REM870 Accessory Question

3/28/05 | Bear_Slayer

[Bear_Slayer]

I'm looking to accessorize my 870 Magnum. Currently it is a basic gun with a 27" barrel.

I want to still use it for bird, but make it available for large game as well, ie deer/elk. I would also like to add combat features for home defense. Note - Home defense includes the woods around my house, not just the hallway at 3:00am.

my preference is 00buck for home defense, but I would also like to shoot slug accurately for large game at a distance.

[gruffwolf]

Home defense? I'm a big fan of overkill.... Benelli M4

[Sax]

Also consider #4 shot for inside the home. Close range shots won't see the roughly 27 pellets separate enough so they will hit all together and be plenty lethal. You also get the added benefit of reducing the risk of over-penetrating walls and endangering other friendly occupants or anything else. Here's an 870 wearing the 18" barrel

[P8riot]

While you're right about the versatility of the 870. Using rifled slugs for elk may be a losing proposition. By the time a slug reaches the animal, at typical elk distances (unless you can get really close), the slug has lost most of its energy and my not give you a clean kill. Elk are a lot bigger than deer too so something that works on a deer may just bother an elk.

[org.whodat]

Now, just why do you think you need a 300 winchester to hunt elk and mule deer?? My old rusty 308 will put the down on any of the two.

[Bear_Slayer]

That's what I am interested in doing.

How could I hang a sling on this weapon? I would want the gun to hang in front of me and be available for quick use. ALso, would the 1100 be a wiser choice then the 870?

[BooBoo1000]

Buy one of the new S/W Model 25 Mountain Guns, it will serve all of your needs.

[Bear_Slayer]

Description? Link?

[Sax]

I think it would be easier to find 'nifty' accessories for the 870. Sounds like you're describing a tactical sling, but I'm not sure how they mount (specialized swivels?) Heck, I'm not even sure if they are practical for shotguns - I just don't know. Anyway, just search on 'tactical sling' and I'm sure you'll find all the info you'd need to make a decision.

[Graycliff]

Because the 308 is anemic when compared to the 300 magnums.
150 grain 308= 2820 fps = 2648 ftlbs
150 grain 300 Weatherby = 3600 fps = 4200 ftlbs.

[Graycliff]

Slug guns make poor elk rifles. I'm not even sure their legal in all states.
Get at least a 7mm magnum for elk, my personal choice is a 300 Weatherby or 338 Win Mag.

[Max in Utah]

This is Morgan Hicks, a Murray State University (Murray, KY) grad who is now on the US Olympic Shooting Team.

Thanks, she's one goodlookin' riflewoman! Now I'm extra glad that I sent the US team a small donation!

[Graycliff]

3) For elk or deer at farther shots, A rifled barrel with ghost rings or scope would solve that.)

That combo won't deliver the accuracy nor the ft-lbs of energy required for taking elk size game.

[Graycliff]

18 inch barrel?

You better stretch it a little, that looks like 14 inch's.

[org.whodat]

Now you had to go to all that trouble to look that up. Tell me does all that date have anything to do with being able to hit them? I don't know but I've been told that people were killing them for years, with little stick with a rock on the end of it. Anyway if you can't hit anything a 50cal would probably be best, with a log belt. LOL

[Sax]

It's not my shotgun, just clipped the image, but that reminded me of an old timer I was talking too as we were leaving a fishing spot. Told him we caught a few trout that were about a 1/2 inch under the limit earlier that morning. He said, "hell son, if alls you need is a 1/2 inch just step on 'em." I hope the BBL is 18", I don't think you'd step 4" out of it.

Actually I think anything under 18" is minimum, mandatory 5yrs in the pen? I don't know if a class III permit covers short barreled shotguns?

[Max in Utah]

I would chose the Mossberg 500 over the Remington 870 for home defense, for one simple reason: it has a tang safety, rather than one in the trigger guard. This makes the Mossberg a split second quicker in going from 'Safe' to 'Fire', which could be a critical advantage in a defense situation.

The Remington is built better and would last much longer, I admit.

One suggestion: load a "snap cap" in the chamber, pull the trigger on it, and then load the magazine. With the weapon uncocked, you will not need to remember to press the slide release before pumping the action to chamber a live round.

[Sax]

That snap cap tip is pretty practical, I've never thought of that before! You should always practice the motion of safety off (&/or slide release) so it's natural, but when it comes to being woken up, if it's dark, and if you're scared and disoriented, it's one less thing to wrestle with -- that's another reason I like a shotgun to a pistol. It's a little more forgiving.

I always imagine shooting a lot better after a good breakfast and a relaxing drive than going from dreaming in a comfortable bed to a sweaty, adrenaline pumping situation in the middle of the night.

[PoorMuttly]

Perhaps the MOST useful change to the 870 which I have found is the installation of a WILLIAMS Target Safety. You can replace your stock safety with one, in just a few minutes. It is simply a slightly larger, top-hat button on the right side, enabling one to snap it off while the index finger is in the trigger guard. I found that it increased the use of the safety until the very last moment, because it is so easily put off-safe.

If you can find a Poly-Choke, one barrel is sufficient for all loads except STEEL. That is, until one blows it off with the wrong setting, and a slug! It IS rapidly adjustable with just a simple twist of the collar, and I have done some amazing things with one on a 20 ga. pump, besting others' 12 ga. performance at long range, by quickly setting it to XX-Full.

An elastic stock sleeve with ammo loops is always the most useful thing to have in the field, allowing quick reloads, selection of various loads, and adding weight to the stock, which may improve balance, and recoil attenuation, especially when using magnum loads.

Buy some MILITEC-1 lubricant...for everything. You won't believe how well it works, as lube and protectant, even in the bore.

About home defense loads, the fabled Dr. Martin Fackler recommends #1 Buck. Below is his web site, and it is well worth reading and pondering every word.


http://www.firearmstactical.com/tactical.htm

I now return this keyboard to the questionable control of my Typing Dog, little Muttly. Although he knows much about defensive weaponry, and many other things, I have instructed him to alert me of any reply or question you may have for me on this thread. However, if you want to know how many dimes can be loaded into a 12 ga. shell, or any other such devious expediences...feel free to just ask him. I'm sure he'd be glad to expound and interrelate many unlikely things for you....for entertainment purposes only....I hope.

[Sax]

I have a Poly-Choke on my A-5, very nice accessory.

[Max in Utah]

I've been in one of those adrenaline-pumping situations before, late one summer night in Dallas, Texas, with my rifle aimed at the chest of a man outside my bedroom window. The simpler you can make your situation the better.

(I didn't have to shoot, BTW... he seemed to realize something was wrong and after a few minutes of standing and listening, he walked quickly toward the alley.)