I just installed 2 Vang Comp Big Head Safeties (PICS)

[schapman43]

I just got through installing two Vang Comp Big Head Safeties in my two 870's. One 870 is in my hunting gun, the safety should be great in the goose pit when wearing gloves. The other went in my home defense gun. Installation is extremely easy. Each took less than 15 minutes to install from start to finish.

Here is the safety in the HD gun.

Here is a picture of the Vang Comp Safety.

There were some small differences between my older HD gun and the newer hunting gun with key safety. The older gun had only a spring and ball bearing(sp?). The newer gun had a piston looking thing in place of the ball bearing. The piston looking device makes the safety feel much smoother. I may buy one for my older gun.

Here is the safety installed in the newer trigger group.

Overall I am very happy with the Vang Comp safety. For $10 on the Brownells website you cant go wrong!

 

[444]

Let us know how you like it after you have used them a little bit.

I used one for an afternoon during my Gunsite 260 class. It didn't really do anything for me. I thought the factory one was fine. Of course I wasn't wearing gloves and I was shooting on a sqare range. I recently received my own Vang 870 which of course has his Vang big safety. I am not planning on taking it off but I am not going to replace the ones on my other shotguns.

 

[sm]

schapman43

Humm,

Thanks for information, and great detailed pics !

Okay, I want to replace the J hook safety on a 870 Express. I cannot find any of the original plain jane safeties we used for 50 years. I never had a problem with the old style with spring and ball bearing.

Clarify, since I have not torn into one yet if you please.

- Can I take the new style piston dealie and convert to the "old" plain jane ball bearing dealie. Or is there something I'm not seeing that prevents this?

- So you converted the piston set-up to a big head Vang. Is the metal on the Vang such that I can turn it down on a lathe to make me a original ( near as can) safety button? Meaning - leave my piston system in, remove that hideous J hook, turn a Vang down and be near original.

- Who is hoarding all the original safeties, carbon steel mag followers, the snap rings that fit over the spring? With all these conversions and all...I want to hoard too.

Inquiring old farts, who had no problems before, and want to convert BACK to original set-ups & designs want to know.


Yeah I know - just like me to wander off in a different direction than most folks.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've shot a couple Competition shotguns with big head safeties. They do nothing for me and I worry about them getting knocked off easier.

But, they work for others. Nice to know the change is easy and reversible.

Thanks....

 

[sm]

<flame suit on>
I have used many competition guns - with NO Safety.
Removed on purpose.
Allowed at most , if not all "facilites" that I frequented. Before everyone became PC and all.
Hunted birds with the same guns.

We had 4 rules. I/WE NEVER had a mishap.

I ain't adapting to legalese, marketing, bean counters, PC, doodads, wish catalogs and dohickeys very well am I ?

Go away kid your bugging me...here is a quarter...go play in the middle of the freeway - W.C.Fields

Sorry - but the more I look at this "tool" to operate a J Hook safety the more I think it is better suited to :

- perform an emergency trach...

-remove the pit from olives

-scribe sheetrock or soft wood before cutting

-hurt the user trying to use the durn thing

Ahh...I feel better now.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Schapman43,

Glad you like Hans' safeties, but I hope they don't cause you problems. I got one in an 870 I bought used once upon a time, and didn't like it at all- I found it far too easy to get bumped off. Worse, there was no tactile index that said it wasn't where it was supposed to be (i.e., on SAFE not FIRE). Had to feel the other side of the trigger guard to be sure, since you couldn't tell by the feel of that big steel bulge.

FWIW, it takes about as much time to remove 'em as it does to install 'em. That one's still in the parts box. Not saying you should toss yours, of course.


sm,

Keep the j-lock "safety", the spring and piston shaped detent all together. Maybe in another 20 years people will be seeking them avidly (hey, I doubt it, but you never know...).

When you eventually find an 'old style' safety, be sure you order the replacement ball bearing style detent _and_ the proper spring to install with it. Brownells works for me. I wouldn't worry about trying to convert the piston dealie to anything other than a curiosity in the parts box. Not worth it IMHO, you need the original parts to get the proper tension on the safety button. Getting the spring weights right in a DIY process is not something I care to mess with as long as factory or eqivalent parts are easily available.

Don't worry about lathing a Vang, just keep an eye out for original safeties (don't think Remington will sell you one tho). One old fart to another, I might happen to have one or three in the parts box, courtesy of people who just hadda hadda HADDA have a big-head safety installed in their 3-gun/etc. guns. Matter of fact, IIRC there are a couple other big-head safeties still in there too, from people who wanted original style safeties back after all. My wife positively loathes any form of big headed safety and since all the "ours" 870s are set up to fit her, all of them have factory original non-locking safeties.

Yes indeedie, the ultimate safety is an educated shooter. But I still want fully functional safeties on my shotguns. I use 'em, but as mechanical devices I don't depend on 'em. They can still malf.

Stay safe, all-

lpl/nc