I have bone stock, older 870 Police Magnum (bead sight, 4 round mag, wood furniture) that I want to customize. I think I’m going to have it ceracoated, possibly Magpul furniture with a TLR-1 HL, extended mag tube, side saddle. My dilemma is sights, do I go with ghost rings (and which brand?) or just buy a new barrel with rifle sights? I’d love to hear everyone’s opinions! Also, anything I’m forgetting or missing on my list of changes?

Depends on how much shooting slugs you will do. The ghost ring setup works well with slugs. If buckshot will be your primary use, I would go with a large high visibility front bead.

I have a very similar set up as you described making. I actually have a Remington smooth bore barrel with rifle Ed sights. Very easy to pick up on moving targets and works well with both slugs and buck shot. And it’s on the barrel not the receiver, so I also have a simple beaded barrel if I ever want. I didn’t like the idea of putting a sight on my receiver.

I’m in the same position and looking at the same issue. I’m leaning towards keeping the standard shotgun front bead sight. I don’t plan on shooting a lot of slugs but using it for HD. I think the standard shotgun sight is about as fast as sight as there is especially for closer ranges. I grew up bird hunting and am very comfortable with the standard bead sight which is also a consideration.

FWIW, I’m thinking of something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/XS-Remi...ations/dp/B07XSGLPC5

I went through this and after spending a lot of money on a barrel with rifle sights concluded that rifle sights on a shotgun are more of a hinderance unless the main use will be shooting slugs for deer hunting. And then you would be better off with a rifled barrel. If you just want to shoot slugs for fun then stick with a bead front sight so you can use the same barrel for home defense use.

Check out Wilson Combats Remington Steal options for your 870.

I went the XS sight on my son's 20" 870P.
This was a beat up police trade in I picked up dirt cheap. Cerakote, new trigger group & BCG, 3-shot extension & XS tritium bead sight & magpul stock & forend, 6-shot side saddle on the left side.

Just my opinion: If it’s a true police magnum short barrel with the shiny blue and real wood, please, pretty please, don’t fudge it up with a bunch of plastic and ceracote nonsense.

That’s what the old $125 pawn shop 870s are for.

I’m all for customizing and doing your own thing, I’ve even got a thread here about doing some mods on a Franchi Affinity, but as a guy who’s worked in the business for a couple years and seen it done, I wish folks would save that for the dime a dozen 870 Express or some such other model.

I wish I had a dollar for every tact-ed out, devalued turd Russian SKS or classic Wingmaster I’ve seen. There’s a time and place for that stuff, but the time and place is a Yugo SKS or an 870 Express.

ETA: If the finish is all worn off and the wood is cracked and beat, ignore what I just wrote and carry on.

And for what it’s worth, the other posters are correct, a rifle sight on a shotgun is good for slugs and not much else.

Here's my 2 cents!

I have two 870's, 12 gauge and 20 gauge. The 20 gauge is a older Wingmaster built on a 12 gauge frame/receiver barrel cut down to 18.5/ XS big dot front sight. Receiver being a 12 gauge it accepts a Magpul rear stock. The 12 gauge is Police Magnum bought as barrel-less police trade in, added 18.5" barrel with XS low profile rifle sights, Magpul furniture.

I spent a fair amount of time shooting the two shotguns configured differently, always on a shot timer, mostly at 3-7yds credit card shots. Worth mentioning I "patterned" both. Even with the widest pattern ammo at HD distances it clearly showed me I need to aim not point. I compared the 20 gauge with it's original wood rear stock to the 12 gauge with the Magpul. I'm faster and more accurate with the 12 gauge. I contribute that result to the adjustable comb/proper cheek weld of the Magpul and the sights. Put a Magpul rear stock on the 20 gauge. Slightly more accurate with the 12 gauge, just as fast as the 20 gauge. Conclusion Magpul rear stock and rifle sights works best for me.

A good friend has a Benelli M1 Super 90, ghost ring sights. I've compared times with it and my 12 gauge, faster with mine on a credit card shot. I squirmed around for a sight picture with the cheek weld that does not fit me. Guessing I would be faster with rifle sights vs ghost ring on my 12 gauge?

The 20 gauge Wingmaster on the 12 gauge frame and Magpul rear stock is a sweet shotgun, Mrs. offgrid can handle it. Recoil is a little less then my buddies Benelli.

quote:

Originally posted by bionic218:
Just my opinion: If it’s a true police magnum short barrel with the shiny blue and real wood, please, pretty please, don’t fudge it up with a bunch of plastic and ceracote nonsense.

That’s what the old $125 pawn shop 870s are for.

I concur. (Heck, I'll trade you a "tactical" 870 Express with Magpul furniture, extended magazine tube, and a TLR mount for your good condition older blue and wood 870 Police Magnum...)

And if you're going to turn a classy old wood-and-blued-steel 870 Wingmaster or Police Magnum into a home defense gun, you can do it without cerakote and plastic, still retaining its classic looks.

Something like this 18" Wingmaster I assembled for my stepson, with perhaps the addition of a leather buttcuff with shell loops and some sort of blued steel (or blue-looking anodized aluminum) light mount:

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/3830046654

I had the same question when I put mine together a few years ago. I came to the conclusion that for my intended purpose, neither option offered enough of an advantage over the simple bead sight to change. I won't be reaching out with slugs, so there is no need for extra precision.

I use the plain metal bead. I don't even use a big dot or hi-viz version because when your light is on, you can see the outline of the bead really well.

If you're building the best setup for your shotgun, get Vang to put their ghost ring setup on your gun. Easily some of the best sights out there - it'll produce tighter groups and really extend your range with slugs, assuming you do your part.

I got a Mossberg Maverick for home defense recently. We live in a close subdivision where a stray bullet could be bad. So I got the shotgun.

It’s perfect for what I need, robust, simple and easy to use. But it was lacking a good front sight.

I used factory rem 870 with a 14 inch barrel and it had ramped sights. Prior to those issued to us, we used ramped 870’s..

I liked the ramped sight, but didn’t want to go to the trouble of getting a ramp and silver solder it on...so I bought one of meprolites front sight. https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...005908468?pid=185189

I had to use some epoxy to get it to time properly, and it turned out perfect. I can see it at night and it’s big enough to see without glasses.

I also agree with the others..don’t tactical the wing master if it looks like Rogues...get a beater from a pawn shop or go buy a Maverick

Thanks for the replies, I definitely want ghost rings or rifle sights, I’ve shot a lot of shotgun, and much prefer them over a simple bead, and I do like shooting slugs. And to the poster that asked about the finish, it’s not blued, it’s parkerized.

quote:

Originally posted by Twist18:
Thanks for the replies, I definitely want ghost rings or rifle sights, I’ve shot a lot of shotgun, and much prefer them over a simple bead, and I do like shooting slugs. And to the poster that asked about the finish, it’s not blued, it’s parkerized.

Sights are a personal thing, so don’t let anyone discourage you, but, on the other hand, make sure you really like a sight set-up, before spending money and drilling/cutting metal.

In the case of my personal, OEM eyes, nicely bold rifle sights on a shotgun are my preference, as they work when shooting lefty or righty. A ghost ring set-up only works well for me when shooting lefty. My left eye is dominant.

Some plain beads work well, for me, but not all. A vent rib is the worst sight set-up, for my eyes.

I have two Benelli M2 shotguns, one with Benelli’s truly excellent-for-my-eyes rifle sights, and the other with Benelli’s ghost ring set-up. The latter gun may get an optic, as the receiver has convenient factory-drilled holes.

My 870P has the bead-on-pedestal, with no rib.

The 870P was my duty shotgun, from about 2002, when it replaced a Marine Magnum in that role, until 2016, when the above-mentioned rifle-sight Benelli M2 assumed the task. (I sold the Marine Magnum, to help replenish my bank account after buying a duty patrol rifle, but quickly realized I did not want to be without a shotgun, on the streets.)

Other, prior duty shotguns I used, included an S&W 3000, with rifle sights almost identical to those on Remingtons, and an HK/Benelli M1 Super 90, with the factory ghost ring, which I never liked.

Here's my 1974 Wingmaster converted to a fighting shotgun. All I need is a side-saddle. I may add a top rail and use a Burris Fastfire red dot in the future. I've got it loaded with reduced recoil #4 buckshot. The picatinny rail is an aluminum Mesa Tactical magazine clamp with rail...
https://www.mesatactical.com/p...remington-12-ga.html



Since you mention shooting slugs. I recommend the SAGE pistol grip with a Kynshot hydraulic recoil buffer.
https://www.nokick.com/KynShot...fer_p/kyn-rb5100.htm

That's what I have installed on my 870 and I tested it with two full boxes of the hardest hitting 12ga magnum slugs I could find. With a bead, I actually center-punched the X-ring of a SR-1 target at 50 yards.

The buffer really does reduce felt recoil and after shooting 15 rounds of slugs and 3" mag 00 buck, my shoulder felt like I had been shooting average target loads. No bruising of the shoulder.

It may look fugly, but it's 100% functional.


Here's the same shotgun with the Magpul SGA buttstock...


It did not change felt recoil with full-power loads. Shoulder still bruised after shooting a couple of 5 round boxes of 3" 00 buckshot.

Tony.

Should you decide to go the leather shell-cuff route, I have one you might be able to field-test before making the full-blown commitment.

The one pictured came from Galco and is mounted on an 1100. It’s quite serviceable and, to my eye, preserves a bit of a “traditional” flavor to the gun. Granted, this same gun has a fiber-optic front sight and a ported barrel...so much for traditional, hm?

I’ve just taken delivery of a new cuff from Barranti Leather that’s going to replace this one.

Let me know, OP, if you want to give the Galco version a test-drive.

I'd spray coat the finish myself (duracoat) and replace the front bead with an XS big dot. There is nothing inside or around your house a bead sighted 870 loaded with flight control buckshot can't handle. IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
Here's my 1974 Wingmaster converted to a fighting shotgun. All I need is a side-saddle. I may add a top rail and use a Burris Fastfire red dot in the future. I've got it loaded with reduced recoil #4 buckshot. The picatinny rail is an aluminum Mesa Tactical magazine clamp with rail...


Since you mention shooting slugs. I recommend the SAGE pistol grip with a Kynshot hydraulic recoil buffer.

That's what I have installed on my 870 and I tested it with two full boxes of the hardest hitting 12ga magnum slugs I could find. With a bead, I actually center-punched the X-ring of a SR-1 target at 50 yards.

The buffer really does reduce felt recoil and after shooting 15 rounds of slugs and 3" mag 00 buck, my shoulder felt like I had been shooting average target loads. No bruising of the shoulder.



Here's the same shotgun with the Magpul SGA buttstock...


It did not change felt recoil with full-power loads. Shoulder still bruised after shooting a couple of 5 round boxes of 3" 00 buckshot.

Tony.

Notice you still have the old style Flex tab and bolt. These really should be upgraded on a defense gun. Here's where I bought mine.

https://tacticalgunslings.com/...n-kit-remington-870/

Fairly easy to install, but I did have a problem installing the heavy carrier dog follower spring as it is really heavy and it flew across the garage and I've not been able to find it.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:


Notice you still have the old style Flex tab and bolt. These really should be upgraded on a defense gun. Here's where I bought mine.

https://tacticalgunslings.com/...n-kit-remington-870/

Fairly easy to install, but I did have a problem installing the heavy carrier dog follower spring as it is really heavy and it flew across the garage and I've not been able to find it.

As far as I know, they are current. I bought the flexi-tab upgrade from AI&P Tactical just two years ago. I removed my original bolt assembly and carrier and upgraded to the flexi-tab style. Also installed a new shell carrier spring and extra-power magazine spring too.

Tony.