Help wanted: how good is this 870 deal?

[The_Ferret]

Hello and thanks for stopping in,
I've been considering picking up a Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun for some time now, primarily for HD. I ran across one today with a ton of bells and whistles, but I can't figure out if it's a good deal, so I'd like some input.

The gun is a 12 gauge 870 with a short barrel. I can't see the exact make due to the side-saddle, but I read that information off the barrel. It already has several nice features:
- A surefire forend with light
- A speed feed pistol-grip stock
- A wilson combat magazine extension and follower (and probably spring)
- A wilson combat 6-round side saddle
- Rifle-type sights mounted on the barrel (The read sight is elevated with a white triangle pointing up, and the front sight has been replaced with a trijicon dot)
- A decent Wilderness sling mounted between the stock and the reciever.
- A nifty extended safety of some sort. Makes it very natural to switch off.

It really feels solid, and has only one bad feature: the previous owner did a camo job with Krylon on it. All of it.

The price on this gun is currently $600. I can't tell, given the parts, if this is reasonable, or if it's better to start with a basic 870 tactical/HD (My same store has them at ~330) and build as I go.

That's about it. I'm requesting feedback/advice from all you shotgun people here. Thanks.

 

[kostarae]

I just picked up a Remington 870 Express for $200 out the door at a gun show. It was used but in good condition. I ordered an 8 round extension for $30 shipped which will give me the extra rounds (if needed) --- thinking of switching it up from 00,slug,00,slug---but just have 00 in it right now.

I wouldn't pay $600 for that gun...but then again...i just purchased my first two shotguns this past weekend. So what do i know?

my 2 cents.

I say buy a basic and do what you want to it but no more. For HD I like the all black look.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Ferret,

You don't tell us your overall level of experience with shotguns.

IF this is your first shotgun, I'd say pass it by. You don't need to adapt yourself to someone else's idea of what a defensive shotgun should be- you need to build your own to suit your needs. You will only know what you really need in a shotgun if you start with a plain Jane box-stock 870, get it fitted to you properly, learn the basics with it, take a class or two, and shoot it until it's as familiar as a body part.

THEN you can add whatever accessories you decide YOU need to make the gun work better for you, once you know enough to make those decisions.

Starting out with some pre-conceived notion of what a fighting shotgun "should be" and bolting crap out of catalogs onto a gun without even shooting it until it reaches some fantasy level of accessorization is the bass-ackwards way of doing things. Unfortunately it's the approach all to many people take these days. Often those people shoot more pictures of their shotgun to post on the Internet than they do rounds downrange though.

But- your money, your call.

lpl/nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

Like Lee said. Start with the basics, than add only that which improves effectiveness....

 

[Avenger29]

camo job with Krylon on it. All of it.

To me, that takes off a lot. A new surefire forend is quite expensive, the other stuff, not so much. Of course, being painted, it ain't as nice, but still functional...

The speedfeed stock isn't that much, nor are mag extensions, side saddles, slings, etc.

I'm inclined to go with a plain-jane model, and build as you go. This is what I did, and so far, the only work I have done is replace the j-lock safety with a normal safety. The gun came with a sidesaddle, and I am getting a Knoxx Copstock for it (which means that I will have to remove the sidesaddle). Other than that, it is perfect for me.

 

[Sniper X]

Did you ask him if he built it, or if it is indeed a Wilson Combat prepared shotgun? If Wilson built it buy it if he built it then make a reasonable offor of 500 and if he doesn't take it walk.

 

[[email protected]]

Sounds a little high for a gun that has been puked on with ugly camo. The first thing you have to do is remove all that ugly paint. It will take a day. Factor the time and supplys into your offer. I think $400 is closer to fair. I am not sure I would pay more than $350 for it as you described but $400 is probably fair as long as your time isn't worth anything.

The guy is dreaming with a price of $600. Let it sit for 6 month or so and see if he takes a real offer on it. Sounds like bubba wants every dime he put into it. The fact is, he may have paid $600 for all the extras but you don't have to.

 

[TEDDY]

870 rem

wal-mart rem 870 express 3" vent rib $239 new--------

 

[waterhouse]

I wouldn't buy it. For $600 (or way less) you should be able to build your ideal shotgun.

A large part of that price is the Surefire fore end. I personally don't like these, so it wouldn't be worth it to me. I also personally prefer either bead sights or ghost rings over rifle sights. These are personal decisions that should be made by you.

For under $200 you should be able to find a used 870 and build it to your liking. Put whatever is leftover from the $600 into ammo.

 

[Whitman31]

Too much. But a new or used express for under $250, you'll have more fun doing it yourself anyway...

 

[The_Ferret]

Thanks for the input.

I appreciate everyone who took time to respond.
I am relatively sure that this gun was not a Scattergun Technologies (Wilson) build or mod. I think the previous owner installed those parts himself.

I've gotta say that Lee pretty much settled it for me. Starting with a basic gun and working toward the things that help seems like a much better approach than buying a pile of neato things, some of which I may not want to or be able to use. Seems like a logical way to learn the gun. I guess I just let my bargain hunter get the best of me.

Thanks again to everyone for your help on the issue.

 

[zinj]

I've gotta say that Lee pretty much settled it for me. Starting with a basic gun and working toward the things that help seems like a much better approach than buying a pile of neato things, some of which I may not want to or be able to use. Seems like a logical way to learn the gun. I guess I just let my bargain hunter get the best of me.

Good move. I would say that gun was not a bargain, as a lot of that stuff is just bling that adds no practical value to the gun. As everyone else said, but a stock gun, shoot it, and then see what you need. I'd expect you will change a lot less that you think you should now.

 

[[email protected]]

Got to agree. Start with a Rem 870 HD with 18" bbl and see what you need from there. My guess is that you won't NEED anything. You might get bored and decide to add a few things but you will probably take them off someday.

I say, get a basic gun with a short barrel and get to know it. The real fun in owning a shotgun is shooting it. There are some guns that are almost as much to dresss up as they are to shoot (1911s, AR-15s) but shotguns are for shooting. When you get really good with a shotgun, you will see anything extra as a true nusance. Anything that detracts from the handling or the way it points is a bad thing.

A factory Rem 870 HD or similar gun will be fast into action and deadly accurate at high speed. A gun that has ever toy you can put on it will be a pig that is slow to get into action and slow to hit with. Only add what helps with shooting. I am not even sure I like the +2 mag tube I put on one of my guns. I do like a carry sling if I am hunting with it but I take it off if I plan on using it for HD or SD. I have had slings get hung up in the forarm so I get rid of them.