870 Rifle Sights

[JHC]

If it matters. The Trijicon front sight only seems to be available. https://smile.amazon.com/Trijicon-Fr...s%2C102&sr=8-2

[gato naranja]

It has been a while, but before I committed 100% to the low-profile, express-sighted ("DEA-style") barrels on the 870P, I did use the trad "rifle sighted" 18.5" barrel(s), so I took a tour of the replacements available at the time. In the end, I went with the illuminated XS Express set using the standard dot front, though if the barrel had been a 20" one, I might have gone with the "big dot" front. Goldilocks that I am, I would have then preferred a size somewhere in the middle. To be fair, there was little difference between them "tritium-wise" for me in extreme darkness, but where there was a degree of ambient light, the white big dot was much faster and easier for me to perceive and "steer" than the standard dot

The problem was that on the 18.5" barrel, I thought the big dot was too friggin' BIG for the size of that rear shallow "V" blade perched atop the tall, skinny Remington base/ramp/whateveryoucallit. I never fooled with a 20" barrel, but I suspect that even that small amount of extra length could have changed things as far as I was concerned. A buddy of mine had an XS big dot front sight put on one of his long "hunting" barrels and the extra distance made the size look "just right" to me.



"Context," mumbled the orange cat.

[SeriousStudent]

It has been a while, but before I committed 100% to the low-profile, express-sighted ("DEA-style") barrels on the 870P, I did use the trad "rifle sighted" 18.5" barrel(s), so I took a tour of the replacements available at the time. In the end, I went with the illuminated XS Express set using the standard dot front, though if the barrel had been a 20" one, I might have gone with the "big dot" front. Goldilocks that I am, I would have then preferred a size somewhere in the middle. To be fair, there was little difference between them "tritium-wise" for me in extreme darkness, but where there was a degree of ambient light, the white big dot was much faster and easier for me to perceive and "steer" than the standard dot

The problem was that on the 18.5" barrel, I thought the big dot was too friggin' BIG for the size of that rear shallow "V" blade perched atop the tall, skinny Remington base/ramp/whateveryoucallit. I never fooled with a 20" barrel, but I suspect that even that small amount of extra length could have changed things as far as I was concerned. A buddy of mine had an XS big dot front sight put on one of his long "hunting" barrels and the extra distance made the size look "just right" to me.



"Context," mumbled the orange cat.

I have both of those - a 14.5" and an 18.5" DEA setup. I really like the 14.5". It's fast and has sufficient accuracy for my needs. I have not done a lot of work with the 18.5" barrel. But just some dry practice with it makes me lean towards the Trijicon rifle sights we discussed earlier.

You are exactly right about context.

[Joe Mac]

I've used the Tru-Glo front with their rear before, and did well enough with that combo, but what I really prefer is the Tru-Glo front with a Wilson/SGT rear, leaving the rear ramp on the barrel empty. That was the setup on my duty shotgun for a number of years.

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/REAR-SI...SGTL2-TF-12RO/

[jlw]

I recently picked up a 20" 870P barrel which has rifle sight bases installed, but no front sight (dovetailed) or rear sight blade (the 'carriage' is present).

I want to put some sights on it, but I'm having a hard time deciding.

XS: https://xssights.com/products/dxt-st...-shotguns.html

Trijicon: https://www.trijicon.com/products/details/re05o

Meprolight: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005912619

TruGlo: https://www.truglo.com/tfx-pro-sight...gton-shotguns/

___

So far, I'm kind of between the XS and the TruGlos, because I'm thinking the three-dot sight picture of the Trijis and Mepros will be distracting. Also the Mepro looks like a set of sights at home on a hunting gun, with wide spacing between dots and a narrow rear notch.

I know XS will give up some accuracy at longer distances, but I'm looking at 30y or less as engagement distances and this gun is predominantly going to be loaded with buck. My brain intuitively tends towards dot-the-i style bar-dot sights on all kinds of guns. I find that pattern works well for me.

That said, I'm perfectly willing to hear opinions if folks have strong opinions one way or the other.

I have the Trijicons on two 870s, and I love them 25-yard and closer buckshot work, which is what I will primarily be using a shotgun for; however, the .140 wide front was wider than the steel on the slug shots at Gunsite 260 Shotgun, and I struggled. I still run them because I don't even keep slugs in or on those 870s.

[Rack]

I've installed the Trijicons and like them better than the Remington sights, but still wish they were a bit different, for some reason.

[Tannhauser]

I have the Tru Glo sights on an 870 and for fast acquisition they work quite well. I have no problem picking up the front sight in daylight or in lowlight.

The front sight is large. It is not well suited to long range slug work. I’m fine with this, as for my intended use for the shotgun wearing these sights, I’m happy to trade close up acquisition for long range precision.

[Dorsai]

I bought a couple of the 14.5" DEA barrels from AIM Surplus and I bought a surplus, like new 870P with an 18.5" barrel and the DEA sights off Gunbroker. It came with Hogue furniture which has a good length of pull, but I had to really press my cheek to the comb to get my eye in line with the sights. I couldn't mount it quickly and naturally be aligned. I had a Mesa Tactical pistol gripped stock sitting around so I tried it. The comb height is lower slightly compared to the Hogue and it put my eye right where I needed.

With regard to the Tritium sights, they aren't listed on XS' website, but if you call them, they can look up the SKU for the Tritium sights and put an order through for you right there. Front and rear sights are dovetailed into the bases, so it isn't much effort to tap them out and install the new sights.

[rathos]

I put a set of the trijicons on an 18.5 inch 870 barrel. I could not get them to zero. I was consistently hitting about 8 inches high. I kept the rear on and black out the dots, but had to order a custom front sight to get it to work.

[gato naranja]

...I bought a surplus, like new 870P with an 18.5" barrel and the DEA sights off Gunbroker. It came with Hogue furniture which has a good length of pull, but I had to really press my cheek to the comb to get my eye in line with the sights. I couldn't mount it quickly and naturally be aligned. I had a Mesa Tactical pistol gripped stock sitting around so I tried it. The comb height is lower slightly compared to the Hogue and it put my eye right where I needed.

The variations of drop along the comb and the pitch on 870 stocks are something else. I used to favor the Remington factory synthetic "LEO reduced LOP" stock, which was basically just the old-school, Speedfeed-made, full-length 870 synthetic stock cut down and fitted with a smaller R3 pad. The resulting LOP was great,
while the rest of the experience was "meh." After being persuaded to try something different, I replaced it with a Magpul SGA and liked the result a lot.

I did not get on well with the Hogue short stock because my right paw did not interface well with the curve of the PG combined with its rubberized "skin."