Side Saddle any Regrets

[9mmdude]

I have searched the forum for issues with the Side Saddle on 870's. Does anyone have any regrets after they put one on?

I just modified my 870 with a Choate Stock, small forend, and an extended Choate Magazine. I think I will go with the Side Saddle next and I am looking for input.

Thanks Steve

 

[PJR]

The only regret I have about my side saddle is not taking it off every once in a while to clean and oil the receiver. When I finally did I noted a spot of rust underneath the side saddle.

Other than that I think they are great.

Paul

 

[carebear]

Put one on my Mossy 500 Regal, had to notch the fore end to do it.

Gonna buy a new fore end some day. shoulda just bought another shotgun, the Regal looks too pretty to "tactical up"

 

[Fred Fuller]

Nope, none at all. I've use 'em for years, and like 'em a lot.

A light coat of grease on the receiver under the sidesaddle is definitely a good idea, when installing on 870s. It can and will rust under there... .

Remember to jot down your serial number and file it somewhere safe, the sidesaddle will cover it up. Some people just engrave the S/N on the sidesaddle itself.

It _is_ possible to over-tighten the mounting bolts, even on a steel receiver. Be absolutely sure the gun runs OK (that means live fire) after installing the sidesaddle or any other accessory, before you depend on it.

Once you get it installed, then you face the Really Big Decision- brass up, or brass down? 8^)

Stay safe,

lpl/nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

No probs, one's been on the HD 870 since the early 80s.

 

[9mmdude]

Thank you everyone for the quick replies. I will be picking one up!
Steve

 

[ARGarrison]

I'll take the other side and say yes. I have one pump shotgun. It's a do everything, but deer hunt, shotgun. I put a sidesaddle on it sometime back. Everything worked fine, but as an everything gun I didn't like the side saddle on it. It was heavy with extra ammo in it and the wieght was to the left side of the gun. You have to have an allen wrench to take the firearm apart (Mossberg 500) to clean it. I long since removed the side saddle from my do everything pump gun.

I do however have the side saddle and plan on putting it on a deadicated defensive shotgun, when I get a second pump shotgun. I don't think it is for every shotgun, but on a defensive gun it's nice.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

Have it.

Love it. It is by far the easiest way to have extra ammo always available and easily accessible on my HD shotgun. One of these years I'll get around to adding a foregrip w/ built in flashlight.

brass up, or brass down?

Brass down, of course.

 

[Duke of Lawnchair]

Reloading from the sidesaddle is definately fast and easy to access.

With that being said, I removed mine after months of use because I didn't like how the gun balanced with it on. Another reason is that I grab the receiver a lot when I'm out hiking around and the saddle is too bulky for me.

 

[sm]

I use guns that belong to others with side saddles .
Brass Down off course.

I have never personally owned a gun with a side saddle, or anything else. Mine have been bone stock....with some additional tweaking of gun fit, bbl lenghts, recoil pads and such.

For ME , I prefer my shotgun to be "all rounder" - I use them for everything. I want reliable and the ability to do expedient maintaince with minimum tools.

I have been in serious money tourneys, various hunting situations, shotgun shooting COF's. I have had on more than one occaison factory donated ammo cause a problem,... with a golf tee , a stick, my keys...I drop TG and get the bad pellets out. I have been out in the middle of nowhere, and fallen in mud , fallen in lakes, resevoirs...or encountered tornados or other storms - ... I can fielld maintain MY Shotgun better. Same reason why I prefer the 1911 Gov't Model....designed a certain way to work ( reliable) and to be maintained in the field.

One never knows the where or when of next encounter CRSam.

On one COF it was bad weather, muddy and we actually had to wade creeks and shoot while in the mud [ reminds me of what Dave Williams spoke of on another thread] ...things got real ugly real quick. For folks and guns... yep that was me with TG dropped sloshing my gun in the resevoir to remove mud / muck and slime... there was can of some kind of tractor oil ....it worked .

FWIW I ran this course twice. MY SX1 did not fail - it kept running. For Safety's sake when the creek bank attacked me . Fear of mud in bbl - The SO stopped me- I dunked gun in resevoir , used a OTIS pull cleared bbl and kept running. It had kept running with the slime and muck that managed to get on, in and around it. When I was "attacked" by the creek bank , the mud "clumped down like a mud slide - safety matter for my sake.

The other gun I used was a 870 with a plain bbl ....made in the year of my birth . Even tho I fell in [ $#%& bar ditches] the gun never stopped running.

If I had a tool kit and allen riches that day, and various "parts" - I could have named my price and gone home with a wad of cash.

I'm going for the last man using a stock gun on earth award.

 

[proven]

thanks sm.

good argument for a butt cuff shell holder.


brian

 

[Rob96]

My shottie is strictly for defense only. So it is set up with a 6 round side saddle. Yes I do like it. The little extra weight it adds, dampens the recoil.