the same size as the hole in the sight. smack it. then drill on the punch mark.


you still need to get everything level, but that can be done. a tool called s center finder is sold for the purpose, and consists of a level mounted on a v block with a scrive on it such that when the level is level, the scribe is at 90 degrees to the level.

[Kharn]

Andrew Wyatt:
Do you have a sketch or a picture of the step that has to be milled in the front sight? From the way you're describing it, I could probably pull it off with the tools I have.

Would I have to worry about crushing the barrel in my mill vise between the lead shims? I'm used to dealing with thick rifle barrels (and solid objects), not thin shotgun barrels.

Kharn

[Andrew Wyatt]

I'll have dad do a sketch and post a reply to this thread, as he's got more machining experience than I.

[Andrew Wyatt]

dad's kinda busy right now.


anyway, we didn't chuck the barrel up in the mill, as the mill we have won't chuck up a drill or tap that small. dad used a hand drill on the hole and a hand tap.


it's not hard.


as for pictures, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20871 has pics. they're not that great, but the one of the front sight i think has enough information in it.