roo_ster
December 21, 2009, 02:36 PM
Howdy:
You may have seen uglier, but I bet you haven't seen a shotgun this kind of ugly.
I have had a hankering for a truck/trunk long gun, but wanted to minimize the "long," as it pertains to how it resided in my vehicle. I have been thinking about this for a while and I settled for a pump shotgun, as I figured it would be the cheapest and serve any an all purposes inside its slug range. But, even a 18" bbl shotgun I think too long, as I wanted it to be out of the way and also come along family trips without taking up much luggage space. So, a folding stock was indicated, preferably one with recoil reduction a la Knoxx.
And, since I am really a semi-auto man (hugs Rem 1100 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3044/2931751218_881acf2676_b.jpg ) when it comes to shotguns, only the shotgun with the reputation as smoothest would do: Rem 870 Wingmaster.
Oh, I also wanted it cheap.
Anyways, I managed to secure a used Knoxx Cop Stock (top folder, recoil reducing) reasonably. I have shot their Spec Ops stock and am familiar with the squirrely recoil impulse.
So: There I was!: A man with an accessory for which I had no gun. I did what any reasonable gunny would do and set off to buy a Rem 870.
I found these puppies:
http://www.summitgunbroker.com/870_Riot_LLW.html
Now, the ad photo truly does not do them justice. When I first saw it in the flesh at my favorite FFL transferor (sportingarms.com), she asked, "Oh, you're the one who bought the pink shotgun." I thought knowing it had orange furniture was bracing enough.
Pink? Huh?
Well, if pressed, I'd have to say it is more of a "peach" than pink. It surely originally was orange, but UV, use, solvents, etc. have had their way with the plastic and it has lightened up some. The ad photo and my following photos are a bit too "rich," color-wise. In the flesh, it is not as deeply orange. More peach. But not pink. Surely not pink.
The PD where these things came from need a little primer in weapons maintenance. OK, I'll allow for not cleaning it the last time it was fired (a lot). But, letting the mag tube, mt spring, and receiver get rust is something that ought to be noticed by leadership and dealt with accordingly.
To sum up, this is one ugly hunk of metal & plastic. I will have NO worries using this weapon hard.
Anyways, for the price, it is a smooth weapon. Even bone dry, dirty, and with funk in the trigger mechanism, it was smoother than my neighbor's clean & lubed Mossberg 500 after he has put 1000 rounds though his.
I disassembled it and washed off all of it with low-odor mineral spirits(1) while getting after it with a bronze brush, with the trigger group sitting and soaking in mineral spirits.
Links to Photos:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPyceXpHuI/AAAAAAAAAQc/vBFN6R4NVMU/s800/rem870_ugly_right.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPycoHQraI/AAAAAAAAAQg/8uUZ1jfO7_g/s800/rem870_ugly_left.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPycta_ghI/AAAAAAAAAQk/1bQCvrjxvK8/s800/rem870_ugly_rec_right.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPydBgEH_I/AAAAAAAAAQo/r5twKJlYqL4/s800/rem870_ugly_rec_left.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPyhoepPqI/AAAAAAAAAQw/SUDdYNqIJ7A/s800/rem870_ugly_mag_tube_left.jpg
Some kind fellow gawked at the above photos and took sympathy / reined in his disgust and pointed me to this forearm, which has the virtue of not being peachy-orange and allows for a light:
http://www.riflestock.com/catalog_page_detail.cfm?recordno=4&Product_CatalogID=2720&ProductNumber=01-02-22&ProductCode=23&ProductSubCodeID=161&NewProduct=0
My preferred weapon light (when I am buying) is the Streamlight TLR-1, which will mate up with the above picatinny rail.
Anyways, I finally got it back together with the Knoxx cop stock after letting the trigger group soak in mineral spirits a week or so (it was nasty). Lubed up with Mobil-1 synthetic 20W-50 (2).
It cleaned up pretty darned well. I had gone after all gunk & rust earlier with a bronze brush & mineral spirits and did so again with a bronze brush & Mobil-1. It went from looking "neglected" (bad LEO, bad, bad!) to "well-used."
It points well, much better than my buddy's Mossy 500 with the Knoxx Spec Ops stock. I get a good line up with the receiver, bbl, & bead without having to move my head about. It is also much smoother after its thorough cleaning.
I still need to order the forearm and get some trigger group drift pins, as it came with a sidesaddle that does not work with the Cop Stock folded. The sidesaddle uses hex-head threaded screws that terminate in the sidesaddle. I'll also order a new mag spring to replace the partially-rusted original.
I must say that I was impressed at the 870's simple design & take-down. I had it tore down in minutes and only took a little first-timer fiddling to get it back together.
I'll get some more pics after the forearm comes in.
I have one of those Federal bird shot bulk pacs from Wally World waiting for it and I plan on patterning it with my Usual Suspects of buck shot. (Here's hoping it like Rem 2 3/4" 000 like my Rem 1100 does.) I'll also find out which slugs it likes.
Maybe a shoot-off between my Rem 1100 & this bugger. I have no doubt which one will be easier to shoot well, quickly, but I am curious to see the delta.
After that, a simple 1 1/4" nylon webbing sling & QD swivels and a cheap case and it will be ready for the road.
-----------------------------------------------------
One thing I have noticed about pump shotguns, especially those with shorter forearms to facilitate LEO use: my support arm goes WAY out there to get a grip on the forearm. I generally prefer a grip closer to the receiver.
(1) My preferred "new-to-me, nasty gun cleaner solvent." Cuts all the oil, cosmo, powder & plastic fouling, but is not too aggressive.
(2) My lube & protectant of choice for most long arms.
You may have seen uglier, but I bet you haven't seen a shotgun this kind of ugly.
I have had a hankering for a truck/trunk long gun, but wanted to minimize the "long," as it pertains to how it resided in my vehicle. I have been thinking about this for a while and I settled for a pump shotgun, as I figured it would be the cheapest and serve any an all purposes inside its slug range. But, even a 18" bbl shotgun I think too long, as I wanted it to be out of the way and also come along family trips without taking up much luggage space. So, a folding stock was indicated, preferably one with recoil reduction a la Knoxx.
And, since I am really a semi-auto man (hugs Rem 1100 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3044/2931751218_881acf2676_b.jpg ) when it comes to shotguns, only the shotgun with the reputation as smoothest would do: Rem 870 Wingmaster.
Oh, I also wanted it cheap.
Anyways, I managed to secure a used Knoxx Cop Stock (top folder, recoil reducing) reasonably. I have shot their Spec Ops stock and am familiar with the squirrely recoil impulse.
So: There I was!: A man with an accessory for which I had no gun. I did what any reasonable gunny would do and set off to buy a Rem 870.
I found these puppies:
http://www.summitgunbroker.com/870_Riot_LLW.html
Now, the ad photo truly does not do them justice. When I first saw it in the flesh at my favorite FFL transferor (sportingarms.com), she asked, "Oh, you're the one who bought the pink shotgun." I thought knowing it had orange furniture was bracing enough.
Pink? Huh?
Well, if pressed, I'd have to say it is more of a "peach" than pink. It surely originally was orange, but UV, use, solvents, etc. have had their way with the plastic and it has lightened up some. The ad photo and my following photos are a bit too "rich," color-wise. In the flesh, it is not as deeply orange. More peach. But not pink. Surely not pink.
The PD where these things came from need a little primer in weapons maintenance. OK, I'll allow for not cleaning it the last time it was fired (a lot). But, letting the mag tube, mt spring, and receiver get rust is something that ought to be noticed by leadership and dealt with accordingly.
To sum up, this is one ugly hunk of metal & plastic. I will have NO worries using this weapon hard.
Anyways, for the price, it is a smooth weapon. Even bone dry, dirty, and with funk in the trigger mechanism, it was smoother than my neighbor's clean & lubed Mossberg 500 after he has put 1000 rounds though his.
I disassembled it and washed off all of it with low-odor mineral spirits(1) while getting after it with a bronze brush, with the trigger group sitting and soaking in mineral spirits.
Links to Photos:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPyceXpHuI/AAAAAAAAAQc/vBFN6R4NVMU/s800/rem870_ugly_right.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPycoHQraI/AAAAAAAAAQg/8uUZ1jfO7_g/s800/rem870_ugly_left.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPycta_ghI/AAAAAAAAAQk/1bQCvrjxvK8/s800/rem870_ugly_rec_right.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPydBgEH_I/AAAAAAAAAQo/r5twKJlYqL4/s800/rem870_ugly_rec_left.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ifsRjdJE1Jg/SyPyhoepPqI/AAAAAAAAAQw/SUDdYNqIJ7A/s800/rem870_ugly_mag_tube_left.jpg
Some kind fellow gawked at the above photos and took sympathy / reined in his disgust and pointed me to this forearm, which has the virtue of not being peachy-orange and allows for a light:
http://www.riflestock.com/catalog_page_detail.cfm?recordno=4&Product_CatalogID=2720&ProductNumber=01-02-22&ProductCode=23&ProductSubCodeID=161&NewProduct=0
My preferred weapon light (when I am buying) is the Streamlight TLR-1, which will mate up with the above picatinny rail.
Anyways, I finally got it back together with the Knoxx cop stock after letting the trigger group soak in mineral spirits a week or so (it was nasty). Lubed up with Mobil-1 synthetic 20W-50 (2).
It cleaned up pretty darned well. I had gone after all gunk & rust earlier with a bronze brush & mineral spirits and did so again with a bronze brush & Mobil-1. It went from looking "neglected" (bad LEO, bad, bad!) to "well-used."
It points well, much better than my buddy's Mossy 500 with the Knoxx Spec Ops stock. I get a good line up with the receiver, bbl, & bead without having to move my head about. It is also much smoother after its thorough cleaning.
I still need to order the forearm and get some trigger group drift pins, as it came with a sidesaddle that does not work with the Cop Stock folded. The sidesaddle uses hex-head threaded screws that terminate in the sidesaddle. I'll also order a new mag spring to replace the partially-rusted original.
I must say that I was impressed at the 870's simple design & take-down. I had it tore down in minutes and only took a little first-timer fiddling to get it back together.
I'll get some more pics after the forearm comes in.
I have one of those Federal bird shot bulk pacs from Wally World waiting for it and I plan on patterning it with my Usual Suspects of buck shot. (Here's hoping it like Rem 2 3/4" 000 like my Rem 1100 does.) I'll also find out which slugs it likes.
Maybe a shoot-off between my Rem 1100 & this bugger. I have no doubt which one will be easier to shoot well, quickly, but I am curious to see the delta.
After that, a simple 1 1/4" nylon webbing sling & QD swivels and a cheap case and it will be ready for the road.
-----------------------------------------------------
One thing I have noticed about pump shotguns, especially those with shorter forearms to facilitate LEO use: my support arm goes WAY out there to get a grip on the forearm. I generally prefer a grip closer to the receiver.
(1) My preferred "new-to-me, nasty gun cleaner solvent." Cuts all the oil, cosmo, powder & plastic fouling, but is not too aggressive.
(2) My lube & protectant of choice for most long arms.