Dlask 870. Thoughts, ideas, etc...

[squibload]

So a while back I posted a thread "best shotgun for bear defense" and had some good feedback. Since then I've had the oppoutunity to fire a pistol grip 12 gauge (Moss 500 JIC) and, although fun to shoot, I have decided NOT to buy one for bear defense. As some stated, and I found out myself, it is pretty hard accurately place rounds when firing from your hip! Firing from various "up close" ranges (15-25 yards or so) my score was pretty poor with slugs, and that is when I was calm and cool. I would be lucky to hit f-all under a high stress situation!

Although expensive, I've more or less decided that I'm going to buy a Dlask 870 shorty. http://dlaskarms.com/products/remington-870-shorty

I reckon I can easily pack/carry it comfortably when out in the bush, and if I need to take an aimed shot I'm likely to be pretty accurate with it at close distance.

I'm just looking for a few ideas regarding transporting this gun and carrying it on my person.

First transporting it. I would like to make a custom case. Something waterproof or very water resistant. I want to be able to keep the case in out canoe when we fish/explore remote lakes and not have to wory about water/rain getting in the case. I also want to be able to strap it on our quad and again not have to worry about impact or the elements affecting the gun.

Any ideas for a clever case? What I have brewing in my mind is to get a piece of PVC pipe in the appropriate diameter. 6 inch or whatever. On one end ABS glue the cap on so it's on there for good. On the other end possibly drill two holes in the cap, make a handle out of thick rope, and seal them up with silicone. Now I don't really want the gun banging around inside the case...need some sort of foam or cushion. The simple way might be just to wrap the gun in an old towel or similar fabric and stuff the gun in the case. I would like to do better than that. Idea is to cut the pipe in half lengthwise and glue some foam in. Possibly cut/pluck some away until the gun fits just right. Keep "testing" by sandwhiching the gun between the two halves until hapy with the fit. When satisfied glue both halves back together.

Random thoughts: What type of foam would be best? Typical gun case style open cell foam? Or close cell foam? What type of glue would be best to glue the two halves back together? Looking through my glue collection 5 minute epoxy appears to be the best I have. I also have ABS plumbing glue but I think that's more for proper connections, not two halves of a cut pipe.

Other thing I'm pondering...what's the "best" way to carry this gun for long periods? I think kind of dumb to have packed away in a backpack as the whole idea is to be able to quickly deply it. I was thinking of a single point sling. Other thoughts?

[bbull311]

A little off topic but have you considered putting one of the old metal law enforcement top folding stocks on an 870 with an 18" or 18.5" barrel? You could carry it in a scabbard or with a sling. It would be a little more handy then a full stock and you wouldn't have to go through all the NFA taxing and paperwork. You could also transport it across state lines without notifying the ATF.

[squibload]

In Canada, where I live, the 870 shorty is considered a non-restricted firearm with the full stock on. Meaning, I can take it camping, shooting in the bush, carry for bear protection, and so on.

I have an 870 Express Tactical with the 18.5 barrel and I agree a cheaper and still decent option would be to put a folding stock on it and not buy a new gun. However, the shorty is super light and comfortable to carry and of course it is just cool and I want one I would keep the gun as light/bare bones as possible. Tempting to add a side shell carrier but this would just add bulk, more to get caught up on clothing and so on, which defeats the purpose of the firearm. I'd likely swap the stock butt pad out for a Limbsaver Airtech pad and that would be about it.

[Synchronizor]

For the case/tube, I'd avoid cutting it up or drilling holes in it as much as possible since those are all potential leaks. If you keep it all intact, you can glue a permanent cap on one end, and glue an adapter on the other end that can accept a threaded cap or plug. Threaded pipe for sewer or water applications should use a tapered thread that'll make an effective seal when tight. Wrap the gun in a piece of open-cell foam to cushion it (cut up a cheap foam mattress-topper pad), slip it in, and tighten the cap. Maybe not as professional-looking as a custom-fitted foam sleeve glued into the tube, but it should work just as well, and it'll be a lot less of a headache if you reconfigure the gun or want to use the tube for something else.

For hiking around, I like a traditional two-point sling, but I don't do a lot of real long-range hiking with a full-size backpack and a shotgun. A single-point sling sounds like it would let a long gun bounce and swing around too much during long hikes. I'd suggest rigging up a few sling setups on the cheap - simple strapping and duct tape, even - and try them out for yourself to see what works. Then you can start looking at buying the real thing.

I have seen hunting packs that have built-in rifle scabbards. Those might be worth looking into.

[bbull311]

Sorry. I didn't notice that you lived in Canada. I had a chance c to go through a school with a couple of your Mounties a few years ago and t h eyes were telling us about your gun laws. I think they are very restrictive but since I am a shotgun guy it would work well for me. And since we are on the subject of bear defense, what are you using for ammunition? I just tried some stuff out of Eastern Europe, ddupleks. The slugs are machined steel and they hit like a sledge hammer. I thought about getting some for camping.