870 adjustable stock for clays & Barrel?

[AndrewWalkowiak]

For my birthday, I got a Rem 870 Express 12ga for use in my workplace's summer trap leauge. It wasn't my first choice, but budget constraints got in the way, and I figured that the common wisdom that you can't go wrong with an 870 would see me through.

Summer leauge is over, and while I picked up 16 birds over my last season score from when I was using the club's beat up rental 870's with cylinder bores, I would obviously have liked to do better. While alot of it is the shooter, I know the fit of the 870 as it is now is absolutely dead wrong for me at least by several inches in more than one dimention.

I consistently hit almost twice as many birds with a hold that only left the bottom 1/3rd of the butt on my shoulder, but it was too painful to continue like that even with a Browning "Ractar" gel pad in my vest's shoulder pocket, and cheap Federal promo shells. With higher velocity Winchester AA target, it was about three shots before I had to return the entire butt to my shoulder and screw up my hold just to keep things comfortable to finish the round.

At a minimum, I'd like to get a stock with adjustable LOP, comb, and drop, but my internet searching has left me short. I'd also like to find a high-rib 870 barrel, but I think that the stock is much more critical at this point.

Any sources? Thanks.

 

[Jim Watson]

Jack West makes a molded stock with adjustable comb, which takes care of drop. It does not have adjustable pull, though. but you could have a spacer put under the recoil pad for the length you want.

You could have a split comb conversion and an adjustable buttplate installed on your 870 if you think it worth the cost.

There are ads in Trap and Field, Shotgun Sports, and Brownells for various stick-on pads to raise the comb. There are more than a few Perazzis and Krieghoffs wearing such things.

 

[HSMITH]

What you are looking for is a "Morgan Pad". It adjusts the drop of the stock so you can have the full butt on your shoulder when shooting. Your problem is very common for someone that shoots "head up", meaning that you bring the gun to your face rather than the face to the stock. You are doing it correctly BTW, the guys that lay their face down onto the stock are severely handicapped by doing so. You can shoot well that way but it is MUCH more difficult, and when you get them away from the game of their choice they typically founder.

The Morgan pad will take care of 90% or more of your problem. Adjust lenght of pull when installing the pad, then that is covered. The adjustable comb is nice, but likely will not be necessary. If it is you can put it on your stock. It is a fairly difficult job if you are not a skilled woodworker, but can be done. Kits are available, but a stick on type is LOTS cheaper, and functionally the same.

Hi rib barrels are really hard to find for the 870, with a custom job being the only likely alternative. If you had it done it will cost as much as your express and half of another.

Check Brownells for the Morgan pad, and the comb pads. They will also have the comb kit if you really want an adjustable type.

 

[Dave McC]

You're right,fit is much more critical than an aftermarket bbl.

You mentioned budget constraints, and I can certainly identify with that. Here's the cheapo way to get your 870 fitting you for trap. Make the changes one at a time, and pattern for POI/POA as you go. Grab some masking tape and moleskin on your way out. A couple scraps of thick skirting leather larger than the recoil pad are nice to take along also.

And since your Express came with a Modified choke tube only add a IM or Full tube to help determine your POI easily.

Using a narrow but thick piece of leather or the moleskin,build up the comb until drop at cheek is just enough to give you a good weld when mounting WITHOUT dropping your head to the stock. Make sure you're not altering the cast when so doing.Use the tape to keep things in place. Once you can shoot w/o dropping your head, finetune until 2/3 of the pattern impacts above Point Of Aim. If you cannot get the comb right w/o going ridiculously high, spend $30 or less on a Morgan pad.An advantage to the Morgan, it can be twisted to provide some cast at toe,thus fitting into your shoulder cup better.

Now, add moleskin, cardboard and/or leather until there's maybe 1 1/2" between your nose and thumb. Recheck the drop at the patterning board.Measure the length and drop and write it down.

Now shoot a few rounds of trap, tweaking only after SEVERAL rounds show that you're not in the middle of the targets. Once you're happy with the fit, measure it all and write the numbers down.

Your stock is now uglier than ten Mafiosi, but you're hitting way better and w/o pain. Where can you go from here?

You can leave it as is, or...

One of the best sources for 870 stocks is Remington, of all places. A standard Monte Carlo stock is not terribly expensive, and can be shimmed and pads added to duplicate the fit you have.

Or try one of Wenig's stock blanks. $55 will get you some plain grain walnut inletted to an 870 receiver and carved to roughly the right stock dimensions. Mount one of these and use rasps, sanders, etc, to get them down to the dimensions you need, then stain and finish. An advantage, there's some cast at toe built in to these blanks,again helping fit and comfort.

HTH....