My suggestion before you go alll tacti-queer is "learn how to shoot it". By the sound of things, considering that you're worried about ammo that might "damage your gun" you might be new to the 870.
Get a case or 2 of bitdshot and maybe 25 or so rounds each of buckshot and slugs, then find someone who really knows how to run an 870 and burn it all up.
Don't worry about cleaning your shotgun during this time but do keep it well lubricated. Pay attention to the action bars (a couple drops of oil every hundred rounds or so) and the bolt and bolt contact points inside the receiver (grease these up and leave them throughout).
Put your purse down when you rack the action, you won't break it. By the time you've worked your way thru the several hundred rounds the gun will be slicked up and you'll understand how things works.
I'm one of those guys who believes that when it comes to the 870, simpler is always better. If you learn how to shoot it and run it first, you'll find there's less need for gadgets and crap hung all over your shotgun. A simple sling, a bead you can see (I like XS, and am a huge fan of their new DEA sights), a SideSaddle if that blows up your skirt, a bigger safety (love the Big Dome from Hans Vang), a whole bunch of ammo and that's about it.
I do like the Hogue OverMolded Stock (full-size or Bantam - I have a short one on my 14" and the full-size on all three of my other 18"-21" guns), and think that forends don't get any better than the SpeedFeed LE version, maybe with a short shunk of 1913 rail screwed on in case you want to attach a light.
blake
first gun...definitely completely new to the 870..(and all guns for that matter, i just got my PAL last week)... 1 reason i got it because everyone just keeps saying "its a workhorse, you wont have any problems with that gun"..other reasons were price and i liked it over the other ones i was looking at...sure i could have got a 870 knock off...but then i would just be wishing i got the real thing...and who knows what parts they cheaped out on.
what i meant by wrong ammo damaging the gun is i know you can/should only use sabot slugs in the rifled barrel, using bird shots will destroy the rifling(maybe not right away, but definitely over time)...chokes with different types of ammo and stuff like that.
my friend just came by to check out the 870 and told me to grab some winchester supreme elite..also it looks to be on the cheaper end of the ammo stocked at lebaron. $13 for packs of 5.
im going to grab a different choke as well so i can shoot rifled slugs out my 20" that came with fiber optic sights...looks to be much cheaper...$5 for 5...i guess open choke?
i have a turkey and a modified Rem choke.
anywhere cheap to buy ammo in the GTA?
not going to do a lot of accessories, just functional things. strap that holds slugs, no flash lights, cant hunt in the dark, its illegal
i wont be easy when pumping in the rounds, ive actually read that people were complaining that the rounds get jammed from not doing a full pump....dumb complaint...but it was something people were saying stay away from the 870 because of this... i read it and laughed.
oh and im goin to the range next thursday with my bro in law and his friend who is very familiar with lots of guns..so im sure ill get some tips from him.
