Lefty Shooter Wants an 870 - Suggested Mods?

[1022rimfire]

Hi Calgunners,

I am left handed and I currently have a Mossberg 590A1 18" (with Surefire fore-end) shotgun due to the ambidextrous safety and easy to reach carrier release button. But I find this gun to be quite heavy and the action rattles more than I expected.

So I would like to buy an 870, but would like to find out if there are any mods suggested to make it more friendly for a left handed shooter.

- Is the carrier release location an issue for lefty's?
- Can the cross-bolt safety be reversed?

I think these were the two features that drew me towards the 590A1 over an 870.

Or are there techniques such that these aren't drawbacks for lefties?

I do want ghost ring sights and a possible picatinny rail for an Aimpoint T-1, but I'd like to keep the weight down.

On another note, have others found the weight of the 590A1 heavy? I have friends with Super 90's and they say the Mossy feels much heavier. Is the 870 lighter than a 590A1?

Thanks in advance for your input!

[SFFRONTMAN]

Im a lefty with a standard 870. The only modification that I needed was I added a oversized vang comp safety. I don't find the carrier release to be a problem at all. Im a believer that lefties have an advantage to reloading from a sidesaddle or from an open breach because it is much easier to roll a shell into the open action. As far as weight is concerned, im pretty sure that a Remington 870 will weigh more than a Mossberg because of the steel vs. aluminum receivers.

If you're looking to add a rail and ghost ring sights, I suggest looking at the tactical models because they are already pre drilled for a mount, which makes it much easier than starting with an express.

[tankerman]

So I would like to buy an 870, but would like to find out if there are any mods suggested to make it more friendly for a left handed shooter.

Hate to state the obvious..but why not just buy a left handed 870?

That's what I shoot.

[Jedi]

What do you want it for? I am guessing that you are looking for a "tactical" shotgun of sorts by desire for the inclusion of a rail and an Aimpoint. That being said, my suggestion is go with the 870 and learn to use it with both hands. By use it I mean speed load, reload, clear malfunctions, toggle the safety, etc... everything you do with the left hand should also be done with the right hand.

Incidentally, I am left handed and shot an 870 for many years. I love them and keep telling myself that I need to pick one up, but the funds are never there... so is life. I have never had any problems working the safety nor the carrier release in their stock configuration. Also as far as I know, they are about the same weight. A quick check on the Mossberg and Remington sites show that both weigh in at about 7.25 lbs.

[AngelDecoys]

- Can the cross-bolt safety be reversed?

Thanks in advance for your input!

I'm a lefty as well. Safety on the 870 cannot be swapped to the other side. Same with the 11-87. Get the lefty version if you can, or get used to not using the safety much. Its a pain to move your finger all the way around the trigger guard, especially if you do any training classes.

[Knight]

I own a right-handed 870 and I'm a lefty. No problems. I never use the safety; either I stored it with the safety off and nothing in the chamber or completely unloaded. I have actually been considering picking up a left-handed 870, but it's hard to justify the purchase when the right-handed one works fine.

[randy]

www.davesmetalworks.com makes left handed safetys 20 bucks I think.

[trinydex]

wow.... i coulda had an 870 all along

[Glock30]

Left handed shooter with a regular 870 also! Nothing is a problem for me, even when I switch on the safety I just wrap my thumb/finger around.

Don't they have a left handed 870? I know I saw something that remington had that was a lefty shotgun.