I was struggled among the Grizzly 12.5 ghost ring, 8.5" and the 12.5" Outlaw. So I went to the loacl gun shop to have a hand on
experience with them, and finally I picked the 12.5" ghost ring model which the gun shop only carried the bead sight model and the
ghost ring mag feed model. Well, I end up ordered it from CanAm.
I gone through almost all the threads from about the above 3 shotguns in CGN and also almost all youtube videos as well. And I think
it is time for a little update for the current batch of Grizzly 12.5...
I handled the Norinco marked models in the gun shop, and now I got the Dominion one. I can't recall any major different from the 2
brands (I knew they were manufactured by the same factory, but if you have experience with China trade, consistence is non
existence!). My Dominion has no drill and tap on the receiver, no free rail, no choke, no metal trigger guard, but it is loaded a lot of
FUN shooting protentials!
The exterior finish of the Grizzly is, I would say perfect for a $300 shotgun, and sure it is ... even a bit better than my Rem870 super
mag. You may not like the plastic forearm and and butt stock, but you can always change it with something else. I'm completely satisfy up to
this point.
Then, started to disassemble the shotgun, and you will find something different!!!! Take out the barrel, there are strange wielding on
the rail for the slide, anyone know what kind of wielding is it?
I hope it is an re-enforcement to make it stronger and last longer....also,
the large brass pin? to hold the magazine tube and the receiver caught my eye! and my 870 doesn't has the same treatment.
BTW, if you let the bolt free float to the front, the Grizzly's bolt will flush to the openning of the receiver but the 870 will stay a few mm inside.
And look into the receiver, you can see they are a bit different too. So I don't know if their parts are 100% inter-changeable...
The Grizzly cycle mixed length of rounds with no problem (no, I didn't try those 3.5" shells), so I tried to put different Rem barrels on
it...they are the 28" bird barrel, 24 rifled barrel, 18" SS barrel. The bird barrel drop in with no problem, but the rifled barrel with cantilever
scope mount can't be drop in because the rear sight is in the way and stop the barrel. well, it's OK. Then I try the 18" SS barrel....It is a
tight TIGHT fit!!!! It took me a several try, and it has to the insert with the slide stopped at the exact position! I cycled a few rounds,
worked flawlessly, but then I have a little hard time to take the barrel out!!!! I had to use both of my hands to grab the barrel and
holding the stock with my legs to yank it out...oh, my 870 have no problem to fit in all barrels including the 12.5" one.
After that, I check the diameter of all barrels (receiver end), and found that both the bird barrel and the 12.5" grizzly barrels are the
most shortest, and the SS barrel longest, but their difference are less then 0.5 mm. Another concern is, you can see from the pic, the
wall on both sides of the receiver(connecting the barrel) is a tiny little bit thinner than the 870, and since it is so tight fitting, I'm
wondering if it is OK when pressure built up, or it will be even more hard to pull the barrel out when it is warm...
paper struck between the barrel and the forearm.
left a mark on my bird barrel already...
The Grizzly looks great. Cycle not as smooth as my 870. The forearm wiggle a bit, so as my 870 too, but the 870's forearm has more
room between the barrel and the forearm, so there is no problem. But the grizzly's forearm is also tight fit, so when when you pump it,
you may have a chance to leave a mark on the barrel....it happened on my bird barrel already...seems I need to sand it down a bit!
So far I'm satisfy with my new purchase and hope it will shoot as good as its look too. Also thinking I might end up buying the 8.5" and
Outlaw later! LOL!
experience with them, and finally I picked the 12.5" ghost ring model which the gun shop only carried the bead sight model and the
ghost ring mag feed model. Well, I end up ordered it from CanAm.
I gone through almost all the threads from about the above 3 shotguns in CGN and also almost all youtube videos as well. And I think
it is time for a little update for the current batch of Grizzly 12.5...
I handled the Norinco marked models in the gun shop, and now I got the Dominion one. I can't recall any major different from the 2
brands (I knew they were manufactured by the same factory, but if you have experience with China trade, consistence is non
existence!). My Dominion has no drill and tap on the receiver, no free rail, no choke, no metal trigger guard, but it is loaded a lot of
FUN shooting protentials!
The exterior finish of the Grizzly is, I would say perfect for a $300 shotgun, and sure it is ... even a bit better than my Rem870 super
mag. You may not like the plastic forearm and and butt stock, but you can always change it with something else. I'm completely satisfy up to
this point.
Then, started to disassemble the shotgun, and you will find something different!!!! Take out the barrel, there are strange wielding on
the rail for the slide, anyone know what kind of wielding is it?
I hope it is an re-enforcement to make it stronger and last longer....also,
the large brass pin? to hold the magazine tube and the receiver caught my eye! and my 870 doesn't has the same treatment.
BTW, if you let the bolt free float to the front, the Grizzly's bolt will flush to the openning of the receiver but the 870 will stay a few mm inside.
And look into the receiver, you can see they are a bit different too. So I don't know if their parts are 100% inter-changeable...
The Grizzly cycle mixed length of rounds with no problem (no, I didn't try those 3.5" shells), so I tried to put different Rem barrels on
it...they are the 28" bird barrel, 24 rifled barrel, 18" SS barrel. The bird barrel drop in with no problem, but the rifled barrel with cantilever
scope mount can't be drop in because the rear sight is in the way and stop the barrel. well, it's OK. Then I try the 18" SS barrel....It is a
tight TIGHT fit!!!! It took me a several try, and it has to the insert with the slide stopped at the exact position! I cycled a few rounds,
worked flawlessly, but then I have a little hard time to take the barrel out!!!! I had to use both of my hands to grab the barrel and
holding the stock with my legs to yank it out...oh, my 870 have no problem to fit in all barrels including the 12.5" one.
After that, I check the diameter of all barrels (receiver end), and found that both the bird barrel and the 12.5" grizzly barrels are the
most shortest, and the SS barrel longest, but their difference are less then 0.5 mm. Another concern is, you can see from the pic, the
wall on both sides of the receiver(connecting the barrel) is a tiny little bit thinner than the 870, and since it is so tight fitting, I'm
wondering if it is OK when pressure built up, or it will be even more hard to pull the barrel out when it is warm...
paper struck between the barrel and the forearm.
left a mark on my bird barrel already...
The Grizzly looks great. Cycle not as smooth as my 870. The forearm wiggle a bit, so as my 870 too, but the 870's forearm has more
room between the barrel and the forearm, so there is no problem. But the grizzly's forearm is also tight fit, so when when you pump it,
you may have a chance to leave a mark on the barrel....it happened on my bird barrel already...seems I need to sand it down a bit!
So far I'm satisfy with my new purchase and hope it will shoot as good as its look too. Also thinking I might end up buying the 8.5" and
Outlaw later! LOL!
)
