Turning an 870 Wingmaster hunting shotgun into a home defense weapon

[mikey357]

Just waiting on the TruGlo Glo-Dot front sight to arrive. She function-checked perfectly and cycles smoothly.

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Well, yeah, it's an 870, what did you expect?!?! Seriously, nice job there...

 

[EMC45]

My 870 nerd senses are tingling. I like it a lot. I like the way Wingmasters "ring" when you lock them into battery. Never had an Express do that and few Police Magnums I've worked on will.

 

[BigMike]

Love this! Start with quality stuff and make it fit your needs.

 

[cmshoot]

My 870 nerd senses are tingling. I like it a lot. I like the way Wingmasters "ring" when you lock them into battery. Never had an Express do that and few Police Magnums I've worked on will.

I have a slight preference for the Wingmaster over the Police. I like how smooth the metal is.

 

[EMC45]

I have a slight preference for the Wingmaster over the Police. I like how smooth the metal is.

Agreed

 

[Red Squirrel 556]

Flexi-Tab lifter on the left, old style lifter on the right.

View attachment 2700372

Good upgrade.

 

[Red Squirrel 556]

Just waiting on the TruGlo Glo-Dot front sight to arrive. She function-checked perfectly and cycles smoothly.

View attachment 2700374

Badass.

Shotguns and rimfires are always fun cheap projects. Kinda hard to boff em up also.

 

[gh1950]

Is the overall weight/length of the gun too much, or is it the recoil that’s too much?

A shorter stock that fits her better will help with both recoil and the handling of the gun. That is, unless it’s already got a short stock on it.

Counter intuitively, adding weight will substantially reduce recoil and make the gun easier to handle. The easiest way is to take loose shot, put it in a baggie, and stuff it in the stock. Even if you have to relieve the stock bolt hole to stuff more in. Some people bore additional holes in the stock, and stick fishing sinkers in them.

The extra weight reduces recoil because Newton said so, but shifting the weight back makes it easier for a smaller person to control the gun. Much of the felt recoil for a smaller person is because they don't have the arm strength to fully support the forearm and keep the gun tight to the shoulder. Adding weight to the stock shifts the weight back and takes it off the non-trigger arm.

 

[cmshoot]

Counter intuitively, adding weight will substantially reduce recoil and make the gun easier to handle. The easiest way is to take loose shot, put it in a baggie, and stuff it in the stock. Even if you have to relieve the stock bolt hole to stuff more in. Some people bore additional holes in the stock, and stick fishing sinkers in them.

The extra weight reduces recoil because Newton said so, but shifting the weight back makes it easier for a smaller person to control the gun. Much of the felt recoil for a smaller person is because they don't have the arm strength to fully support the forearm and keep the gun tight to the shoulder. Adding weight to the stock shifts the weight back and takes it off the non-trigger arm.

Yes, additional weight helps control recoil, but it will not make the gun easier to handle. By handle, I mean shouldering, transitioning, working the action, etc.

For a big, strong male shooter, adding weight is a definite option to consider. For a small framed female, that would be moving in the wrong direction.

If the weapon is too heavy, the shooter is constantly fighting to control it. They usually end up with poor stance and form, and have a difficult time keeping the weapon tight against the shoulder, which accentuates recoil.

While adding weight is an age-old method for controlling recoil, nowadays we have found other ways.

A shorter stock with a thicker, better designed recoil pad is one way. The shorter stock means that the shooter can control the weapon better. The thicker, better designed recoil pad does not effect the recoil, but it alleviates the felt recoil. A hollow core, synthetic stock tends to transmit less recoil to the shooter than a solid wood stock, or a synthetic stock with the hollow core filled with a solid substance.

Shortening the overall length of the weapon makes it handier indoors.

It’s common when using a weapon indoors to have to handle it singlehandedly; opening/closing doors, moving drapes/furniture, checking that doors are locked/unlocked, using a phone, etc. Making the weapon heavier will negatively effect how well folks are able to perform these tasks.

There is no reason nowadays to use full-power loads in a home defense shotgun. The use of reduced/managed recoil loads, in combination with a well-laid out shotgun, will give you an effective, easy to handle, weapon.

 

[EMC45]

Yes, additional weight helps control recoil, but it will not make the gun easier to handle. By handle, I mean shouldering, transitioning, working the action, etc.

For a big, strong male shooter, adding weight is a definite option to consider. For a small framed female, that would be moving in the wrong direction.

If the weapon is too heavy, the shooter is constantly fighting to control it. They usually end up with poor stance and form, and have a difficult time keeping the weapon tight against the shoulder, which accentuates recoil.

While adding weight is an age-old method for controlling recoil, nowadays we have found other ways.

A shorter stock with a thicker, better designed recoil pad is one way. The shorter stock means that the shooter can control the weapon better. The thicker, better designed recoil pad does not effect the recoil, but it alleviates the felt recoil. A hollow core, synthetic stock tends to transmit less recoil to the shooter than a solid wood stock, or a synthetic stock with the hollow core filled with a solid substance.

Shortening the overall length of the weapon makes it handier indoors.

It’s common when using a weapon indoors to have to handle it singlehandedly; opening/closing doors, moving drapes/furniture, checking that doors are locked/unlocked, using a phone, etc. Making the weapon heavier will negatively effect how well folks are able to perform these tasks.

There is no reason nowadays to use full-power loads in a home defense shotgun. The use of reduced/managed recoil loads, in combination with a well-laid out shotgun, will give you an effective, easy to handle, weapon.

Totally agree. A lot of the folks I work with will belly ache about the low recoil buck and slug and deem it "junk" and won't use it. I certainly won't stand in front of it. It works just fine