870 safety question

[buzzzyy]

hi everyone,

i was wondering something about the safety on the rem. 870 ... i got one recently from a buddy who didn't use his, but i don't know much about them.

i have a mossberg 500 and a browning BPS that both use very positive and easy to use safety mechanism ... forward fire, back safe.

now the Remington got this thing that goes from left to right and i never know if its on or not. i know it's got the red and white dots but i guess i'm just too dumb to figure that out. i really don't feel comfortable having that safety on there... even if i don't intentionaly put it one, i'm pretty sure i'd fumble it at the worst possible time.

so my question is, can i take the safety out or rig it some kinda way so that its ineffective? and is that a legal mod to make. thanks. -andrew

 

[E.Shell]

. . . now the Remington got this thing that goes from left to right and i never know if its on or not. i know it's got the red and white dots but i guess i'm just too dumb to figure that out. i really don't feel comfortable having that safety on there... even if i don't intentionaly put it one, i'm pretty sure i'd fumble it at the worst possible time.

I would think that you will get familiar with your new firearm and this will not be an issue. As with any new firearm, you should practice and handle it enough to become thoroughly familiar with it's correct operation.

The safety location lends itself to fast and positive deployment and it's location allows you to manipulate it without shifting your grip.

so my question is, can i take the safety out or rig it some kinda way so that its ineffective? and is that a legal mod to make. thanks. -andrew

Legal?: Yes.
Prudent, sensible?: NO.
Easy to do?: No.

 

[2SAM22]

"Flush on the right - ready to fight."

 

[Simon Yu]

First question to ask is if you're left handed. For right handers, it becomes intuitive since you push the safety in with your trigger finger when you're prepared to fire the thing. It's not as easy for lefties though.

 

[buzzzyy]

i'm right handed, so i guess i could give this thing another shot.

lucky for me too... i grew up in the time and place where my mom and pop would smack me on the back of the head and tell me to write with my right hand goddamnit

my gf is not so lucky. here parents were the i'm ok you're ok types and probably would have been OK with her using her right foot to write with. now, she's right eyed and left handed and couldn't use a longgun to save her life ... quite comical to watch

 

[DZ]

i would reccomend practicing with it, while shooting clays, etc, itll become second nature...
for your gf- with practice, she can learn to shoot from the right- thats far easier than trying to switch eye dominance...

 

[E.Shell]

First question to ask is if you're left handed. For right handers, it becomes intuitive since you push the safety in with your trigger finger when you're prepared to fire the thing. It's not as easy for lefties though.

Thanks Simon, I always forget the "other guys". . .

 

[Simon Yu]

Thanks Simon, I always forget the "other guys". . .

With the 870, it at least doesn't seem TOO difficult to switch the orientation of the safety. I spent a lot of time looking at the trigger assembly on mine last year after I accidentally left mine in the car trunk after rain canceled a trip to a range and had to clean off rust. I'm pretty sure I removed it to inspect and oil it and there wasn't all that much holding it in, though memory could be a bit fuzzy. I haven't really touched it much since having to do all that beyond making sure nothing bad happened when I tried to fire it. Need to get new glasses before I really make a go at trap shooting.

 

[mdsuave13]

i'm right handed, so i guess i could give this thing another shot.

lucky for me too... i grew up in the time and place where my mom and pop would smack me on the back of the head and tell me to write with my right hand goddamnit

my gf is not so lucky. here parents were the i'm ok you're ok types and probably would have been OK with her using her right foot to write with. now, she's right eyed and left handed and couldn't use a longgun to save her life ... quite comical to watch

wow, sounds like me.. i am left handed but right handed and eye dominant if that makes sense.. i use a long gun left handed correctly (if there is such a thing) BUT when i use a pistol i use my right hand and try to use my left eye.. it really f's up my accuracy when i don't realize it until halfway thru the magazine.

 

[trbon8r]

It's not as easy for lefties though.

Agreed. I have to reach underneath the shotgun and with my left middle finger push the safety over. Kind of a pain but not that much of an issue for me. I simply keep the 870 with the hammer down on and empty chamber and safety off. All I have to do is rack it and it's ready to go.

I believe Remington makes a mirror image trigger group for their left handed 870s that works in reverse. Unfortunately after so many years of shooting Remington products, if I changed now and all of a sudden the safety worked backwards I'd really be in a mess.