The Heavens Parted...
And the Heavens parted and lo, a weapon was given unto the children of men that would reach out with the wrath of Heaven. Okay, that may have been a little sacrilegious but I think it makes a valid point. The shotgun has been a Godsend for mankind. What other weapon can fill as many roles as the old shotty? It’s helped put meat on the table for centuries, It has protected our homes, it has brought down criminals that would plague our streets, and it has doled out our nation’s wrath on our enemies. It’s even spawned an entire Duck Dynasty...pun intended. Ammunition options for the shotgun are quite vast. We have everything from half loads for the recoil sensitive to 3” magnum slugs for those that want to deal out punishment on an epic scale. We see shot pellets in lead, steel, and tungsten for birds or practice. We also have buckshot, buck & ball, and even copper jacketed hollowpoint slugs if you are so inclined. We can obliterate anything from close range or from afar. So how do we get the most out of this harbinger of death? As anything, you need to start with a purpose. The hunting shotgun...too easy...do nothing but lube it with Slipstream. It will give you that broken in feel to the action. Let’s go with the Defense/Tac shotgun for this article.
The foundation of any shotgun is the stock. It has to do more than just be comfortable. It has to take a lot of repeated abuse. It has to put up with being bumped around and even dropped. It also has to absorb recoil so you don’t have to bear the entire brunt. The material it’s made of has a lot to do with all of those jobs. Wood stocks, yes even on a defense shotgun, are fantastic. They will take all that it has to and then some. The trade off here is that with being bumped around and dropped it will take some scratches and dents. Those are costly to have repaired. On the other hand, there is no more classic look for a shotgun of any type than a good quality retro stock.
Magpul is always looking for ways to be on the forefront of weapon stock technology.
Their 870 stock set is the perfect blend for those that love the classic feel of a wood stock and the tactical, pistol grip, styles. It's made with the same materials, and processes, as their rifle stocks. That means a good texture to keep you from slipping and remain lightweight and but well balanced. A good choice all around. The average synthetic stock is functional, cheap, and you won’t mind if it gets marred up.
However, there are better synthetic stocks. The Speedfeed stocks are great. Its Poly-resin takes anything you want to throw at it but is very abrasion resistant. The recoil pad works extremely well. My favorite aspect of it is the pistol grip. It’s similar to the angle of an AR15 grip so the transition from rifle to shotgun is seamless. I have one on my personal shotgun and couldn’t be happier with it.
The stock barrel is fine. It gets the job done but the front bead can be limiting. That can be changed but it all depends on if your receiver is drilled and tapped for other sights. So, let's explore two options.
Aftermarket sights
New barrel
For the sake of time let’s say your shotgun is drilled and tapped from the factory. It’s completely ready for anything you need to do. Alright, let's get down to sight options. XS Sights are a great option. I really like their Tactical Ghost Ring set. The rear needs the
threaded holes on the receiver so if you don’t have those already then you will need a trip to your gunsmith. Since we are considering that particular step was already done then we can move straight to installing the mounting screws. Because of the hefty recoil of a shotgun, we’ll need a little something to keep the screws from backing out. That being said never use anything with much strength or you will never be able to remove those screws without a torch. Low strength (purple) Loctite will do the trick. The XS front sight is a barrel band system. It uses a tight fitting band and tension hardware to attach it. Depending on your original setup you may have to remove the front bead to tighten it down properly. Getting it perfectly straight can be a challenge. Once tightened down, and some thread locker used in the process, this sight stays well and offers a great sighting system.
On the other hand, there is the option to replace the barrel for one with sights. This is an especially good option if you are turning your hunting shotgun into your home defense weapon. The Carlson 18" barrel is equipped with rifle sights. This can be a big advantage if you're looking for the most versatility out of your shotgun. Rifle sights allow quick target acquisition for close shots and adjustments to get you on target out to 200yds and beyond.
There are a couple that I believe are of great quality. The Nordic Components extension
rides on my personal shotgun. It's a very sturdy piece of equipment and I've come to trust it. It's well worth your trust as well.
The Vang Comp Systems extension is another quality piece. This extension also comes with a sling loop. Having a sling can be handy when training with your shotgun. Both of the extensions mentioned include a proper length mag tube spring.
This should get you off to a nice start. As with anything you'll need to review things, try things out, and see what works for you. These are a few of the Remington 870 parts that I have come to trust over the years. Our home defense shotguns have a mission that we cannot fail at. The more advantages we can stack up for ourselves, the easier the day we pray never comes will be. As usual, leave me some feedback. It helps me to better tailor articles to the reader.
