want to add a reddot optic and rifle sights to my 870

freakintoguns · April 20, 2010, 11:18 PM

im looking to give my 870 a more tactical feel and would like to add a cqb optic like a aimpoint. also want riflesites, thinking bout going with a set from scattergun tech. for the optic would i just need a length of picatinny rail? any companies i should look to? thanks in advance

freakintoguns · April 21, 2010, 03:06 PM

no replies?

freakintoguns · April 21, 2010, 03:09 PM

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=123185 these are the sights im looking at getting.

Maromero · April 21, 2010, 03:18 PM

It's your shotgun so do as you please. There are many posts addressing your querry, probably why you have no replies.

P.S. A lot of folks in this here forum don't care much for "a tactical feel". Do a search.

freakintoguns · April 21, 2010, 03:33 PM

i jsut decided to use google and found what im looking for from Mesa Tactical. thansk for the advice tho!

WacosSon · April 23, 2010, 02:26 PM

I'm a big fan of the "tacticool". I have 6 flashlights on mine - just in case the first 5 fail

/sarcasm

Lee Lapin · April 23, 2010, 06:22 PM

"...tactical feel????" Only 'tactical feel' I ever got was Louis Awerbuck dragging me around by the elbow in a shotgun class.

I like ghost rings, but IMHO front sights on working shotguns should be silver soldered on, not glued and/or pinned. Otherwise they tend not to be there when you really need them.

I see no need for optics on working shotguns, and if you add an optic you'll need to modify your stock to get your cheek weld up high enough to use it effectively. Doing that will pretty well preclude the use of iron sights.

Of course, ymmv. I don't know anything about shotguns anyway.

lpl

jfruser · April 23, 2010, 07:36 PM

When you write Red Dot Sight I assume you mean a 1X reflex sight of some sort?

If this is to be a range-only or "s**ts & giggles" shotgun, any old red dot will work. If you intend to use it as a SD tool, get ready to spend several times what you likely spent on the shotgun for a quality red dot optic. Some NC Star POS out of a catalog is not going to cut it on a SD weapon.

There are only two reflex sight manufacturers I would trust on a SD weapon: Aimpoint and Trijicon. And with Aimpoint, only the Comp-whatever line or ones singled out for use on heavy-recoil weapons. The Trijicon Reflex Sight is the other option.

Honestly, I have not used a reflex sight on a shotgun, only the M4A1. They are nice & fast, though. I would definitely go with a picatinny rail mount for recoil's sake on a shotgun.

Also, might want to take LL's post to heart.

Dave McC · April 23, 2010, 10:23 PM

"I don't know anything about shotguns anyway".....

Lee, my friend, if your name was Pinocchio you couldn't turn around in a high school gym after that one....

To the OP.....

My guess is if you shoot your shotgun AS IS until it feels like a body part, you'll find it has a tactical feel.

And you'll BE deadly instead of just looking lethal.

I've not needed a red dot scope on a shotgun yet, but then I'm only 63.

My defensive 870s have GR sights, but that's because they double as venison getters using slugs. One shotgun here, a parts 870 yclept Frankenstein, uses a mere bead and is close to box stock in configuration, but it finds the targets just fine. And fast......

April 20, 2010, 11:18 PM	#1
freakintoguns Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2008 Posts: 496	want to add a reddot optic and rifle sights to my 870 im looking to give my 870 a more tactical feel and would like to add a cqb optic like a aimpoint. also want riflesites, thinking bout going with a set from scattergun tech. for the optic would i just need a length of picatinny rail? any companies i should look to? thanks in advance __________________ There is one thing Chuck Norris is scared of, thats Clint Eastwood

April 21, 2010, 03:06 PM	#2
freakintoguns Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2008 Posts: 496	no replies? __________________ There is one thing Chuck Norris is scared of, thats Clint Eastwood

April 21, 2010, 03:09 PM	#3
freakintoguns Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2008 Posts: 496	http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=123185 these are the sights im looking at getting. __________________ There is one thing Chuck Norris is scared of, thats Clint Eastwood

April 21, 2010, 03:33 PM	#5
freakintoguns Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2008 Posts: 496	i jsut decided to use google and found what im looking for from Mesa Tactical. thansk for the advice tho! __________________ There is one thing Chuck Norris is scared of, thats Clint Eastwood

April 23, 2010, 02:26 PM	#6
WacosSon Member Join Date: January 6, 2008 Posts: 85	I'm a big fan of the "tacticool". I have 6 flashlights on mine - just in case the first 5 fail /sarcasm __________________ _______________________________ Lifetime NRA member "A free people ought to be armed." - George Washington

April 21, 2010, 03:18 PM	#4
Maromero Junior member Join Date: January 21, 2009 Location: Outside the continental U Posts: 752	It's your shotgun so do as you please. There are many posts addressing your querry, probably why you have no replies. P.S. A lot of folks in this here forum don't care much for "a tactical feel". Do a search.

April 23, 2010, 06:22 PM	#7
Lee Lapin Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2004 Location: SE NC Posts: 1,239	"...tactical feel????" Only 'tactical feel' I ever got was Louis Awerbuck dragging me around by the elbow in a shotgun class. I like ghost rings, but IMHO front sights on working shotguns should be silver soldered on, not glued and/or pinned. Otherwise they tend not to be there when you really need them. I see no need for optics on working shotguns, and if you add an optic you'll need to modify your stock to get your cheek weld up high enough to use it effectively. Doing that will pretty well preclude the use of iron sights. Of course, ymmv. I don't know anything about shotguns anyway. lpl __________________ Mindset - Skillset - Toolset. In that order! Attitude and skill will get you through times of no gear, better than gear will get you through times of no attitude and no skill.

April 23, 2010, 07:36 PM	#8
jfruser Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 350	When you write Red Dot Sight I assume you mean a 1X reflex sight of some sort? If this is to be a range-only or "s*ts & giggles" shotgun, any old red dot will work. If you intend to use it as a SD tool, get ready to spend several times what you likely spent on the shotgun* for a quality red dot optic. Some NC Star POS out of a catalog is not going to cut it on a SD weapon. There are only two reflex sight manufacturers I would trust on a SD weapon: Aimpoint and Trijicon. And with Aimpoint, only the Comp-whatever line or ones singled out for use on heavy-recoil weapons. The Trijicon Reflex Sight is the other option. Honestly, I have not used a reflex sight on a shotgun, only the M4A1. They are nice & fast, though. I would definitely go with a picatinny rail mount for recoil's sake on a shotgun. Also, might want to take LL's post to heart. __________________ Regards, jfruser "Books and bullets have their own destinies."----Bob Ross

April 23, 2010, 10:23 PM	#9
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	"I don't know anything about shotguns anyway"..... Lee, my friend, if your name was Pinocchio you couldn't turn around in a high school gym after that one.... To the OP..... My guess is if you shoot your shotgun AS IS until it feels like a body part, you'll find it has a tactical feel. And you'll BE deadly instead of just looking lethal. I've not needed a red dot scope on a shotgun yet, but then I'm only 63. My defensive 870s have GR sights, but that's because they double as venison getters using slugs. One shotgun here, a parts 870 yclept Frankenstein, uses a mere bead and is close to box stock in configuration, but it finds the targets just fine. And fast......