DA grizzly vs. 870 Express questions

Claven2

Claven2

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Couple of questions. Years ago I had a Norinco 870 clone from Marstar when they first came out. The fit and finish back then were horrible. The blued finish was thin, really gritty action - worse than any out of the box Express 870. Lots of machine marks everywhere. Furniture spelled like formaldehyde.

That was then and this is 2015.

How are the new Grizzly guns comparing to the cheap Remington offerings?

Is the finish blued or parkerized?
Is the action reasonably smooth compared to an express?
Plastic of metal trigger group?
Is the safety reversible like a pre-1987 870, or do you need to hunt the globe for a conversion safety to go left handed?
Is the stock comparable to what you would see on an 870 police synthetic, or is it the old formaldehyde-smelling stuff made from recycled scrap plastic?
Is the gun basically parts interchangeable with all the 870 stuff?

I like that some models come with factory ghost rings and handy barrel lengths, but I'm not willing to own trash either.
 
I have both and quality is pretty much on par with an express 870. Both are great, both function flawlessly. I can also swap barrels and furniture and accessories between them, there are no discernible differences other than the top of the 870 receiver is smooth while the top of the grizzly is waffle
 
Another question...

Will the Blackhawk folder, mounted on the 12.5" Grizzly, still be over 26" folded?

This guy:

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That Knoxx folder stock sucks. It's not really compact and offers no cheek weld.
The latest Chinese clones have plastic trigger guards just like current Remingtons.
Most of the clones are good to go but there are a few lemons out there so buy from someone in person or from someone that will exchange if you get a lemon.
If you buy used off the EE you could find an older one with an alloy trigger guard if that matters to you....
 
Claven2 said:
Another question...

Will the Blackhawk folder, mounted on the 12.5" Grizzly, still be over 26" folded?

This guy:
Click to expand...
It is 26.001" folded. Edit: But................................ It compresses
smiley-shocked034.gif
.
Grizfold3.jpg

You could make some kind of pad that goes on in the unfolded state. I have an ATI folder in the mail, I'll see if I can put a silly extension to get 26" on the 12" (it will be aboot 25" out of the box).

I am OK with having a detachable cheek piece for a folder, if the bear won't give you a minute to stick it on, go without.

You can always have a bolt sticking out of the front thru the magazine cap to increase length, call it a sling adapter.
 
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I'd rather have another 4 or 5 inches of length with a collapsible stock then the extra 4 or 5 inches of height that the Knoxx folder gives......
The uncomfortable cheek weld could be lived with but the way the stock sticks up above the receiver when folded is counter to the goal of a compact and handy shotgun.

Grizfold3.jpg
 
Can-down said:
I'd rather have another 4 or 5 inches of length with a collapsible stock then the extra 4 or 5 inches of height that the Knoxx folder gives......
Click to expand...
If I have an 12" Grizzly with an M4 style stock with 11-14.75" LOP, perhaps I could cut 3" offthe "buffer tube" to get 9-12.75" LOP. 9" LOP would be 27" OAL by my calculations.
So compressed would be 27" OAL, extended 30.75 OAL with a 12.75" LOP. It is very easy to go from fully closed to fully open on an M4 stock. I'll know better when my new stock arrives in the mail.
 
18" 870 with LE folder.

Its a newish express, port/polished chamber and 870P extractor right out of the box. Never had an issue did it preventively to shoot cheap target load

 
Had four 870s, one with the Remington Police folder (was very uncomfortable), one with the combo barrel kit. Sold them all after testing my 12.5" Grizzly for 4 years.

I did polish up innards, has a metal trigger group, the metal ghost rings are robust and accurate.

Just love this girl, it is my hiking gun.

The factory plastic stock is okay I replaced it with a Hoque stock also swapped out the forearm, I paid little over 300 bucks for it so adding a few extras were no biggy.

 
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