This is updated instruction about Remington 870 safety button replacement. It is more detailed and also has better photos.

When you want to replace the safety button of your Remington 870 you will want to install an oversized safety button. This will allow you to disengage the button more easily, especially if you are wearing gloves or are in a stressful situation where you may lack focus and concentration.

For example, if you use your Remington 870 for home protection then you may not be used to the feeling of having to ward off an intruder with your shotgun. Instead, you are likely only used to hunting with your shotgun or using it for target shooting. But when it comes to defending yourself against a real threat, your heart will be beating fast and you’ll feel an adrenaline rush throughout your entire body. In this state, you will likely forget about the safety or panic when you realize the safety is still on. If you have a standard safety button that is small and tough to disengage then you may not be able to disengage it before the threat comes after you. By replacing the standard button with a bigger button, it will ensure this doesn’t happen.

To change the safety button, you need to first disassemble your Remington 870 shotgun and remove the Trigger Plate Assembly. Next, you need to push out the safety pin from the safety switch. You will need a pin pushing tool or something 1/16 inch wide to push the pin out. Make sure you place your finger on the detent channel before pushing the pin out because the spring inside the hole is under pressure and will jump out quickly if your finger is not there. Since the spring is so small, you will likely never be able to find it again once it jumps out.

Once you have the safety switch retaining pin out, gently let the safety detent spring and ball fall out of the detent channel. Now you can just remove the safety button that is currently there and then install the new safety button. This should be installed from the right side. Next, you need to reinstall the detent ball of the safety followed by the safety switch spring. Put the safety switch pin back in with the pointed end going inside. The safety detent spring now gets depressed into the safety detent channel with the retaining pin being inserted on the end. Now just test the new safety button you installed and then reinstall the Trigger Group Assembly.

First of all, make sure that your shotgun is unloaded. Check both magazine tube and chamber, check visually and by touch.

Oversized Remington 870 Safety Importance

Oversized safety is one of the must have upgrades for your Remington 870. Disengaging safety fast is very important in home defense, tactical and competition shooting.

Big safeties enable you to disengage them quickly and easily even when wearing gloves or under stress. Small Remington 870 factory safety doesn’t allow switching it off fast.

If you participate in shotgun competitions you can often see shoters trying to shoot with safety on. When they hear the sound of a timer they try to pull a trigger and nothing happens, then they realize that safety is on and fumble trying switching it off. That is about 0.5-2 seconds of time which is important in competition shooting and priceless in life or death situation like home defense.

How to Change Remington 870 Safety

1. Disassemble your shotgun and take out the Trigger Plate Assembly (Trigger Group).
2. You need to push out pin which you can see on the picture below:

Safety Switch Retaining Pin

Safety Switch Retaining Pin

3. Place a finger over the safety detent spring hole and push the push out safety switch retaining pin using 1/16 inch pin push or something that fits:
Ppush Out Safety Switch Retaining Pin

Ppush Out Safety Switch Retaining Pin

ATTENTION! The detent spring is under pressure and it may jump out of the hole if you don’t place your finger over the detent channel. You will never find it if it flies away. One of the readers told me that safety replacement took 31 minute: one minute to change the safety, 30 minutes to find the spring.

4. Take out the safety switch retaining pin:

Take Out Safety Switch Retaining Pin

Take Out Safety Switch Retaining Pin

5. Carefully allow safety detent spring and ball to drop from safety detent channel:

Safety Detent Pin, Spring and Ball

Safety Detent Pin, Spring and Ball

6. Remove the old safety button and install new safety from the right side:

Install New Safety From the Right Side

Install New Safety From the Right Side

7. Reinstall the safety detent ball:

Insert Safety Detent Ball

Insert Safety Detent Ball

8.Insert safety switch spring:

Insert Safety Switch Spring

Insert Safety Switch Spring

9. Insert safety switch pin with pointed end first:

Insert Safety Switch Pin with Pointed End First

Insert Safety Switch Pin with Pointed End First

10. Depress the safety detent spring into safety detent channel and insert the retaining pin to the end:

Depress Safety Switch Spring

Depress Safety Switch Spring

Depress Safety Switch Spring

Depress Safety Switch Spring

11. Test new safety button.
12. Reinstall the Trigger Group Assembly.

Remington 870 Safety Installation Video

Here’s video which shows how to install Remington 870 safety:
Remington 870 Oversized Safety Button Installation Video:

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