Drill/tap 870 advice.

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Inebriated

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Well today I shot some shotguns, and I'm just really unhappy with the bead on my 870. I shoot slugs more than anything else, so I've tried optics, which are ok, but I don't want to rely on them for an "always ready" gun. Maybe if I had an Aimpoint or ACOG, but now I don't have anything really robust or efficient enough. So I'm thinking ghost rings... What are my options for installing one myself? I am not sure I trust myself to do it cleanly, so what about Wilson Combat? They say something like $160 will get me a set of tritium Trak-Lok sights, and the installation. Would you guys trust them?

Any input is appreciated.
 
rdsmith said:
What about an XS big dot tritium sight that installs over the existing bead sight? You use JB Weld to attach it.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=2...ig-Dot-Tritium
Click to expand...

I've looked at those, but I am wanting the rear sight, as well. Appreciate the recommendation, though!

oneounceload said:
Wilson turns out high-end custom 1911's - they know what they are doing from a machining standpoint
Click to expand...
Yeah, I really like the price they will give on the sights and install... I just haven't ever heard of any experiences with them. Seen plenty of their shotguns, but never heard about how they are with shipping the gun to them, turn-around time, etc.
 
If by "ever ready" gun you mean HD, and you must have a rear sight, I would recommend rifle sights, rather than ghost ring. IMO, they are much quicker than GR in a close encounter situation. I would go with tritium rifle sights.
 
I mean to put on the ATV, carry around the woods, leave in the Jeep for whatever reason, etc. Just a durable gun that'll go anywhere and not get hurt.
 
Ghost ring sights are my favorite iron sights in general, but there's nothing wrong with traditional blade-and-notch rifle sights. The good thing about the traditional rifle sights for shotguns is that they are barrel mounted so that you can get a RS barrel from Remington and not have to modify the receiver.

I run a short-ish barrel with RS on my primary 'do-it-all' 870; the sights don't get in the way of shooting birds (I don't even see them) but are useful to have when shooting slugs and such.
 
XS Sights has a neat configuration that you might consider... if you've got a vent-rib+bead

XS Shotgun Express Sights

Its got a front big dot and a rear in the style of their handgun sights, designed to be mounted to a vent rib with a little gunsmithing/epoxy. I think this would be better than a ghost ring mainly due to being way lower profile. Not that there is anything wrong with a good Wilson ghost ring setup.
 
micdude said:
Why not just buy a new barrel for 183.00 then sell you old barrel for a 100 and your out only 83.00 and some change. This has tritium sights:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/921...hts-parkerized
Click to expand...

rbernie said:
Ghost ring sights are my favorite iron sights in general, but there's nothing wrong with traditional blade-and-notch rifle sights. The good thing about the traditional rifle sights for shotguns is that they are barrel mounted so that you can get a RS barrel from Remington and not have to modify the receiver.

I run a short-ish barrel with RS on my primary 'do-it-all' 870; the sights don't get in the way of shooting birds (I don't even see them) but are useful to have when shooting slugs and such.
Click to expand...
I might give that a shot, first... I haven't used rifle sights on a shotgun before, but no reason not to try the similarly-priced, less permanent, returnable option first. Thanks fellas.
chrome austex said:
XS Sights has a neat configuration that you might consider... if you've got a vent-rib+bead

XS Shotgun Express Sights

Its got a front big dot and a rear in the style of their handgun sights, designed to be mounted to a vent rib with a little gunsmithing/epoxy. I think this would be better than a ghost ring mainly due to being way lower profile. Not that there is anything wrong with a good Wilson ghost ring setup.
Click to expand...

I don't have a vent rib, but thanks!
 
I'm not trying to be a ******, but why don't you just train up to the point that the bead works for you. You cannot gizmo your way out from under incompetence, and a bead sight in skilled hands is plenty accurate. Stated differently, this is not the bead's fault.
 
When did I say I couldn't shoot with the bead? I didn't. Like I said, it's for slugs. Do you do the same thing with your rifles? Train with only the front sight, and no rear? I'm sure you could be "plenty accurate" if you're at the range all day, but when you set a gun up for defense, I hope you decide "plenty accurate" isn't quite enough.

And I'm sorry if iron sights are "gizmos" to you...
 
Fair enough, I inferred from your "not happy" with the bead that you were wishing for something with which you could be more accurate. If you prefer a rifle sight or ghost ring, have at it and please forgive me if my inference was off target, so to speak.

Shotguns aren't rifles, so no, I don't train with them the same way and I don't set them up the same way. I have slugs with my shotguns, but they are loaded with buckshot. As for gizmos, you mentioned putting an ACOG or Aimpoint on a shotgun, and I would consider an ACOG or Aimpoint on a shotgun a gizmo.
 
Inebriated said:
When did I say I couldn't shoot with the bead? I didn't. Like I said, it's for slugs. Do you do the same thing with your rifles? Train with only the front sight, and no rear? I'm sure you could be "plenty accurate" if you're at the range all day, but when you set a gun up for defense, I hope you decide "plenty accurate" isn't quite enough.

And I'm sorry if iron sights are "gizmos" to you...
Click to expand...
As I said earlier, I don't think GR sights (which are really peep sights) belong on a HD gun. A bead is the quickest, followed by rifle sights. My HD guns have bead sights, although I do have a barrel with rifle sights for range use with slugs, as I find it a little more accurate at distance.
GR are fine for the range, of course, but for HD, I'll take a bead with an XS Big Dot any day. Also, with GR sights, one cannot alternate barrels on the gun, because the rear sight is on the receiver, not on the barrel.
 
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Another option is a saddle mount made by Mesa Tactical which will put a side saddle as well as a rail on top of your 870. You can then put a red dot on.
 
NYShooter said:
As I said earlier, I don't think GR sights (which are really peep sights) belong on a HD gun. A bead is the quickest, followed by rifle sights. My HD guns have bead sights, although I do have a barrel with rifle sights for range use with slugs, as I find it a little more accurate at distance.
GR are fine for the range, of course, but for HD, I'll take a bead with an XS Big Dot any day. Also, with GR sights, one cannot alternate barrels on the gun, because the rear sight is on the receiver, not on the barrel.
Click to expand...

Again, didn't say it's for HD. It's an outdoors gun.

dak0ta said:
Another option is a saddle mount made by Mesa Tactical which will put a side saddle as well as a rail on top of your 870. You can then put a red dot on.
Click to expand...

Don't have an optic I would want to rely on to mount to it.



I appreciate the responses, but this thread is deviating from GRS install options to personal opinion about sights.
 
You can install GRS made by XS onto the Mesa rail. Just need a barrel with a front sight post.
 
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