Remington 870 Tac-14

thrillhill

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I picked one of these up a couple of days ago.

TAC14 044.jpg


I got a chance to shoot a few rounds yesterday evening.

First impressions.

I like it. Glad I bought it.

Firing from the hip, with both wrists locked, holding the gun a little to my right side, I was able to shoot bird shot (Winchester 7.5 shot) and full strength buckshot (Federal LE 127 Flite Control 00 Buck) without too much of an issue. As long as both wrists are locked, the action does not open during recoil and the pistol grip only slid in my hand a little. Slide it did, so I will be adding grip tape to the pistol grip.

Aiming with the gun in held out in front of my face was a different story. My right wrist, which was on the pistol grip, stayed locked. So the gun coming horizontally towards my face was not an issue. However, with the birdshot, my left hand, on the pump action, tried to slip out. I could not keep that wrist locked at that angle. When I fired the buckshot while aiming, the pump did escape my left hand, but did not come back far enough to hit me or sweep me. If I were gonna run it that way with buckshot, reduced recoil rounds would probably be in order. I'm gonna try that this weekend with 1 Buck and 4 Buck to see how that goes. Full strength.

I have fired both the Mossberg Shockwave and this 870 now. Both seemed to shoot about the same as far as the violence of recoil.

I like the MagPul forend on the Remington.
However, with these short guns, I like the strap on the Mossberg forend better. It does lend more control.

I am an 870 guy. I like them more than Mossbergs. The incessant rattling and floppiness of the Mossberg pump action has always got on my nerves. Plus, as I have mentioned before, I am hard on certain tools. Shotguns to me are a farm implement and sometimes get treated as such. I have broken a couple of Mossberg 500s over the years, and moved away from the Mossberg to the 870.

To be fair, I have also had a couple of Mossberg 590 shotguns and never broke them. And the Mossberg Shockwave is a 590.

Both guns were the same price ($389) at Ed's where I got my Remington.

All that to say this, as an 870 man, I do have some complaints. If you have ever had a Wingmaster and loved how smooth they were, well, this is the opposite. The Tac-14 had plenty of oil on it, but it felt like the worst Remington Express ever made, with sand poured in the action. I will probably be able to work that out with time and rounds fired, but damn, the same folks who ruined Marlin for me are trying their best to ruin the 870 line too. Maybe it is just my example, but holy crap the action is rough! Come on Remington!

Where the pistol grip meets the receiver there is a bit of a sharp edge "hot spot". The fit could CERTAINLY be better.

I am gonna admit to being in the minority here and say that I like the old style pistol grips better than the shockwave style grip. Everybody may be different in that regard.

Shooting both the Remington and the Mossberg 14 inch guns was fun. Fun like a roller coaster. A little scary at times, but overall a fun ride and I didn't die.

As long as you leave both wrists locked, and let both arms swing back a little with the recoil, it's fine. If you try to lock both your wrists and your arms, she is gonna jump towards the sky.


I didn't take any target picks. I may pattern some buckshot later and post in this thread.

I did take some size relation pictures though.

Left to right:

870 Express 12 gauge with 26 inch barrel and full length stock
870 Police Magnum 12 gauge with 18 inch barrel and full length stock
870 Tactical 12 gauge with MagPul stock and no spacers
870 20 gauge Youth with 18 inch barrel and youth stock
870 Tac-14 12 gauge

TAC14 061.jpg


TAC14 071.jpg


TAC14 097.jpg


TAC14 101.jpg


The two pictures below are of the Tac-14 and my Remington Spartan coach gun. 12 Gauge with 20 inch barrels. To me the coach gun is a pretty handy short configuration. Obviously the Tac-14 is much shorter.

TAC14 077.jpg

TAC14 083.jpg



And I know not everyone on here has met my ugly mug, but, several have. and as painful as it may be, here are a few pics for size reference in that regard.

The first pic is the Tac-14.
Second pic is the Remington coach gun.
Third is the 870 Youth 20 gauge.


TAC14 085.jpg



TAC14 117.jpg


TAC14 126.jpg


Parting thoughts:

Glad I own it.

If you are a Mossberg fan, get the Mossberg. It may be the better gun in this instance.

Without a stock, it does not scratch my itch for a SBS.

I use shotguns a lot on the homestead. In the daytime, the 20 gauge youth model is gonna work the most. I have killed everything from doves to deer with it. Yes, with an 18 inch barrel. At night, I am still gonna use the Police Magnum outdoors. Need the light yo.

These short barreled shotguns are fun. Your daily dose of America. But you need to be focused and self aware when using them. Know your limitations. Test them in a controlled environment.

I dread the dumb*** Youtube videos that are gonna result from idiots owning these guns. I am sure some redneck's girlfriend is gonna have a split lip after the barrel hits her in the teeth, and some of my degenerate book of faces friends will giggle while posting it.

The 870 Tac-14 is slightly heavier than the Mossberg Shockwave. But not heavy enough to help you control the recoil any better.

The Tac-14 capacity is 4+1. The Shockwave is 5+1.

Not sure which niche it fills yet, but I'll know it when I see it!
 
Thanks for all of the pics. I'm not much of a shotgun guy but suspect I'll grab one of these in the future for fun factor. I found it quite interesting that both Mossy and Rem released essentially the same guns at the same time.

As for the Mossy's strap, if you check out Hickock45's review, he notes that the screws attaching the strap to the forearm dig into your hand.
 
Thanks for the review and product comparisons side by side. Always great to hear it from someone I know will post facts about each without giving either gun something it didn't earn.
 
I dread the dumb*** Youtube videos that are gonna result from idiots owning these guns. I am sure some redneck's girlfriend is gonna have a split lip after the barrel hits her in the teeth, and some of my degenerate book of faces friends will giggle while posting it.

That made me lol.
 
So can you add a traditional pistol grip and still be within the law?
FWIW I hate these stupid f-ing arbitrary laws where changing a part out can make something legal/illegal (922r, overall length, sbr/sbs, vertical grip on a pistol, etc.). They truly make no sense!
 
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So can you add a traditional pistol grip and still be within the law?
FWIW I hate these stupid f-ing arbitrary laws where changing a part out can make something legal/illegal (922r, overall length, sbr/sbs, vertical grip on a pistol, etc.). They truly make no sense!
From what I've read....absolutely not, original configuration only, pistol grip and you may fall short of aol, stock and your a sbs, come on it all makes so much sense
 
So can you add a traditional pistol grip and still be within the law?
FWIW I hate these stupid f-ing arbitrary laws where changing a part out can make something legal/illegal (922r, overall length, sbr/sbs, vertical grip on a pistol, etc.). They truly make no sense!
You can if you'd bought it like I did with a $5 stamp. :D

(Can't add a stock, but I can swap to whatever grip I want without worrying about the 26" OAL)
 
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Thanks for all of the pics. I'm not much of a shotgun guy but suspect I'll grab one of these in the future for fun factor. I found it quite interesting that both Mossy and Rem released essentially the same guns at the same time.

As for the Mossy's strap, if you check out Hickock45's review, he notes that the screws attaching the strap to the forearm dig into your hand.
I contacted Greg aka Hickok45 a few days ago. He said he's taken care of those screws digging into his hand. He used hockey stick tape to cover them and also wrapped the raptor grip with it which he said has helped him to keep his hand from slipping around. I ordered some hockey stick tape so that I can use it the same way. Only problem I have now is I need a Shockwave to use it on. I'm always buying things in the wrong order. I'll just tell my wife now that I have to purchase a Shockwave so that I'll have a use for the tape. That's how I roll.
 
Only problem I have now is I need a Shockwave to use it on. I'm always buying things in the wrong order. I'll just tell my wife now that I have to purchase a Shockwave so that I'll have a use for the tape. That's how I roll.
Ever shot one? You should ask the guys that shot mine at the recent M&G about it...might save you ~$350. :D
 
You guys are tougher than a two dollar steak...... A buddy of mine has an older mossberg with the removable stock, and the pistol grip. With light loads...uncomfortable but doable..... I only shot buckshot once.... I gladly gave it back to him.
 
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