Good advices for my 870 Express HD Scattergun?

Ronald Niedermann · January 17, 2010, 12:07 PM

I have recently bought a shotgun for HD use. My choice felt on a regular 870 Express,where the Gunsmith replaced the stock and foreend with a Speedfeed II kit. The barrel is a original 18" cylinder bore,matte. I have also ordered a heavy duty spring and follower from Scattergun Tech.
I consider also to order a jumbo safety and a 2 shot extesion,also from Scattergun Tech. After doing some research on the net,I found that many,included Scattergun Bob,likes to replace the extractor and extractor pin to a stronger one. Is this a "must" for a HD scattergun

I would be grateful,if you folks,came with your opinion on my shotgun and giving me advices to make this scattergun even better

Many thanks!

hogdogs · January 17, 2010, 12:24 PM

I don't think it is a requirement... so many have no clue and also never see a failure. But those who do their homework find possible weaknesses and upgrade to avoid the possibility.
for instance, a plastic follower could not only fail but with some grit induced groove, could easily get increased diameter, thus binding. A steel one would mitigate the risk of this occurrence. Factories build a gun that works when new... aftermarket companies build parts to make the gun work better, longer

Brent

TMackey · January 17, 2010, 04:01 PM

oops.

Lee Lapin · January 17, 2010, 05:05 PM

The best advice I can offer is to worry less about the shotgun and concentrate on the shooter. Get some training under your belt- start at a level appropriate to your existing skills, and work on your progress until you're ready to take a class from a nationally ranked instructor like Randy Cain, Louis Awerbuck, Clint Smith, John Farnam, Tom Givens... . Learning to shoot a shotgun is one thing. Learning to FIGHT with a shotgun is a whole 'nother ball game.

A bare bones box stock shotgun in the hands of a well trained, practiced and confident shooter is far more worthwhile that a gun weighted down with aftermarket accessories in the hands of a shooter who doesn't know what to do with it.

jmho, ymmv...

lpl

hogdogs · January 17, 2010, 05:26 PM

And along Lee's advice... The more you shoot and maintain the gun, the more likely you are to find any weaknesses of the design and the upgrades to correct them. As for me, a box stock 500 with god only knows how many rounds down the pipe without a single failure... EVER... I am happy and I posted a couple years ago about the first time I cleaned my 500 in know tellin' how many years/rounds and the grunge I found

The sand and other cooties had done no harm nor foul..
Brent

Ronald Niedermann · January 19, 2010, 09:17 AM

Thank you all folks! Always good with a second opinion!

I will receive my 870 tomorrow.
It is equipped with the Speedfeed II stock and forend. 18" cylinder bore barrel-matte. I have also ordered a 2 shot magazine extension with vertical sling mount from Scattergun Technologies. A simple,but good package-Do you agree?
Is it something more I should do to this scattergun? It is only intended as a HD scattergun. Not hunting. For that purpose,I use my Over/Under Beretta.

xm21 · January 19, 2010, 09:59 AM

If you are going to put a magazine extension on your gun you are going to have to do some work on the mag tube dimples.A good place to learn how to do this is at aiptactical.com there is a video on a good way to remove the dimples without damage and a lot of good advice on the 870 as a fighting shotgun.The forged extractor available from MidwayUSA.com or Brownells.com is easy install and not very expensive if you choose to replace the MIM one that came on your gun.

guitar1580 · January 20, 2010, 01:25 AM

What are the extractors made of on an older 870? My WM is from 1973.

JP

Dave McC · January 20, 2010, 06:41 PM

What you need to spend money on now is ammo and range fees. Not bling.

After you've put a few thousand rounds through that shotgun, THEN think about what can upgrade your O/A performance and improve your chances of surviving a sudden,violent encounter.

Just shoot the thing....

MagnumWill · January 21, 2010, 02:27 AM

The one accessory I'll put on my 590A1 is a Surefire fore end with an integral flashlight. I figure it doesn't matter how good you are or how bombproof your gun is if you can't see. Otherwise, it sounds like a good build. I too think the extractor pin replacement on a new gun is a little unneeded.

And I keep four rounds in the tube and four in the stock; I figure if I need more, it may just be my time.

Ridge_Runner_5 · January 21, 2010, 03:21 PM

Buy and mount a side saddle.

January 17, 2010, 12:07 PM	#1
Ronald Niedermann Junior Member Join Date: January 17, 2010 Posts: 3	Good advices for my 870 Express HD Scattergun? I have recently bought a shotgun for HD use. My choice felt on a regular 870 Express,where the Gunsmith replaced the stock and foreend with a Speedfeed II kit. The barrel is a original 18" cylinder bore,matte. I have also ordered a heavy duty spring and follower from Scattergun Tech. I consider also to order a jumbo safety and a 2 shot extesion,also from Scattergun Tech. After doing some research on the net,I found that many,included Scattergun Bob,likes to replace the extractor and extractor pin to a stronger one. Is this a "must" for a HD scattergun I would be grateful,if you folks,came with your opinion on my shotgun and giving me advices to make this scattergun even better Many thanks!

January 17, 2010, 04:01 PM	#3
TMackey Senior Member Join Date: October 3, 2008 Posts: 319	oops. Last edited by TMackey; January 17, 2010 at 04:02 PM. Reason: misread op

January 17, 2010, 05:05 PM	#4
Lee Lapin Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2004 Location: SE NC Posts: 1,239	The best advice I can offer is to worry less about the shotgun and concentrate on the shooter. Get some training under your belt- start at a level appropriate to your existing skills, and work on your progress until you're ready to take a class from a nationally ranked instructor like Randy Cain, Louis Awerbuck, Clint Smith, John Farnam, Tom Givens... . Learning to shoot a shotgun is one thing. Learning to FIGHT with a shotgun is a whole 'nother ball game. A bare bones box stock shotgun in the hands of a well trained, practiced and confident shooter is far more worthwhile that a gun weighted down with aftermarket accessories in the hands of a shooter who doesn't know what to do with it. jmho, ymmv... 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. Last edited by Lee Lapin; January 17, 2010 at 06:06 PM.

January 19, 2010, 09:17 AM	#6
Ronald Niedermann Junior Member Join Date: January 17, 2010 Posts: 3	Good advices for my HD shotgun. Thank you all folks! Always good with a second opinion! I will receive my 870 tomorrow. It is equipped with the Speedfeed II stock and forend. 18" cylinder bore barrel-matte. I have also ordered a 2 shot magazine extension with vertical sling mount from Scattergun Technologies. A simple,but good package-Do you agree? Is it something more I should do to this scattergun? It is only intended as a HD scattergun. Not hunting. For that purpose,I use my Over/Under Beretta.

January 21, 2010, 02:27 AM	#10
MagnumWill Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 1,001	The one accessory I'll put on my 590A1 is a Surefire fore end with an integral flashlight. I figure it doesn't matter how good you are or how bombproof your gun is if you can't see. Otherwise, it sounds like a good build. I too think the extractor pin replacement on a new gun is a little unneeded. And I keep four rounds in the tube and four in the stock; I figure if I need more, it may just be my time. __________________ Those who hammer their swords into plow shares will plow for those who didn't...

January 17, 2010, 12:24 PM	#2
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	I don't think it is a requirement... so many have no clue and also never see a failure. But those who do their homework find possible weaknesses and upgrade to avoid the possibility. for instance, a plastic follower could not only fail but with some grit induced groove, could easily get increased diameter, thus binding. A steel one would mitigate the risk of this occurrence. Factories build a gun that works when new... aftermarket companies build parts to make the gun work better, longer Brent

January 17, 2010, 05:26 PM	#5
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	And along Lee's advice... The more you shoot and maintain the gun, the more likely you are to find any weaknesses of the design and the upgrades to correct them. As for me, a box stock 500 with god only knows how many rounds down the pipe without a single failure... EVER... I am happy and I posted a couple years ago about the first time I cleaned my 500 in know tellin' how many years/rounds and the grunge I found The sand and other cooties had done no harm nor foul.. Brent

January 19, 2010, 09:59 AM	#7
xm21 Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2008 Posts: 177	If you are going to put a magazine extension on your gun you are going to have to do some work on the mag tube dimples.A good place to learn how to do this is at aiptactical.com there is a video on a good way to remove the dimples without damage and a lot of good advice on the 870 as a fighting shotgun.The forged extractor available from MidwayUSA.com or Brownells.com is easy install and not very expensive if you choose to replace the MIM one that came on your gun.

January 20, 2010, 01:25 AM	#8
guitar1580 Senior Member Join Date: December 8, 2009 Posts: 201	What are the extractors made of on an older 870? My WM is from 1973. JP

January 20, 2010, 06:41 PM	#9
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	What you need to spend money on now is ammo and range fees. Not bling. After you've put a few thousand rounds through that shotgun, THEN think about what can upgrade your O/A performance and improve your chances of surviving a sudden,violent encounter. Just shoot the thing....

January 21, 2010, 03:21 PM	#11
Ridge_Runner_5 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2008 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,925	Buy and mount a side saddle.