I have been looking at a ton of different models and ways to build a "custom" turkey gun for next spring,I seen this video and honestly.I want to build a gun that looks like this one.I may go with a shorter barrel and maybe a 20 gauge but this is the gun that I have decided to plan on a build.I may even start in the next month or so.I love the look of this gun and am excited to start the process.
I have already made sure that I can get the stock and forend from Boyds,and in left hand for the thumbhole.This will be a great project and will be a blast to hunt with next spring, and maybe even for fall gobbler season this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q23x1B3g0Nk
Remington made the 870 with that same stock. It was before the shurshot stock and was camo and had a rifle sight barrel.
If you want to keep the gun light I would find out the weight difference in synthetic versus wood stock and forend. I had an 1187 12g. Deer shotgun with the laminate thumbhole/forend and wow was that heavy until I switched to the shurshot synthetic.
I know yours is a 870 20g.,but most guys are building them for a lightweight turkey gun so wasn't sure if you could get the synthetic version possibly to keep it on the lighter side.
Also if your minds set on the saddle mount I'd definitely go with one that bolts all the way through. My brother was cheap and didn't and had nothing,but problems.
I am most likely going with a 12 gauge,local guy has a special on some short barreled 870's for turkey and I may buy one in May.I remember the old 870's with these stocks in camo, as for the weight.I couldn't care less as I like the look of the wood and seeing as I already have 4 20 gauge builds setup for turkey hunting,I think a 12 ga in 3" is in order.If they built these stocks for my winchester 1300's I would not buy a new gun,just the stock but they do not build them for the 1300's which sucks, as I like the 1300 more than any 870.
I am heading up to check these guns out later this week or next week sometime and if he still has one in stock I may purchase it, and the boyds stock for it before april. It shows he still has them in stock and for the price,I can get this gun built for under 600 and setup the way I want.