Does anyone make an extended 870 action bar lock?

[CleverNickname]

I can manipulate the action bar lock on my 870 with my trigger finger without adjusting my hand position, if I grip the gun with my left hand. However, I actually shoot right-handed, but I'd still like to be able to work the action bar lock with my right hand. Does anyone make an extended 870 action bar lock that bends around the front of the trigger guard so it can be worked with the right hand? I've seen this on other shotguns, but not the 870.

 

[dfariswheel]

I've never seen one for sale.

One could be modified without too much effort by silver soldering or riveting an extension to a new release.
Since the release is riveted in the trigger group, you'd be best to buy a new one to have moded.

 

[Bix]

Tank's makes and extra-wide action release, though I'm not sure if it's any longer than the stock unit:

http://www.tanksrifleshop.com/remshotgun.htm

 

[Fred Fuller]

Seeking a hardware solution to a software problem, perhaps?

Could it possibly be that ancient Remington engineers back in the prehistoric 1950s had a REASON for placing controls on 870s where they did? Could it possibly be that they WANTED the operator to break the firing grip in order to release the action, so as to remove or lessen the chance that the trigger might get mistakenly pulled in the process?

What circumstances prevail when 870 operators MUST hit the action release? Exactly one circumstance- opening a locked bolt. A bolt can be locked on either an empty chamber or a loaded one, and the action might need to be opened either to ascertain the condition of the chamber or to change the condition of the chamber. How much of that is genuine emergency procedure and how much is 'administrative'?

lpl/nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, Lee. You have put it better than I could.

 

[CleverNickname]

If it's so bad though, why did they put it in a place where a lefty can easily manipulate it, but not a righty? Why not just put it where no one can touch it without breaking their grip?

 

[Oldnamvet]

Like on a Winchester 1300? I think the Ithaca has it right where you would like it. Up front on the right side of the trigger guard. A bigger one would be handy for me at times when taking out the chambered shell while wearing heavy gloves in cold weather.

 

[Leadhead]

Mossberg might be more your style.

 

[ArmedBear]

Hmmm..

Never been a problem for me, either, as a rightie.

The action unlocks when the trigger is pulled. If you have a FTF under stress, you can just shuck it.

If you're releasing the action to check whether a round is chambered, or to unload the gun, you want your finger away from the trigger.

WRT right/left, there is a LH version of the 870, where everything is reversed. It stands to reason that the RH 870 is designed with only right-handed shooting in mind, since you can buy the gun either way. The safety is very easy and quick to disengage right-handed, but completely wrong for a leftie. Seems like the engineers just solved the right-left problems in general by making two different models, for better or for worse.

The BPS is an ambidextrous pump gun, but it's harder to toss a single shell into it.

All told, they generally don't make it easy for lefties, though now there are even leftie AR-15's, so clearly someone sees a market.

 

[Gordon]

I sure had to weld something up for my Benelli Nova!