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Old November 17, 2002, 04:39 AM   #1
Nightcrawler
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Need a pump shotgun

As much as I love the Boomstick, I need a new repeating shotgun. I'm probably going to get a Remington 870. I don't like the safety (I'm left handed), but it's available in the configuration that I want (18" bbl, 7+1 cap). I like a parkerized finish. Should I just go all the way and get the 870 Police Model? Price range?

Also, I'd want to add a sidesaddle. Recommended brands?

I'm probably going to get an aftermarket heatshield too. Just for looks, you understand. THey cost like $20.00 anyway.

Finally, the big question. I'd like to think I'd be able to hit stuff with slugs. In my experience I'm a notoriously poor shot with slugs and a bead sight. I'm thinking I should get the rifle sights or the ghost ring sights. (I can cut a hole in my cheap aftermarket heat shield to make room for rifle sights, like one other TFLer did).

I'm not sure. The apreture sight might be better, but to my eyes apreture sights aren't very good in low light conditions (like you often encounter indoors). In fact, a bead sight might be best for that reason.

Also, I find that for some reason the length of pull on a number of defense pumpguns feels too long for me. Does somebody make a shorter stock for the Remington 870? Doesn't have to be a whole lot shorter, just a bit.

Hmm. Advice?
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Old November 17, 2002, 06:21 AM   #2
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Eyes vary, but most people find aperture sights work very well in low light.

Hogue makes a shorter stock for the 870, but any smith or fair to middlin' amateur can shorten a stock and mount a pad.

HTH....
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Old November 17, 2002, 06:22 AM   #3
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Quote:
Eyes vary, but most people find aperture sights work very well in low light.
I know. But standard rifle apretures are no good for me in low light conditions. I'm guessing that a shotgun apreture would be larger.

I wish some shop around here would actually STOCK a shotgun with a peep sight so I could try before buying.
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Old November 17, 2002, 06:31 AM   #4
Dave McC
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Shotgun apertures are larger, and the hole left when the peep is unscrewed is larger yet. That's the original GR sight.
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Old November 17, 2002, 09:15 AM   #5
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Nightcrawler, I thought that was what buddies (and gun shows) were for?
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Old November 17, 2002, 02:26 PM   #6
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Gun show? What's that?

All the big ones are down state, I'm afraid.

As for buddies? Heh. One has a Mossberg 500 with a bead sight, 6-shot model. The other has a Mossberg 500A, 8 shot, with a bead sight.
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Old November 22, 2002, 02:54 AM   #7
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You might want to check with a gunsmith, I believe that the crossbolt safety on the 870 can be reversed. The trick is, I don't know if that applies to the new ones that have the internal lock in the safety, and of course it confuses anyone that you hand your shotgun to...
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Old November 22, 2002, 09:57 AM   #8
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You might want to take a look at the Mossberg 590A1 guns. you can get them from the factory with a short stock, ghost rings, & QD sling points for a price that's pretty comparable to the Reminginto Police 870s. And the safeties are ambi. Remember that the safety button and trigger guard on the A1s are metal, not the plastic that you're seeing on you buddies 500s.
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Old November 22, 2002, 10:24 AM   #9
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I handled a 590A1 once. Granted, it had a bayonet mounted on it at the time, but it struck me as muzzle heavy.
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Old November 22, 2002, 04:07 PM   #10
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Nightcrawler; I have a Remington 1187 'Police' auto that I keep for the same reasons you want a 18" pump, and it's a sweet one. Parkerized, sights, mag extension and a Choate pistol grip stock with matching forend. What do you plan on loading it with for home defense? I used to keep 00 buck in mine, but have switched to #8 low brass. At 50' or less, it'll do the job and is a lot less prone to go through walls. This thing will rattle off 8 rounds PDQ!
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Old November 22, 2002, 05:39 PM   #11
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191145, You may have an illegal setup on that Shotgun, I think You have too many evil features on that 1187P. I would lose the Pistol grip stock to get away from the Brady violation. Can any one else confirm my concern here? I also have an 1187P With a mag extension, I thought adding a pistol grip stock to a semi-auto would violate the Brady Act. Al in Md.
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Old November 22, 2002, 06:01 PM   #12
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try the mossberg 500 persuader that Big 5 runs on special every month or so. It's a 20 inch 7+1 and it's prettty slick. it's lighter than a 590, IIRC and balances between the hands.
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Old November 22, 2002, 10:10 PM   #13
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I've seen 500A Persuaders in Shotgun News for $200. They come with pistol grip only stocks, but it wouldn't be a big deal to buy a stock from Mossberg and slap it on there.

It wouldnt' have any iron sights, save the bead, but it'd still work well enough for my purposes, most likely.

As for the auto. A semiautomatic shotgun can not have a pistol grip if the magazine tube holds more than five rounds. If your magazine tube holds five rounds or less, you're good on the pistol grip stock.
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Old November 22, 2002, 10:56 PM   #14
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Quote:
As for the auto. A semiautomatic shotgun can not have a pistol grip if the magazine tube holds more than five rounds. If your magazine tube holds five rounds or less, you're good on the pistol grip stock.
Unless it was in that configuration on or before 13 September 1994
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Old November 24, 2002, 10:08 PM   #15
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Al in MD: Why would you be concerned about my shotgun? FYI, the gun was several years old in 1994. I added nothing to it - that's the way it came to me. Anyway, I'm not selling it or carrying it around, so I really don't give a hoot about Brady.
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Old November 25, 2002, 12:02 AM   #16
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191145, Glad to see your 1187P is preban. Sure would like this Brady Bill to sunset. I was trying to point out that that you could have a problem if you added a PG stock to a your semiauto shotty if postban. This is just the kind of trap that has been set by the Brady bill for the unknowing. Obviously you are fully aware of the Brady requirements. Notice in my post I used the word "may" to describe a possible violation. If I had modified a shotgun and was in violation of some ignorant law I would rather have a TFL member point that out than some LE officer. I don't give a hoot about Brady myself but the range that I shoot at has a number of LE types as members. Al in Md
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Old November 25, 2002, 08:18 AM   #17
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191145, that's called watching out for one another. It's what we gun folks need to do for each other.

Thanks Al !
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Old November 28, 2002, 07:42 AM   #18
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Haven't I read somewhere that you have to be able to prove that the gun was in pre-ban configuration prior to Brady's taking effect? For example, if you have a pre-ban AR lower, don't you have to provide some documentation that it as assembled as a pre-ban gun before Brady?
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