Adding a top rail to a Rem 870 Express?

R

RetiredMajor

New member
Hey guys. I want to add a short top picatinney rail to my Remington 870 Express. The rail would be mounted above the receiver so I can mount an optic to it. Has anyone done this or seen a nice product?
 
Yes, but that ^ one will require drilling and tapping the receiver if it's a standard Express that didn't come that way from the factory.

Short of D&T'ing, your best bet may be this one which is a side saddle with integrated picatinny mount also from Mesa Tactical.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/53...round-remington-870-1100-11-87-aluminum-matte

I say that, however, with no experience with the Mesa Tactical stuff, other than their reputation.

I did, for a brief time, own an 870 Tactical that was factory configured with an XS Shotrail and that was a nice unit which incorporated a ghost ring rear sight into the rail to mate up with the front sight on the barrel.
 
Yes, but that ^ one will require drilling and tapping the receiver if it's a standard Express that didn't come that way from the factory.

Short of D&T'ing, your best bet may be this one which is a side saddle with integrated picatinny mount also from Mesa Tactical.
Click to expand...

All newer Expresses are pre-drilled and tapped (not sure of the dates).

Also, I would not install the Saddlemount/Carrier because it installs via bolts that replace the trigger pins, using loctite. At one time, I had the Mesa Tactical receiver mount shell carrier (not the combination Saddlemount/Carrier) that installs the same way. I replaced it with a velcro unit because each time I needed to breakdown the gun for cleaning the shell carrier needed to be removed and then re-installed and loctited.
 
All newer Expresses are pre-drilled and tapped (not sure of the dates).

Also, I would not install the Saddlemount/Carrier because it installs via bolts that replace the trigger pins, using loctite. At one time, I had the Mesa Tactical receiver mount shell carrier (not the combination Saddlemount/Carrier) that installs the same way. I replaced it with a velcro unit because each time I needed to breakdown the gun for cleaning the shell carrier needed to be removed and then re-installed and loctited.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I wasn't aware that they'd started D&Ting all of them. Haven't bought a new express in about 2 years, and it wasn't so it must be a recent change.

Yes, what you describe is a drawback of the trigger pin install method.
 
AFAIK you'll probably need a new stock as well, or a raised comb on your existing stock, to raise your line of sight sufficiently to match up with the raised LOS over the receiver...
 
AFAIK you'll probably need a new stock as well, or a raised comb on your existing stock, to raise your line of sight sufficiently to match up with the raised LOS over the receiver...
Click to expand...

I have ghost ring sights (Trak-Lock) on my 870 and LOS was certainly a consideration. I looked at a couple of rails before buying the Mesa. It has a very low profile, enabling unobstructed LOS, at least with my sights.
 
Weaver has a fairly basic really cheap one that I just tried.
Click to expand...

A Weaver rail is a type of rail and is different than a Picatinny rail (like the Mesa). Optics, or other accessories, designed to fit Picatinny rails will not fit Weaver rails. And, with rails, "fairly basic really cheap" usually doesn't cut it, as rail specs are very precise and many cheap rails are out-of-spec.

The OP said that he is looking to mount a Picatinny rail on his gun.
 
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