I got a free 870!!!

[orangeninja]

I own a handful of Sigs and am primarily a handgun shooter, however, I recently was given a Remington 870 that is about 20 yrs. Old. The gun looks new from the inside and all the matte black finish is 100%. The wood however is very worn...not dinged or cracked...just the finish is worn off. Should I replace the stock? Refinish the stock? or let it have that "yeah I'm an old hand at this" look?

I replaced the barrel with a mossberg 18 incher made for the 870 and am very pleased. I shot some slugs and 00 buck through it...I had almost forgot the teeth jarring impact of one of those things. I think I might get some reduced recoil rounds or put some #4 bird shot in it. Good for close indoor "intimate" shootings.

I have learned to completely strip the gun down...I even got a peice stuck in there and had to "hammer" out. I was nervous but the gun just took it and kept going. Its the toughest peice of equipment I own. And that INCLUDES my truck.

One day....I want another one. (pistol grip) this time. Should I try a mossberg pursuader?

 

[shermacman]

Definately get the Mossy.
Any 870 that old is too dangerous to even consider using.
Send it to me, immediately.
Please. Do it for your safety and piece of mind.

 

[Badger Arms]

I agree completely. Unsafe. I'll dispose of it for you. Expect the UPS Guy on Monday Morning to pick it up.

Nice story. Never had a gun given to me other than gifts from my Father, but I have inherited a few and felt like I was stealing a few with the deals I've happened upon in my time.

 

[Bainx]

870, absolutely fool-proof, just ask ME.

Your grandkids will be firing that gun if you take care of it.

 

[Slimjim]

ugh, dont get a pistol grip, if you do want one, atleast get one with a stock attached, Also, look at the remington steal package from robar? or one of those companies. They totally rebuild and refinish the gun and can asdd some stuff to it for you.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Congrats, haven't been given one since about 1960. Great shotgun....

Eschew the PG. Check the archives as to why.

 

[Brian Dale]

Should I replace the stock? Refinish the stock? or let it have that "yeah I'm an old hand at this" look?

I'd vote for choice number 3, or to strip it and give it a tung-oil and beeswax finish (archives, or PM me, or maybe somebody here has a better recipe). Back when I did a lot of rock climbing, we used to say, "never trust a climber with shiny gear."

20 years old? This generally means that it's just getting broken in. Its action is probably already smooth, and a few thousand more rounds will just make it better. Quoting Mr. McC, it's time to BA/UU/R. Spend the price of that Mossy on ammo first. When that's done, you'll know whether you want to add the Persuader or just keep buying ammo for your 870. I don't like pistol grips — I can't hit anything with them, and I've read that I'm not alone in that.

My practice is to refinish stocks, but not to try to get rid of all of the dings, nor to replace anything that's not broken. I like to work with wood (nothing too fussy or complicated). The hand-work involved in stripping, cleaning up and putting a soft, durable oil-and-beeswax finish on a gun isn't very hard, and it just seems to make the gun truly my own. I haven't done that with all of mine yet, but I do enjoy it.

{Edited to add the link to a THR thread with Dick Culver's beeswax recipe:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43174
In it, I forgot to mention lightly sanding between coats. It helps to do that: use 400 grit, or even finer if you want more shine, then a tack cloth to pick up sawdust before the next coat}

 

[gearbox]

a pistol grip will be worthless. you won't be able to shoulder it when you need to. however, with a common stock you can tuck the stock under your arm and have it funtion like a pistol grip.

congrats on a great piece of steel.

 

[orangeninja]

Thanks Happy Bob

 

[Brian Dale]

Pleasure. Be sure to post pics!

 

[flip180]

Wal-mart sells synthetic stocks for the 870 for what I thought was a good price. That'll give you something to throw on it until you refinish your wood stocks. That way the shotgun won't be down for home defense during that time. Here's a pic of mine that I was going to get rid of but decided to keep and put a tacticle light on it. I already have the light (Streamlight M-3) but am waiting for the mounting bracket to come in, which I got off of ebay for 10.00.

Robert.