Bear defender 12 gauge

Okay if I read all the replies right I would purchase a 12 Gauge 18 " or 18 1/2 inched barreled shotgun with screw in chokes . This would give me the ability to use slugs and BB's also birdshot for upland game birds ? I do have 2 other 12 gauge shotguns that I can use for waterfowl or upland both are full choke a Winchester model 12 and an Ithaca Featherlight
Leavenworth
 
Leavenworth said:
Okay if I read all the replies right I would purchase a 12 Gauge 18 " or 18 1/2 inched barreled shotgun with screw in chokes . This would give me the ability to use slugs and BB's also birdshot for upland game birds ? I do have 2 other 12 gauge shotguns that I can use for waterfowl or upland both are full choke a Winchester model 12 and an Ithaca Featherlight
Leavenworth
Click to expand...

I think a trip to your friendly LGS is in order, your in the lower mainland so drop in Reliable or Wanstals and ask to check out an 870 or 500/590 shotguns with a 18-20” barrel and see what grabs you. You’ll know right away which one you gravitate towards, just make sure you can get one with a barrel threaded for chokes.
 
Butcherbill said:
I think a trip to your friendly LGS is in order, your in the lower mainland so drop in Reliable or Wanstals and ask to check out an 870 or 500/590 shotguns with a 18-20” barrel and see what grabs you. You’ll know right away which one you gravitate towards, just make sure you can get one with a barrel threaded for chokes.
Click to expand...
Good information !
Leavenworth
 
I bought a laminate set for mine and a hardwood set for my wife’s Grizzly and they’ve both real nice but I like the look of the laminate set more, especially after I gave it 4-5 coats of BLO. Dlask is out in Delta and while they aren’t a storefront they do allow customers to drop by and buy items, just make sure you call ahead and see if they are available for a walk-in. I've never had a problem dropping in there when I’m in the lower mainland on work trips, they’re always busy but have always been helpful with anything I needed.

VtFBalw.jpg

uIdbads.jpg
 
Butcherbill Could you tell me what type of sights you have on your shotgun anywayof provideing me what I would be looking atfrdownthe barrel with that type of sight . Also would the sight you have on there be the right choice for bear Defense and Home Defense .?
ThankYou
Leavenworth
 
It’s the factory ghost ring sight that the Dominion Arms grizzly’s come with, not something you’ll find on an actual Remington unless it has Scattergun ghost ring sights installed. The Grizzly is an 870 clone made in China for Dominion Arms aka Canada Ammo, they’re only currently available on the used market. Yes they are well suited for predator defence shotguns l, that is if you like a peep style of sight. The rear sight is a small ring you look through to line up the front sight post, I have used them on a different 870 clone but I prefer the rifle sights that came on my 20” Rem barrels.

It’s personal preference though, both work well but I find the rifle sight less cluttered when I’m shooting grouse with birdshot. I’ll see if I can grab a pic down the barrel from the rear sight perspective tomorrow at some point, here’s a top view of the rear sight block of two grizzlys.

duMrC9H.jpg
 
You should be shooting slugs for predator defence and a sight that’s adjustable for windage and elevation is nice to have for sighting in a specific brand of slugs at a specific distance say 25-50yds. Google ghost ring sights or ghost ring sight picture and you’ll get the picture, if the 870p your looking at is drilled and tapped on top of the receiver I’m pretty sure there’s an XS sight ghostring sight that will fit it as well as a taller front sight post you attach over the factory bead. The rear aperture it adjustable for windage and elevation if I remember correctly. Lots of manufacturers make this style of sights for shotguns most need to be drilled and taped to be installed.
 
Last edited:
I have a mossberg 500 with a pistol grip and an insight forend light for this specific purpose. It is great.


I am going to buy a tactical Mossberg 500 someday to have as a longer range shotgun, but my current pistol grip one is excellent.
 
ButcherBill
Thanks Very much for the information provided concerning sights for the 870 . I think I'm leaning towards the Remington model #24407 .or maybe I should get the #82607 Hmmmmmm. Ideas ? Would want a sighting system for slugs and birdshot if that's possible . Do you know off hand that with the extra shell capacity of this gun can you leave it as is when hunting upland birds . I need to look at the B.C. hunting regulations .Been a long while since I hunted birds
Leavenworth

https://www.remingtondefense.com/shotguns/870-police/bead-sight/24407.html

https://www.remingtondefense.com/shotguns/870-police/bead-sight/82607.html
 
Have a look at this, it would fit the bill well and it’s in stock locally which is nice. It’s basically what you linked but it’s got the xs ghost ring with a rail installed and the barrel is threaded for chokes. In BC if you are hunting with shot of any size you have to plug the mag tube to only hold 2, if you are shooting single projectiles (slugs) you do not have to plug the barrel.

I made a longer plug for my express with the +2 extension as I hunt grouse with it, it’s relatively quick to remove if you have a screwdriver to remove the clamp that goes on the barrel and extension. Alternatively you could remove the mag extension and buy a standard mag tube end cap and standard length spring and factory plug if you want to quickly remove the plug without tools in the field but I’ve never found the 2+1 shell capacity to be an issue, in the event of a bear encounter that sees you shooting to kill you may only get off one or two shots anyway. I like the mag tube extension on mine so I leave it on with the plug installed most of the time anyway.

Drop in at Reliable and handle it, they’re a real nice bunch of people down there and will help you out.

https://www.reliablegun.com/en/remi...t-ring-sight-rail-rem-choke-tactical-extended
 
The nice thing about the 12g I linked is if you find a cheap 12.5” or 14” Grizzly barrel on the ee with the tall ghost ring front sight post (like the front sight on my wife’s barrel), you can swap it in and the rear portion of the xs sight sight will adjust and line up. It’s easy to remove the mag tube extension, you’ll have a shorty and a full length 12g with just a barrel swap.
 
I'm mucho happy with my Winchester 1400 bush gun. I bought back the barrel to 19" and lengthened the forcing cone, then drilled & tapped the receiver to accept the LPA ghost ring rear sight and fitted a Vang Comp tritium front unit. It's a great performer in the woods in dim light conditions with Federal 1.25 oz. slugs.

Win 1400 Buck-N-Ball.jpg
 

Attachments

  • Win 1400 Buck-N-Ball.jpg
    Win 1400 Buck-N-Ball.jpg
    107.3 KB · Views: 171
Last edited:
Butcherbill said:
Have a look at this, it would fit the bill well and it’s in stock locally which is nice. It’s basically what you linked but it’s got the xs ghost ring with a rail installed and the barrel is threaded for chokes. In BC if you are hunting with shot of any size you have to plug the mag tube to only hold 2, if you are shooting single projectiles (slugs) you do not have to plug the barrel.

I made a longer plug for my express with the +2 extension as I hunt grouse with it, it’s relatively quick to remove if you have a screwdriver to remove the clamp that goes on the barrel and extension. Alternatively you could remove the mag extension and buy a standard mag tube end cap and standard length spring and factory plug if you want to quickly remove the plug without tools in the field but I’ve never found the 2+1 shell capacity to be an issue, in the event of a bear encounter that sees you shooting to kill you may only get off one or two shots anyway. I like the mag tube extension on mine so I leave it on with the plug installed most of the time anyway.

Drop in at Reliable and handle it, they’re a real nice bunch of people down there and will help you out.

https://www.reliablegun.com/en/remi...t-ring-sight-rail-rem-choke-tactical-extended
Click to expand...

Please bare with me here Bill . Would you buy the standard mag tube from Remington ? I did some googling and read something about having to grind off a little detent when switching magazine tubes . Do you know if that is switching from a regular barrel to an extension or is it from an extension to a regular barrel. Hope I'm making sense . . Kripes I would not want to do that to a new gun !
Thanks
Leavenworth
 
Leavenworth said:
Please bare with me here Bill . Would you buy the standard mag tube from Remington ? I did some googling and read something about having to grind off a little detent when switching magazine tubes . Do you know if that is switching from a regular barrel to an extension or is it from an extension to a regular barrel. Hope I'm making sense . . Kripes I would not want to do that to a new gun !
Thanks
Leavenworth
Click to expand...

I would buy the one with the mag extension already from the factory, that is if you ever plan on adding a mag extension. My understanding is the tactical, police and wingmasters don’t have the dimples in the end of the tube to hold in the spring retainer.

The 870 express I bought had the standard mag tube when I bought it, I pressed out the dimples with a deep socket in order to add the extension I bought separately. I wanted a specific 3 barrel combo offered by Remington so I had no choice but to remove the dimples, it’s not hard to do and there are a couple ways of removing them but it you aren’t a handy diy person just buy the one with the extension already installed. It’s easy to take off if you decide you want to quickly swap around barrels down the road and when not hunting it’s fun to load 6+1 or 6+1+1 with the extension installed if you are able to ghost load the 8th round.

Here are two videos about mag extensions, hopefully it sheds some light on the matter.

https://youtu.be/yGPSdccKmxY
https://youtu.be/R688unFw5R4
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom