what is so bad about the "J" lock"

[belton-deer-hunter]

i got an 870 a bout 2 months ago and i am wondering what is so bad about the j locks it seems like a reall go idesa and if you dont like it you can jsut leave it off. i would like to know what the oppions of overy one esle is.

 

[Correia]

Belton, the J lock sucks. I was able to engage one by twisting it with my fingertips. I don't like "features" like that on a gun. Personal opinion? If you get an 870 with a J lock, swap the safety for something better.

And I've just got to say this, nobody is ever going to take you serious in life if you can't learn to write better.

 

[belton-deer-hunter]

i have not tried to twist it with my fingerts but if that works then it could be a hazzard to your self if it switches over and you cant shoot whne you need to

 

[Fred Fuller]

There's nothing really wrong with a J-lock safety on a purely sporting shotgun.

Given that they have been known to lock themselves under normal manipulation in use and in training however, they have NO PLACE on a gun that might be called on for serious service. AFAIK Remington never installed this "feature" on its line of law enforcement shotguns- that ought to tell you something about it. If not being able to get your safety off when you need to fire a shot means you miss a clay pigeon or a game bird, that's not really a big deal. If it happens to be a home invader, that might be a different story.

I will not have a shotgun so equipped in my home, since any given one of my Remington shotguns might get called on for serious duty at any time. YMMV of course.

lpl/nc

 

[sm]

J lock is a solution to a non-existent problem.

Just something for feel good legalese to cover manufacturer's butt.

Like Correia, I too can lock a 870 up so fast with no tools.
As Lee shared, no place for these on a serious shotgun.
I have seen and heard of hunters and even two gunsmiths snicking these on. The hunters did not have the tool to unlock the gun. Hunt ended early.
The gunsmiths - one had a tool from another gun to use, another had to run down the road and borrow one.

In serious competition, big money on the line - I and others removed the safety all together. It was legal, just had to inform RO and SO same as if one shoots release triggers. When one bird is worth $500, or maybe even $2k...serious shooting, serious money on the line.

I have a brain, and adhere to 4 rules like most of us . NONE of us every had a ND using a shotgun with the total safey removed on purpose. And I am speaking about folks that have run hundreds of thousands of rds thru a shotgun.

 

[PJR]

How bad is it? It's so bad that Remington doesn't put them on their Police line. I think that says a great deal.

No J-lock guns for me.

 

[Mendel5]

How much to have one removed? Is it worth the extra time and money? I just got one, and never really thought about those issues, so I guess I'll have it removed. I don't want to spend lots of cash on it, though. That would be a serious problem when I'd rather spend the money on shells and clay pigeons.

 

[danurve]

The J lock on my 700 in an inconvenience at best. Most of the time it is off. However having learned the hard way, don't forget the J-key when I take it hunting, or even to the range.

 

[waterhouse]

There's nothing really wrong with a J-lock safety on a purely sporting shotgun.

I beg to differ. It hasn't happened to me (none of mine have locks), but my cousin got out to the blind one day with a locked J-lock and no key. There is something really wrong with going duck hunting and not being able to shoot your shotgun. I get a bad feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.

I get your point though.

I believe Remington has done away with the J-Locks on new models.

 

[BlackJack]

I've had Remington shotguns and rifles both with and without J-locks on them. I've replaced the J-lock safety on an 870 with a non-J lock item and have replaced the bolt shroud on a Rem 700 with a non-J lock item. Neither change is hard to do but both cost a little money--more than they should in my opinion. But my experience has also been that firearms with the J-lock don't lock themselves or operate improperly in any way. I never use the the J lock to secure the firearms so none of mine are ever turned on.

I report all that to say it just doesn't matter to me whether there is a J lock on a gun or not. It doesn't have an effect one way or the other on my shooting.

 

[thegodmanson]

I just bought an 870 Express super mag a couple days ago and it has the J lock

 

[Onmilo]

Ahhh, I was going to say that you lock the gun to be on the safe side and then forget to bring a key to unlock it when you get to the range or out in the field but somebody already suggested that little problem.

I managed to unlock one for a guy at our range by manipulating it with two pin punches.

 

[enfield]

What's wrong? I don't need the d@mned thing!!