Remington 870 modded

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Ultrachimp

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How much will this cost?

I want sights that will work - I liked the reflex sights for the M4 when I played America's Army - is there anything like that for shotguns?

I'd like a light on the end - in home defense, it's best not to blow the dog away.

The bayonet is just bad-ass:neener:

How much should each of these accessories cost? (and should this be in a different forum?:eek:)

Oh yeah MS paint rocks by the way;)
 
i picked up a tac-star light for mine a few days ago. $85 iirc

don't know about the other stuff. never felt a need for optics on something that will be used in close quarters.

what about a neoprene 4-shell saddle? keeps a few slugs in case the BG's want to take cover behind their getaway car :D
 
In rather short order, Dave or SM, or one of the other old hands 'round here is going to come up, put his arm around your shoulder all buddy-like, and you're going to have a little chit-chat about BA/UU/R...

;)
 
Not cheap. It will cost around $75 to have the receiver drilled and tapped and around $35 for the scope base. Now you have a sight to buy. I would go with a 870 that has ghost ring sights or a Mossberg comes drilled and tapped.


GC
 
I want sights that will work - I liked the reflex sights for the M4 when I played America's Army - is there anything like that for shotguns?
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Sure, you can mount an Aimpoint on it, just like in the game. The sight will run you about $350-400, you'll need to get a rail installed for it by a gunsmith, that'll probably only run about $100.

I'd like a light on the end - in home defense, it's best not to blow the dog away.
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You could get Surefire fore-end for about $250. Some folks also like the Streamlight TLR-1, you can do one of those mounted for under $150.

The bayonet is just bad-ass
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The bayonet is probably just a bad idea, but they do have bayonet lug magazine caps out there. That and a quality bayonet will only set you back about $130.

So, you could probably do it all for the about $700 on top of the price of the shotgun. However, as mentioned above, the money would be better spent elsewhere.
 
Or you could buy a Remington 870 P Max with most of those features already on the shotgun.

After you install the bayonet lug you might want to figure out a way to explain why it's on the shotgun if you ever do have to use it for home defense. It will be much easier to install than to explain. "Just bad-ass" is probably not going to be a good explanation.
 
I think a bayonet is one of the most understated additions to a home defense long arm. In all honesty if you don't blow a perp away and they comply with you, you will be face to face at close range with someone who is a threat but not necessary to shoot. That big blade on the end can help if you know how to work with it without putting yourself at risk.

A sight is a far less important addon to a short range shotgun. They already tend to have a bead, rifle sight, or ghost sights, and any of them work just as well at house distances.

A light can be helpful, but be careful about adding extra forward weight and things sticking out of your firearm, wires etc.

Simple is best, you want effective reliable and streamlined. You should be able to drag it across a carpet, a bed, or slide it against a wall, across your loose clothing etc without it catching on anything. If you have gizmos sticking out at right angles that can catch on odds and ends in close quarters it becomes less effective.

A pistol grip on a stocked shotgun intended for close range makes it less streamlined without offering any real advantage to a home defender. It also makes it harder to shoot under things and hold it with a strong spearlike grip while being capable of firing it or using the bayonet (if you get one.) Tons of junk in the front also makes it easier for someone else to get a good grip on your gun from the wrong end.
Sure you shouldn't let that happen anyways, but if it did it is a lot easier to fix it if all they got to grab onto is smooth cylinders up front.
A big bulky light and forward grip provide bad guy good handles and keeps them from losing thier grip on the smooth cylinders making it easier for a bad guy to redirect your muzzle as you round a corner, come through a doorway, etc and attempt to attack you or disarm you.

Tacticool might look cooler, but it is often less effective.
 
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In rather short order, Dave or SM, or one of the other old hands 'round here is going to come up, put his arm around your shoulder all buddy-like, and you're going to have a little chit-chat about BA/UU/R...
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About what?

And it looks like the sights are going to cost more than the gun itself - so no to them.
The bayonet also seems expensive, and this gun is going to be my first gun, so I guess no to the bayonet then.

How bad is it to jury-rig a minimag to the bottom?:eek:
 
And it looks like the sights are going to cost more than the gun itself - so no to them.
The bayonet also seems expensive, and this gun is going to be my first gun, so I guess no to the bayonet then.

How bad is it to jury-rig a minimag to the bottom?
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Guns and accessories are marked up like most recreational/hobby products. A flashlight costs $10-$20, a quality one no more than $40, but a similar light made to go on a gun? Oh that can be 10x more. A metal clamp for attaching most things is cheap, but a clamp to attach something to a gun? Well that is expensive.
A laser pointer can be very cheap, one with a good focused beam and nice wavelength can be a little more. Same laser made to be attached to a gun? Oh that costs a whole lot more.

It is often the same for many grown men hobby items, they are heavily marked up just because they are in the hobby/recreation market even though the actual item is little different than something not in the hobby/recreation market.
You can make and adapt most items yourself for a fraction of the cost, and have the end result look and function as well or better if you are decent with tools and slightly intuitive.
 
About what?
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BA/UU/R stands for "Buy ammo, use up, repeat."

Basically, it means the best possible accessory for your new gun is ammo and lots of practice. After you get the feel for your gun, you will have a much better idea of what you should hook onto it. It will also make you much more competent with the firearm, which is something that is worth far more than any mountable accessory.

The bayonet lug and the flashlight are going to change the balance of your shotgun dramatically, which can effect its handling. Hell, the extended mag alone does that, to the point where balance can shift a great deal from the first shot to the last.

Balance is important because a muzzle heavy gun handles differently than a butt-heavy gun. If the muzzle is overly heavy, it will swing much slower, though smoother, where as a butt-heavy gun will be quicker to swing and point. On shotguns, muzzle heaviness is good if your doing a lot of bird/trap shooting, as it improves the swing and makes hitting birds out of the air easier, but it isn't that great for home defense or combat, where quicker handling will be ideal.

Thus, everything you mount onto your shotgun is a trade off between usability and balance.
 
Putting arm around shoulders buddy like.....

Welcome to Shotgunland. Here's what your 870 (Great choice) needs most.

Wear marks.

Here's what you need most...

A knee high pile of empty hulls.

Your fine shotgun, as is, is a close range weapon of tremendous utility and effect.

To misquote Xavierbreath, an unaltered shotgun does not limit the shooter, the shooter limits the shotgun. Good HD shotguns are way more common than good HD shotgunners.

Buy Ammo/Use Up/ Repeat until your shotgun feels like a body part, not a tool. Shoot at most anything, including little clay discs, landfill rats or starlings.

At that point you'll know what, if anything, is needed to better fulfill the mission.

And at that point, you'lll be a fine HD shotgunner, good with most any shotgun.

Now exiting pulpit....
 
I found the cheapest way to solve the usable sights problem was to install the 20" rifle sighted IC barrel. About $100.00 complete with sights. As far as the light goes, I bought a Choate forearm with a short picatinny rail that can be mounted on either the right or left side of the forearm. I then used an extra scope ring that I already had to mount my Surefire G2, also already in my posession. Made a really nice, functional, inexpensive HD shotgun. It had a Remington magazine extension when I bought it.

Welcome to Shotgunland. Here's what your 870 (Great choice) needs most.

Wear marks.

Here's what you need most...

A knee high pile of empty hulls.

Your fine shotgun, as is, is a close range weapon of tremendous utility and effect.

To misquote Xavierbreath, an unaltered shotgun does not limit the shooter, the shooter limits the shotgun. Good HD shotguns are way more common than good HD shotgunners.

Buy Ammo/Use Up/ Repeat until your shotgun feels like a body part, not a tool. Shoot at most anything, including little clay discs, landfill rats or starlings.
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Truer words were seldom spoken. I did all of the addition stuff before I took a defensive shotgun course. After the course, I wouldn't feel under armed with my stock Remington 870 express with 26" barrel, and no additions whatsoever.
 
I found the cheapest way to solve the usable sights problem was to install the 20" rifle sighted IC barrel. About $100.00 complete with sights.
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YES!!!

I love the 20 Rifle sighted IC barrel and my primary HD 870 wears one. Nothing against the bead sighted barrels (I have a couple of those too), but I like the rifle sights more for HD work. Of course I also keep slugs handy for said purpose and I print better groups with sights.

But to echo Dave. Wear marks, must have wear marks. Piles and piles of empty hulls.
 
I then used an extra scope ring that I already had to mount my Surefire G2, also already in my posession. Made a really nice, functional, inexpensive HD shotgun. It had a Remington magazine extension when I bought it.
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I did the same thing with a G2 but mine is mounted on a Remington Military/Police picatinny barrel/mag clamp. I bought the clamp used here on THR for 45 bucks I believe.
 
So practice > * then, eh?

Alrighty...the problem is that I'm at college all year 'round so I'll only get to practice over breaks. I guess the little brother could use it though (he's 14 and I think he'd have fun). Idk what my dad will think of the entire affair, but I'm hoping he'll practice. I guess I'll have to find a range with a price tag under the soul of my firstborn.

Note: I haven't actually bought it yet; I'm planning on introducing my parents to the idea over xmas break and getting it over the summer. Can't get it any other time because I'm at college and self-defense is prohibited here (in a dorm next to the police station anyway, so my dorm isn't where I'm worried about). Maybe spend a couple days up at my friend's house with some clay pigeons. w00t.
 
There is nothing wrong with wanting a cool looking shotgun. I have one myself and many on this site do also. Start with a good basic HD shotgun practice with it and go from there. Some shotgunners need more practice than others. If you are able, look into taking a tactical defense shotgun class in your area, if offered. That may help to get the new shotgun idea approved by your parents. They are fun and very educational.


GC
 
the problem is that I'm at college all year 'round so I'll only get to practice over breaks
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Does you school have a clayshooting club? You might be surprised - even Big 10 universities in blue states have clay clubs. Although no subsititute for competent defensive training, it's a good way to build certain skillsets with the platform.
 
I tend to agree with Zoogster as far as a streamlined shotgun goes. Maybe I am getting to be an old fart (at age 27) but I don't see the need for many do dads and gizmos especially on a shotgun, practice and familiarity makes the weapon deadly not the cost increasing add ons. Take money not spent on an optical sight and by ammunition. As far as the bayonet goes, I agree that it can be a useful weapon (though perhaps not politcally correct) today the military mainly uses them for crowd control and dealing with prisoners because being stabbed is a psychological tool as much as a physical one. The magazine cap found on the home defense version of the 870 is actually the same one that was used to mount the M7 bayonet on the Marine corps version of the 870. Though they had an additional bayonet lug that bolted onto the tube check out the picture.

http://www.tacticalshotgun.ca/content_nonsub/shotguns/870_590_compare/870_bayonet_adapter_b.jpg

I believe someone does make a bolt on bayonet lug that attaches like a flash light holder, but if you take an M7 (old M16 bayonet) the ring will fit on the end of the tube.

also to mount a mini mag light you can modify an old scope ring and clamp that on front of the magazine tube.

I prefer ghetto fabulous to tacticool.

Brother in Arms
 
I also agree that the add ons are unnecessary. With the exception of a good light. Unlike with a handgun, you dont have a free hand for a flashlight. With a 10 dollar mount, you can add a $50 pentagon or go even cheaper with one of the Chinese lights, but I think a light is a critical accessory. They dont have to be expensive though. IMO
 
IMHO, the most effective use of your scarce college-student money would be in a 1 or 2 day training course in defensive shotgun. 90% of the stuff you can put on a shotgun do nothing but add weight and actually DECREASE it's effectiveness as a defensive weapon.

My Mossberg at present has a surefire forend light and sidesaddle on it, and that's it. I actually plan on removing the surefire light for something lighter weight. At one time or another, I had an adjustable LOP pistol grip stock and 3-point tactical sling on it, but discovered through 2 days of shotgun classes that those items were crap. Lucky I was able to sell the mistakes off on ebay (Can't even do THAT now)
 
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