Recommend me a 870 Model

[Hunters21w]

So I decided to wait a couple months until some of the craze dies down. Went to a local Dunhams store today and they had a ton of Tactical 870s for $360ish. The thing is, I don't want a pistol grip. Can I easily remove the grip and continue with my plan of the Magpul furniture?

Also the sight on that thing was almost non existent. How difficult is it to install rifle sights of some sort?

Thanks for the replies guys!

[MStarmer]

Stocks are easily removed and replaced with the Magpul furniture. If you want one with rifle or ghost rings it may be cheaper to buy one set up that way than try and outfit it later. Reading thru all the posts on here the tactical models seems to be in transition, some have beads, some have ghost rings, tapped receivers etc. Then there is the 4 shot mags or 6 shot tubes...

[Synchronizor]

So I decided to wait a couple months until some of the craze dies down. Went to a local Dunhams store today and they had a ton of Tactical 870s for $360ish. The thing is, I don't want a pistol grip. Can I easily remove the grip and continue with my plan of the Magpul furniture?

Any 12ga 870 (except for SuperMag models) can have the Magpul furniture swapped on just as easily, the fore-end tube assemblies and rear receiver ends are all identical.

Also the sight on that thing was almost non existent. How difficult is it to install rifle sights of some sort?

There are a couple different ways to do this. The best way would probably be to find an 870 with rifle sights, and buy that instead of the Tactical model. The only major extras that you get with the Tactical 870s is the furniture (which you're going to be replacing anyway), and a magazine extension (which you can buy separately and add yourself with a little work). Just make sure the gun comes with a smoothbore barrel, and not a fully-rifled barrel unless you want a dedicated slug gun.


Alternatively, you can find a Tactical 870 (you'll need one with a magazine extension, not one with the one-peice 6-round magazine), and buy a separate barrel with rifle sights. This would be a little easier, you'd have more control over the specifics of the rifle-sight barrel (length, choke, etc.), and you'd end up with two barrels for the gun; but you'd probably spend more money buying a gun and an extra barrel than you would buying a gun and a magazine extension (again, assuming you want a magazine extension on this build).


You can have rifle sights custom-installed on a barrel, but that would probably get expensive unless your gunsmith owes you a big favor. There are also full-length rails and bolt-on heat shields that have rifle or ghost-ring sights, but those tend to add a lot of bulk and/or weight to the gun, and aren't always the most reliable.

[MStarmer]

Not cheap but you can get a great barrel at midway for about $184 shipped. Tritium rifle sights, modified choke and park'd finish. I just ordered one the other day.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/921370 ... cm_vc=S014

[Automag]

I like the 870P and the 870 Police Magnum, just my 2 cents worth...

[Hunters21w]

Don't worry guys I didn't forget about you! Still researching the model I'd like to buy. What do you guys think of these.

This is a somewhat local shop to me. Seems to do pretty good work and this model has a lot of features that I would put on.

http://www.aiptactical.com/site/76b34f1 ... I.php#2905

Here's another local shop. Tons of work put into this from what I can tell. A bit pricey but seems to be worth it.

http://www.migunowners.org/forum/showth ... p?t=257200

Or I can just get the magpul edition 870 express and do the rest myself?

[DaveC]

I can't get those links to work.

I'm no expert, certainly, but having three defensive shotgun classes under my belt, I'll pontificate:

1. Make sure the shotgun fits your height and build. Personally, I love the Magpul stock, but don't have one. Just a "youth size" short length-of-pull pistol-grip stock for me, made by Choate. Why a pistol grip? Because if I had to operate the shotgun with just one arm [a tough exercise, lemme tell ya!], I can hold it into my shoulder much better that way. Also, keeping the shotgun shouldered for a prolonged period is easier for me with the pistol grip. If I had a Mossberg, I'd never put a pistol-grip stock on it due to how the safety works.

2. For a "grab and go" defensive situation, having some ammunition on the shotgun is a nice thing to have. How much is really personal preference. For me, I have a 4-shell side-saddle.

3. Having a flashlight is really, really useful. Sticking one on the shotgun, even if you don't use it very often, seems really desireable on a tactical or defensive use shotgun. I had a "first generation" light on mine for many, many years. Now I've got the EOTech IFL with a 120 lumen light. The handstop on the forend will bite ya, if you are not careful.

4. You might want extra magazine capacity. I still use the stock 4+1 magazine, but most would suggest or advocate a 5+1 or 6+1 ore even more.

Good luck with your decisions.

[Hunters21w]

Thank you for your educated reply! I will post the specs of the 870s from the 2 links.

This Remington 870 Police Magnum is built from all factory new parts. This is an ideal basic duty weapon with just the right accessories that will serve your needs. Remington 870 Police Receiver, Police trigger assembly and I have installed the Wilson Over size safety. Police bolt assembly. I installed a Remington Law Enforcement synthetic reduced LOP stock with the R3 recoil pad to help soak up some of that punishing 12 ga recoil. The LOP is 13 inches to compensate for body armor. I installed the Remington LE 2 shot extension to give this weapon a 6+1 capacity. The barrel is an 18.5" police barrel in I/C choke with factory installed Meprolight (by Kimber) Tritium rifle night sights. I installed a Mesa Tactical 6 round shell holder for extra rounds when you grab this out of the cruiser. It comes with a Mesa Tactical Quick detach push botton Single point sling mount. There are QD's on the barrel bracket and stock to also give you two and three point options.
This weapon is $825.00 plus shipping.

This is the second one, pretty pricey though so it's pretty much my last option. Just throwing it out there to see if you guys think it'd be worth it.

Till August 31st .You will receive a free Magpul Furniture upgrade and an additional Full Choke. That’s a $200 upgrade for at no additional cost.
This is the finest 870 Tactical available, no one else provides so many standard features right out of the box.
• Precision Sub 4# Trigger
• Trigger Take-up Eliminated
• Trigger Set Stud for Reduced Over Travel
• Action Polished to a Honed Finish
• XS® Front Blade Sight
• XS® Rear Adjustable Ghost Ring Sight
• XS® Picatinney Rail Mounted to the Receiver
• Lengthened Forcing Cone Polished and Honed
• 18.5” TACTICAL Barrel with Exclusive Mag-na-port™ TACTICAL Pro-Porting
• Optional Proprietary Cerakote Finishes FDE, Blackwood Black, MI Coyote, Olive Drab and Custom Colors upon Request.
• Optional Furniture: Standard, Remington Shurshot, and Magpul (at an additional cost)
• Extended Magazine Tube

Retail starts at $1,500.00


The magpul edition 870 is right around 750ish from what I've seen so that's my first choice, especially since it has the XS Ghost Ring and not just the bead sight.

Let me know what you think!

[DaveC]

I like the sound of the former shotgun, and the version with the Magpul furniture already installed and the rifle sights/ "ghost ring" XS sights sure sounds like something you are interested in having, so you might go for it. The latter sure is expen$$$ive! That's way up there close to AR-levels of expense.

I built my wife a lever-action .410 defense gun out of a stock Marlin .410 and installed a "ghost ring" aperture sight and a front post from XS sights. That stuff is expensive, but I like it. I wrapped the lever with paracord and installed a leather butt-cuff for six extra .410 Remington 00 buckshot shells [four pellets at about 1250fps]. Normally, I wouldn't consider a .410 a defensive caliber, but what with all the ammunition developments to keep up with the popularity of the Taurus Judge [why...? I'll never know!], I thought it would be interesting to see how it does out of a full-size 20-inch barrel.

Three shotguns here:
Rem. 870 Express 12ga. with EOTech IFL, tac-star side-saddle, 18-1/2in. Mossberg-mfr. barrel, Choate pistol-grip youth stock, S&J magazine follower...

Smith and Wesson/Howa 3000 12ga. Rem. 870 copy from Pontiac, MI PD circa 1983

Stoeger side-by-side double 20-ga. "coach gun" with neoprene butt cuff holding five extra shells, plus three Tuff products "speed strips" with Remington No.3 buckshot shells.

[Hunters21w]

I think I might just pick up the 870 tactical, the non pistol grip model. Then just add the magpul furniture and "police" internals.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Remingto ... 709955.uts

Seems like the most cost efficient way. What do you think?