Converting a Turkey Gun to a HD Shotgun

D

DTrain

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I have a Remington 870 Express 12ga with a 21" Turkey BBL VR RC. It has the Mossy Oak Syn furniture on it. I have added the Remington R3 Recoil pad, a Remington Universal Magazine Cap with sling swivel, and a TruGlo Universal Tru-Point Xtreme Fiber Optic Sight which has a ghost ring rear sight and fiber optic front sight.

It currently has an Indian Creek choke tube in it and when shooting Hevi-Shot 13 3" 2oz #7 shot I average 266 pellets in a 10" circle at 35 yds across 3 shots.

So I love it for my turkey gun :D, but turkey season is short usually within a day or two we're done.

What would you change on this rig to "convert" it to an effective Home Defense shotgun? :confused:
 
I have the same gun. Just swap out the turkey tube for IC, or Skeet. No other modifications necessary other than buying some buckshot.
 
OK, so add an Improved Cylinder choke tube, dump the sling, and buy some buckshot. I can handle that :D

What buckshot do you recommend?

Is there any reason to spend $50 vs. $20
 
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I'm sitting on quite a stash of "Old" Estate 00, which is not now available. When I need to get more, it' ll be the Fed stuff with Flite Control wads.

However, only you can find out just how a given load will do in your shotgun. Patterning is the key.

And BTW, one of the 870s kept ready here started out with me as a turkey gun.
 
I would simply swap out the choke tube for a modified or IC (whichever patterns best with Buckshot), load with your choice of Buckshot (I like #1 myself), and put a slip-on elastic butt cuff with some extra shells on it and be done.
 
What buckshot load (and choke tube for that matter) you want, depends on the patterns you want to get. Want open patterns? Use a CYL or ImpCyl RemChoke tube and S&B or Rio Royal 00 loads. Want moderately sized patterns? Use the ImpCyl choke tube and any of the major manufacturers' standard buckshot loads. Want tight patterns? Use the CYL choke tube (I know, it sounds weird) and any of the premium buckshot loads with FliteControl wads - Federal Premium, Hornady TAP or whichever of the Speer LE loads has it. Regular 2 3/4" loads are fine, no need to get carried away.

And for slugs, if you want some (I keep slugs in the Sidesaddle), get a few 5-round boxes of Brenneke KOs, the non-sabot kind.

A turkey gun is nigh perfect as a HD gun with a swap in choke tubes, IMHO.
 
Since your gun has a short barrel, nothing really needs to be done. If you're a decent shot, leave the choke in it if you want and try #4 shot. Or get a bigger choke and I'd use 000 Federal. I use it in my Stoegor.
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys. Figured I'd post a pick of the current configuration:

Rem87012gaTurkeyGun-Copy.jpg


Off to find a choke and some buckshot and she how she patterns :D

The Indian Creek choke tube does add some length. I am considering this Carlson IC choke. I like the knurled end and the ability to remove it with out tools.

Does porting on the choke tube really reduce recoil and muzzle jump?
 
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Carlson's makes good stuff. Porting on a choke or barrel doesn't really do much except....

Make it louder.

Add a step to the cleaning regimen.

Cost more.

Now, go pattern.....
 
Like most everyone noted, IC tube (some prefer skeet or cyl), and ditch the sling.
You also might want to get an elastic slip-on buttstock shellholder. About $5 everywhere. A few boxes of #1 or 00 and you're all set.
 
I have the same gun. I added a mag tube extension and use it for 3 gun in the Heavy Metal division.
I would ditch the sights, then, IMO it would be an ideal defensive shotgun. A very simple and reliable platform with no bells and whistles to get in the way.
The factory IC or Mod Remchokes will pattern buckshot well enough for HD.
 
I had the same gun except black furnature. stuffed a IC tube in it and filled it with 00 buck. for a long time it did double duty.
 
Thanks for all the posts! Turkey season is 9 days away. After that I'll be getting an IC choke and some buckshot to have some fun! :cool:
 
Even I, who has alot more mods than everything suggested so far, agrees with everything suggested so far. Change the choke and remove the sling. If you can, add a light. Perhaps the Streamlight mount that goes under the mag cap and a TLR1. It can be easily removed for Turkey season.
 
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