Which 870 Tactical?

[This45Colt]

So I am looking to get a "tactical" shotgun... and I am definitely going for and 870..... so I have two models that I am debating between.

Firstly, there is the less expensive (basic) type, the express, found for $310-$350 this has the standard bead sight and the longish fore end.
http://www.remington.com/products/f...-870/model-870-express-synthetic-7-round.aspx


Second, there is the "tactical" model, which runs about $440-$500, and this one comes decked out with ghost ring rear sight (plus rail) and a nice front sight, additionally, it has a breaching style muzzle break, which enables the use of standard rem chokes.
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/tactical/shotguns/model-870-express-tactical.aspx


Now, if I go with the basic express, I will defiantly be getting scatter gun tech ghost ring sights, a new fore end, and maybe even some porting.
But if I just go ahead and get the Tactical, I will have the choke system.... albeit not quite as nice of sights.

Any one have experience with either? Any thoughts/opinions on which option would be better?

 

[Fred Fuller]

Haven't even seen one of the tactical models in the flesh yet, but have plenty of experience with lots of variations of the plain Express.

Best advice I can offer is, if you know you want GR sights, go ahead and get them on the gun from the factory. Buying a set of sights and getting them installed will almost certainly cost more than the difference in price of the two models. Plus the front sight from the factory is silver soldered on and will almost certainly be far more durable than the Wilson epoxy-on front sight.

Then sell the fangs off the front of the gun once you replace that silly choke tube with a standard RemChoke, and forget the porting. After that, start saving money for a good shotgun class.

Stay Safe,

lpl

 

[This45Colt]

Why get rid of the choke? wouldn't that help with recoil? and why forget the porting? I would think either of these are good options.... would you just go with a reduced recoil load instead? I am not trying to make it sound like the recoil is a huge issue, as I shoot full power 00buck in my 1300 all the time, but having it lessened would help with follow up shots, no?

 

[Youngster]

Porting is LOUD and doesn't do much to reduce recoil, though it does reduced muzzle flip a bit.

Anyways as far as the gun itself goes, I'd suggest getting a used Wingmaster instead of an Express, MUCH better quality for the same or less money.

Also, maybe hold off on ghost rings and other tactical bits off until you've shot the gun a bunch and have a better idea of what you want.

 

[benellimax4]

You don't need porting. And, you don't need ghost ring sights. A shotgun is a close range weapon. A plain 870 with a bead sight and an 18" barrel is all you need. Buy ammo and train.

The 870 is one of the biggest money pits in all of the gun world. Guns are not tactical, your behavior with the gun is tactical.

Resist the urge to hang useless stuff on this gun. It will make you less effective, not more effective.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

I'm not a tactical guy. Haven't had formal firearms training unless Uncle Sam
counts. I would say Lapin nailed it. If by fangs , your talking about those saw teeth muzzle atachments, I'm pretty sure if your not Door Breaching it would be pretty useless. 18-24" barrel is loud already, dont think I would port, would hate to cheat the BG out of any blast. Closest thing to a Tactical I have is an 870 express turkey gun regular ol stock, 24 inch barrel. Gun cost $289 at goose hill , I think 24 bucks for extended mag. think its 7+1 total, has 2 beads that work well for aiming, takes standard rem tubes. I have a pattern master ex long range in it now, loaded with hibrass 6s.

I dont know if pattern master tube would be any advantage with buck kind of doubt it. Intend to try it anyway. already had that tube in super mag, I wouldnt buy one special. Also have a Remington Mod 11 trench gun with cutts comp.(w/all tubes)
I think trench gun is correct term has bomb proof marks. Only do-dad that I would fool with other than light, would be maybe laser.
They make people that cant shoot handguns into people that can, I think it would be worth trying.
got a TLR something light and laser on a G21, so I dont have to buy one. Have you guys already done the with laser/without laser comparison?

 

[Fred Fuller]

Why get rid of the choke? wouldn't that help with recoil? and why forget the porting? I would think either of these are good options....

No, porting in a shotgun doesn't really help. The muzzle brake on my .50BMG rifle helps a lot, but we're talking about a lot higher velocity gas jet and a LOT more surface area for it to impinge upon. Porting in a shotgun will mostly make it louder and not much else. Take a look at http://184.154.228.17/~shotgunr/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=127 to see what someone with far better shotgun credentials than mine says about porting.

would you just go with a reduced recoil load instead? I am not trying to make it sound like the recoil is a huge issue, as I shoot full power 00buck in my 1300 all the time, but having it lessened would help with follow up shots, no?

I don't shoot reduced recoil anything in a shotgun if I have a choice, the house guns here are loaded with Federal LE127 00 (1325 fps 9 pellet 00 buck) in the magazines and Brenneke KO slugs (one ounce, 1600 FPS) in the Sidesaddles. Proper gun fit and good technique are better approaches to handling recoil for any shooter who is physically sound than reduced recoil loads IMHO.

And I got tired of pointy things on the muzzles of firearms a long time ago. They shred stuff and get hung up at inopportune times.

BUT it's your gun and you can have whatever you want on it... you asked for advice, I offered some and it was FREE (and worth exactly what you paid for it). Best I can offer - there are no tactical guns, only tactical shooters. Spend your extra $$$ on first class training and improve your skillset. Most any shotgun will do, if YOU will do.

BTW, it happens I like sights on a working gun, and I especially like a good set of GRs. Sights make hitting with slugs at longer ranges easier, I can use rifle type sights as well, and push comes to shove I can shoot plain old bead sights too. But then, I have no trouble driving a straight shift transmission either. Crawl walk run is the usual progression in life. Some things really do make life easier, and it's possible to learn to ignore sights on a shotgun if distance and speed dictate, just as it's possible to use sights to get greater precision if distance and time allow. You run the gun, the gun doesn't run you- which is why I prefer to maintain a focus on the software (shooter) not the hardware (shotgun).

fwiw,

lpl

 

[This45Colt]

Thanks so much for all the advise everyone. I think it has led to an informed decision on which would work better for me. I think the basic gun would be best. I'll get a simple light mount, and tritium GRs. As some pointed out, the sights are not really necessary, but as another said, it makes slugs at longer ranges easier, so I'll go for that option. Then a good shotgun class should be in order... No use having a defensive shotgun if I can't defend stuff with it.

 

[ZCORR Jay]

It is easy to get wrapped up in the tactical accessories but as said before... the gun doesn't make you tactical. I'd personally save the money and go with the bead site then start putting rounds through it.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

I didn't watch the vid, can't seem to get them to load, but I would prefer bead only. I would also say if your going to shoot slugs at all. It would be the difference between a 40 yd slug gun and a 100 yd slug gun. The versatility of slugs, or the advantage they offer, I would think would only count with hits.

I would say noise/blast of porting entirely hinges on distance from chamber.
Porting on a 24 inch barrel will be located pretty close to where the 18" stops all together. I think you would have to get a longer barrel than 18 to use porting. since the effective distance would be out past the muzzle. my 2 cents.

 

[BUZ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=KdW2TAfN3mQ

 

[This45Colt]

I didn't watch the vid, can't seem to get them to load, but I would prefer bead only. I would also say if your going to shoot slugs at all. It would be the difference between a 40 yd slug gun and a 100 yd slug gun. The versatility of slugs, or the advantage they offer, I would think would only count with hits.

I would say noise/blast of porting entirely hinges on distance from chamber.
Porting on a 24 inch barrel will be located pretty close to where the 18" stops all together. I think you would have to get a longer barrel than 18 to use porting. since the effective distance would be out past the muzzle. my 2 cents.

Are you saying the bead or the GR's would be better for slugs? you said you prefer bead only, then you said "it would be the the difference..." so which did you mean would be better for slugs? I would think the Ghost Rings would be inherently better.... but could the larger front sight post of the ring sights mess with that?

 

[NoobCannon]

Now, if I may chime in on the choke situation, I put one of those "holesaws" on my Pardner Pump for the heck of it, and out of an 18.5" barrel, it actually seemed to reduce recoil, muzzle blast, and noise. I wouldn't recommend firing a shotgun without ear protection, but with that choke on there, you can with mine. of course, YMMV.

Go for what you want. You mentioned you have another shotgun already, so I'm assuming you're looking for an HD/Range toy. Go with the tactical if that's your thing. The first shotgun I shot was an 870 Express, and it was a fun little gun. Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[Youngster]

I prefer rifle sights to ghost rings, as they not only function just as well or better, but you don't have to deal with a now-useless rear sight assembly on top of the receiver if you swap barrels.

I still think a bead is best for most purposes though.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

I think your correct sights better for slugs. I would prefer the bead because I wouldn't use slugs. I have rifles for that. I used to have a Ithaca deerslayer. That model is pretty light for slugs. Since it sounds like your asking though, I would build it with an 870 wingmaster, the front sight would be a Remington 760 front rifle sight with a med. gold bead,. And I would order the Williams peep sight that goes on the 760, then I would take the littlescrew in aperature out. After I got the sights printing with slugs, I would bust a lot of clays for practice. I think 21" plenty short. I have a different gun for fighting in phone booths. You might just want to get an old beater mossberg 500. If you ever have to use it it will be locked in the evidence room for the next 15 years.YMMV

 

[duns]

I don't have much experience to base my comments on as the only shotgun I've fired is my Mossberg 590A1 with factory-fitted ghost ring sights and a retrofitted telescopic stock and pistol grip from Mesa Tactical (their LEO model).

I love the ghost ring sights. I have rather poor eyesight and these work very well for me.

I found the standard fowling type stock way too long for me. The Mesa Tactical stock allows me to adjust the length correctly. I like the pistol grip too as it improves ergonomics when handling the gun -- not when shooting but, for example, if you want to turn it on its side to drop a shell directly into the chamber.

A combat shotgun needs a sling. I have a Viking Tactics VTAC sling, which I thoroughly recommend. It has a fast adjust system so you can adjust it very quickly according to your needs of the moment. I generally adjust it so that the tension in the sling braces the gun when shooting.

For various reasons, I wish I had bought a Rem 870 rather than a Mossberg. However, I have found the ghost ring sights, Mesa Tactical stock and VTAC sling to be great features.

 

[Jason_W]

I just freed up a little money and have the 887 tactical in my sights. Not because I'm a tactical sort of guy, but because many of the same features that apparently make a shotgun tactical also make it ideal for close range deer hunting in the thick stuff. With the right choke tube it should also make a decent turkey gun.