870 Beater Opinions

[Badger Arms]

I've got an 870 on hold at the local pawn shop. I'm getting it for $144. It's a Wingmaster Magnum, 30" Full choke barrel. The action is stiff, however it's stiff because it doesn't look like it's ever been fired. The finish is beat to heck. I'd be surprised if there was any finish left before the years-old reblue job. No major pitting and it doesn't look that bad, really. The wood is old Walnut with finish worn, but no scratches or dents that mean anything... will refinish just fine. Here are my plans:

Cut barrel back to 18 1/2 inches.
Install large brass bead.
Strip, sand and refinish stocks (Set them aside).
Install Hogue Tamer Grip and overmolded fore-stock.
Install extended magazine - 2-shots
Bead-blast and Parkerize finished gun.

Gun: $144
Grips: $40
Cut/Crown and Bead: $15
Extended Magazine: $45
Refinish: $100

If I skip anything, it will be the refinish job. Don't need a new finish, just would be nice. I'll see how well it cleans up.

Any suggestions?

 

[romulus]

Use the wood, it's much more aesthetic. Otherwise sounds like a good plan...

 

[HSMITH]

I'll bet the stiff action is gummed up oil from years of 'cleaning'.

Suggestions? Cut the barrel to 22", there is no reason to go shorter and a 10 shot extension will fit and not get burned on the end. Put the extension and bead on, and spend the rest on ammo. Leave the stocks worn but useable, and the finish on it now is good enough. Just shoot the sucker!!!!!

 

[Badger Arms]

Well I've already decided it will serve as a bear gun and replace my Ithaca in that role. 18.5" Is a definite. Only reason I'd want a longer gun is for the balance and I'd rather have that 3.5" for compactness as I'm not going to shoot it from the shoulder anyhow. The bead is there more for resale value if I decide to let it go in the future. That's why I'm saving the stocks as well. As such, it will have the new Hogue Tamer pistol grip on it. I don't need the shoulder stock for the purpose it will serve and folding stocks are too heavy.

To tell you the truth, this gun doesn't look to have EVER been CLEANED. I mistyped in the first post, been fired for sure, been cleaned... well maybe once or twice.

Agreed, probably won't refinish it. Too much to spend on a shooter.

 

[Lawyerman]

Get a can of Self Etching auto primer paint in black. Clean it good and refinish in about 5 minute. Costs all of $10 and touch ups take 2 seconds. Will provide some protection against corrosion, keeps any water etc...off the bare metal anyway.

 

[Old&Slow]

Being a down South City Boy I just have to ask;

Is a shotgun, even a 12 Ga. with 3" Magnum Slugs a good Alaska Bear Gun ?

I think I would want at least a .300 Winchester Mag. ( and a friend along who was good with .375 Win. Mag.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've mild qualms about cutting old barrels and more about PGs, but you have justified PGO shotguns for your situation nicely.

Otherwise, it sounds good. I'd like to hear how it turns out.

 

[Duke of Lawnchair]

Bead-blast and Parkerize finished gun.

How about KG's Gunkote?

The stuff holds up VERY well to abuse.

 

[Badger Arms]

I've mild qualms about cutting old barrels and more about PGs, but you have justified PGO shotguns for your situation nicely.

Yes dave, but you talked me out of cutting the barrel on my other 870 which is in much better condition. I think I'm cutting this one, it's a beater for sure. The PG is very limited, yes.

Is a shotgun, even a 12 Ga. with 3" Magnum Slugs a good Alaska Bear Gun?

Not slugs, 12 pellet 00 Magnum buckshot. How do you expect me to hit the bear with a slug at point-blank range and with a Pistol Grip! My logic is that the gun will be carried much, shot little. If I have to shoot it, it must be with me. If I'm fishing, I'm not likely to want the gun slung over my shoulder with the barrel or stock dunked in the water. I can slip a PG shotgun under my chest-waders and the stock won't bother me while I crawl through unimproved trails.

In a perfect world, I would carry a 416 or perhaps a 458 loaded with tungsten solids. I would always carry the rifle in my hands. I'm just too darned lazy for that. I know I will take the shotgun and I know it's about three times as effective as any revolver for the job. Of course, I could go smaller, lighter, and almost as powerful this way:

... but I don't have that much money.

 

[Badger Arms]

One more reason to cut the barrel. I brought the gun home and bathed it. There is a dent in the barrel about 6-8" down from the muzzle. Definitely taking the barrel down to 18.5" now. A few interesting notes:

There is a plug that weighs three-quarters of a pound and is secured by a screw through a hole in the side of the magazine. The weight is free to slide so that when the shotgun is fired, the full weight of the plug and ammo in the magazine bears against the magazine cap as usual. When the gun slows against the shoulder, the weight travels back a fraction of an inch smacking against the magazine tube and then jumping forward under the pressure of the magazine spring!

The patent number is: 2,635,378 and it's a factory Remington product. This shotgun was made in 1958 and I'm not sure how long this feature was offered.

So, barrel gets cut, extended mag goes on, pistol grip goes on (when it gets here) and everybody's happy!

 

[sm]

Badger,
I would really appreciate seeing a pic of that factory plug if and when you get a chance.

Being another Southern Boy I have to to ask, how well do wood stocks, with various finishes hold up in your climate?

I'm a stones throw from the Duck Capital of the World, we get 'cold' , ice snow and sleet...granted not the same as you do. Hunt 'em hard and all...just curious.

 

[Badger Arms]

Here's some photos. Note that the screw hole in the left side of the mag tube is covered by the barrel lug. It floats a little bit, but doesn't actually contact the edges of the hole... it's a retention device for when you remove the barrel. The stock had a coat of varnish or something in the past, but that is what 44 years of wear in Alaska is like. This gun has seen some hard use, I'd suspect, but it is slick as glass when clean.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've seen a few of these, mostly as they were removed and trashed.

The earliest ones, like my HD 870 is, had just a weight without the screw and hole. The weight was handy when the first short mags were introduced, but it made the 870 kinda heavy for upland work. The steel donut style of retainer started in the 60s, IIRC.

Looks like a nice old 870. Enjoy.

As for cutting the barrel, since I talked you out of it last time, no hard feelings.

 

[Badger Arms]

I'm keeping the weight (sans screw) and using it for Trap and Skeet if it will fit my other guns without shortening the magazine tube. Looking closely at the finish, I'm thinking it might be parkerized. It could also be bead-blast blued, but definitely a reblue job. Another reason to cut the barrel is the poor muzzle and pitting down the barrel length, mostly ahead of the 18.5" mark.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The weight will work for Trap,maybe for Skeet,I've no claim to great experience there.

Pits are a justification for barrel shortening.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Get a can of Self Etching auto primer paint in black.

You Savage! No excuse for painting a decent gun. Beadblast and parkerize it yourself. You can get fairly good results and it won't cost very much at all.