New to 870... improvements?

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Guys, I don't mind the 870's, like mine, but it had drawbacks and the newer ones, which I know many of you are not so exposed too, are not even what they once were or weren't and the President of Remington all but admitted it publicly. I just chuckle over the preoccupation with "870" and "00 Buck."

And how do you tell a novice? The regular shooters and staff of clubs and ranges recognize who isn't usually by face, and sometimes not. Examples of the latter:

The guy who walks up to a particular field on the trap range and says he's there to shoot trap? Keep going.
The guy who doesn't recognize that the person with the clipboard is something called The Puller? Later potater.
The guy carrying his gun in the box? Sorry.
The guy with a plastic WalMart bag of a single box of shells. And no range gear? Next field is his.
The guy who has a box of shells and doesn't know what to do with them to move from station to station? Maybe slides the box along the ground with his foot!? Bye.
The guy who asks how many shots from this particular station or where do I go now? What he does is walk to the next field.
The guy with the oily sparkling parkerized 870 Magnum (especially if trying to attach the barrel)? Adios.
The guy who is trying to put headphone muffs on first on top of his head, then behind his neck, then under his chin? Gotta go.
The guy who completely begins the shooting cycle from scratch only once the guy before him has finished (especially if he puts the safety ON to shoulder the gun and then takes it OFF to shoot? Somewhere else he needs to be.
The guy who's talking to his friend on the line or behind it when others are shooting? We'll miss him.
The guy who enjoys a relaxing cigarette while he's trying to bust birds? Needs to go find an ashtray.
The guy who walks in FRONT of our guns to get to the first station? Oh no u di'int!
The guy who yells "what?" when the first station asks if the line is ready? The guy who yells "what?" when the first station asks if the Puller is ready? The guy who yells "what?" when the first station asks to see a bird? The guy who yells "what?" when the Puller yells "lost"? The guy who yells "what?" when the Puller yells "change"? He'd be happier with people of his own kind.
There are a million more you guys can come up with...

PS: "The guy" can be a gal or anything in between, makes no diff.
 
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A lot of what you wrote was pretty accurate and funny Gehrhard.

I was "one of those guys" the first time I shot Skeet. I thought I was going to a new range to shoot Sporting Clays. Just bring the box of shells with you inside the stand and shoot the birds when you call for them. Nope, these guys were shooting Skeet that day. So there I am, putting four shells in my pocket and going to the line. Used shells going in the other pocket. Felt like a putz. At least I shot 16 then 20, I was satisfied with that. I will be prepared next time!

My wifes 870 "broke" on us once. It was getting tougher and tougher to open and close the action. I took it apart several times, didn't see anything obvious. No crud, everything was lubed decently. Finally took a good close look at the forend tube assembly and found it was cracking internally. Got a new piece for $40, good as new again.
 
How you treat the "newbies" will help them decide whether to come back and turn into one of the regulars, and maybe a valuable volunteer, or whether they don't come back and tell everyone about the bunch of snobs that hang out at the gun club. I have had many positive experiences helping out the first time customers. Mark
 
What if someone (like me) turns up to try trap shooting for the first time, but has shot plenty of ducks and rabbits and some very relaxed at home clays?

What does that make them?
Are they still entitled to abuse?
 
The main difference between a hunter and a sport shooter is the protocol and the etiquette, which is easy to learn, if someone bothers to help them. Mark
 
Gehrhard, you're part of the problem and not part of the solution. If every experienced shooter reading this took an hour a month to teach new shooters, we'd ALL be in a much better position.

There's times I hit the range for 2.5 to 3 hours and shoot for 30 minutes. The rest of the time is spent guiding the type of folks you rant about.

I don't mind, each educated new shooter is also an educated voter and supporter of the 2nd A.
 
Newbies just need to be brought into the hobby and the particular sport. Throwing a cub into the den of lions that is serious sport shooters will get them eaten or they will run away and hide forever. Separate but equal.
 
^^^^ Because you have no clue how to but are considerate and know you would be a distraction to very experienced shooters at best and a safety hazard to everyone around you at worst, or, that I'd just clean your clock!?
 
at my most frequented range, new 870 owners are asked to wait to shoot with children and novices that may come in because the failures are so common and disruptive to everyone else.
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Now that sounds like a real nice club. Care to enlighten us on the name so we can avoid it?
 
Easy now Soilwork777 ;),

If you review some of Gehrhards past post, he's contradicted the likes of Lee Lapin, Dave McC, oneounceload and a few more very experienced, knowledgeable, respected shotgunners that have forgotten more than he'll ever know.

at my most frequented range, new 870 owners are asked to wait and shoot with children and novices that may come in because the failures are so common and disruptive to everyone else
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Gehrhard,

As Klawman requested, I'd also like to know the name of the elitist range you speak of.

Unless you can produce the name, I'm calling BS on your post. Feel free to PM the name including location as to not get this thread closed.


I've shot with a few Missourians and non have possessed the arrogance you speak of. To the contrary, they've been most hospitable. Something Missouri is noted for.

Too, FWIW, with your arrogant attitude, I, like Soilwork777, would have no interest in shooting next to you either....but unless you're planning a trip to Ohio in the near future...save the long distance posturing response.

Can we get back to the topic at hand...been seriously thinking bought getting an 870 Express combo for a nephew.
 
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Most Trap ranges will not let short barrel shot guns be used (typical home defense guns). I have seen the short barrel guns at Skeet Fields though.

There are several people using 870's at two of the Trap Ranges I go to, my wife being one of them. I used my Rem 1100 for quite sometime until I bought my Browning.
 
Back on topic.

Shortwave, the 870 combos have an awful lot going for them. I bought a 20 gauge "Youth" combo for the kids early in the 90s. I figure that thing paid for itself by the mid 90s.

IIRC, I took a couple deer with the short barrel and open sights. The 21" tubed barrel works well for upland stuff and it carries well. Total weight's 6 lbs, 2 oz.

The 12 gauge versions will run about 7 lbs,fill a lot of niches and last for generations. Mechanical immortality for a pittance.
 
Thanks Dave,

Is it the Express model in the combo set that comes with the REM choke system in the long bbl. ?

Would like to get him something with changeable choke capabilities.

I've got an old full choke Winchester 37A I turkey hunt with that he thinks I'm giving him.;)
Well worn would be an understatement as over many years, its been drug through every brush/rock pile, mud puddle and thicket in Southern Oh. A real sight to say the least.
As he found out, even with a recoil pad, the thing kicks like a mule with 3" turkey loads. I told him he has to start out with the same thing I did, a single shot.
Had lengthy conversations with him about the hours we'll have to spend sanding the hardware, all steel and re-finishing back to new.
Got him real BS'd up about this 'rare' jewel.:D

But I'm gonna surprise him with probably the 870 combo.
 
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Are you guys serious? You are demonstrating the level you shoot at, that's all. Nothing wrong with that, per se, as long as you aren't interupting good, competitive, experienced, shooters. Don't feel bad -- it is what it is. Good customer service at a public range and quality at a private one separate the wheat from the chaff for a reason. That's not a dig unless you insist on taking it as such. Sorry, people aren't born Distinguished Experts. And people participating in the safe shooting sports shouldn't have to do so at the lowest common denominator. The country hasn't quite fallen to that low level in every venue.

Luckily, for the oddly tough guys, I shoot at a little range in Vandalia, OH, annually. You'll find me there. And in the spirit of the holidays I invite you to join us with your new 870 Express (which are terribly problem plagued which was the whole point), shotshells in your jeans, and we'll coach you from station to station...
 
The main difference between a hunter and a sport shooter is the protocol and the etiquette snobbery of the guys at the club.

There. I fixed it for you.

The attitude of guys like Gehrhard is why I don't spend much time at the shotgun sports.

Gehrhard said:
And in the spirit of the holidays I invite you to join us with your new 870 Express (which are terribly problem plagued which was the whole point), shotshells in your jeans, and we'll coach you from station to station...
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How very condescending. Thanks, Gerhard, but I'll pass on the invitation.

Here's a counter invite. You come down to Louisiana and shoot at our little sporting clays range. I'll pay the range fees and you can see a couple of 870 Express shotguns that have many thousands of rounds through them with nary a problem. I'll probably even buy your lunch at the place down the road. They make a really good cheeseburger.
 
Experienced shooters should help out the younger & new guy's. They will quickly learn that there are other things in life than there cell phone's. I will agree that a novice can be a pain in a registered shoot, when it counts you need to know what you are doing, when you are shooting for fun - have fun! As far as 870's go - find one about 25-30 years old and you will have one smooth shooting pump. The new ones, especially the Express models have very poor finishing inside and out. Buy an Express and have a gunsmith polish the chamber and action - the only way to make them real 870's.
 
Luckily, for the oddly tough guys, I shoot at a little range in Vandalia, OH, annually. You'll find me there.
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He's baaaack...

Gehrhard,

Address, date and time.

It would be worth the hour or so drive to have the honor to shoot next to a celeb. such as yourself.

Besides shooting the *^#%#, exactly what will I get the pleasure of witnessing such a Distinguished Shooter such as yourself shooting that day? I'm guessing sporting clays?
Too, I don't want to interupt a good, experienced, shooter such as yourself, but would you mind if I brought a camera crew along?
I'm sure an experience as great as this will be should be video'ed so the rest here on TFL can see how the very elite play the game. As with myself, I'm sure there are not but a few(if any) here in your venue.

I'm sorry, but I must inform you up front that I cannot afford to pay you anything for starring in the video as I am on a very limited budget. Just thought you would do it out of the kindness of your heart for the rest of us lowly shooting paupers of the country. A mighty talent such as yours, should be viewed by the world.
 
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