Thinking of building a tactical shotgun

[Solus]

Do you own an 870? If so, listen to the board. If not, I would really, really, really reccomend a Mossy. The reason for that is the top mounted safety. Personally, its where a safety belongs and its ambi (I'm a lefty, so I'm biased, but even shooting RH with gloves its a whole lot easier). Plus, they are cheaper and I see little loss in quality. If its good enough for the USMC, its good enough for me. Plus, as Tom noted, you can get a two barrel set, SD and birds for $500. The 590 is my shotty of choice. I stupidly sold one a decade or so ago, but those ghost rings would put a slug in a dessert plate at 30 yards (I never shot further as I bought it for bear defense on an Alaska trip). Anyway, good luck.
FQ13

Have had a Mossberg 590 and the 870.

I prefer the 870 with the Knoxx stock, and probably if any pistol grip stock is used.

The pistol grip stock makes the tang safety cumbersome to use and it blocks the slide unlock button making it difficult to cycle rounds out of the magazine on the 590.

I also found the action on the 590 to be rough compared to the 870.  No hindrance to operation or reliability, just much rougher.

[billt]

I own both a Mossberg 500 and a Remington 870. If I had to choose between the two I would choose the 870 because it's receiver is made from steel as opposed to Aluminum. I like steel in weapons. With that said, here's the actual differences between the Remington 870 Wingmaster, the Police, and the Express guns:

The Express is Remington's "budget" gun, made to compete with the cheaper to make Winchester and Mossberg guns.

The Wingmaster is Remington "Cadillac" top-of-the-line sporting gun.

The Police is a Wingmaster with a dull finish and is a much more carefully inspected and built gun.

How Remington lowered the Express price was to reduce hand labor to a bare minimum, and to eliminate much of the polishing and de-burring the better quality Wingmaster and Police guns get.

The Express is basically the same milled steel receiver and heavy-duty internals gun the better 870's are, just in a rougher, less well finished form with plastic and MIM parts.

The Express Model has:
A plastic trigger group.
The dimples in the mag tube and the new style plastic magazine retention system, EXCEPT on the extended magazine version, which does NOT have the dimples.
A rougher finish inside and outside, with machine marks and some burrs left.
A rougher, bead blasted blue job.
A less polished bore.
A two piece barrel. (not 100% sure about this)
Hardwood or synthetic stock, with a sporting-length fore end and pressed-in checkering.
The Defense version has 18", Cylinder bore barrel, with a bead sight.
Some Metal Injection Molded (MIM) parts, like the extractor.
Has the locking safety button.

The Wingmaster has:
An aluminum trigger group.
The old style magazine retention system.
A much smoother finish inside and out, no machine marks or burrs.
The Wingmaster gun receives a higher level of inspection and finishing.
A fine, commercial polished blue finish.
A polished bore.
A one piece barrel.
A chrome plated bolt.
Walnut stocks with the famous "Bowling Pin" finish in gloss or satin and better checkering.
Wide choices in barrel lengths and choke options.
No use of MIM parts, the extractor is milled.
The Wingmaster is the full top-of-the-line commercial Remington pump gun, and is priced accordingly.

The 870 Police has:
An aluminum trigger group.
The old style magazine retention system.
A much smoother finish inside and out, no machine marks or burrs.
The Police gun receives a higher level of inspection and finishing.
A military-grade parkerized finish.
A polished bore.
A one piece barrel.
Walnut or synthetic stock, with a short police-length fore end.
The Remington “R3” super recoil pad that reduced felt recoil by 30%.
Choices in different stocks, including Speedfeed, and others.
18" to 20" improved cylinder barrel, with a wide choice in sights, including rifle, ghost ring, and luminous.
Police options like magazine extenders, forearms with built-in lights, and sling swivels.
Heavy-duty magazine spring.
Heavy-duty trigger-sear spring.
Sling swivel mounts.
No use of MIM parts, the extractor is milled.

The Express is a "bottom of the line" budget gun, the Wingmaster is a "top of the line" sporting gun, the Police is the top-of-the-line in defense guns.
The 870's are generally considered to be the finest quality pump gun made.    Bill T.

[tombogan03884]

The Knoxx stock may block the slide release on the Mossy 590, it doesn't get in the way on the 500.

[Dakotaranger]

Do you own an 870? If so, listen to the board. If not, I would really, really, really reccomend a Mossy. The reason for that is the top mounted safety. Personally, its where a safety belongs and its ambi (I'm a lefty, so I'm biased, but even shooting RH with gloves its a whole lot easier). Plus, they are cheaper and I see little loss in quality. If its good enough for the USMC, its good enough for me. Plus, as Tom noted, you can get a two barrel set, SD and birds for $500. The 590 is my shotty of choice. I stupidly sold one a decade or so ago, but those ghost rings would put a slug in a dessert plate at 30 yards (I never shot further as I bought it for bear defense on an Alaska trip). Anyway, good luck.
FQ13

I do have an 870 so I thought about going ahead and just getting the stock and barrel switch it out if I were going out for pheasent.  I do have a semi-auto but I I don't see that switching out the stock is as feasible because it's a Stoeger because there doesn't seam to be the aftermarket parts

[tombogan03884]

My only experience is with the Knoxx , it does fit the Rem 870.

[Sponsor]

[breezzer99]

speaking of knoxx I just ran across this http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/26_643/products_id/38890

[tombogan03884]

speaking of knoxx I just ran across this http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/26_643/products_id/38890

Does that include the actual stock, or just the cheek piece and shell holder. I paid almost double that for just the stock.

[bafsu92]

Does that include the actual stock, or just the cheek piece and shell holder. I paid almost double that for just the stock.

No, that's just the cheek piece and shell holder, the stock is another $91

[tombogan03884]

I got mine for around $60 at Sportsman's guide, Cabela's is about the same.

[breezzer99]

I wish it included stock cause I would buy few 100 to resell lol