Starting over

[Jake whisperer]

In my career I have developed and used two different turkey guns.  Both were solid 40 yard shooters without any extravagant efforts.  The first was the 870 express I bought with paper route money, the second a Winchester sx3 I purchased when I had a little more jingle.

Both have fallen into disrepair and a series of bad decisions and poor luck left me with a semi auto single shot for much of this season.  Winchester has since taken care of me, but I have lost faith in the gun and there is no going back.  It makes a good goose gun and that is what it will remain.

I am working on bringing life back to my 870.  I killed my first turkey with it as well as a few other firsts.  I have replaced the stocks and the barrel.  To lighten the 8 pound club I also ordered a 21" turkey barrel.  I have some excitement in the idea of going back to the original, at least in part.

And now to my point.  None of my sight systems fit the rib width.  I have two tru glo models with ghost rings.  I require a two part sight to force my head down when aiming at a semi stationary target.  I am considering installing a ghost ring on the receiver, but I don't know what to use for a front sight that would have the right height.  It is a vent rib barrel and my options seem limited.  Has anyone overcome this issue?

I may return the barrel, as it is unfired and still in the box.  I may replace it with a barrel with rifle sights, if they are removable or have the ability to swap portions with after market parts.  Round barrels seem to have more options for iron sight systems.  Go figure.  Remington makes a non rifled R.E.M. choke barrel, but seems hard to find.  I may buy a cylinder bore barrel and send it off to be polished and have choke rings cut into it.

I have also looked at red dots and halos.  But I have such bad luck, and frankly am hard enough on equipment that I suspect it will cost me a bird when it fails. 

I know my questions are more like statements that are ramblings of a maniac.  But I find most turkey hunters ramble a little themselves. 

Any and all options are welcome!

[Swampchickin234]

Could you not just get you some Williams fire sights or tru glo mag pro series sights?  Mic your rib and figure out the width. Factory or aftermarket bbl?   Have rib tapped for permanent sights?  Shouldn't be too hard to have sights. If nothing else, do a saddle mount and an ff3 or vortex.   I'd say be easy on your stuff but understand. I'm good at messing up stuff too. 


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[Ihuntoldschool]

Best sight for a shotgun is a bead.  Works for anything you want to hunt.

[Greg Massey]

I don't know what you paid for the new 870 barrel , but i'm guessing around 200 dollars before i would of tried to bring a old gun back to life , i think i would of kept saving and bought yourself a new Rem. 870 youth and built yourself a new turkey gun...

[wvmntnhick]

Maybe I missed it but unless you're stuck on some form of fixed sight, I'd put a red dot or something on it. Hard to mess up there. Although it does add weight and if you're trying to reduce, that's going the wrong direction. Dead ringer makes a set of sights that would probably work well for you. If I had all the pieces left, I'd send the whole thing to you for free. Unfortunately, I've lost the front sight all together.

[tha bugman]

Put some gobble dot sights on it center that pattern and kill some birds....that old 870 will take a lickin and keep on tickin

[the Ward]

Put some gobble dot sights on it center that pattern and kill some birds....that old 870 will take a lickin and keep on tickin

This!  Don't overthink it, get some Tru Glo, Williams, or Hi Vis sights and sight it in and go hunt! Or a saddle mount and a bushnell trs 25 would be cheap and durable without adding much weight. Up your budget a little more and drill and tap the receiver for a 336/ ff3  or similar combo and have a really lightweight setup. Or a speedbead would work well also. You have a ton of great options with the 870, you will have to decide what suits you best.

[Jake whisperer]

Put some gobble dot sights on it center that pattern and kill some birds....that old 870 will take a lickin and keep on tickin

Unfortunately, the standard sights I have tried don't fit the rib.  Hopefully the Williams will work.