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Posted: 5/9/2020 3:30:47 PM EDT
I just picked up this Remington 870 and it came with a 20" smooth bore barrel with rifle sights. The rear sight is not like any other rifle sight I've seen on a shotgun before tho. Full disclaimer, my experience with shotguns is only a 15 year old H&R Excell auto I used 3 times 15 years ago to hunt ducks lol. I picked this up for a home defense build. I would like to upgrade the sights to night sights. Below are pictures of the rear sight assembled and with the ramp base only. My biggest question is, can a rear night sight be mounted to that ramp base, or do I need to remove that ramp base and drill and tap the receiver for a ghost sight and picatinny rail section?
Complete sight:    Ramp base only:   
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Posted: 5/9/2020 3:44:52 PM EDT
[#1]
That looks like the older version of the rifle sights Remington used on their rifles and shotguns back years ago.
I "think" (note the qualifier) that you can install the newer style rifle sight into that base, but it's going to leave the long slot exposed. The new style sight is a elevation block with a windage adjustable sight in it. I assume that you can buy the new sight from Remington. Removal of the base you have now will require a lot of heat. Remington mounts these with a high temp brazing compound that requires a dull red heat to melt. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 4:42:25 PM EDT
[#2]
That's the early style rifle sight. Your best bet is to either trade for the new style or trade for a plain barrel and add the sights you want. That's a 2 3/4 inch chamber barrel, if it's original to the gun the newer style will still probably have problems with 3" shells. You can change to the new style ejector to correct this but it's not a job for the average shotgun user. Your best bet may be to trade that complete rig to a new style gun with the sights like are pictured below.
 Those are sights from Trijicon but they only work on the sliding ramp rear sight. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 5:30:59 PM EDT
[#3]
No the receiver is a express magnum. The prior owner must have swapped at some point. I have found a used 20" parkerized bead front sight barrel, but from everything I've researched, the bead sight wont work with any type of rear sight?
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Posted: 5/9/2020 5:45:31 PM EDT
[#4]
Bodybaggers photo made me remember that the new style complete sight won't fit the old base...... sorry, I had a miss-remembering of the new sight style.
Usually a standard 870 bead sight will not work with any rear rifle sight. The newer beads are mounted on a small pedestal, but it's just not high enough to get the rear adjusted to target. In this case, you'd probably be better price-wise to just buy a new Express barrel with rifle sights or install your choice of sights on a new plain barrel. The cost of removing the brazed on base you have, brazing on a new front sight and having it reblued will put you over the cost of a new Express barrel. You could help fund it by selling the old barrel. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 6:03:13 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By josh6engine: No the receiver is a express magnum. The prior owner must have swapped at some point. I have found a used 20" parkerized bead front sight barrel, but from everything I've researched, the bead sight wont work with any type of rear sight? That bead will come right off so the front sight can be installed. These are what I would go with. https://www.trijicon.com/products/details/re04o Any gunsmith worth his salt should be able to install them for you. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 6:05:38 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dfariswheel: Bodybaggers photo made me remember that the new style complete sight won't fit the old base...... sorry, I had a miss-remembering of the new sight style. Usually a standard 870 bead sight will not work with any rear rifle sight. The newer beads are mounted on a small pedestal, but it's just not high enough to get the rear adjusted to target. In this case, you'd probably be better price-wise to just buy a new Express barrel with rifle sights or install your choice of sights on a new plain barrel. The cost of removing the brazed on base you have, brazing on a new front sight and having it reblued will put you over the cost of a new Express barrel. You could help fund it by selling the old barrel. Wouldn't I still be able to use the front sight as it sits and just replace it with a new tritium dovetail insert? I can remove the rear sight base myself and drill and tap the receiver. I do my own gunsmithing and work at a shop with all of the needed tools. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 6:32:33 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By josh6engine: Wouldn't I still be able to use the front sight as it sits and just replace it with a new tritium dovetail insert? I can remove the rear sight base myself and drill and tap the receiver. I do my own gunsmithing and work at a shop with all of the needed tools. Doing that to this barrel in my opinion is like cutting the fenders and suspension out of a cherry all original '66 GTO to put lowrider hydraulics on it. But yes you could do that. Just not with the sight set I posted above. It has it's own base. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 6:33:52 PM EDT
[#8]
I’m going to predict that no matter what, it is just going to be cheaper to buy a new barrel with the front and rear sight set-up you are looking for.
On the bright-side, you will probably be able to sell the barrel you have for a good amount towards a new barrel. Honestly, for an HD set-up, maybe shoot the gun with what you got and see if it grows on you. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 7:20:44 PM EDT
[#9]
As Marakov posted the cost of removing the sight, silver soldering on new ones and refinishing is going to be high.
If you can get a plain 18" or 20" barrel on the cheap then silver soldering a front sight and reparkarzing might not be too bad. You can always put a rear sight on the receiver. I've got an 870P which I had Hans Vang work on, including putting an LPA ghost ring rear sight and silver soldering on a front sight, I probably spent too much on it but I like it. 
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Posted: 5/9/2020 9:52:44 PM EDT
[#10]
Ok, I found a used parkerized 20" barrel with a pedestal bead front sight only. I think I'll get that and put the XS sights like this on.
https://www.xssights.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=993547&CAT=8268 |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 10:13:55 PM EDT
[#11]
Those XS are nice! That rail will be handy if you decide to mount a red dot too.
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Posted: 5/10/2020 11:00:26 AM EDT
[#12]
Josh,
Josh, I have another option for you to consider. Purchase the Trijicon front sight ONLY for that 870 barrel, which is available. It will fit into that existing dovetail since the front sight style has never changed. Leave your rear sight on the barrel, but you would have to open up the sight notch to allow use of the Trijicon front sight which is wider (you said you were handy dealing with gunsmithing). I personally find that night sights on both the front & rear are too busy for my older eyes, so I just run a night sight on the front on both my pistols & shotguns. |
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