Fighting with Shotgun

Posted on August 8, 2010

I have found a very good article about home defense with shotgun:

Fighting with Shotgun

It has a lot of tips and pictures. Recommended.

TacStar SideSaddle Advice

Posted on July 31, 2010

I had a review of the TacStar 4-Round SideSaddle about a year ago. Now it is time for some tips. First of all it is a very good product and helped me a lot in competitions. But there are two important things you should know about it:
1. Do not overtighten the screws which attach SideSaddle to receiver. One of my friends have broken his SideSaddle this way.
2. Check 4 small screws often. I have lost two of them somewhere on the shooting range:

By the way, I have received, installed and tested Mesa Tactical SureShell 6-Round Carrier for Remington 870 and will have a review about it tomorrow.

Pump-Action Shotguns in Shootouts (North Hollywood shootout and 1986 FBI Miami shootout)

Posted on July 13, 2010

There are a lot of talks about the effectiveness of shotguns. But we need to understand the role of the shotguns and what they can and can’t do.

Let’s see information about the shootouts where shotguns were used: North Hollywood shootout and 1986 FBI Miami shootout.

Brief description of the North Hollywood shootout (from Wikipedia):

The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997.

Local patrol officers at the time were typically armed with 9 mm or .38 Special pistols on their person, with some having a 12-gauge shotgun available in their cars. Phillips and Matasareanu carried fully automatic rifles, with ammunition capable of penetrating police body armor, and wore military grade body armor of their own.

The patrol officers were armed with standard Beretta 92-type 9-mm pistols and .38-caliber revolvers, and some also carried 12-gauge pump-action shotguns, but the body armor worn by Phillips and Matasareanu was strong enough to resist penetration.

The robbers were protected by body armor which could not be penetrated by the officers’ handgun and shotgun ammunition.

The ineffectiveness of the pistol rounds and shotgun pellets in penetrating the robbers’ body armor led to a trend in the United States toward arming selected police patrol officers with semi-automatic 5.56 mm AR-15 type rifles.

As you can see from the video, policeman used his 12 gauge shotgun from the distance of about 50 yards (he was behind the kiosk). Policeman saw that shotgun pellets hit the robber but had no effect. Robber returned fire.

So it is not a very good idea to use a shotgun (birdshot and buckshot) against the enemy with body armor. Especially on a long distance (20-50 yards). Slugs are more effective on such distances. But remember that shotgun is a Close Quarters Battle weapon. Shotgun is one of the most effective short range weapons and it is extremely good for a home defense use.

Brief description of the 1986 FBI Miami shootout (from Wikipedia):

The FBI Miami shootout was a gun battle that occurred on 11 April 1986 in Miami, Florida between eight Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and two serial bank robbers.

The incident is infamous in FBI history and is well-studied in law enforcement circles. Despite outnumbering the suspects 4 to 1, the agents found themselves pinned down by rifle fire and unable to respond effectively. Although both Matix and Platt were hit multiple times during the firefight, Platt fought on regardless and continued to injure and kill the officers. This incident led to the introduction of more powerful handguns in many police departments around the country.

Unfortunately, FBI agents didn’t have enough weapons. Only two of the FBI vehicles contained shotguns. Also, it turns out that shotgun pellets are not very effective against enemy inside the car. Another important thing to know is that it was difficult for the FBI agent to reload his shotgun able to use only one arm.

Do you know any other shootouts where shotguns were used? Please leave a comment.

Duracoat (Durabake in parkerize finish)

Posted on March 24, 2010

And here is one more interesting post from J.R.:

I added a few new parts and upgrades and Duracoated my 870. The Duracoat product is affordable and easy to use. I chose to use the Durabake in parkerize finish. I spent about an hour prepping and spraying then baked for 3 hours at 180 degrees fahrenheit. The finished product looks great, I will send an update after my 870 is back in one piece.
From: DuraCoat

I can’t stop saying thanks to you, J.R.!

Remington 870 Repair Kit

Posted on February 6, 2010

There is a Remington 870 Repair Kit which you can buy to have parts most often required for repairs.

But I have made my own list of parts to have for an emergency repair:
TRIGGER PLATE PIN DETENT SPRING
TGR PLATE PIN DETENT SPRING REA
EXTRACTOR PLUNGER
EXTRACTOR SPRING
EXTRACTOR, 12/16/20, NON-MIM
FIRING PIN RETRACTOR SPRING
FIRING PIN
FIRING PIN RETAINING PIN
EJECTOR SPRING

Update:
+SEAR SPRING

But I hope that I will never need those parts and my Rem 870 will work without any problems for years!

ATI Remington 870 Collapsible Stock for Remington 870

Posted on January 8, 2010

One of the readers of my blog shared his experience about the ATI Remington 870 Collapsible Stock for Remington 870:

“I have ATI M4-style stock but I don’t use it. It’s a crap.

First of all there are gaps between parts of the stock especially when it is fully extended. Second disadvantage is that you need to take it off before disassembling your shotgun. Third problem is that this stock works good with high sights and you need additional cheek piece.

Also, ATI forend is a pain too, I can’t take it off, it stuck. And when I decide to change it I will have to contact an armorer.

As an alternative, I have ordered SpeedFeed stock and it works perfectly without any problems above.”

Thanks to http://llandaff.livejournal.com/ for this short review.

Remington Supercell Recoil Pad

Posted on January 6, 2010

I have received a letter from Theodore, a Remington 870 owner. He tried to install a Remington Supercell Recoil pad on his shotgun but it didn’t fit, so please check that you are buying a recoil pad which will fit your Rem 870.

From Theodore:

This is Theodore and I have finally received my Supercell Recoil Pad for the Remington 870 (SKU. 19471). The pad seems as if it probably could do a good job absorbing recoil but I never tested firing my Remington Model 870™ Express® Deer Gun with the new pad!!!… to see if it performs as advertised. Why? Well I was very disappointed to find out that it does NOT fit !!! … I know it is strange. I spoke to the official importer and he too confirms this. He immediately refunded me and apologized but all I wanted was a Supercell Recoil Pad for my Remington 870. Anyway, I did some research and I think that “870 express” stock is a different size to the “870 Wingmaster” or Model 1100 stock, which might fit the pad – I don’t know! Lesson. If you wish to purchase this particular product, I recommend you visit the store with your Gun in hand (so to speak) and make sure it fits your stock.

Installation is very easy – only two screws – don’t forget to squirt some oil into the two little holes in the pad of your stock before you unscrew your old or install your new pad to prevent “wounding” your pad during installation.

I have left my old original recoil pad on my gun and I am learning to deal with the recoil. It is a painful leasson, but I prefer it this way. I hope this review of the above product might assist fellow readers of Vitaly’s Rem870 site.

sdfsdfsd

Where to Buy Accessories and Upgrades for Remington 870 Shotgun

Posted on December 16, 2009

Dear readers of the Rem870.com blog,

Today I want ask you to share information about websites where you can buy Remington 870 upgrades and accessories. I think this information will be useful for all Remington 870 owners. Share you positive and negative experience.

Let me start.

Brownells
http://www.brownells.com/

This website has huge amount of different accessories and upgrades for Remington 870. I have used it many times and everything was perfect.

Advantages: The do ship Internationally
Disadvantages: Prices are higher than on the other sites.

Hunting Connection on eBay
http://stores.ebay.com/Hunting-Connection

Very good eBay shop where you can buy different accessories for Remington 870. I have used this shop several times and they were great.

I know that there are a lot of other sites with Remington 870 accessories: Cabelas, MidwayUSA, Gunbroker, Cheaperthandirt etc. Please leave a comment with your experience with these or other websites. Thanks!

ATI Shotgun Heatshield Test and Review

Posted on December 7, 2009

I have tested my new ATI Shotgun heatshield this weekend. It is very convenient especially for a speed shooting, you don’t need to think about the hot barrel when you reloading your shotgun or when you hold it or pass to a friend.

First test was on Saturday. I’ve made about 100 shots using slugs, birdshots and buckshots. Everything was fine but then I saw that heatshield moved for about 1 inch to the front. Also, heatshield hit the rear sight and it now requires adjustment. The problem was easy to fix, you need to tighten all screws very tight. Otherwise heatshield will not stay in place.

Here is photo to show you how your screws should be tighten:

Second test was on Sunday with all screws tighten. I have put about 100 shots again (slugs, birdshots and buckshots) and this time everything was great.

Heatshield is a good addition to a a shotgun but it’s not a must. I am not sure if this particular heatshield is the best one, I want to test the plastic heatshield in the nearest time.

And yes, it will scratch the barrel, so maybe it gives not that much of advantages as I thought.

ATI 12GA Shotgun Heatshield for Remington 870

Posted on December 1, 2009

The main purpose of the shotgun heatshield is to protect hands from burns. I have bought it because barrel gets very hot after big number of shots. Also, you will not need to worry about the hot barrel when reloading.

There are several types of the heat shields for shotguns on the market. Steel ones and plastic ones. I have chosen heatshield by Advanced Technology International. If you have barrel with rifle sights (like me) you will have to make some modifications to it.

First of all you will need to make a hole for the rear sight:

It is not very difficult to do. Then you will need to do something with sharp edges and paint them.

Installation is not a big deal. Heatshield slides over the barrel, turn it upside-down to slide under the rifle sights.

Attention: you will need to sand some parts of your forend which touch the heatshield. Otherwise forend will not work properly with heatshield installed.

Of course it adds some weight to your shotgun but it is not critical. Shotgun looks great with this upgrade. I will test it on the shooting range this weekend and will write about my impressions.

Update: ATI Shotgun Heatshield Test and Review

Remington 870 Photos, Sage International Extension, Forend Strap, Vang Comp Follower

Posted on November 13, 2009

J.R., thank you very much for the great photos!

From J.R.:

“The Vang follower works excellent, I cycled 21 rounds with no problems & the big hole is a good indicator of a unloaded weapon. The sage mag tube is excellent quality although it has a phosphate finish so it looks gray but that’s OK with me and if someone didn’t like it a little BBQ paint would fix it right up, it comes with the nut, barrel & mag clamp which has a sling mount & +3 spring. Just so you know I will be getting a 20′ barrel like yous with rifle sights to match the +3 tube. I also attached a pic of the forend strap I installed. I saw one on a moss I had to have it! It is nothing like the moss version, I did this my self & cut slots in to the forend & used sling screws on the strap. Love the website & I love my 870!”

J.R., thanks again for the photos, they look great! I really like how Vang Comp Follower looks. Also, your forend strap looks like a great addition to a shotgun, very clever.

Remington 870 Magazine Follower (Scattergun Technologies)

Posted on November 4, 2009

Recently I was experimenting with my Choate magazine extension and broke the center part of the Scattergun Technologies follower (it stuck and I had to add some pressure to it), so it is not as reliable as I thought. Replaced it with aluminium follower. I think that metal follower slides in the tube better than the plastic one.

Attention: new Remington 870 shotguns have two “dimples” in magazine tube and Scattergun Technologies follower will not work with them. You will need to drill out the dimples or modify follower.

Overview of Magazine Extensions for Remington 870 Shotgun (Choate, TacStar, Remington, ATI)

Posted on October 28, 2009

This is overview of the most popular magazine extensions for Remington 870 shotgun: Choate, TacStar, Remington. Some of the information is based on my own experience and some is from other owners of our favorite  Rem 870.

I haven’t reviewed plastic magazine extension (ATI) because I don’t think that it is reliable and I don’t recommend it to anyone.

Let’s start with the original Remington magazine extension, it is different from other ones.

Bundle:
Extension
Spring
Clamp (without swivel)
Mounting screw for clamp

1. Remington magazine extension is little longer than the other ones. There are many theories about the purpose of this nose cap in the end of the tube, but the truth is that it allows to attach a bayonet (for example, M7). If you want to add a bayonet to your shotgun you will need an additional bayonet adapter. For example, the one from S&J Hardware, the price is about $80-100.

Original military U.S.M.C. M870 MK1 Bayonet Adapter/Magazine Bracket (which is no longer manufactured) is difficult to find and will cost you about $250.

2.  This extension has a groove around it that provides an interlock for the mounting screw of the barrel clamp. It positions the clamp on the extension and locks it in position. This is one of the advantages of the Remington extension because clamp can’t move under recoil. Some of the shooters say that other barrel clamps are not as reliable as the one by Remington.

3. Extension consists of two parts. This allows smooth feeding. All other extensions are made from solid tube and have small “step” inside tube which can cause jamming of the spring or follower to malfunction.

This extension is the most expensive one, the price is about $100-120

Next extension in this overview is made by Choate

Bundle:
Extension
Spring
Clamp (with swivel)
Mounting screw for clamp
Orange follower with tail

This is one-piece extension made from metal. It is available in polished blue or matte blue finishes. There are several known problems with this magazine extension:
1. Spring need to be cut to proper length.
2. Follower is too big and diameter need to be reduced to slide freely in the magazine tube.
3. It is difficult to thread it fully on to the existing magazine tube. Fits very very tight.
4. Problems with feeding, follower sticks.  Can be fixed by polishing the inside of an extension tube.

It looks like this extension was stamped and not made of solid piece of metal.

The price is about $40-50

And the last extension in this overview is from TacStar

Bundle:
Extension
Spring

I think that this is one of the most popular magazine extensions for Remington 870 shotgun. You can select polished blued or matte parkerized variant. Some of the users of this magazine extension say that parkerized coating was not very durable. Other that that it works perfectly and does not need any modifications.

The tube is made from solid piece of metal.

Price of this extensions is about $50-60

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Attention: Manufacturers of extensions consider that the standard capacity of the Remington 870 Express shotgun is 5 rounds (4+1), that is why when you want to buy magazine extension for 2 rounds, you need to choose the 7-shot magazine extension.

Please leave a comment if you have experience with Remington 870 magazine extensions from this review.

Recoil Pad for Blackhawk Knoxx Stock

Posted on October 24, 2009

I haven’t found information about recoil pads compatible with Knoxx stock and have sent this question to Blackhawk.

So, if you want to replace a standard recoil pad on your Knoxx Spec Ops stock, you can get LimbSaver recoil pad which they offer (part # is K18005-B).

Blackhawk SpecOps Adjustable Stock Owners Manual

Posted on October 14, 2009

Looking for a Blackhawk SpecOps Adjustable Stock Owners Manual?

You can download it here:
Blackhawk SpecOps Adjustable Stock Owners Manual

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