The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Dave McCracken Memorial Shotgun Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old June 6, 2013, 05:36 PM   #1
thedudeabides
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1,031
I just wanted a 300 dollar 870

A few months ago I bought an 870 Tactical Express for 300 bucks... This was back when Dicks was still selling guns, and on one of their holiday blowouts.

Of course no one can be happy with things as they are and the modular nature of shotguns I HAD to replace the stock and foreend with Magpul MOE.

Why stop there? I replaced the flimsy plastic trigger plate with the beefy police model.

Not to be deterred, I then realized that the bead sight is hard to see and a ghost night sight police barrel would be cool and give better groups at longer range--and while I'm at it replace the extractor.

...so for "300" dollars I wound up building a police shotgun I should have bought in the first place. My wife says there's a lesson there somewhere.
thedudeabides is offline  
Old June 7, 2013, 02:06 AM   #2
Dreaming100Straight
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 3, 2013
Posts: 1,235
That "flimsy plastic trigger plate" is actually more rugged than the metal police part.
Dreaming100Straight is offline  
Old June 7, 2013, 05:04 AM   #3
thedudeabides
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1,031
Could've fooled me, the plate had started to crack around the safety.
thedudeabides is offline  
Old June 7, 2013, 08:24 AM   #4
guy sajer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 7, 2002
Location: Ohio
Posts: 329
Remington would cover that under warranty . You'd have a spare or you could sell it and recoup some of your expense .
__________________
Mitch

Please support Crimson Trace Grips , Mossberg and Beretta . They support our troops .
guy sajer is offline  
Old June 7, 2013, 09:24 AM   #5
AllenJ
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2009
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,766
Do me a favor and ask your wife what the lesson is....I'm just not seeing it
AllenJ is offline  
Old June 7, 2013, 04:12 PM   #6
thedudeabides
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1,031
Quote:
Remington would cover that under warranty . You'd have a spare or you could sell it and recoup some of your expense.
They did, but I figured if it broke during a tactical shotgun class (about 300 rounds in a day), I wasn't going to trust the new one.

The bruise I had on my shoulder that evening, and for the next two weeks was impressive, too.
thedudeabides is offline  
Old June 7, 2013, 10:03 PM   #7
new_camper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 16, 2011
Posts: 128
One word........Limbsaver
new_camper is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 01:55 AM   #8
Dreaming100Straight
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 3, 2013
Posts: 1,235
The fact that one cracked doesn't make the metal one better. Who is to say that whatever caused yours to crack wouldn't crack a metal one.
Dreaming100Straight is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 02:48 AM   #9
John Fritz
Member
 
Join Date: March 12, 2011
Location: Reading, Pa
Posts: 29
Hey D100S, I was actually getting ready to pull the trigger (so to speak) on a metal replacement trigger assembly for my 870 too. Because I assumed also that the metal one would be more rugged than the poly.

I'm not doubting what you're saying, I'm just curious that if this is the case then why does Remington install the metal one in their police models?

Do you draw your conclusion from personal experience or otherwise?
__________________
Johnnie F. - recovering Statist
----------------------------------------------
Have you read TheTruthAboutGuns.com today?
John Fritz is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 06:45 AM   #10
thedudeabides
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1,031
Quote:
I'm just curious that if this is the case then why does Remington install the metal one in their police models?
I was told by my cop friends to swap it out for a metal "police" assembly if I planned to heavily use my 870 because they had seen a few of the plastic ones break during training, too. Something they haven't seen in their older 870s that have always had the metal plate.

It's all anecdotal, but a plastic part in a chunk of metal doesn't sit well with me.
thedudeabides is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 08:40 AM   #11
Backwoodsboy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 19, 2012
Location: Western, Ny
Posts: 190
I don't see the lesson there either. Although you could have bought one similar to what you built it simply would not have meant as much to you, and surely wouldn't have given you pride in your own work.
__________________
"Si vis pacem, para bellum". If you want peace, Prepare for war!!!!
Backwoodsboy is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 09:31 AM   #12
Method
Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2012
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 73
I'm with Backwoodsboy on this one. First of all, have you done a true price comparison? A local store had both the regular 870 and the tactical version on sale. The tactical version was about $400 more. I did the math and realized I could customize the basic version with the same gear (i.e. the Magpul MOE) for about $100 less. Besides, firearms are a fascination to me, so learning the basic assembly, function, and gunsmithing needed to make those changes would be well worth the time.

As it is now, this is YOUR tactical model...not some factory standard. When a friend asks "whoa, where did you get that!?" You can say, "I modified it myself."

Woot.
Method is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 10:05 AM   #13
m.p.driver
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 25, 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 552
Years ago i bought an ex wells fargo 870 for $79.Over time it received an extended mag,remington synthetic stock,swivels,sights,and i parkerized the whole thing.From gunshow scrounging i probably have under $100 in parts,and i couldn't touch another for anything even close.And yes i replace the plastic parts on my 870's first chance i get.
m.p.driver is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 01:05 PM   #14
dayman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 18, 2011
Location: The Woods
Posts: 1,197
Some pictures would make this thread a lot more fun.
__________________
si vis pacem para bellum
dayman is offline  
Old June 8, 2013, 02:30 PM   #15
John Fritz
Member
 
Join Date: March 12, 2011
Location: Reading, Pa
Posts: 29
Here's one:



I put the wood on there myself, the next mod is (was...?) going to be a metal FCG.
__________________
Johnnie F. - recovering Statist
----------------------------------------------
Have you read TheTruthAboutGuns.com today?
John Fritz is offline  
Old June 11, 2013, 08:40 PM   #16
Uncle Malice
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 11, 2009
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 4,580
Quote:
I replaced the flimsy plastic trigger plate with the beefy police model.
The police models have switched to the plastic trigger guards for some time... because they are stronger.

I got the 870 Tactical. I upgraded the extractor, carrier dog spring, magazine spring, and safety button(S&J).

I like my 870 quite a bit... but I still prefer my 590A1's
__________________
Handguns: 2x Glock 19.4 | Glock 26.4 | HK USP 9 | HK P2000 | HK VP9 SK | HK P30 | CZ Shadow 2 | CZ P-10 C | CZ P-07 | CZP-01 | S&W 360PD
Rifles: DDM4 | SGL 21 | SAM7K | Draco | PSA PDW SBR | ASA Side-Charger SBR | CZ Scorpion K SBR | Aero M4E1 9" 300blk SBR | Angstadt Jack9 SBR | Savage Mark II FV-SR
Shotguns: Mossberg 590A1 20" SP | Mossberg Shockwave
Uncle Malice is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:25 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09288 seconds with 10 queries