Need help choosing shotgun scope mount.

[HawaiiFALer]

I have a Remington 870 in 12 ga. I plan to get an 11-87 in 12 ga.

I have a Simmons Pro-Diamond 2x32 shotgun scope. The plan is to set it up for turkey, and maybe deer/pig slug hunting. I have the choke tubes for each set up, turkey extra full and super full, and slug rifled.

What is the best combination of scope mount, ring, and scope? Please mention the specific brands.

Thanks.

[HawaiiFALer]

There are saddle mounts from B-Square and Remington.

There are some side mount kind of things from Weaver, Tasco.

Some drill and tap for a Weaver one-piece base.

Remington makes a cantilever mount barrel.

Some cantilever mounts clamp onto a vent rib.

What's best? :confused:

[firefuzz]

I've tried a couple of the aluminum saddle type mounts and after about 50 to 60 rounds of slugs the groups seemed to open up. Lots of ''G's'' , and usually a higher type mount, to stretch or flex an aluminum mount.

If I ever rig up another scoped slug gun I'll have the receiver drilled and taped and use a steel weaver type base. Mounts of this style are both stronger and lower which equates to less felt recoil.

The cantilever type mounts provide for a low mounted scope and have the plus of being mounted on the barrel. Serious slug shooter's say this helps accuracy as the barrels of most shotguns aren't ''attached'' to the receiver just held there by the mag cap. Just what I've read and been told, never tried one myself.

Rob

[EMDII]

For the 870 this is the sin qua non-

[ggiilliiee]

ya may want to try a scope shotgun first....ive shotcountless cases of 12 at pepper poppers none for game birds as it is illegal to use them for hunting...but for the poppers it just slowed me down ...trying to aquire the target dot ....after 50 k of rounds youll find you dont even look at the sights anymore ...goes instinctive ....best thing for the gobblers is a 3" nitro mag duplex .....they never know what hits them ...and they shure are tasty little critters ...

[Muggzy]

ggiilliiee...what is a pepper popper?

I find the red dots are as fast if not faster to aquire than a scope reticle.

The "dots" are used with both eyes open. allowing the best field of view
compared with a scope. I have hunted with a scoped shotgun and had to
fire at a range of 6 yards. I did not place the crosshair on the deer...I waited for
him to step into the scope and when I saw brown/hair I fired. So there are limitations with a scope.

A scope will also limit you with the amount of daylight. A red dot does not have that limitation. Yes...I have pushed the envelope on the early morning and late afternoon shooting times. So sue me:rolleyes:

This...of course is my personal opinion but it is highly regarded in most circles
(that be deer camp circles:rofl: )

[HawaiiFALer]

Thanks. I almost bought a saddle mount. Good thing I didn't. I don't like stuff shooting loose.

Maybe the cantilever will work for me.

The one that Ted pictured looks really cool. Maybe if I (ever) set up a dedicated tactical shotgun, but I guess I'd have to get an 18" barrel.

[firefuzz]

Originally posted by EMDII
For the 870 this is the sin qua non-


Ted,

Who makes and/or distributes this rail mount?

Rob

[HawaiiFALer]

Anyone care to comment about cantilever mounts? Are they stable? Do they maintain their zero?

Thanks.

[EMDII]

Originally posted by rob branson

Ted,

Who makes and/or distributes this rail mount?

Rob

Argonaut. I haven't been in touch for a while: I wanted a similar mount for my 1100, sans the grip extension/AR PG. My only luck sems to be a B&T skeleton mount tht is VERY pricey.

Cantilever
They work fine. It's a shotgun. Use a good rail and aim/squeeze/smile.

[brownknees]

In order I'd pick the drill/tap route, followed by the cantilver.
The saddles also allow corrosion, crud Etc. to get trapped between the reciever & the mount. I bought an 870 & the reciever finish was marked by surface corrosion just about everywhere the saddle contacted the reciever.
As for scopes I'd go with the red dot, or a holosight. Lots of field of view, quick pick-up & minimal loss of handling.
I'm not a big scattergun expert, but speed, handling & point & shoot seem to be the big plus points to a rig like this.
BTW EMDII thats one evile looking rig!! I want one.... I want one!

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :]

[EMDII]

Try MESA Tactical?
http://www.mesatactical.com/

[EMDII]

An example of their work:

[HawaiiFALer]

Originally posted by EMDII
Try MESA Tactical?
Wow. Those are evil entry scatterguns. And here I thought Vang Comp scatterguns were hot stuff.

Is there a "standard" hole spacing for top mounted scope mount holes? Someone suggested putting a Weaver base made for the Remington 7400/7600 on the 870 or 11-87. Does that sound about right?

[firefuzz]

Originally posted by HawaiiFALer

Wow. Those are evil entry scatterguns. And here I thought Vang Comp scatterguns were hot stuff.

Is there a "standard" hole spacing for top mounted scope mount holes? Someone suggested putting a Weaver base made for the Remington 7400/7600 on the 870 or 11-87. Does that sound about right?

That mount would be about right on the length. If I remember correctly it will come with 6/48 screws. I'd have it opened and the holes in the receiver drilled for 8/40s, much stronger.

I'd also try to find one made of steel, much stronger and not much heavier. Same with the rings.

Ro

[EMDII]

Originally posted by HawaiiFALer

Wow. Those are evil entry scatterguns. And here I thought Vang Comp scatterguns were hot stuff.

Is there a "standard" hole spacing for top mounted scope mount holes? Someone suggested putting a Weaver base made for the Remington 7400/7600 on the 870 or 11-87. Does that sound about right?

The Leupold mounts are different for the 74x versus 76x (I just tested them yesterday for my 1100). I found that which is marked for the 76x fit better: its Leupold stock number is 49992.

I'm on a shorty kick right now: getting a Serbu SS, then probably an SBR, and maybe one of those evil entry guns above. Weird.

[HawaiiFALer]

Originally posted by EMDII
The Leupold mounts are different for the 74x versus 76x (I just tested them yesterday for my 1100). I found that which is marked for the 76x fit better: its Leupold stock number is 49992.

I'm on a shorty kick right now: getting a Serbu SS, then probably an SBR, and maybe one of those evil entry guns above. Weird.
Thanks, Ted, for relating that info for me.

I once saw a law enforcement display (behind glass, of course) that included a Remington 1100 with 14 inch barrel. Scary looking. Wood stock set. Not as cool as the ones you posted. Never fired one that short. I guess with good training, a good guy could handle it.

[brownknees]

Just a quick thought to follow up on drilling/tapping 12Ga recievers.
I removed the mount from an Ithaca DS police special I "aquired", thinking I would not use a scope.
Some time later I changed my mind & re-installed it, using the original screws I had kept with the mount
The bolt would not go into battery, & if it did it would jam really tight.
I took everything apart twice, poked looked everywhere & could not figure it out, especially as the gun had worked perfectly with the same mount/screws/rings previously.
Finally I noticed that one of the mounting screws for the base was shiny, instead of blued on the end.
When I measured it there was a minute difference in the length.
It turns out that one of the mounting holes is INSIDE the locking recess in the top of the reciever. & the screw was just long enough to foul the locking lug on the bolt.
Switching screws solved the problem.
Take care to check the locations of "moving parts" inside before drilling, especially as shotgun recievers are a good bit thinner than rifle ones due to the lower firing stresses & pressures.

:uhoh: :sad:

[EMDII]

Correction:
Ironridge makes the SSS Short Shotgun System pictured:
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1469405

http://www.ironridgeguns.com/

[HawaiiFALer]

Originally posted by brownknees
In order I'd pick the drill/tap route, followed by the cantilver. ...
Could you point out instructions for drill/tap of the 870 or 11-87. :fal:

[firefuzz]

If you don't have a jig to help you align the holes in a straight line get ready to sweat. A receiver drilling jig cost about $125 from Brownells ($85 wholesale). If you're only going to do one gun it's cheaper to have a good gunsmith do it for you.

My nephew, a machinist, tried to align the holes for my aperture sight on my 879 by MKI eyeball and he got the front one off by about .010,which caused the sight to set at an angle on the receiver. In his defense we were working in my Dad's shop and he didn't have access to the tools he's accustomed to using.

When I redid the work I dis-assembled the sight, moved the sight base forward about 1/4" and glued the base to the receiver with an epoxy that I knew would release the sight with a solid tap. This allowed me time to check and adjust the base to make sure it was straight on the receiver, but would hold the base in place while I marked the holes for drilling.

I then use a mallet and a Black and Decker 'Bullet' bit that the shaft of the bit snuggly fit the screw hole in the base to mark the center of the holes. These bits have a sub-sized projecting 'starter' in the center of the bit and if the base is straight, and the bit fits tight in the hole, the hole location can be correctly marked with one solid tap. Kind of a custom sized center punch. Not good on the bit, but I use old ones for this. You can use this bit in a drill press to mark the holes by just 'kissing' the top of the receiver.

I then removed the sight base, cleaned the epoxy off the receiver and sight base and used the proper sized bit IN A DRILL PRESS (ain't no way I'd try drilling this with a hand drill) for the 8/40 screws to drill the holes in the receiver, changing from bit to tap for each hole before I moved on to the next hole. Make sure the top of the receiver is square with the drill shaft before drilling.

You can use your scope base in the same manner to drill and tap your receiver.

The top of an 870/1100/1187 receiver is thicker than most people think. If you don't want to drill the holes all the way thru make sure and use a bottoming tap if you don't want to break the tap off in your receiver, which is not fun. (lots of cursing)

Four 8/40 screws will hold any mount/scope you want to put on your gun. I would avoid drilling a hole into the bolt locking recess, or immediately behind it, so check the location of your holes before drilling. If you had to you could relocate another hole in the base, especially a one-piece base, without too much trouble.

If you REALLY want the base to be solid, degrease the base and receiver and base and apply AccraGel or other good epoxy to the receiver between the holes then screw it down tight. Don't plan on taking it off if you do this, it can be done but it's not easy.

Get 'er done!

Rob

[HawaiiFALer]

Thanks, Rob,

That's good info, and pretty much what would help me. Oh, BTW, acetone melts epoxy, so I always use acetone. No damage to the bluing or parkerizing. Don't let the acetone get on anything plastic, it will melt that.

I now have a Bushnell Trophy 1.75-5x30 scope shotgun scope, new, bought for $50 on eBay. Or I can use the 2x32 Simmons.

My friends got turkeys in the early season. There's a late season coming up.

HawaiiFALer

[brownknees]

Another good epoxy solvent is MEK (Meyhly Ethyl Ketone) its a little tougher to find than acetone & will also eat plastic really fast. It even dissolves all the specialty epoxies. I haven't found any kind of polymer it wont totally break down over night.

[firefuzz]

Originally posted by brownknees
Another good epoxy solvent is MEK (Meyhly Ethyl Ketone) its a little tougher to find than acetone & will also eat plastic really fast. It even dissolves all the specialty epoxies. I haven't found any kind of polymer it wont totally break down over night.

MEK is a very good solvent. Also known in haz-mat circles as Methel Ethyl Death. Be very careful using it, take precautions against getting any on you especially your face.

Rob

[brownknees]

+1 on the precautions!
gloves, goggles & good ventillation.:sad: :skull: