Hello All!
Testing Update: A local range ran a SigAcadamy Basic Shotgun course this past weekend, and while I was not participating (I took the course last year and while I really really wanted to participate again, it was suggested by people wiser than myeslf that the money might be better spent upgrading my shooting education with a different course), an 870 marine magnum was equipped with the AR15/870 Stock adapter, a receiver length rail from GG&G, and an Aimpoint was fielded by one of the course participants. Round count consisted of 75 rounds of slug, 75 rounds of 00 buck, and 100 rounds of birdshot.
As a slight diversion from the topic of the adapter, this course is EXCELLENT. Due to an extremely high round count, it is also a torture test for your 12 gauge (shotguns were breaking left right and center) and will definately unveil whether or not you have the mechanical kinks worked out of your pump gun or semi in addition to any handling techiques you may posess that make you more prone to any number of different mechanical stoppages. It is also a sound introduction/complete immersion into the operation of the shotgun and in my opinion provides a significant foundation upon which to build some serious tactical shotgunning skills. Improvements had been made in the target handling capacity of the range since I had taken the course as well...where I had shot almost all paper targets that required constant repair under the insult of 122 gauge annumition, reactive steel targets were employed this time around. A thourough and highly effective immersion in the world of the tactical 12 gauge that earns high marks with the Brobee.
Back to the topic at hand: the 870 marine magnum equipped with the Brobee adapter. Part of the course involves a stoppage clearing drill intended to clear a double feed on the 870. The drill is performed by striking at a 45 degree angle the butt of the shotgun against the ground with a considerable amount of force. When performed on the M4-style stock equipped shotgun, the plastic stock cracked (no visible deformation to the locking pin or holes machined in the buffer tube). The operator of the gun found himself quite surprised to find his aimpoint inches away from his face as the stock collapsed immediately afterwards under fire and reported increased, but not unmanagable recoil, however he cowboyed up and shot the remainder of the course of fire with the stock completely collaped (and did quite well accuracy wise if one is to believe what is around here quickly becoming urban-superheroesque-caliber legend!)
I'll take some photographs of the damaged stock and post them for all to see. It is probably relevant to note that two wooden stocks on other guns were cracked under the same drill (one on an 870 and another on a mossberg). I'm curious to see whether increasing the angle of the strike to 90 degrees still effectively clears the stoppage, as I'm currently speculating that on an AR15 stock equipped shotgun the 45 degree angle of the drill's current butt strike focuses force on the stock in a that might be avoided with some slight modification to the technique. I will be looking for a crappy stock to test the theory...
Images of the marine magnum equipped with an AR15-870 CQB Stock Adapter, a GG&G piece of picatinny rail, and an Aimpoint CompML2 with a GG&G canteliver mount:
Participants of the SigArms Basic Tactical Shotgun Course:
I'll get some photographs of the broken stock up later...
Take care,
BrobeeBiter