Remington 870 modded

CZguy

yes that is the bayonet lug I was thinking and thanks because I think I might add one to my 870. Not as much for HD purposes but because it seems natural for a shotgun to have a bayonet. After all the musket was the original firearm that a bayonet attached too and it was a smooth bore just like to todays shotgun. And as a shotgun is a close range weapon it makes even more sense for it to mount a bayonet than a rifle.

As for my home defense shotgun, it is a 870 express with a 18" cylinder bore barrel with bead sights. I know not even a magazine tube extension or shell carrier or flash light, I like to keep it simple. One addition I have considered adding though is a synthetic stock and fore end. I am considering a youth model stock because I like a shorter stock on a shotgun.

One thing I wouldn't put on an HD gun is a sling, (gives something for an opponent to grab or to get caught on in the house) but I would if I expected to take the gun into the field.

I feel perfectly comfortable with my 870 for home defense and other combat style shooting as well as skeet and trap shooting (I have several barrel for) But if I expect to run into anything really nasty I grab my Saiga-12.

Brother in Arms

in a dorm next to the police station anyway, so my dorm isn't where I'm worried about

Worry about it. Kawasaki of Memphis is across the street from the Tennessee Highway Patrol District 4 headquarters, and was the scene of a shooting that left one dead. Weeks later, a shop at the same intersection was the scene of a shooting that left one dead. Just because something happens near the police doesn't mean that they will intervene, let alone notice. I'm not blaming the cops - it wasn't their job to keep watch over those places.

in a dorm next to the police station anyway, so my dorm isn't where I'm worried about

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When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

If it's much help, I got an 870 Police a long time ago. It was plain except for the tube extension, factory add on. Over the years it acquired the surefire forend and a side saddle. It sits in a closet or near the bed depending on a few things, 'just in case'.

The only problem is now the thing just sits there, because it's too heavy and unwieldy to be of much use outside the house. It still makes me feel good for around the house, or if I'm car camping, because weight doesn't matter much if the problem is just nearby (except as it affects balance, etc).

So now I'm just trying to decide whether to buy another plain jane scatter gun, or figure out how to full 'dress down' my 870 to just a simple, rugged, lightweigh tool. Less really is more.

The things most affecting the weight of your gun are likely the sidesaddle and tube extension. Shotgun ammo is heavy after all. Sidesaddles are easily removed and tube extensions too. Shorter spring and standard mag cap is all you'd really need partswise for that, unless you don't have the two trigger group pins that go back in where the sidsaddle is bolted on (if yours is attached that way). If you need those, they are pretty cheap too.

Not sure what the surefire forend does to weight, but I imagine it adds some. Personally I like the option of removing my light which is why I went with the much cheaper option of mounting a G2 to a remington picatinny barrel clamp. I hunt with that same gun and walk several miles to and from tree stands with it slung, so weight counts for me too.

I've actually got an extra speedfeed black synthetic forend running around the closet if your interested in one to switch out for lighter weight. PM me if youre interested and I'll sell it to you cheap (13 bucks or so shipped??)

Hi rantingredneck, thanks for the very good offer. I'm not near my home right now to give a better guess, but I think I've still got those pins laying around somewhere, and definitely a foreend or two. The tube extension is another story, and if there's not one in a local store I may give up on that route (I get sick of ordering parts that are the wrong parts, etc.)

Most of your big box sporting goods stores will carry remington 870 magazine caps that have sling swivels built into them (15-20 bucks or so). Uncle Mikes and other brands. The only part you'd likely have to order is the proper length magazine spring, which shouldn't be too expensive through numrich or brownells.

IMHO, the most effective use of your scarce college-student money would be in a 1 or 2 day training course in defensive shotgun.

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Totally agree. Even if you have been shotgunning for many years (as I have been) you will be amazed at what you will learn in a defensive shotgun class.

The trigger group is easily removed by pushing out the two pins holding it in. Don't take the receiver or you'll technically be in violation of the no weapons policy even if it's stripped to the point of being non functional. The receiver is the firearm afterall. If you want to take something out that looks less like a gun part than the trigger group you can pull the bolt assembly which contains the firing pin and thus completely disables the weapon.

i've got the same problem!

i don't want to take my 870 HD gun out of it's spot (under my bed) just incase.

i don't think i could hit many clays with an 18.5" barrel anyway. and to put on the factory long one, i'd have to remove the mag extension. and that spring tooks QUITE a bit of effort to put in.

oh well, maybe i'll buy another one!

i don't think i could hit many clays with an 18.5" barrel anyway

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Don't be afraid to go out and try with the 18.5" barrel. I've broken many clays with short barrels, some as short as 14" (For the folks in this thread getting ready to buy their first shotgun, don't cut your barrel to 14" to try this. That one happened to be owned by the federal gov't.) It is good practice and actually lots of fun.

What? That's all?



Be a man, go bold.

It's going to be a different game.
Sounds like an awful lot of trouble for me anyway. Too much of a toy, not practical. Too many buttons to tweek. Miliseconds and a plan count in self defense. The door kicks in and it's on, fellas. No time to aim. no time to turn on the $85 flashlight on the barrel. Fight or die. The less pretties the better. A 12 Ga Defender with 8 rounds of birdshot in the closet is all you need . Keep it simple.
Slugs are nice and buckshot but your neighbors or people in the other apartment might not like being shot. so I go with bird shot. I shoot for ankles or head shot. If they got armor on it'a good shot.

Except replace the birdshot with something that'll do more than piss the intruder off.

My 870 Express setup:


No mag extension, if you can't tell from my shoddy pic, that's a flashlight under the barrel. I sorta want to do the "dimple removing surgery," but OTOH - two big caveats I could see are it affecting the weight/balance of the gun, and possibly making it more "fragile" - as in, if the tube gets banged up on something!

I added:

A light, because while I can see pretty good in the dark, I can't see THAT good in the dark!

Butt cuff for extra ammo AND variety. Need to "reach out and touch someone?" Slugs. Need to give someone a very, VERY stern "warning?" Rubber buckshot. Main ammo, 00 Buck.

A sling because...well, come on. Just how many times in "normal" everyday life do you find yourself wishing you had an extra set of hands for something? I usually keep it pulled in tight, so less risk of it snagging something.

ETA: I don't load birdshot in my 870 for HD, but at close range I'd imagine it would do more than "piss the intruder off." I remember seeing in one of the SAF firearm DVDs (the most recent one?) a comparison on penetration. While birdshot did not 'over-penetrate' walls as bad as most of the other rounds (pistol, rifle, and 12ga) they tested, it did do a significant amount of damage to the FIRST wall it encountered!

If overpenetration was a major concern for me (IE, living in an apartement and/or having lots of 'good guys' in the house with me), I wouldn't quite feel defenseless with birdshot.

Deer Hunter has got a Bad lookin weapon, let me tell ya LOL

I say birdshot because i got a couple houses close to me. My neighbors won't like Buckshot or slugs. If I lived out in the country where I used too, it would be Buck/slug /buck just the good stuff. With bird shot I'll shoot for the face or ankles. If they are coming through the door and I'm in the right position , I'll take them all down with ankle shots. My wife has got the redhawk.

Thanks. I'm taking it hunting tomorrow.

I still think that a #1 to #4 buck would do better without penetrating like 00.

Well, you may have something there #1 or #4, but I haven't tested it, and don't want to take any chances in a self defense situation on hitting an innocent.
Yes, I'm fixin to go hunting tomorrow too, but I'm taking my Savage .308 with the accu trigger, it's bad a_ __

Got to put in my .02 here:
Look at what the real pros have on their SGs. You rarely see sidesaddles(they can bend even a steel receiver if over tightened), almost never see lots of stuff hanging on the muzzle end, the military uses slings because they operate in a field environment, and frequently use the sling to carry extra ammo. You do see good sights(sometimes), butt cuffs(carry ammo out of the way), and regular stocks, wood or otherwise. bayonets are almost exclusively military(cause they just cannot get away from them-and they are useful for crowd control). Heat shields are for use with the bayonet drill-have no other use.
And the worst thing you can do is mix lethal and less lethal ammo, either in, on or around the gun. It is a made to order civil suit if you ever have to use the gun in HD, or worse, a criminal negliegence charge.
If you use LTL ammo and do kill someone, you are toast in a civil proceeding, if you mix ammo and do kill someone(or worse maim them for life) with lethal ammo, you will be negliegent because you did not use the LTL ammo you had available. Seasoned pros have trouble with this issue, and they undergo (or should) extensive LTL training.
If you are arming your self for HD, use an appropriate load, 00, 4 buck, slugs, and DO NOT MIX AND MATCH! If you do you are asking, no begging for trouble later. If we spent .01 of the time discussing the aftermath, instead of being tacticool, we would be far better off.
My HD SG is a Browning BPS Buck Special, complete with Bambi engraved on the receiver, and a 6 round butt cuff. I prefer #4 buck because that I believe is the optium ammo for my possible HD ranges. yours may vary. Just remeber that after he gunsmoke clears, the real grief begins.
OK, EOR (end of rant).

If we spent .01 of the time discussing the aftermath, instead of being tacticool, we would be far better off.

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Well said.

Jack - good points! Looks like I ought to do some re-thinking of the HD setup.