Shotgun Upgrades

[Sherman A. House DDS]

Thanks Sherman. I like those sights. I’m not sure I want to sink the money for a duty SG I will eventually have to turn in. My personal one will get a set.
What do you think of the Vang Comp barrel?


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Vang Comp barrel mods are awesome. Some guns don’t need them though. As Tom Givens, Darryl, Chief Weems and Tim Chandler have said, “Each shotgun barrel is a unique snowflake!” One of the reasons you should always pattern your self defense shotgun is that some, pattern amazingly with NO BARREL MODIFICATIONS whatsoever! One of my PD bros has an 870 that shoots flite control OO buckshot as well as a Vang Comp modified barrel, but it’s completely stock. So in shotgun terms, his won the, “genetic,” lottery, and I’ve seen some of the aforementioned guys offer him cash money for the gun! So test it out...if it needs work, send it.


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[SeriousStudent]

I have a basic Remington 870 with an 18 inch cyl bore barrel with a bead for a sight. It’s a 12 ga. I also have the same that I carry on duty.
I know there are gauge guys here like Dagga boy and Sherman House and others who can advise me on what I need to up grade and what I don’t need too?
Thanks for y’alls help. Bill


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I have a whole bunch of 870's. Come on over to the house for some BBQ, and I'll let you try them on for size. When you find one you like, borrow it for a couple of weeks and shoot it.

I'll spot you the Federal Flite-Control and Brenneke slugs to run it through it's paces, too.

Then you are welcome to run it this fall in the shotgun class, and see how it holds up for you.

[w provence]

I have a whole bunch of 870's. Come on over to the house for some BBQ, and I'll let you try them on for size. When you find one you like, borrow it for a couple of weeks and shoot it.

I'll spot you the Federal Flite-Control and Brenneke slugs to run it through it's paces, too.

Then you are welcome to run it this fall in the shotgun class, and see how it holds up for you.

Thank you Sir. BBQ and Shotguns. That sounds like a plan. [emoji3]


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[ssb]

One suggestion I have would be a reduced LOP stock. I'm of the opinion that the Magpul SGA is the best thing going (I've used the Mesa Urbino 12.5", the Hogue 12" LOP, a custom Benelli 13" LOP PG stock, and of course the Magpul) for defensive use -- it gives all the benefits of a pistol-grip stock with none of the obtrusiveness inherent to those designs. I found that my thumb was uncomfortably close to my nose on the Hogue stock (risk of getting hit in the face if I don't ride the thumb off to the side) but it was otherwise serviceable.

I have a custom shortened 13" wood field stock for classic build that should be complete whenever Fedex gets around to delivering my Brownell's order. While I have no live fire time behind it yet, it feels like a good length to facilitate a more modern stance.

FWIW, my two shotguns are set up:

1) Remington 870 not-marked-Express Express/HD model. Police internals (lifter spring, hammer spring, firing pin spring, Police extractor properly fitted) w/ Magpul SGA stock, Magpul single-point sling mount, Vang Comp Detachable Side Ammo Carrier (explained below), Vang Comp safety, Vang Comp follower, Surefire DSF-870 forend (second model -- w/ LED upgrade), and a Wilson +1 extension from Dr. House. The barrel is the factory 18" "DEA" barrel with low-profile XS sights. This is my HD long arm and it's been through one shotgun class and will go through another next month. I'm evaluating a Vickers two-point sling at present for class use (keeping 9lbs of gun in your hands and not pointed at anything/anybody all day kind of sucks), though I doubt I'll keep it on when kept at home. I was very impressed with Chief Weems's Blue Force Gear(?) single point I tried out at his course.

2) Remington 870 Police Magnum that I'm waiting on the last of my parts for. Wooden Police forend, wooden field stock cut to 13" LOP, Vang Comp +2 extension, Vang Comp follower, factory 18.5" Police rifle sight barrel. The last of the parts (bbl and extension) are inbound, and this will likely be my PC travel long gun as -- excluding some of the asinine licensing laws in a few states -- it's 50-state legal. Without attempting to start a debate on this point, I do feel the wood/steel tilts things a bit more towards the "Grandpa's old deer gun" end of the public perception spectrum. I also have a soft spot for wood/steel guns.

The Vang DSAC is, in my opinion, the best of both worlds with the detachable side saddle game. I get no bulk/weight when I don't want it and the capability to rapidly add onboard ammunition if I choose to do so, while adding a bit in the durability department. I have had two adhesive velcro side-saddles fail when left on the receiver loaded, and to my knowledge I prepped those about as well as one can do. The Vang doesn't have that problem as it's an aluminum plate which attaches with receiver pins (which apparently have some sort of special sauce to prevent binding of the receiver by over-tightening. The big downside is, of course, cost: it's like $90. The Airidus unit performs a similar role.

[SeriousStudent]

Thank you Sir. BBQ and Shotguns. That sounds like a plan. [emoji3]


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Great minds think alike.

[w provence]

One suggestion I have would be a reduced LOP stock. I'm of the opinion that the Magpul SGA is the best thing going (I've used the Mesa Urbino 12.5", the Hogue 12" LOP, a custom Benelli 13" LOP PG stock, and of course the Magpul) for defensive use -- it gives all the benefits of a pistol-grip stock with none of the obtrusiveness inherent to those designs. I found that my thumb was uncomfortably close to my nose on the Hogue stock (risk of getting hit in the face if I don't ride the thumb off to the side) but it was otherwise serviceable.

I have a custom shortened 13" wood field stock for classic build that should be complete whenever Fedex gets around to delivering my Brownell's order. While I have no live fire time behind it yet, it feels like a good length to facilitate a more modern stance.

FWIW, my two shotguns are set up:

1) Remington 870 not-marked-Express Express/HD model. Police internals (lifter spring, hammer spring, firing pin spring, Police extractor properly fitted) w/ Magpul SGA stock, Magpul single-point sling mount, Vang Comp Detachable Side Ammo Carrier (explained below), Vang Comp safety, Vang Comp follower, Surefire DSF-870 forend (second model -- w/ LED upgrade), and a Wilson +1 extension from Dr. House. The barrel is the factory 18" "DEA" barrel with low-profile XS sights. This is my HD long arm and it's been through one shotgun class and will go through another next month. I'm evaluating a Vickers two-point sling at present for class use (keeping 9lbs of gun in your hands and not pointed at anything/anybody all day kind of sucks), though I doubt I'll keep it on when kept at home. I was very impressed with Chief Weems's Blue Force Gear(?) single point I tried out at his course.

2) Remington 870 Police Magnum that I'm waiting on the last of my parts for. Wooden Police forend, wooden field stock cut to 13" LOP, Vang Comp +2 extension, Vang Comp follower, factory 18.5" Police rifle sight barrel. The last of the parts (bbl and extension) are inbound, and this will likely be my PC travel long gun as -- excluding some of the asinine licensing laws in a few states -- it's 50-state legal. Without attempting to start a debate on this point, I do feel the wood/steel tilts things a bit more towards the "Grandpa's old deer gun" end of the public perception spectrum. I also have a soft spot for wood/steel guns.

The Vang DSAC is, in my opinion, the best of both worlds with the detachable side saddle game. I get no bulk/weight when I don't want it and the capability to rapidly add onboard ammunition if I choose to do so, while adding a bit in the durability department. I have had two adhesive velcro side-saddles fail when left on the receiver loaded, and to my knowledge I prepped those about as well as one can do. The Vang doesn't have that problem as it's an aluminum plate which attaches with receiver pins (which apparently have some sort of special sauce to prevent binding of the receiver by over-tightening. The big downside is, of course, cost: it's like $90. The Airidus unit performs a similar role.

I like the way your #1 is set up. Your right about how people think about those old shotguns. I hope they keep thinking that way.


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[willie]

I've used "everybody's" extensions and recommend Vangs 1 shot version. For me it's less clumsy. About extensions, note some of the problems reported here. In an earlier thread, I commented on this issue. I'm not certain that extensions are needed but am not qualified to say too much on the topic. I will assert this fact: best quality mag followers are a great idea. I've had poor luck with synthetic silicone versions regardless of who made them. One thing that I do with a new to me shotgun is use 0000 steel wool and polish the chamber even if it is functioning ok. Poor ammo quality motivates me to do so. Another thing is that I use 0000 to polish the mage tube interior. If you do so, you'll notice that shells side more easily in the tube. I'm a big fan of Federal Flite Control low recoil ammo.

I suggest that you buy a second used but excellent condition 870 of older vintage. You need one in reserve. I wish that I could stop buying them, and I don't need the several that I own. There is no finer shotgun.

[perlslacker]

Gonna piggy-back on this thread to ask: any suggestions for mounting a light on a 870 other than a Magpul or Surefire forend?

I have a po-surp Police Magnum with the po-lice wood furniture on it and I don't want to lose it. I am 100% aware that aesthetics and subjective "feel" shouldn't factor into home defense gear choices but here I am.

[MK11]

Elzetta, although supposedly you can run into problems if you screw it on too tight around the mag tube.

[TCinVA]

Gonna piggy-back on this thread to ask: any suggestions for mounting a light on a 870 other than a Magpul or Surefire forend?

I have a po-surp Police Magnum with the po-lice wood furniture on it and I don't want to lose it. I am 100% aware that aesthetics and subjective "feel" shouldn't factor into home defense gear choices but here I am.

If you eliminate replacing the forend, then you're left with a couple of options:

Streamlight 870 mount:

https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-S...70+light+mount

This works reasonably well paired with something like a Viking Tactics offset light mount with a Surefire light. You lose contact with the light when you cycle the action to the rear, but that's not a huge deal.

The other is a clamp style mount. This one works by fitting around the mag tube:

https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-S...70+light+mount

The L&M is probably the best of the clamp style mounts. Just use loc-tite on the screws to keep it on.

The advantage of the L&M is that you won't have to check your end cap as often. End caps and some mag tube extensions tend to loosen as the gun is fired and this can be exacerbated somewhat by the Streamlight mount.