Aims Sports Piccatinny Rail System with Six Shell Carrier

[mpars0032]

Greetings forum members,

I'm new here and have a question for the members. I just purchased an Aims Sports full Rail system with a six shell carrier. I'm finding out my nine (9) inch fore end is too long to allow the forearm to come back and recycle a shell. I need a shorter fore end. I love the wood grain and do not want to go synthetic. Are there shorter wood fore ends out there or has anyone modified one to fit something like this. Dumb question for you guys I know but would like to hear some of your responses.

Mark

[EdwardE]

What clearance do you need? There is a post around here where a forum member did a little bit of wood work to clear a side saddle. From the pics posted, it looks just fine.
http://www.rem870.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1177
Another possible option is to look at the Police wood fore end. I don't know for sure but I think they are around 7" in length. There are a few on ebay.

Some additional information, particularly Synchronizor's note on overhang.
http://www.rem870.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1198

[Zebra62]

Not a dumb question at all mpars0032. You have a serious problem with a simple fix.

There is a post around here where a forum member did a little bit of wood work to clear a side saddle. From the pics posted, it looks just fine.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1177

I recently installed a Mesa Tactical on my wife Gypsy's 20 gauge and had the same clearance issue. I simple trimmed the corner of the forend with a Dremel. Problem solved. Took me about an hour from the time I took the saddle out of the package to having it all back together and functioning properly. You can also ( if you have the tools and talent ) completely remove the forend and trim it with a table saw. That would take more time to fix, but would keep the forend symetrical.

Post us some pics of your trouble and we can help fix it and by all means show us the completed fix. Always up for some schooling in regards to someone's craftiness.

[Synchronizor]

Since you have a wood fore-end, you'd probably be best off modifying it. There's really no need to shell out for a whole new fore-end unless you actually want a different style, or you want to keep your factory one intact.

Like Zebra62 said, there are two ways to approach this; leaving the fore-end long and only removing material where it would interfere, or simply chopping the back of the fore-end straight across to make the entire thing shorter.

The thread EdwardE linked earlier shows a good example of the first approach. Zebra62 removed just a little material from one side of the fore-end on his wife's 870 so it would clear the Mesa Tactical sidesaddle.




However, the AIM sidesaddle is a lot wider than the Mesa Tactical, so you may have to remove a lot more material. This video shows an example of the same type of fore-end modification to accommodate a TacStar sidesaddle, which is pretty similar to the AIM (ignore the guy's bellyaching about the long fore-ends in general though; there is a reason Remington and others use them on sporting guns). The way I see it, if you have to remove that much material, the remainder is no longer a practical place to grip the fore-end. If you try, you'll just be pinching yourself, or knocking your hand against the sidesaddle and short-stroking the gun. In that case, I'd suggest simply shortening the entire fore-end, effectively making it a riot-style piece.

PW Foreend_small.JPG (42.28 KiB) Viewed 5897 times

PW Foreend_I.JPG (42.98 KiB) Viewed 5897 times

Or, if you prefer to place your support hand farther back (which is the point of the longer fore-ends), there are 4-round sidesaddles that will work with the longer fore-ends. In my mind, 2 fewer rounds on the side of the receiver is not a bad price to pay for a better-fitting gun that you can use more effectively.

[mpars0032]

Thanks for the insight. I already have the Aims Rail with six shell carrier so I need a 7 inch wood fore end to replace mine. I love the wood look and don't want a synthetic. That's just me. I thought the rails wood fit as I have the 870 magnum shot barrel edition.

Are the Remington factory stock furniture most walnut or a variation of woods depending on the model?

[Synchronizor]

Thanks for the insight. I already have the Aims Rail with six shell carrier so I need a 7 inch wood fore end to replace mine.

Again, I wouldn't spend the money on a new fore-end. If you want a shorter fore-end, just cut the back off yours and you'll have the same thing. Since it's wood, you shouldn't have to worry about cutting into a hollow interior as with some synthetic fore-ends.

I thought the rails wood fit as I have the 870 magnum shot barrel edition.

I don't know what that means.

Are the Remington factory stock furniture most walnut or a variation of woods depending on the model?

It depends on the model and the year. Various types of walnut are common, but I've also seen maple furniture, and I know Remington played around with mahogany on some older models, and birch on some less older ones. If your gun is a fairly recent Express model, it probably has a laminate stock instead of any type of hardwood. Without seeing a picture or knowing anything about your gun, I couldn't tell you what you have.

[Short Bus]

I hope you have better luck with AIM than I did

http://www.rem870.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1182

[mpars0032]

I found an exact match on eBay for about $5.00, Someone else had ready cut it down. It was over 7"" in length.



I cut off the end making it exactly 7" , stripped it down, restained and oiled it.



I added the rail applying a little blue color lock-tight and she's a beauty. Fires well with no problems. I need to pick me up some fixed sights and a flashlight to add to the end of it and I should be finished.

[Short Bus]

Nice work

[mpars0032]

I need fixed sights on the rails. What sights would you recommend?