I recently purchased several Remington 870 Police shotguns for my training company. These 870's were police department trade-ins, which featured the Remington Deer barrels with rifle sights. Like most LE firearms, the finish may be a bit rough, but the internals are usually in excellent shape. That's because most law enforcement shotguns are carried often and fired little, or they sit in the department armory for years. Police trade-ins are normally priced to sell fairly quickly. The one's I purchased ranged between $200.00 and $240.00 depending on their overall condition.
As I expected, the finish was rough with some surface rust. The stocks were also pretty well worn and beat up. I carefully polished all of the metal surfaces with 0000 Steel Wool and some Gibb's spray lubricant. That removed all of the surface rust and any accumulated crud. When I was done, the gun's bluing looked almost new. While surfing the Internet I then came across some genuine Remington black synthetic stock sets from Scattergun Technologies (Wilson). These were brand new sets and in the Police configuration that I wanted to retain. The best part of this find was that the stock sets were only $37.00 a piece. I bought up six of the sets so I had a few spares on hand, in the event I found a couple more 870's that needed new hardware.
Since these guns were going to be used as trainers, I also changed the standard Shell Followers with the Lime Green variety also sold by Scattergun Technologies. That way, any of my student's or adjunct instructor's could tell at a glance if the magazine tube was indeed empty. I also swapped out the magazine tube springs while I was at it. Wilson sells a complete set (spring & follower) for only $12.00. I then added a standard, two-point, black nylon sling from Uncle Mike's and these guns were ready to rock!
When training students on the defensive shotgun, I want all of the guns to be as box-stock as possible. I want to see a standard type sling on the shotgun, but I don't want dot-sights, side-saddles, flashlights, light-rails, mag-tube extensions, or any other accessories in my class that will add unnecessary weight, or distract the student from the job at hand. They can add all of that stuff later on, if they so desire. Over the years I have found that less is more. Personally, I've done away with a lot of the after-market accessories on my defensive shotguns. I now add a standard sling and a small flashlight, that's it!
If you're looking for a good home defense shotgun, you don't have to spend a lot of money to get one. Search out your local gun shops that deal with law enforcement agencies, and you may just find a gem in the rough for well under $300.00.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/
http://www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com/
http://www.unclemikes.com/
http://www.remingtonle.com/
www.GunTrainingIL.com
