Matt Haught
SYMTAC Consulting LLC
https://sym-tac.com
I'd echo a lot of sentiments re: the SF foreend. I have one of the new models, I don't love it, but it's fine. If you go that route I'd definitely recommend using at most a +1 extension to keep it from being too front heavy.
Not much of a shotgun guy anyway, if/when I get more serious about them I'd probably go the semi auto route.
I’ll echo those who are saying that the older ones were ergonomically better. My wife’s 870 has one of the old Laser Products on hers; graceful and functional. I had one or two of the intermediate Surefires, which worked well, too. The recent Surefire that I now have is, well, too large, non-ergonomic, and weighs too much. Of course, ergonomics/fit are individual; not the same for everyone, and weight/mass is another individual choice.
It is not that my older Surefires died. Each went to live with younger LEO colleagues. One was re-homed, IIRC, after I started carrying a patrol rifle, about 19 years ago, and the other was re-homed somewhat more recently, when a colleague needed one to attend a scheduled class that would authorize him to use the WML on his 870, and I was still awaiting one of the rare opportunities to enroll to attend one of the too-few prerequisite “Tactical Shotgun” classes. (An edict forbidding WMLs had come down, and was eventually followed by a policy allowing WMLs, after attending a certification class.) By the time I had finally attended the prerequisite Tactical Shotgun class, I had switched to a Benelli M2.
Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.
Don’t tread on volcanos!
The SGA stock has been ordered, but the forend is still in limbo.
The current Surefires sure don't seem to generate much enthusiasm compared to the originals; someone should have not fixed what wasn't broke, at least ergonomically.
I may be lucky in that I do not have a lot of experience with the older forends, so I don't have much of a basis for comparisons.
gn
"On the internet, nobody knows if you are a dog... or even a cat."
I prefer sidemounts as I don't like the light moving back and forth, that being said, has anyone mentioned the Streamlight Raker?
It runs about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of a Surelife, and from what I read, gets good reviews.
I didn't like the Surefire foreends, so I doubt I'd like the Streamlight, but if that is the way you want to go the Racker may be worth looking into.
The current forend/light is an old GG&G with an oldr TLR-1 at 3:00, and it has done well for some years, but I increasingly dislike weaponlights - or anything else - at 3:00 and 9:00. That and my quest for a little added weight in accessories have gotten me off TDC to change out the forend. That being said, nothing seems to be as well regarded as the old Laser Products forend/light.
Nobody I know has a Streamlight Raker to compare, but it might be worth looking into. As mentioned before, I don't have much experience with a Surefire, so I may not mind either one simply because i don't know any better. (Forty years of dealing with people at work have taught me that ignorance can be bliss.)
The Magpul SGA stock is interesting so far. It doesn't feel and handle bad, it's just different from what I am used to. A box or two of 00 should tell whether or not it was worth investing in.
gn
"On the internet, nobody knows if you are a dog... or even a cat."
Streamlight Racker - sample of three: two of them had flicker issues, were replaced by Streamlight and the replacements had the same issues; one had flicker issues and then died and the replacement had flicker issues. All three were returned for refund.
The latest Surefire 870 weaponlight is bulky, heavy and not as comfortable/ergonomic as the earlier gen versions, but they work.