Converting 870 for defense/combat shooting
- Thread starter zimm
- Start date
Dfariswheel
New member
In order:
The best source for shotgun accessories is Brownell's.
They sell about everything available.
http://www.brownells.com
For full stocks with the pistol grip, Speedfeed and Choate are about as good as it gets.
For magazine extensions, the Remington factory, Wilson, and Choate are the best.
The Tac-Star is in second place, and the plastic ATI version is a distant third.
The Remington factory and the Choate come as a complete kit with the extension, longer spring, barrel clamp, and the Choate also having a sling swivel and a stronger follower.
Whatever you buy, USE A CLAMP. It doesn't matter HOW strong the extension is, it's still screwed onto the relatively weak magazine tube on the gun.
A good bump will knock the extension loose, or even OFF the gun, damaging the gun's magazine tube.
This means a gun out of action, AND an expensive trip back to Remington for a repair.
If the kit you buy doesn't have an clamp, BUY ONE.
Sights are purely personal preference.
You don't "need" ghost rings.
If you shoot the gun well as is, don't waste the money, spend it on practice ammo.
The best source for shotgun accessories is Brownell's.
They sell about everything available.
http://www.brownells.com
For full stocks with the pistol grip, Speedfeed and Choate are about as good as it gets.
For magazine extensions, the Remington factory, Wilson, and Choate are the best.
The Tac-Star is in second place, and the plastic ATI version is a distant third.
The Remington factory and the Choate come as a complete kit with the extension, longer spring, barrel clamp, and the Choate also having a sling swivel and a stronger follower.
Whatever you buy, USE A CLAMP. It doesn't matter HOW strong the extension is, it's still screwed onto the relatively weak magazine tube on the gun.
A good bump will knock the extension loose, or even OFF the gun, damaging the gun's magazine tube.
This means a gun out of action, AND an expensive trip back to Remington for a repair.
If the kit you buy doesn't have an clamp, BUY ONE.
Sights are purely personal preference.
You don't "need" ghost rings.
If you shoot the gun well as is, don't waste the money, spend it on practice ammo.
For the finest in stocks...
Take a look at the SpecOps Stock from Knoxx. It will be available for your 870 in about 6 weeks at just $129.95. Recoil NADA!
Take a look at the SpecOps Stock from Knoxx. It will be available for your 870 in about 6 weeks at just $129.95. Recoil NADA!
I use an Argonaut Armament AR15/870 stock adapter with a Rock River Arms 6 position adjustable stock and love it. Trouble is; they stopped making the adapter. Mesa Tactical came out with one that looks similar and has some options that weren’t available with Argonaut. That SpecOps one looks interesting, but I like that both my AR and 870 have the same stock and handgrip. I don’t know if there is an advantage in them being the same or not, I just like it.
I also like that they have the buffer spring in line with the barrel which is not true of some of the others available. Supposedly that helps take out more recoil than the ones which aren’t lined up. That’s something I read, not something I’ve experienced. I know the recoil on mine is minimal, but it has the Vang Comp Recoil Reducing System too.
Both of my 870s have plus two extensions on them most of the time. One was packaged as being from Wilson Combat and the other is a TacStar. One of them, I forget which, had some problems with the spring hanging up. I thought it was because it hadn’t had enough metal removed inside the tube when it was modified, but three trips back to the gunsmith proved that wrong. I ended up using a modified Benelli spring and it works fine now. As far as looks go, I can’t tell them apart. My plus one is also from Wilson Combat and it needed quite a bit of filing to make the sling mount fit when it was first installed. Vang Comp has one of the best extension tubes made, but they aren’t cheap.
I also like that they have the buffer spring in line with the barrel which is not true of some of the others available. Supposedly that helps take out more recoil than the ones which aren’t lined up. That’s something I read, not something I’ve experienced. I know the recoil on mine is minimal, but it has the Vang Comp Recoil Reducing System too.
Both of my 870s have plus two extensions on them most of the time. One was packaged as being from Wilson Combat and the other is a TacStar. One of them, I forget which, had some problems with the spring hanging up. I thought it was because it hadn’t had enough metal removed inside the tube when it was modified, but three trips back to the gunsmith proved that wrong. I ended up using a modified Benelli spring and it works fine now. As far as looks go, I can’t tell them apart. My plus one is also from Wilson Combat and it needed quite a bit of filing to make the sling mount fit when it was first installed. Vang Comp has one of the best extension tubes made, but they aren’t cheap.
My 870 came with a factory 2 round extension. I put a fluorescent orange big bead on front, and a BSA Red dot on a Leupold mount. Surefire makes a Picitinney foreend for adding lights, lasers, etc. It cost around $125. I bolted rails on a regular police foreend for less with the same effect.
I added a 4-shot sidesaddle and a Choate MK6 stock. This stock is like a thumbhole, but holds 5 extra rounds in the hollow part. Added a tac sling and a couple of lights to top it off. All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the way it has turned out.
I added a 4-shot sidesaddle and a Choate MK6 stock. This stock is like a thumbhole, but holds 5 extra rounds in the hollow part. Added a tac sling and a couple of lights to top it off. All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the way it has turned out.
Attachments
I use CHOATE
I have an 870 dressed out with CHOATE hardware. The fit was flawless, the material used was of very good quality, and in most casses all the mods that I did I was able to do myself.
Below is there home page, take a look you might like what you see.
I have sold many in the gun store that I worked in and never had a complant, not one.
http://www.uws.com/CHOATE/HomePage.html
I have an 870 dressed out with CHOATE hardware. The fit was flawless, the material used was of very good quality, and in most casses all the mods that I did I was able to do myself.
Below is there home page, take a look you might like what you see.
I have sold many in the gun store that I worked in and never had a complant, not one.
http://www.uws.com/CHOATE/HomePage.html
It would be awkward to use it in the regular fashion, since you can't get your hand on it. Both lights can be accessed holding the vertical grip. It also seems to help recoil control. The vert grip and lights can be removed in a few seconds, though, and you are left with a standard, though slightly enlarged foreend.
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Thanks for getting back so quick got time for one more
If you took off the lights, and left just the vertical handle.
Would you do it again? the virtical handle that is.
The gun I have is close to yours other than a Choate stock on mine, but the vertical handle I have been thinking about.
Do you find that it helps that much with controle? Does it ever bind up since your pulling off line on the pump?
You did say that it seemed to reduce recoil and that really peaked my intrest in one.
Again thanks for your input.
I will add one thing, thanks for doing your job, from a X USN ASW to an USAF man.
If you took off the lights, and left just the vertical handle.
Would you do it again? the virtical handle that is.
The gun I have is close to yours other than a Choate stock on mine, but the vertical handle I have been thinking about.
Do you find that it helps that much with controle? Does it ever bind up since your pulling off line on the pump?
You did say that it seemed to reduce recoil and that really peaked my intrest in one.
Again thanks for your input.
I will add one thing, thanks for doing your job, from a X USN ASW to an USAF man.
Dfariswheel
New member
As a heads-up, if you do decide to go with Choate accessories, the cheapest source I can find is this man:
Eldon King -- gunrunner@cox-internet.com
He apparently has an "in" at the Choate factory.
He sells Choate goods at lower prices than even most dealer prices.
Eldon King -- gunrunner@cox-internet.com
He apparently has an "in" at the Choate factory.
He sells Choate goods at lower prices than even most dealer prices.
Probably would leave the vertical grip. I like those. Many moons ago, I had the Choate forend with the standard pistol grip and a full buttstock with pistol grip. It was very controlable. It has never jammed up, and seems to be as smooth as with regular pump. For control, I find that pulling the stock into your shoulder, and pulling back on the vert grip, works like the "Weaver Stance" for handguns. When a shot is fired, and the pump is unlocked, you are already pulling back, so recoil effect can be used to help cycle the action. When you forward stroke, you are back on target. Works well for me.
Perhaps I should have said "seems to reduce FELT recoil". I don't know if it's the extra weight, or the recoil is spread out over your forward hand more, or some other scientific reason, but this weapon seems to recoil more straight back, and seems to be the lightest recoiling 12 I've ever shot.
For the record, I'm ex-USAF, also. Just like to still use my old unit designation in my sig. Never know when you might find someone you served with.
And thanks to you, and everyone else who has served or is currently serving that happen to be on this board.
Perhaps I should have said "seems to reduce FELT recoil". I don't know if it's the extra weight, or the recoil is spread out over your forward hand more, or some other scientific reason, but this weapon seems to recoil more straight back, and seems to be the lightest recoiling 12 I've ever shot.
For the record, I'm ex-USAF, also. Just like to still use my old unit designation in my sig. Never know when you might find someone you served with.
And thanks to you, and everyone else who has served or is currently serving that happen to be on this board.
Mannlicher
New member
I 'converted' my old Wingmaster. Kept the factory stock and forend. Changed the barrel for a Remington cylinder bore 20 inch with rifle sights, added a Wilson Combat 2 round mag extension. Works great. Cheap too.
Old 870
I just purchased an old Remington 870: 2 3/4 only 28" bbl, full choke. It's an older model and in need of some cleanup work, but it's reliable and worth the $100 I paid for it. The best part: NO PLASTIC PIECES! God bless my Mossy, BUT...
I plan on using it for HD by replacing the wooden stock & forend with a pistol grip & pistol grip forend as well as shortening the length to 18.5". Since it'll be a closet gun and won't leave the house, 2 3/4 shells are fine.
Is it best to keep the old barrel as is and buy a seperate 18.5" bbl or should I just put the 28" in the chopsaw? I don't ever plan to "go back" with it. I could probably buy a used bbl on Ebay for less than $50.
If I chop the old barrel, any tips? I assume the taper on the barrel will still give me a full cylinder choke when I'm done.
-G
I just purchased an old Remington 870: 2 3/4 only 28" bbl, full choke. It's an older model and in need of some cleanup work, but it's reliable and worth the $100 I paid for it. The best part: NO PLASTIC PIECES! God bless my Mossy, BUT...
I plan on using it for HD by replacing the wooden stock & forend with a pistol grip & pistol grip forend as well as shortening the length to 18.5". Since it'll be a closet gun and won't leave the house, 2 3/4 shells are fine.Is it best to keep the old barrel as is and buy a seperate 18.5" bbl or should I just put the 28" in the chopsaw? I don't ever plan to "go back" with it. I could probably buy a used bbl on Ebay for less than $50.
If I chop the old barrel, any tips? I assume the taper on the barrel will still give me a full cylinder choke when I'm done.
-G
ATI shotgun stocks are JUNK. Buy Choate. I highly recommend Choate and have used them before. Worth every penny of the difference between them and other stocks. ATI's stocks for SKS and other surplus guns are good, but the shotgun stocks do not hold up as well. I had really considered the AR15 type stocks and adapters for my 870. But after much study, I decided that they aren't that comfortable on an AR (I prefer the standard stock even on the compact AR's) so they probably wouldn't be on a shotgun. Of course, recoil on a .223 vs a 12ga is very different also.
Weather finally cleared enough for me to really test out the recoil with the Choate MK6 on the 870. With slugs and different weights of buck, all in all felt more like a 20 than a 12. Keeps its buck in a 12" circle at 25yds, unfortunately suffers from the "doughnut" pattern so common with unmodified barrels. Very tight patterns from 7-20yds.
Weather finally cleared enough for me to really test out the recoil with the Choate MK6 on the 870. With slugs and different weights of buck, all in all felt more like a 20 than a 12. Keeps its buck in a 12" circle at 25yds, unfortunately suffers from the "doughnut" pattern so common with unmodified barrels. Very tight patterns from 7-20yds.
Here's another option...
I thought that you might want to explore another option. The Knoxx SpecOps Stock is adjustable for LOP from 11.5 to 16 inches and absorbs almost all of the recoil. Take a look before you spend you hard earned cash.
I thought that you might want to explore another option. The Knoxx SpecOps Stock is adjustable for LOP from 11.5 to 16 inches and absorbs almost all of the recoil. Take a look before you spend you hard earned cash.