Not_A_Llama
03-25-2010, 00:47
http://subpar.info/photos/shotgunreview/shotgun1.jpg
http://subpar.info/photos/shotgunreview/shotgun2.jpg
http://subpar.info/photos/shotgunreview/shotgun3.jpg
So Big5 has these guys on sale pretty frequently, for about $200. It's an Interstate Arms (or "Hawk") 982 shotgun. What it really is, though, is a Norinco clone of the Remington 870.
These are one of the best values out there for defense-application shotguns.
First off, the build quality is fantastic. I've had mine for about a year or so now, and have sent a few thousand rounds downrange - it's every bit as solid as the Rem870 I had, and is actually.. dare I say, better. Action on mine is very smooth, it's got a metal triggerguard, doesn't have the Remington safety key FCG, the ghost ring sights are extremely nice (aftermarkets would run you $100 easy).
Everything on this gun interchanges with the Remington 870, except the barrel. Word has it, though, that it'll directly take the NEF/HR1871 "Pardner" shotgun's replacement/accessory barrels, so you'd be set if you grabbed one of those for more hunting/sporting applications.
Now, it's not all perfect:
* There's some cosmoline you gotta clean out when you first get it.
* The furniture as it comes is very much like the regular 870 Express furniture - stock's too long for fighting, fore-end's too long (though it won't interfere with loading like some 870 fore-ends will). You can fix it with a dremel or grinding wheel. I also hate checkering, and stippled over with a soldering iron.
*Screws on the ghost rings are not very good. Either loctite, or spend $4 at Ace to replace em with hex heads. It's a metric thread - I wanna say M3 or M4.
* Magazine tube is dimpled, just like the Expresses (and fixable the same way).
But again, for ~$200 at Big5 or $185 shipped from Bud's (http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/91401), your problems are minor or basically align with a Rem870's, so it's a stellar deal.
My gun's been customized with a Rem870 Police Foreend ($10 from Tanner), a chopped and stippled stock (free), the Metric Hex screws for the GRS ($4), removed mag dimples (free - hammered in a socket+extension). Not pictured are my Botac/KZ picatinny magtube mount for my Streamlight TLR-1 light (half the cost of the gun!!)
http://subpar.info/photos/shotgunreview/shotgun2.jpg
http://subpar.info/photos/shotgunreview/shotgun3.jpg
So Big5 has these guys on sale pretty frequently, for about $200. It's an Interstate Arms (or "Hawk") 982 shotgun. What it really is, though, is a Norinco clone of the Remington 870.
These are one of the best values out there for defense-application shotguns.
First off, the build quality is fantastic. I've had mine for about a year or so now, and have sent a few thousand rounds downrange - it's every bit as solid as the Rem870 I had, and is actually.. dare I say, better. Action on mine is very smooth, it's got a metal triggerguard, doesn't have the Remington safety key FCG, the ghost ring sights are extremely nice (aftermarkets would run you $100 easy).
Everything on this gun interchanges with the Remington 870, except the barrel. Word has it, though, that it'll directly take the NEF/HR1871 "Pardner" shotgun's replacement/accessory barrels, so you'd be set if you grabbed one of those for more hunting/sporting applications.
Now, it's not all perfect:
* There's some cosmoline you gotta clean out when you first get it.
* The furniture as it comes is very much like the regular 870 Express furniture - stock's too long for fighting, fore-end's too long (though it won't interfere with loading like some 870 fore-ends will). You can fix it with a dremel or grinding wheel. I also hate checkering, and stippled over with a soldering iron.
*Screws on the ghost rings are not very good. Either loctite, or spend $4 at Ace to replace em with hex heads. It's a metric thread - I wanna say M3 or M4.
* Magazine tube is dimpled, just like the Expresses (and fixable the same way).
But again, for ~$200 at Big5 or $185 shipped from Bud's (http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/91401), your problems are minor or basically align with a Rem870's, so it's a stellar deal.
My gun's been customized with a Rem870 Police Foreend ($10 from Tanner), a chopped and stippled stock (free), the Metric Hex screws for the GRS ($4), removed mag dimples (free - hammered in a socket+extension). Not pictured are my Botac/KZ picatinny magtube mount for my Streamlight TLR-1 light (half the cost of the gun!!)