Dumb questions?

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VTKFJoe

VTKFJoe

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Hi,

This is the first thread that I have started... be kind.

The first gun I ever bought was a used 870 e from a police supply place. It has a pretty rough finish but has worked well for me. I bought it in '99 after a couple of visits from some guys that I am pretty sure were casing my house. Anyway, it has a short barrel - maybe 18" and a 4 +1 capacity. It has a smoothe bore and the bead front site. I have used it to shoot skeet at my friend farm a half a dozen times and have shot it at ranges a couple more times. Since then I have owned, sold, traded, and bought a lot more guns. Mostly revolvers and pistols but a some rifles as well. The poor 870 spends most of its time in the closet closest to my bed (I once racked the slide at the top of the steps and called out that I was armed and calling the police to the percieved intruder downstairs that just broke a window. Turns out it was the cat knocking a vase of the dining room table :D ). I have not paid it much attention over the years and I have a could of questions. I mostly lurk here but have learned a lot. Enough introduction, here are my questions:

1. Can I use slugs?
2. Do I have to install a choke? What is a choke? How do I do it?
3. Where do I find a +2 mag extension and how tricky are they to install?

That's it. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Joe
 
1. Can I use slugs?
Certainly. You can and you should, slugs will extend the useful range of your shotgun a good deal (depending on your ability to hit with them) and can give you a lot more penetration than buckshot if needed as well.
Likely your gun will do better with Foster type (also called 'rifled slugs' in some areas) slugs rather than the more expensive sabot type slugs intended primarily for rifled bores. I like Kent/Brenneke KOs, see what's available to you, try a few brands and see if you or your shotgun have any preferences.

2. Do I have to install a choke? What is a choke? How do I do it?
No, you don't really need a choke for a defensive shotgun. 'Choke' is a slight constriction in the bore of the shotgun that works in effect to 'funnel' shot down, to give tighter patterns. Your gun should be fine as is, if it is giving even dispersion of shot in the pattern and patterns that are essentially round when fired into paper or a patterning board.
Choke tubes can be added to an existing barrel in some cases, this is a job for a gunsmith however.

3. Where do I find a +2 mag extension and how tricky are they to install?
Several places sell them online, or your local dealer may stock them or be able to order one for you. I like TacStar's offerings, Wilsons are among the best IMO. You might prefer the factory offering from Remington, too.

http://lymanproducts.com/tacstar/

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/sa_mag_extensions.asp

Installation is simple, you should order a kit including extension, extended mag spring, follower and clamp. Make sure your gun is empty. Remove the magazine cap, magazine spring retainer, mag spring and follower from the gun. Replace with the like components you purchased, installing the extension in place of the mag cap. Then install the clamp to strengthen the magazine extension. Safely make sure it all functions properly (use dummy ammo unless you are on the range and prepared to fire) and you are in business.

Stay safe,

lpl/nc
 
slugs are ok (you can buy a slug barrel if you want, but not nessary)
you would have to replace the barrel to be able to change chokes
Advanced Techonolgy has mag ext. and a lot of other cool stuff.
there are no dumb questions,
 
Lee / Mike,

Thanks for the answers. I will look into the mag extender.

I thought that was the deal with chokes but I could never get the plain explanation at the gun stores. I also heard from some guy at the ammo counter at walmart (I know) say that slugs will change the shape of your barrel. I never really belived that he knew exactly what he was talking about (I dont think he was lying, just talking about a different barrel set up). In any case, I am going to get some rifled slugs and take them down to Chickahominy WMA and try em out.

Thanks again for the info. I know there are no dumb questions (just dumb people right). I guess I just fealt a little silly asking what could be considered fairly basic q's on this board. I'll know better in the future.

happy shooting,

Joe
 
Joe,

I spent almost 30 years working behind the reference desk in one library or another, helping people answer questions for a living. Now I just do it for fun 8^). There are lots of myths and misunderstandings about shotguns (and guns in general) and it is a good idea to check any info you have questions about.

I neglected to mention the 'stickied' threads at the top of the page- take a look at the list of discussions at http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=2766 and there are a couple dealing with chokes that will give you more/better information.

Welcome to THR,

lpl/nc
 
You can have interchangeable threaded choke tubes installed in almost any shotgun. It has to be done by a qualified gunsmith, as it involves some precise cutting and threading. Expect to pay around $100 per barrel, plus the cost of the choke tubes. There's no point in doing it to a HD gun, though. Cylinder bore is perfect for your use. I had choke tubes installed in a Winchester model 1897 that I use for sporting clays, trap and hunting, but I'd never put them in a short-barrel defense gun.

Don't be in a rush to put a mag tube extension on your 870. What good is it? For home defense, 4+1 rounds is plenty. A mag tube extension just adds weight, length and complexity. You want something handy. If you're going to add anything to it, add a ghost ring combat sight or an underbarrel flashlight. I don't care for "tactical" lights on pistols, but I think they make sense for HD shotguns, as you'll have both hands occupied when using the shotgun.
 
Note that shooting slugs with a bead sight is a bit of an art. As such, it can be done very poorly and it can be done very well.

At the last shotgun class I went to, the fellow with the tightest 75 yard slug groups was shooting a bead sighted Winchester. When one of the instructors casually compared his target to the rest of us (sporting our tritum ghost rings, aftermarket rifle sights, and at least one optic), the shooter modestly said: "Well, that's not really fair. This is my hunting gun and I practice with it a lot." :)

You might have some difficulty initially getting on target with the slugs. Bead sighted 870s, in my very limited experience, tend to print high. The link below (middle of the page) provides the best description of how to "aim" a bead that I have seen:

http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs31.htm

Good luck and be safe.
 
Dumb question

simple response- not dumb.dumb is not knowing and being bluffed into not asking.Just remember everybody started off at the same level of lack of knowledge. by asking you wont have to learn the hard way
 
Dumb? Heck, no....

Lee, bless his heart, spake Gospel. A couple things....

Your shotgun, as she sits, is a wonderful defensive weapon in cool, trained hands. All the bling in the Brownell's and ST catalogs will not help one bit if WE do not do our part.

What you need to spend money on is ammo, range fees and maybe even a seminar with Lew, Mas etc.

USE your shotgun until you can operate it in near total darkness, 30 seconds out of a sound sleep and with your adrenaline laced blood pounding in your ears, for you may need to. Once use has turned it into a body part instead of a tool, you're ready.....
 
Thanks again Lee et. al. for the advice and info. Chokes are out for me until I get a real trap gun or start SG hunting.

FKB _ The main reason that I was interested in the mag extender is for when we are blasting clay pigeons on my friends farm - but it isnt really needed (especially when I could spend the money on trijicon sites for my ccw, or that .22 pistol that I 'need'). I have done fine with 4+1 for the last 5 years so... I'll look into the ghost ring, not sure about the flashlight but I will consider it.



Dave - I have to agree that I need more practice with my 870. I shoot my pistols once or twice a month but shoot the SG far less. The one time when I took it out of the closet and racked the slide I felt the blood in my ears and the adreneline kept me from going back to sleep for a couple of hours. I thought I was cool but the moment I thought I might be in a gunfight I was pretty shaken (darn cat).

Bix - I plan on taking some slugs to the range before ever loading them into the mag for SD. I have had pretty good luck with the bead by getting a cheek weld on the stock and pretending that I have back sites - we'll see how that works with a solid projectile vs. shot. Thanks for the link

I think I got lucky when I bought the 870, I was really new to firearms and picked a winner right out of the gate. I guess I had a good salesman and the SG was cheap. I have since had some duds and sold them, but partly due to what I see on this board I have a nice small collection of popular and reliable firearms (3914, PM9, 10/22, mini-IknowsomeofyouhateitbutIlikeit-14 :neener: ). I will continue to post and participate.

Take care and have a nice weekend,

Joe
 
" I think I got lucky when I bought the 870"....

Indeed. Take care of it and it will provide food, recreation and protection for generations yet unborn.

As for adrenaline reaction it hits all of us. Be glad you were alive to be scared and shaken. Been there, done that.....
 
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