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After Turkey season I plan to convert my hunting shotgun to a tactical home defense gun. Where can I purchase the parts for this conversion? I would like a shorter barrel, a magazine extension, and maybe some other things . Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Isaac.
Pretty much anywhere on the barrel. Here's one from Gunbroker, used, today: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/866087724
eBay, 3rd party "lightly used" barrel: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Barrel-For-...AAAOSwEeFVLu9d
eBay, 18" threaded for choke: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Barrel-For-...AAAOSwEeFVLu9d
eBay, 18" as above plus other conversion crap: https://www.ebay.com/itm/BARREL-FOR-....c100005.m1851
and on and on. Cheaper than Dirt, Sportsman's guide, Magpul (for other parts), and so forth. Remington 870 and/or Mossberg 500 - welcome to the cornucopia.
This guy has most of what you need. Make sure you use the forged extractor and not the MIM extractor.
https://tacticalgunslings.com/remington-shotgun-parts-small-parts/?sort=featured&page=5#
you'll also need to knock the dimples out.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAGAZINE-TU...IAAOSwVG9dP55T
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-ztzICm5lg
Before you add any tactical "upgrades", just ask yourself, "How will this IMPROVE the shotgun for home defense". If you just want a cool looking shotgun, then build away. If you are looking for something that is tactical and PRACTICAL, take small steps. I'm a certified 870 Armorer. The first two things I would do would be to replace the MIM extractor with a "real" one and make sure you have the most up to date ORANGE PLASTIC follower.
https://www.brownells.com/shotgun-pa...prod10745.aspx
https://www.brownells.com/shotgun-pa...930-27384.aspx
If you are looking to spend some more money on something USEFUL, then might I suggest an 870P trigger plate assembly. No plastic here.
https://www.brownells.com/shotgun-pa...prod26466.aspx
Those three things will make your shotgun more "tactical" than adding whiz bangers, thingymajigs, and watchamacallits, because it will be MORE RELIABLE.
After that I would find a light that you like, because you can't shoot at a target that you can't identify, and a good two point sling.
Magazine extensions and side saddles should come last.
If you end up with a magazine extension, ensure that you replace the magazine spring with the extended magazine spring. Don't fuck around with aluminum or steel followers that are "more reliable". A clean magazine tube is a great place for a plastic follower to slide. Aluminum and steel corrode and cause wear in the tube.
Have fun.
Jules
Here's another thing to consider. I own a 1991 model year Remington 1187 Special Purpose with a 21" barrel. I thought this would be a a great base for a tactical shotgun. After I thought about it for a while I believed turning this long out of production shotgun I use for Turkey, goose and duck into a tactical trash wagon would be a terrible disservice to the firearm. Knocking out the magazine tube spring retainer dimples made the choice for me to leave the gun box stock and consider other options. I decided on buying a shotgun that already had all the tacticool stuff on it. I purchased a Remington 870P model that already had the mag tube extension, non plastic trigger group, forged extractor and upgraded springs etc. It was just short of $500 which if you build one of those tacticool shotguns out of your hunting gun it will quickly add up to that much. Synthetic stock and fore arm, barrel, mag tube extension, miscellaneous springs and forged steel parts plus shipping for everything will add up quickly.
Here's a page from Remington that covers their Police models
https://www.remingtondefense.com/sho...ce/bead-sight/
My 1991 1187 and The new Remington 870P Model #24903
https://i.postimg.cc/8C9wy6JX/20191215-163721.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/LXnJdgm0/20200114-113551.jpg
Best thing I have heard all day. Sage advice...Quote:
Originally Posted by JenniferG
I went with a 20" barrel on my most recent fighting shotgun because I wanted 7+1 but didn't feel like fighting for it. I have 7 round magazines in both the 870 tactical and 930 but if the shells are crimped a bit too long, it becomes a 6 round magazine. Not the case with my 20" Mossberg 500 so I chose a 20" barrel and corresponding magazine tube length. Most folks will choose 18" though. Up to you. I do not like the Remington factory extensions and have replaced them with Wilson combat, Tacstar, or Choate on every 870 I've owned. If you don't thread the barrel nut and extension together just right, it creates a gap and your shells/spring/follower can and will get stuck there.
Have you considered how/if you want to put a light on your 870? I wouldn't recommend your hand sharing the forend with a light via rails or mlok because it never has ended well for me when I tried it. My hand moves forward and slams into the light/rail under recoil. I've used CDM and Nordic Components clamps to mount lights on my shotguns and they work well.
I like MidwayUSA even though their crosseyed CEO looks like his mother and father were brother and sister. Sometimes you can get lucky and find barrels or magazine extensions on ebay but I wouldn't count on it. Look once and if there's nothing there, move on. Brownells and optics planet are ok too. I would NOT buy anything from cheaper than dirt because they've fucked the gun community multiple times by gouging prices on ammunition and magazines. There are plenty of youtube videos titled something along the lines of "CTD at it again". $900 for a case of 5.56, $600 for steel cased 9mm, $60 for a 30 round Pmag ... they're assholes. Fuck them.
For around $200, here's a good place to start ...
18" Barrel
https://www.opticsplanet.com/remingt...extra-bbl.html
+2 Magazine extension
https://www.opticsplanet.com/wilson-...E-SGET-U-2-2RD
Make sure to post photos when your put it together! I love to see other people's fighting shotguns.
Some excellent information! Thanks everybody! I appreciate your help.
You are welcome. This is still a great forum. Can't wait to see what you do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hobbs4421