Remington 870 Express Tactical Shotgun Accessories 2021

Remington 870 is one of the most popular shotguns for home defense. It is reliable, it is easily customizable. Shotgun shot sound is so loud and powerful that will stop threat immediately. Remington 870 is good for home defense out of the box but there are several important upgrades that will make it even more efficient.

Eotech Integrated Forend Light (IFL) for Remington870

These upgrades are carefully selected and tested by me and many shooters around the world. Upgrades for home defense must be simple and reliable.

Home defense is very stressful and critical situation, that is why all equipment must be as simple and as reliable as possible.

1. Eotech IFL

First rule of home defense: “If you can’t identify a target you can’t shoot it”.

That is extremely important because you must not shoot a target that you can’t see and identify. If you hear something downstairs during the night you need to check what it is (of course, calling Police first is a wise idea).

Maybe it is your cat, or wife on diet which decided to eat something while nobody sees! :) That’s funny, but shooting at somebody you can’t see is totally wrong! You must identify your target first.

Shotgun integrated forend light enables you use your shotgun effectively during the night.

Eotech IFL – Integrated Forend Light

Eotech Integrated Forend Light is affordable and effective choice for home defense. It is not as expensive as Surefire forend but has almost all features. It is little less powerful but has all other features of a more expensive light forend.

The best thing is that you can manipulate light switch without removing your hand from the forend.

Related Post:

New Surefire Forend for Remington 870 (DSF-870)

2. Magpul SGA Stock

It is important to have stock that fits you. If you can hold and shoulder shotgun comfortably, you can shoot fast and accurately.

One of the most popular aftermarket stocks. Built like tank. Reliable and easily customizable.

Magpul SGA Stock and Magpul MOE Forend quickly became one of the most popular aftermarket sets for Remington 870. It is not surprising because Magpul has solid reputation of the manufacturer of innovative and quality accessories for firearms. I decided to buy this stock and forend to test them and see how good they are for Remington 870.

At first, Magpul SGA Stock looks unusual but very interesting. That is because Magpul is not afraid of experiments and has will to design innovative products.

Advantages:
1. Unique design, you either love it or hate it.
2. Pistol grip incorporated into classic stock is very comfortable
3. Many additional accessories (cheek risers, sling adapters).
4. Spacers enable you to adjust the length of pull.

I recommend this stock without any doubts because you will love it.

Related Post:

Magpul SGA Stock and MOE Forend for Remington 870 Review

3. Mesa Tactical Sidesaddle

Mesa Tactical 6-Round Side Saddle

When you grab a shotgun in the night, all ammunition you have is in shotgun and on shotgun, so it’s important to have receiver mount shell holder.

I recommend getting Mesa Tactical sidesaddle. This is the most durable and reliable sidesaddle available on the market today. Mesa Tactical sidesaddle is made of aluminium which makes it indestructible. It is low profile and looks fantastic!

One of the good features of this shell carrier is that it doesn’t hide the serial number.

There are many different versions of this sidesaddle. There are 4-round, 6-round and even 8-round shell carriers.

This is the most expensive shell carrier but it is worth the price.

Related Post:

Remington 870 12 Gauge Side Saddle Review: Mesa Tactical, TacStar, Vang Comp

4. Brownells Stainless Steel Follower

Factory Remington 870 magazine follower is cheap and easy to brake. This is number one cause for feeding problems. First Remington 870s had metal followers which were strong and reliable. Changing factory magazine follower is extremely important to ensure reliable feeding. Remember, that broken extractor can stuck inside the magazine tube and you will have to disassemble your shotgun to fix that. And if we are talking about self-defense situation this is the worst case scenario. Factory follower is junk, remove it as soon as possible!

Brownells Stainless Steel Magazine Follower

When you hold it in your hands you feel that it is heavy and reliable, it is thick and made of stainless steel, it is even thicker than Vang Comp Systems follower. Looks good and works well, I didn’t have any malfunctions during the tests. Brownells Magazine Follower has grooves and will work with Remington 870 shotguns which have dimples but don’t have extension.

Stainless Steel Magazine Follower for Remington 870 (by Brownells)

Brownells Stainless Steel Magazine Follower is very good alternative to Vang Comp Systems follower. It is machined, it is stainless, it is thicker than Vang Comp Systems follower. It will last forever.

Related Post:

Remington 870 Followers Overview (Vang Comp Systems, CDM Gear, SBE Precision, GG&G, S&J Hardware, Scattergun Technologies, Choate, Nordic)

5. Tritium Sights

Ameriglo Trijicon Tritium Night Sights

Ameriglo Trijicon Night Sights

Better sights are very important because you use them every time you shoot. It is good idea go get Tritium sights because they glow in the dark for years.

This set is very sturdy and well made. I have tested them in day light and they were very good and easy to use. Of course they don’t glow in the daylight as light gathering sights but easily identifiable thanks to the white ring around tritium tubes. Also, Ameriglo sights glow in the dark thanks to the tritium elements (which will be glowing for 12 years). You can choose several colors for your sights, I have front dot of the green color and yellow dots on the back sight. You can choose all green elements if you want. These sights are little higher than standard ones but I like it.

Related Post:

Ameriglo (Trijicon) Tritium Night Sights for Remington 870 Shotgun

6. Non-MiM Extractor

Remington 870 Extractors: MIM and non-MIM

Machined extractor is one of the must-have upgrades for your Remington 870. It insures reliable extraction of fired shells. Police version of the Remington 870 utilizes non-MIM extractor too because it is more reliable.

Related Post:

Remington 870 Extractor Replacement

7. Oversized Safety

A lot of shotgun owners prefer to replace the standard factory Remington 870 safety because it is rather small and in a stress (home defense) situation it maybe difficult to quickly disengage it. Oversized safety button enables you to disengage safety fast ensuring that you will be able to use your shotgun when you need it. This is very important, especially in stress situation. Also, oversized safety button is much more easier to find when you wearing gloves.

Wilson Combat (Scattergun Technologies) Safety Jumbo Head Safety

Very good safety button for Remington 870. Works great and can be easily disengaged. It doesn’t stick out much and big enough to be quickly disengaged. The quality of this safety button is very good. This is the only one oversized safety which can be used with Knoxx recoil reducing stocks.

Related Post:

Remington 870 Safety, Wilson Combat (Scattergun Technologies), S&J Hardware, Vang

8. Short Barrel

The most popular barrel for homedefense is the Remington 870 18 or 18.5″ bead sight barrel. It is short, simple and inexpensive.

This short barrel enables you to easily manouevre around the house. It is possible to change the factory bead with light gathering or Tritium one.

Remington 870 Barrel

This barrel is universal tool which is good for almost any purpose. Of course, longer barrel will be better for hunting and ghost ring sights will be better for home defense. But 18.5″ bead sight barrel enables you to do almost all tasks. It is good choice for beginners or for people that want to have only one shotgun for home defense and for week end clay shooting.

Some good features of aftermarket Carlsons barrel:

Constructed from ordnance grade 4140 steel
Chrome lined bores
Matte black finish
Available with non-adjustable front sight or adjustable sights
Includes installed Carlson cylinder choke tube
Remington barrels are threaded for the standard Rem Choke system

Related Post:

Remington 870 Barrels

9. Shotgun Sling Mount from GG&G

Shotgun Sling Mount from GG&G

Shotgun Sling Mount from GG&G enables you to install a one-point sling on your Remington 870.

One-point sling enables you to have free hands during home-defense situation. For example, you can hold a phone calling police, you can switch to a handgun when situation requires, etc.

Related Post:

GG&G Shotgun Sling Mount Review

10. Magazine Extension

Some of the Remington 870 shotguns come without magazine extnesion which means that you can have just 4+1 shotgun shells. That is good idea to have more ammunition.

The best extension you can buy is the Nordic Components magazine extension:

It is lightweight and reliable. This extension comes with high-quality spring with black coating. And the best thing – a lot of shooters use these extensions and have no problems with them.

This extension is lightweight. If you compare it to other ones you will see a great difference in weight. Remington 870 is a heavy shotgun and is nice to have such lightweight extension.

Included magazine spring is top quality. This is the best spring for a magazine extension you can find.

New Remington 870 Home Defense Project, with Parts List

Remington 870 Home Defense Project from Malpaso from Remington 870 Forum:

Finished my 870 project tonight. Since I pulled info from all over the place, both here and on other sites, I thought I’d compile everything in one place.

I started off with a basic Wingmaster.

I was lucky enough to sell off the stock, forend and barrel, and put those funds toward the replacement parts. I effectively turned it into a Police. Here is what I replaced, with factory part numbers and Brownell’s part numbers for reference:

18-1/2″ Parkerized barrel F242243 767-000-385WB
Sear spring, heavy police F97642 767-000-716WB
Carrier dog follower spring F17415 767-174-150WB
Extractor, non-MIM F16176 767-161-760WB
Safety VCS 100-000-569WB
2 round mag extension with follower 100-003-056WB
Stock set 100-011-223WB
Sling mount MAG507 100-009-581WB
L3 MOE rail MAG407BLK 100-005-601WB
Light mount MAG614BLK100-015-677WB

The Vang 2 round mag extension comes with the follower, spring and sling attachment. Good deal as a set.

Here’s the after pictures:

Remington 870 Magpul Forend with Flashlight

Remington 870 Magpul Stock

Remington 870 Magpul Stock and Forend

One problem I ran into was that light mount does not fit on that light rail. It doesn’t say that on the Magpul or Brownell’s web sites, as far as I saw. It will only work with a scout or other offset mount. Fortunately, I had a light mount that I had lying around for another project, but it fits perfectly on this set up.

The light is a modified G2 with this drop in http://www.malkoffdevices.com/drop-in-m … nd-malkoff
It is friggin’ bright. There’s no need for a clicky with that mod because once it’s on, you’ve destroyed all night vision. I’ve got the light in just the right place that I can hit the temporary on button, and even twist the tailcap with my thumb if need be.

I was originally thinking of painting it, which is why I got the FDE so I would already have the base coat on them. I found with the Magpul stock, if I left the LOP as short as it would go (about 2″ short of normal for me), it would make an excellent house gun. No need to paint it, and I really don’t care about the mismatch colors.

I have a barrel/magazine clamp, not sure if I’ll need it.

Because I didn’t know what type of sling set-up I was going to end up with, there are three different connection points for 1 or 2 point set-ups.

I did a mock clear of the house last night with all the lights off. Everything functioned great. I like the light position. Hopefully get to the range this weekend.

Here are parts I considered, but did not use, either because I used alternative parts, or chose to go a different direction:

2 round mag extension A5102305 019-000-047WB
Trigger Assembly F102203 767-000-501WB
Magazine spring, police F92447 767-000-379WB
Follower 100-002-463WB
Detachable side ammo carrier DSACREM 100-005-245WB
Forward sling mount MAG508 100-010-976WB
Sling Swivel MAG540 100-013-937WB
Barrel and 2 round mag extension 100-014-061WB
18″ barrel cylinder bore bead sight 24620 767-000-957WB

Related Post:

Magazine Extensions for Remington 870 Shotgun (Nordic Components, Choate, TacStar, Remington, ATI)

Tactical Accessories and Upgrades for Remington 870

Gun owners who own a Remington 870 love to add tactical upgrades to their shotgun. It just so happens that there is many tactical upgrade options you can choose from. For example, if you use a Remington 870 for home defense then you will want to upgrade to an 18” barrel because it is shorter and allows you to maneuver around your home faster. This is great for beginners to practice with as well.

The tactical flashlight is another example of this. You can actually attach a flashlight to the end of your Remington 870 shotgun which helps you see your target at nighttime or in dark places. These flashlights are usually light weight and come with rails or mounts so you can easily attach them to your shotgun. Since it is light weight, it won’t weigh down the shotgun or interfere with shooting it.

Another tactical upgrade is a light weight magazine extension to your shotgun so you can hold more rounds. One of the most important features of any tactical weapon is to be able to hold as many rounds as possible. If you look at the police style Remington 870 shotguns, they all typically have magazine extensions that can hold over five rounds of ammunition. Private gun owners can purchase these same kinds of extensions, but they are usually used for hunting purposes more than anything else.

A popular tactical upgrade that will probably interest you is sight or optical attachments to help you aim at your target. In the old days, it was hard to add optic sights to a shotgun because the receiver of the gun wasn’t made for it. But now there are companies making optical sights that work with a low-profile receiver rail. You can also add a ghost ring sight if you want to remain discrete from your target while increasing the accuracy of your aim at the same time.

One of the big problems people have with shotguns has to do with the stock, which is the opposite end of the shotgun that rests against your body. If this part is too long then you won’t be able to get a good grip on the weapon. For tactical purposes, you can replace your longer stock with a shorter stock. That way you can get a pistol grip on the shotgun while still being able to lean the stock against your body for stability and accuracy.

Finally, consider adding a side saddle to your shotgun in order to have easier access to ammunition. This saddle simply gets mounted to the side of your shotgun and does not interfere with your aiming or shooting in any way. It is also light weight, so it won’t add any pressure when holding the shotgun either.

Tactical Accessories and Upgrades for Remington 870

TOPTACTICAL has posted pics of his Remington 870 with lots of interesting tactical upgrades and accessories on Remington 870 forum:

Hi guys, this is my tactical Remy

Remington 870 Express Magnum
Mesa Tactical 6 Shot Sureshell
Mesa Tactical LEO Telescoping Stock Kit
Mesa Tactical Magazine Clamp w/ Sling Swivel
Mesa Tactical Ambi Sling Loop
Vltor AR-15 Buffer Tube Mil Spec
Synthetic Heat Shield
SureFire 618FA
SureFire FM67 Beamcover
CAA Cheek Piece
LimbSaver AR-15 Recoil Pad
Truglo Tritium Fiber Optic (TFO) sight

Remington 870 Tactical Accessories

	Get Mesa Telescoping Stock here: http://tinyurl.com/cwpbtxx

Remington 870 Sling Adapters

Remington 870 Shellholder and Stock from Mesa Tactical

Mesa Shotshell Holder	Get Mesa Shotshell Holder here: http://tinyurl.com/9r9mw5d

Remington 870 Mesa Tactical Stock

Remington 870 Heatshield

Advanced Technology Heatshield	Get Advanced Technology Heatshield here: http://tinyurl.com/cglhzhg

Remington 870 Extension, Sight and Magazine Clamp with Sling Swivel

Surefire Forend for Remington 870	Get Surefire forend for Remington 870 here: http://tinyurl.com/d55moqe

Remington 870 Extension, Sight and Magazine Clamp with Sling Swivel

Truglo Brite-Site Shotgun Sight	Get Truglo Brite-Site Shotgun Sight here: http://tinyurl.com/cy39695

Related Post:

5 Best Aftermarket Stocks for Remington 870

Tactical/Home Defense Remington 870, Mesa Tactical and other upgrades

One of the readers of the Rem870.com blog has sent me pics of his shotgun. Paul, thank you for the pics and info, your shotgun looks great.

Tactical/Home Defense Remington 870

Remington 870 Tactical

Tactical/Home Defense Remington 870

Here is information about this Remington 870 shotgun:
“I started with an 870 synthetic 7 shot, then added a Calvary Arms AR 15 style stock adapter, Magpul CTR stock with 1/2” cheek riser, Magpul MIAD pistol grip, ATI heatshield with ghost ring sites (the rear site is non functional due to picatinny rail) Mako tri-rail forend with a Magpul “stubby” vertical grip, Magpul XTM rail covers, Tacstar 6 shot side saddle, Tacstar mini tri-rail, and topped it all off with an Eotech XPS holographic weapons site. Future mods include Endine recoil buffer tube system, light/laser combo, oversized safety, upgraded extractor detachable sling mounts & sling and Remchoke door breacher.”

I really like how this shotgun looks like, real combat Remington 870!

Remington 870 Express Tactical/Home Defense Upgrades and Accessories

spsreef has posted photos of his Remington 870 Express built for home defense. The setup is very interesting. There are a lot of different upgrades and accessories.

If you have any questions, you may ask spsreef directly on the Remington 870 forum.

Remington 870 with Knoxx Stock, Knoxx Powerpak, Magpul Forend, GG&G Sidesaddle, AFG grip, Rail

I wanted something for home protection, and a little fun.
Remington 870 Tactical Blackhawk Spec Ops Stock Model
• Key Features:
• 7 position LOP adjustment
• Recoil reduction system
• Enhanced pistol grip
• Sling mount – adjustable LH, RH, or Removed
• Drilled and tapped receiver
• SuperCell recoil pad
Add Ons:
• Magpul forend
• Magpul AFG2 angled foregrip
• Magpul MBUS backup sights
• Mesa Tactical 9” MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail
• GG&G Side Saddle Shell Holder
• Streamlight TLR-4 Tactical Light & Laser Sight
• Hogue Slip-on Grip
• Blackhawk Powerpak Modular Cheek Piece Kit
• GG&G Magazine Follower

Remington 870 with GG&G Sidesaddle, AFG grip, Rail, Magpul MBUS Backup Sights

Remington 870 with Knoxx Stock, SuperCell recoil pad, Magpul forend, Magpul AFG2 angled foregrip, Mesa Tactical 9” MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail

Blackhawk! Knoxx Stock Gen II for Remington 870		Get Blackhawk! Knoxx Stock Gen II for Remington 870 here: http://tinyurl.com/ojcct46

Remington 870 with Knoxx Stock, Powerpak, Blackhawk Powerpak Modular Cheek Piece Kit, Hogue Slip-on Grip

Blackhawk Powerpak Modular Cheek Piece Kit		Get Blackhawk Powerpak Modular Cheek Piece Kit Remington 870 here: http://tinyurl.com/bwythl6

Remington 870 with Knoxx Stock, Powerpak, Blackhawk Powerpak Modular Cheek Piece Kit, Hogue Slip-on Grip

Remington 870 with Magpul forend, Magpul AFG2 angled foregrip

Magpul MOE Forend for Remington 870		Get Magpul MOE Forend for Remington 870 here: http://tinyurl.com/8qy9acj

Remington 870 with Magpul forend, Magpul AFG2 angled foregrip, Streamlight TLR-4 Tactical Light & Laser Sight

Streamlight TLR-4 Tactical Light & Laser Sight		Get Streamlight TLR-4 Tactical Light & Laser here: http://tinyurl.com/b8nte4q

Remington 870 with Streamlight TLR-4 Tactical Light & Laser Sight, Magpul forend, Magpul AFG2 angled foregrip

Ultimate Home Defense Remington 870 Build

UltimateGuns posted very nice pics of the home defense build on the Remington 870 Forum:

Here’s an Ultimate 870HD build I did for a customer. It started life as an 870 Tactical, but I upgraded basically everything. I installed our Ultimate Reliability Kit, which includes the non-MIM extractor from the 870 Police model, the upgraded carrier dog spring, and a Vang Comp follower. I also added the 870P sear spring to reduce the chance of a negligent discharge. I added a Vang Comp Big Dome safety. Next, I polished the action bars and coated them with Cerakote’s MicroSlick, so it cycles like butter. I also added MicroSlick to the bolt. Next, I installed a Nordic Components magazine spring. I finished it in black Cerakote. I also installed a XS Big Dot tritium bead night sight, and a Mesa Tactical aluminum shell carrier. After the pics were taken, I added an Elzetta Alpha flashlight…315 lumens and only 3.4 ounces. Furniture is from Magpul. It came out pretty well.
Thanks,
Brad

I really like the build which Brad made. First of all, Magpul stock and forend for the Remington 870 are the most popular and versatile ones. You can adjust LOP, add a cheek etc.

Non-MIM extractor improves reliability of the Remington 870. It doesn’t cost much but really improves your shotgun. Also, you can get Volquartsen Remington 870 Exact Edge Extractor which is as good as non-MIM extractor.

Remington 870 with Mesa Tactical Sidesaddle

Carrier do spring is also improves reliability of your shotgun. It is inexpensive and easy to install.

Vang Comp Systems follower is one of the best followers on the market. It is made of stainless steel and has a hole, so you can check if your shotgun is empty by touch.

Remington 870 Police has a heavy sear spring to reduce the chance of a negligent discharge. It is also inexpensive, useful and easy to install.

Remington 870 with Mesa Tactical Sidesaddle

Vang Comp Big Dome safety makes it easier to disengage it even under combat stress or when using gloves. It is very big, so I prefer the one by Wilson Combat of S&J Hardware. But there are a lot of shooters which like VCS safety.

Nordic Components magazine spring is the best one. It is well-made, reliable and strong. The price of the magazine follower spring is just about $8.

Remington 870 XS Big Dot Tritium Bead Night Sight

XS Big Dot tritium bead night sight is awesome! It is big and comfortable to use day and night. The installtion is easy and can be done at home.

Mesa Tactical aluminum shell carrier is one of the most reliable and sturdy sidesaddles on the market. It hold shells reliably and enables quick shotgun reloads.

So, very good home defense setup without tacticool upgrades.

Home Defense Remington 870 12 Gauge 3″ Magnum

Nice and simple home defense Remington 870 12 Gauge 3″ Magnum setup.

-duracoat with durablue (Painting Remington 870 Shotgun)
-hiviz shotgun sight
–wilson combat 2 shot vertical magazine extension kit (follower + magazine spring)
-tanks HD magazine/barrel clamp
–wilson combat jumbo head safety
–870 non mim extractor
–1100 carrier dog follower spring ( carrier latch)
–limbsaver airtech recoil pad

Tactical Remington 870 Shotgun

I can’t wait to share with you a letter and photos from J.R.. J.R. have made a lot of work and result is fantastic.

Tactical Remington 870

From J.R.:

Well I have finished the 870 project for now. I have installed a Remington 18.5″ Rem choke barrel and purchased a Trulock tactical breaching choke as well as a Colonial Arms extended ported improved cylinder choke to keep it functional on the range. I patterned some bird shot with the Colonial choke and it definitely tightens it up. I have not put any rounds through the Trulock choke but it is built like a tank and will handle anything. I have also added a Limbsaver recoil pad which works extremely well at reducing felt recoil. Another upgrade added was a XS sight systems tritium front sight, it is simple to install because it’s just epoxied over the factory bead and it is a nice indicator of barrel direction in the dark. I am very impressed with the Duracoat product. I have no complaints and it is an incredible do it yourself product that has held up extremely well so far.

Tactical Remington 870

Here is a list of all the mods and upgrades I have done to my 870.

Rem 18.5″ Rem choke barrel
Rem comp sear spring
Rem non MIM extractor
Rem factory +3 mag ext
Colonial Arms extended ported imp cyl choke
Trulock tactical breaching choke
Mesa Tactical low tube stock kit
Mesa Tactical mag/barrel clamp
UTG scope mount
Barska 40mm red dot sight
Streamlight TLR-1 tactical light
Streamlight remote pressure switch
Streamlight 870 mount (modified)
Vang Comp SS mag follower
Wilson Combat oversize safety
Hogue overmolded forend
Limbsaver recoil pad
XS sight systems tritium front sight
Command arms M4 cheek riser
Rocky Mountain Tactical dual config tactical sling
Ontario M7 bayonet
S&J Hardware bayo mount
Duracoat Durabake parkerize finish

Tactical Remington 870

Tactical Remington 870

Tactical Remington 870

Best Upgrades for Remington 870

Remington 870 Tactical HD (Home Defense) Build

jbur88 published very interesting Remington 870 Tactical HD (Home Defense) Build on Remington 870 Forum.

List of upgrades:

Magpul SGA stock
Magpul Mlok forend
Mapul ms3 sling and sling mounts
Mesa Tactical 6 round side saddle
Vang comp big dome safety
Volquartsen extractor
Stiffer carrier spring
Elzetta mount
Streamlight polytac hp light

Remington 870 Tactical Home Defense (HD) build

Remington 870 Tactical Home Defense (HD) build

Remington 870 Tactical Home Defense (HD) build

Remington 870 Tactical Home Defense (HD) build

U.S. Self Defense Laws: Duty to Retreat and Stand Your Ground

There are a lot of controversies over the gun laws, particularly those pertaining to self-defense with a firearm. Many gun owners are confused about the laws of self-defense because different jurisdictions throughout the country have different laws. The most confusion surrounds the laws of “duty to retreat” and “stand your ground.” Certain jurisdictions have a duty to retreat requirement which means that somebody who is threatened by someone else cannot shoot the person making the threat. Instead, they have to retreat to a safe place and simply put themselves out of harm’s way. Then there are other jurisdictions which let people being threatened exercise their “stand-your-ground” rights. Stand-your-ground is a law that lets people being threatened to use deadly force as a method of self-defense if there is truly a reason for them to believe their life is in danger.

A Castle Doctrine (also known as a castle law or a defense of habitation law) is a legal doctrine that designates a person’s abode or any legally occupied place – e.g., a vehicle or home, as a place in which that person has protections and immunities permitting him or her, in certain circumstances, to use force (up to and including deadly force) to defend himself or herself against an intruder, free from legal prosecution for the consequences of the force used.

One famous example of “stand-your-ground” was with the George Zimmerman trial in Florida where he was accused of shooting dead an unarmed teenager named Trayvon Martin. In that case, Zimmerman claimed that Martin was hitting him on the ground repeatedly and that he had a reason to believe his life was in danger. This was his excuse for taking out a gun and shooting Martin. After Zimmerman went through a criminal trial, the jury found him not guilty based on the stand-your-ground law which exists in Florida. But even if this had been a duty to retreat state, Zimmerman may still have gotten away with it.

In criminal law, the duty to retreat, or requirement of safe retreat, is a legal requirement in some jurisdictions that a threatened person cannot stand one’s ground and apply lethal force in self-defense, but must instead retreat to a place of safety.

Duty to retreat doesn’t mean you cannot defend yourself in any situation. What it means is you must do everything you can to avoid using lethal force by retreating to the nearest safe area. However, you are allowed to use lethal force if someone is threatening your life and preventing you from retreating to a safe area. But you must be able to prove that you took steps to try and retreat from the situation first. Otherwise, you could be found guilty in court if you shoot first without trying to retreat. In the case of George Zimmerman, he was allegedly on the ground getting punched repeatedly so one could argue that he was unable to retreat. But it would still be a much tougher defense to prove than “stand-your-ground.”

What is unique about the stand-your-ground law is that it does not require you to retreat. All you have to do is prove that someone posed a real threat to your life and then you can use the “stand-your-ground” legal defense to justify shooting them. For example, if someone breaks into your home, you typically have the right to shoot them in a stand-your-ground state. But they have to be on your property and facing you when you shoot them. There have been people who shoot intruders in the back while they’re running away and then end up getting charged with murder because of it. After all, if someone is running away from you then they obviously don’t pose a threat to your life. Therefore, no jury is going to believe the stand-your-ground defense of a homeowner who shoots an intruder in the back.

When someone poses a threat to your life, it usually means they’re pointing a gun, knife or some other lethal weapon at you. They may even say they’re going to kill you with their own words. People that break into your house are clearly a threat to your life and it is easy to prove they are a threat because they don’t belong in your home. But if someone threatens you outside of your home, that’s when it gets trickier to prove a stand-your-ground defense. For example, if you’re walking down the street with a concealed weapon and someone says they’re going to kill you, it may not be a good idea to just shoot them if you don’t see a weapon. It would be impossible to prove the threat in court.

The duty to retreat law is flexible in some jurisdictions. For instance, if someone is attacked in their home, they don’t necessarily have a duty to retreat because it is their home. Some courts may find the victim had “no duty to retreat” in this situation. But if it’s in a public place, you are required to either run away or hide in an area where you can avoid the attacker. However, when it comes to police officers, they are exempt from the “duty to retreat” law because they are working in the line of duty to stop a particular threat. Of course, they cannot use lethal force unless the person in question poses a threat to their lives.

Top 8 Remington 870 Tactical Accessories

Remington 870 is reliable and popular shotgun. But standard Remington 870 comes with standard stock, sights, follower, forend etc. Personalize your Remington 870 for your mission. 870 for home defense or 870 for hunting? You can find upgrades for any purpose.

Remington 870 with Fiber Optic Sight

Tactical upgrades and accessories for your Remington 870 depend on the model you have. There are less upgrades fro Remington 870 in 20 gauge. It is not possible to install standard Remington 870 barrels on new model of Remington 870 Tactical shotgun with one piece magazine tube.

So what are the top 8 upgrades in my opinion?

1. Stock and forend

Remington 870 Magpul Stock

Standard Remington 870 Express comes with wood stock and forend or simple synthetic stock and forend. Remington 870 Tactical can come with tactical Speedfeed stock or even Magpul stock and forend.

Why stock is so important? Because you use it every time you grab your shotgun. So many shotgun owners have wrong stock on their shotguns. Some buy tacticool stock because of the looks but I recommend choosing simple stocks which are comfortable to use.

Remington 870 recoil reducing stock is another good option for new shooters. They really work and reduce felt recoil.

Stocks available in many colors or you may even want to paint it yourself. Hunters may prefer to use camo stock but it is recommended to have highly visible orange stock when there are a lot of other hunters around.

Remington 870 folding stock is a good option when you need a compact shotgun to have it in your car or backpack.

I prefer simple solutions and like KISS principle. There are two stock that are simple and very comfortable to use: Hogue overmolded stock for Remington 870 and Magpul SGA stock for Remington 870.

Remington 870 pistol grip stock is not very comfortable for your wrist when you shoot a lot.

You can choose adjustable stock or get spacers for your Remington stock. Proper Length of Pull is very important for comfortable shooting experience.

So make sure that you choose stock and forend which are comfortable for you.

2. Safety button

Remington 870 Safety and Alternatives (Wilson Combat (Scattergun Technologies), S&J Hardware, Vang

Safety button is a small but very important part in any firearm. This part can cost you a life in home defense situation if you forget to switch it off.

It is easy to upgrade Remington 870 shotgun safety button. Oversized safety button is much easier to switch off. This is very important upgrade for tactical Remington 870 shotgun.

Big Remington 870 safety button make it easier to find and switch it of in home defense or under stress. Small safety is difficult to find, especially in gloves. Large Remington 870 safety button enables you to easily use it even when wearing gloves.

Remington 870 safety button upgrade is inexpensive and simple but very important upgrade. Must have for any tactical Remington 870 shotgun.

3. Follower

Remington 870 Followers

Remington 870 magazine tube construction is very simple, it consists of several parts: magazine tube, magazine tube extension (some shotguns don’t have magazine extension), follower and spring.

Magazine follower and magazine spring are two important parts that you have in magazine and magazine extension of your Remington 870 shotgun. Those parts are responsible for reliable feeding of shells.

Magazine follower upgrade is very easy. There are a lot of aftermarket followers and magazine springs. They are inexpensive but greatly improve feeding. Most of the tactical or home defense shotguns have upgraded follower and spring.

The best springs are from Nordic Components and Wolff.

One of the first aftermarket followers was Vang Comp stainless steel magazine follower but now you can find a lot of them. They are available in different colors and made from different materials.

4. Sights

Remington 870 Universal Ghost Ring Firesights

Most of the Remington 870 models come with simple bead sight. It is simple and easy to use but there are lots of aftermarket sights with better features. Remington 870 Tactical comes with ghost ring sights from XS.

Remington 870 fiber optic sights (also called light gathering sights) gather light and make it much easier to shoot. Remington 870 Hi Viz sights are the most popular choice of fiber optic sights. Hi Viz manufactures many different types of light gathering sights.

Ghost ring sights make it easier to aim, especially when you shoot slugs. Ghost ring sights recommended for tactical shotguns.

Ghost ring sights for Remington 870 are available from many manufacturers like XS, Williams, Vang Comp Systems, Wilson Combat. There are also tritium ghost ring sights with Trijicon tritium elements.

Installation of rear ghost ring sights Remington 870 Express require drilling and tapping of receiver. Front sight is usually attached using epoxy.

5. Magazine extension

Remington 870 Vang Comp Systems Magazine Extension Tube

Magazine extension is on of the first tactical upgrades Remington 870 Express owners usually buy. Some 870 models come with already installed magazine extension.

Remington 870 extension tube installation is easier for older models but you will have to remove dimples on newer Remington 870 shotguns.

Most Remington 870 tube extension problems are caused by dimples which were not removed from magazine tube.

There are many Remington 870 extended magazine tubes for sale. You can buy magazine extension tube from Remington, TacStar, Nordic Components, ATI, Vang Comp Systems, Wilson Combat, Choate and others.

I would say that mag ext tube is a must have for any tactical Remington 870 shotgun. It enables you to have more ammo.

Extended magazine is a very good feature, you can get extension for 1, 2, 3 and more rounds.

6. Barrel

Remington 870 Barrels

There are many different barrels available for Remington 870 shotgun. You can get them directly from Remington or choose from the aftermarket barrels.

Long barrel is perfect for hunting or clays. Short barrel is must have for tactical or home defense use. Standard Remington 870 Tactical comes with short 18 1/2″ inch barrel.

Replacement barrel is easy to find and install. Just remember that newer Remington 870 Tactical with one piece magazine accepts only barrels designed specially for Tactical model.

If you want to build Remington 870 for home defense then recommended barrel length is 18, 18 1/2″ or 20 inches.

Short barrel makes it easier to maneuver around the house.

Remember, Remington 870 a shotgun with a barrel length shorter than 18 inches or an overall length shorter than 26 inches requires special license (Short Barrel Shotgun).

Remington 870 rifled barrels are not needed for home defense shotgun. They are good choice for hunters.

7. Receiver mounted shotshell carrier (sidesaddle)

TacStar: 6 Round Sidesaddle

Sidesaddle – is a receiver mounted shotshell carrier. You can install ammo holder on your tactical Remington 870 shotgun to always have additional ammo with your shotgun.

Sidesaddles available from many manufacturers: TacStar, Mesa Tactical, ATI and others. Receiver mounted shotshell carrier can be installed on all models of Remington 870 from Express to Police.

Remington 870 side saddle installation is easy, you just remove trigger group pins and replace them with sidesaddle screws.

Sidesaddles are made of different materials and all priced differently. You need to compare them to find the best sidesaddle for your Remington 870 shotgun. Some of the shotshell carriers (Mesa Tactical Sureshell) are even have picatinny rail to install red dot, scope or ghost ring sights.

Sidesaddle is one of the tactical accessories which are inexpensive and very effective.

8. Flashlight

Inforce/Streamligth TLR-1 Flashlight on CDM Gear BMT Clamp

And last but not least. If you can’t see target you can’t shoot it. Flashlight is one of the must have tactical accessories.

There are many good tactical flashlights but you also need Remington 870 flashlight mount. The best flashlight mounts are manufactured by CDM Gear and Elzetta.

The most expensive solution is Remington 870 flashlight forend from Surefire or Eotech.

Flashlight laser combo like TLR-2 is a good choice too but laser is useless, it even slows you down.

You choose what is better for you: Rmington 870 flashlight holder like CDM Gear clamp or Remington 870 flashlight forend like Surefire.

Make sure that you choose reliable tactical flashlight which can work under heave 12 gauge recoil.

Remington 870 Builds, Tactical, Home defense

Magpul Stock with SGA Sling Mount

Remington 870, flashlight, rifle sights

Remington 870, flashlight, rifle sights

Remington 870 with Law Enforcement Folding Stock

Remington 870 with Law Enforcement Folding Stock

Remington 870, Magpul Furniture

Remington 870 with Magpul Stock

Remington 870 with Pistol Grip Stock

Remington 870 with Pistol Grip Stock

Remington 870 with Shoulder (traditional stock) and Pistol Grip Stock

Remington 870 with Sdesaddle and Magpul Stock

Remington 870 with Tactical Upgrades

Remington 870 with Tactical Upgrades

Remington 870 with Sidesaddle

Remington 870 Sling Loop