upgrading my 870

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im going to try out an idea i had for the ejector by replacing the rivets with allen head screws inserted from the outside of the receiver and threaded into a tapped ejector on the inside of the receiver.. zero modifications will be made to the receiver and if it fails (doesnt seem to fail on the mossbergs) then i can just as easily replace the ejector and go with rivets, a loss of maybe $15.. however, if it works, itll make future repairs SO much quicker and easier without any risk of damaging the finish to perform..

shell latches wont be staked, they arent in the mossbergs and i hear few mossberg owners whining about that, doesnt seem like it would make too much difference in the 870 either, theyre retained completely by the trigger pack holding the shell latches inside their grooves in the receiver while the takedown pin prevents them from moving

other modifications im going to make is replace the MIM extractor with a machined metal extractor, i'm going to replace the front bead with a tritium "bead" im going to install an oversized safety, possibly add a sling swivel to the end cap (no tube extension, not really necessary for either hunting or home defense)

im trying to be careful on my choice of stocks.. if i go with a "high" stock adapter, its going to change the cheek weld to a point where i will have to raise the optics in order to use any kind of sights.. meaning i wouldnt be able to look down the barrel or the bead or anything of the sort for aiming, id essentially be stock having to put a rail and BUIS on it.. a lot of unnecessary weight.. if i go with a lower mounted stock, i wouldnt really be able to have a folded stock otherwise it would look really goofy with the thing folding upwards at an angle

i think what im going to do is just go with a fixed stock with a vertical grip so i can swap out the AR-15 stock or grip of my choice for comfort

im wanting to polish up some of the surfaces to smooth up the action a bit more, im thinking i may strip the finish on the bolt and polish it.. i dont know if i would nickel plate it or do anything of the sort, i think just polishing it up should be fine, no?
 
With all due respect it sounds like you want to take the most reliable pump shotgun in the world and turn it into the most unreliable pump shotgun in the world.

Over 10 million Remington 870s are in circulation today. 90% of the shotguns used by law enforcement worldwide are Remington 870s. There is nothing wrong with the ejector system on these shotguns. There is nothing wrong with the staked shell latches. Not in 1950 when they came out, and not now. I have been shooting Remington 870s since 1985 and I have shot an estimated 100,000 rounds through them, with NO ejector issues or shell latch issues. If it rusts, spray down the exposed metal parts with a good gun oil, as much as you can, then wipe off as much as you can. After that, wipe it down with a silicone cloth after handling. The rough bead blasted surface of the 870 Express is designed to hold oil as well as be glare free.

The only thing your Remington 870 needs is ammunition live fired through it on a regular basis. Leave it stock, don't jack with the ejector or the shell latches, and it will sing a pretty song. I know you want to tinker with it. Take it to a training class from a competent instructor, experience the awesome power of your 870 with a properly trained owner, and your perceived need to change a proven weapons system will go away.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
leon.. did you read anything i wrote as to the reasons for leaving the shell latches unstaked?.. also, you cant show me anywhere that proves unstaked shell latches are less reliable.. mossberg doesnt stake theirs and last i checked the 500 actually beat the 870 for military contracts so its safe to say if unstaked shell latches were unreliable, that probably wouldnt have happened
 
Leon Carr

The only thing your Remington 870 needs is ammunition live fired through it on a regular basis. Leave it stock, don't jack with the ejector or the shell latches, and it will sing a pretty song. I know you want to tinker with it. Take it to a training class from a competent instructor, experience the awesome power of your 870 with a properly trained owner, and your perceived need to change a proven weapons system will go away.
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Agreed. Thank you, Leon, for saying what I was thinking.

20140920_183228_zps1f085605.jpg

The above-pictured Wingmaster is "modded" with the Fred Fuller Special barrel (18'5" parkerized, MOD-choke, smoothbore, Tritium rifle sights), a Remington Supercell recoil pad, an Andy's Leather Rhodesian shooting sling and some Uncle Mike's sling swivels.

The same shotgun is pictured below, too, after adding a Wilson Combat 1-shot magazine tube extension (it's missing it's front sling swivel until it's refitted) along with my first Wingmaster which is wearing a simple, blued 18.5" smoothbore, cyl. bore choke with bead sight and a screw-on Limbsaver recoil pad (I like to shoot a lot of slugs...) This is the shotgun I learned with, and for it's current role in HD, it is perfect.

20141126_133519_zps544eedb3.jpg

These are all the 870 I need to bring to my defense: simple, reliable, accurate.
 
Due to the design of the 870 it does not matter if the shell latches are staked or unstaked due to the trigger plate pins and the trigger assembly itself holding the shell latches in place. They are staked in so you don't have to put them back into the receiver recesses and realign them each time you take the trigger assembly out for cleaning.

From what I have read the Remington 870 did not get the military contract because they did not enter the trials, not due to the design of its ejector.

200Apples - Those are nice shotguns. I like the one round extensions also.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
LeonCarr said:
Due to the design of the 870 it does not matter if the shell latches are staked or unstaked due to the trigger plate pins and the trigger assembly itself holding the shell latches in place. They are staked in so you don't have to put them back into the receiver recesses and realign them each time you take the trigger assembly out for cleaning.

From what I have read the Remington 870 did not get the military contract because they did not enter the trials, not due to the design of its ejector.

200Apples - Those are nice shotguns. I like the one round extensions also.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
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that was exactly my point about the shell latches, absolutely unnecessary to have them staked when they are firmly held in place by the trigger housing and takedown pin.. and without them being staked in you can easily remove them and clean behind them or replace them if necessary
 
From what I have read the Remington 870 did not get the military contract because they did not enter the trials, not due to the design of its ejector.

Actualy Remington did enter the trials and lost to Mossberg due to failing the drop test Remington 870 stocks broke at the wrist when dropped from a 40 ft drop onto a hard surface. Remington reworked the stocks and made them thicker in the wrist after that. Also on that note Embassy Marines Insisted on 870s instead of the 500/590 shotguns, like they said none of them were likely to toss a shotgun 40 ft down and try to use them afterwards .
 
im fairly certain it was entered into trials and failed because for one reason or another it didnt meet one or more of the military's standard.. whether it was cost, weight, reliability, or whatever they grade them on

my point about the ejector was it works perfectly fine with screws on the mossberg, it would work fine on remingtons too if done right
 
I think you're in search of a project and you're using every excuse to try and justify it. Don't.
If you like your hobby, own it. Do it the way you want, take pictures through your process and show us and give us a review after. You don't owe anybody any answers. It's your money and your firearm.
If you truly are trying to find answers to your questions in the OP, well Sam already answered them very succinctly.
 
im starting to question putting a folding stock on it.. cant find a good one that isnt telescoping and i have absolutely no use for telescoping.. or "recoil dampening" stocks when i can fire off 3" 1oz slugs and not even be bothered by it, i have no need for the added complication of the recoil absorbtion features, and my concern right now with the folding stocks anyway is they are all plastic, lightweight and by removing the weight of a solid stock it will shift the balance more forward and damage the handling characteristics

so right now im thinking i may just go with the pepper lam 870 furniture, MAYBE just get a figured hardwood blank and carve one out myself (i used to build musical instruments, so this is an easy task for me)
 
my point about the ejector was it works perfectly fine with screws on the mossberg, it would work fine on remingtons too if done right
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Editing to remove my previous post and re-word in a more deferential manner:

Do you have any reason, using your own gun and based on your own personal experience to lead you to believe that there is an existing problem that stands to be improved through modification?

If not, what do you hope to accomplish by modifying the mechanicals of your gun?
 
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Maybe he wants to become a gun designer and out do the Master gun designer of all time, John Browning.
 
To some people, a gun is a tool. They use it for its purpose, and undertake modifications based solely on the desire to help it demonstrably better perform its purpose. (I mostly fall into that camp.) To other folk, a gun is a talisman, a work of art, or a prize. They value its craftsmanship and pedigree, and undertake modifications with an intention of celebrating and enhancing the emotional appeal of the object itself. To others still, a gun is a creative canvas. Modifications are done primarily to satisfy a need to modify, to assert an aesthetic on the gun independent of pedigree or utility. Each of these perspectives provides a different vantage point for viewing the value in a given gun or gun modification.

The disconnect in opinion occurs when perspectives get muddled. For example, we often see folk seeking to assert an aesthetic or artistic (e.g. tacticool) justify the aesthetic based on functionality, and the functionality specific folk throw the BS flag. The resultant dialog is usually pretty contentious.

I dunno what the actual goal of the OP was/is, but I'd suggest that stating the intention (functional, quality/craftsmanship, aesthetic) will be helpful in guiding this thread.

Just sayin'.....
 
what do you guys think about an AR stock adapter, side folding buffer tube adapter, buffer tube on that with a fixed AR stock.. or maybe even an ACE style receiver block with the side folding hinge..
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I had one of these once. It wobbles and is terrible. It never felt right and always cheap and like it was gonna break off.

ALSO they increased the felt recoil DRASTICALLY.
 
For an 870, I would suggest an oversize "mushroom" safety button and a high-visibility magazine follower.... and sling swivels.

BTW, I don't believe the finish on an 870 Express is Parkerizing. It's just a dark blue/black (Dulite?) over beadblasting. The 870 Police is Parkerized. Mine is a medium shade of gray.
 
I dunno what the actual goal of the OP was/is, but I'd suggest that stating the intention (functional, quality/craftsmanship, aesthetic) will be helpful in guiding this thread.

Good point.

I'm usually more in favor of upgrading the shooter (through training and practice) far more than worrying overmuch about the hardware. Thus my sig...
 
yeah, the 870 express is definitely bluing on top of a bead blast, its neither aesthetic nor durable, its just cheap and id rather have aesthetic or durable.. as for the rust issue, my cleaning regiment could be improved with more attention to making sure the oil i use actually makes it into even the hard to reach places where i had an issue with which was just surface rust, no pitting, however cleaning it up left a small blemish or two so theres a couple spots without any bluing

looking at the side folding adapters, none of them seem to work with a fixed stock and this can be an issue, i want something SOLID but it doesnt seem im going to get solid and side folding at the same time, that said if i put a folding adapter on a tube adapter anyway the stock would just end up folding up and forward at an angle and look poorly done.. so side folding is out, telescoping was never in.. which leaves me with either the mesa tactical urbino stock, or a fixed wooden stock like it has now

i still dont want the furniture it has.. like the blasted and blued finish its simply cheap so if i remain with a wooden stock i want to go with either solid walnut or pepper laminate, walnut would match some of the handguns i already use

so the direction im leaning now is walnut furniture, slow rust blued finish, oversized safety, a spare 18.5" barrel (for home defense, it has a 26" now) the tritium bead on the hunting barrel, some sling attachments (it currently has none) and since i intend to also use it for home defense, some means of installing a flashlight
 
goal is largely aesthetics, but also want a shotgun i can use for both hunting and home defense.. hense needing to get a shorter barrel and a flashlight mount regardless of the rest of the shotgun
 
When you're done with the hardware, let us know what upgrades you're planning for the software. ;)
 
Right.
Hardware = the gun and any doodads you have hanging from it.
Software = the guy holding the gun and pulling the trigger.

Upgrading hardware is the easy part, but it the system needs both hardware and software to run reliably and put lead on target accurately.
 
i shoot just fine, the fact the bones in my wrist grind when i rotate it has nothing to do with shooting skill, nor does the fact that i find the finish to be rather lacking and the furniture to be cheap.. not sure where you guys are getting poor shooting skills mixed up with wanting a shotgun that was more durable or more aesthetic, with furniture that is more comfortable with a prior injury, or wanting to personalize something
 
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