Removing 870 front sight pedstal, anyone done it?

[ElHuron]

I was wondering if anyone on here has removed the front sight pedstal from their 870 barrel and with what method. I ask because the bead sight isnt doing it for me and ive seen pictures online of others that have just ground it down with a rotary tool and epoxied high viz fiber optic sights or to add slip on breachers/flash suppressors. I know it is silver soldered from the factory and i am not going to take heat to the barrel just to remove it. Ive already drilled out the bead but for my build it gets in the way and id like it gone.

[aippi]

It can be taken off but heat is required. You then may get 25,000 round through it or it could split after 5. You barrel your gamble. The best option is not longer there and that was to sell that barrel and get the one you want. You can not even epoxy an XS Big dot over it now as you have removed the bead and that is required for that install.

You could have the place you drilled out tapped and install a Meprolight Tritium Bead. That is a good option. Any thing else has the makings of a DIY gone astray.

[madland]

If you wanted to just take the bead itself off, is that possible and install a HiViz or something else on there? I don't have an 870 yet, I was looking at one the other day at Big5 but only for a minute. Second question, I know I 've read about the new 870s on here and the new design, is the original design worth more money or is it more about convenience and versatility? Thanks in advance.

[ElHuron]

If you wanted to just take the bead itself off, is that possible and install a HiViz or something else on there? I don't have an 870 yet, I was looking at one the other day at Big5 but only for a minute. Second question, I know I 've read about the new 870s on here and the new design, is the original design worth more money or is it more about convenience and versatility? Thanks in advance.

The original bead can be removed but it requires drilling out. Then the hole can be tapped and a new sight installed.

As far as design goes, i can take my newer version 6 rnd fixed mag 870 down to a bare receiver, minus the trigger, in 30 seconds or less with only my hands. The older style 870's with the mag extension require a screwdriver to remove the barrel clamp, unless you buy the 5 round version without any mag extension. So its up to you if you want 6+1 easy takedown with lack of barrels and dimple removal for magazine extensions, 5+1 with the same easy takedown, plenty of barrels, but dimple removal for mag extensions, or 7+1 with screwdriver for takedown and plenty of spare barrels and mag extensions.

It can be taken off but heat is required. You then may get 25,000 round through it or it could split after 5. You barrel your gamble. The best option is not longer there and that was to sell that barrel and get the one you want. You can not even epoxy an XS Big dot over it now as you have removed the bead and that is required for that install.

You could have the place you drilled out tapped and install a Meprolight Tritium Bead. That is a good option. Any thing else has the makings of a DIY gone astray.

My 870 is the newer model with the fixed 6 round tube and replacement barrels are on their way but no ETA yet so thats why i decided to just go ahead and remove the sight. Its going to be a combat buckshot gun so no need for a longer or rifled barrel. This is my plan or something along these lines for a front sight. Looks pretty good for DIY and no heat involved (not my pics):

High Viz


Sage Ghost Ring front sight

[aippi]

If you are cutting metal heat is involved. If your grinding the braising pad off, heat is involved.

There are no plans for replacement barrels for the 25077 model. Who ever told you that misled you. That model is not selling and will live a very short life. If by some twist of fate that model did start to sell it would be years before Remington adds barrels for it. However, if sales continue at this dismal rate I can see them adding a GR front sight barrel and drill and tap to receiver for their junk GR rail and sight to try and hit the Tacti-fool crowd. So that would be the first type a barrel offered as a parts replacement if ever.

[ElHuron]

Well i didnt grind the sight off, i filed it off by hand and now it is smooth and very close to the orignal outer diameter of .855 with no heat. Surprised to find a small dimple under the bead sight.


Sharpie special and it looks almost like a plain factory barrel.


Maybe the model 25077 isnt selling in your area but with near record gun sales here in Cali, this model and the older version are back ordered two months, at least in my area, due to the sale price of $350 and with a $30 rebate even lower so looks to me like they are flying off the shelves. Could be wrong though, maybe limited supply or some other unknown factors. I find it hard to believe that a brand new $320 870 +tax+DROS wont sell.

Even if replacement barrels dont arrive, there are various ways of adapting older style barrels to this new model. Little google searching shows some using a metal pipe as a spacer to fill the gap between the magazine cap and the barrel ring.

However, if sales continue at this dismal rate I can see them adding a GR front sight barrel and drill and tap to receiver for their junk GR rail and sight to try and hit the Tacti-fool crowd. So that would be the first type a barrel offered as a parts replacement if ever.

Already happened

http://www.gilbertsguns.com/Shotguns/Remington/Remington+870+Express+Tactical+Magpul+12-18+5+Shotgun+81209

[aippi]

All that work hand filing most likely saved the barrel so was worth it.

Thanks for that link to that Tacti-fool Remington. That must be an Exclusive model as I have never seen it but I sure must be a prophet. That will sell to that crowd and then fade away. That stock is as ugly as the rest of the gun and looks heavier then a farm boys girlfriend.

The 25077 is still a good value and for someone wanting a dedicated HD with a standard bead it is the way to go. The great loss is the vesitility of barrel changes. Remington hopes that once someone owns one and decides he likes 870's and wants to hunt, he will buy another gun. What they don't realize is that other gun may not be a Remington. If they would simply start putting detent balls on all 870 barrel rings and advestize the versitility of a standard 870 they would start getting market shares back. Instead, they try to copy other manufactures sucess. Thus the 887 (a disaster) was an attempt to get markety share back from the Nova. They build on mistakes instead walking away and when the 887 failed with the sporting crowd they said " let's put a bunch of tacti-fool mess on it and call it the 887 Tactical as those guys will buy anything. So now goes the 25077.