Top Shotgun Upgrades You Can Make Yourself

Say you’re lucky enough to have gotten your hands on a military surplus firearm like a surplus 870. These are great guns, but sometimes they could use some modding or upgrading. The same goes for other great guns like the Browning A5, Mossberg 500 and Winchester SXP.

While these models will work just fine from the factory, there are upgrades you can make to them that will improve their handling and therefore their utility for both sporting and defensive applications.

Here are some of the best shotgun parts and upgrades to invest in.

Ditch the Plastic Mag Follower

The 870 comes from the factory with a plastic mag follower. Replacing the plastic follower with a steel one is one of the easiest and most affordable upgrades you can make, and you can do it at home with minimal knowledge of firearm mechanics. Plus, a steel follower is a lot tougher and will last longer.

Swap the Barrel

In most cases, swapping a shotgun barrel is quite an easy job, and in the case of the 870, you can do it without tools. Just unscrew the mag cap, take off the barrel, put the new one on, and rethread the mag cap.

You might want more than one barrel for multiple reasons. Longer barrels tend to swing more smoothly, making them better for clay shooting and wingshooting. Shorter barrels, however, handle better in cramped quarters, making them better for defensive shotguns. You might also want a rifled barrel if you primarily shoot slugs.

Add a New Forend

Checkered wood forends are pretty, but they rarely if ever offer attachment points. Investing in a new synthetic forend, whether you have a pump or an autoloader, will increase durability. Many are also made with M-LOK slots so you can add other shooting attachments.

Add a WML

If you added a new forend that had attachment points, the next best thing you can do is add a WML, especially if you primarily keep your scattergun for defensive applications.

There is a saying, “what you can’t see can kill you,” and adding a light to your shotgun can give you a lifeline in the dark. Plus, a light can be detached from the gun and used for utilitarian applications, so there’s that aspect of it too.

Add a New Stock (or Recoil Pad)

Not a fan of the length of pull that your new shotgun offers? Replace the stock. There are aftermarket stocks for many popular shotguns, most of which can be relatively easily installed at home with only basic tools.

If you don’t want to replace the whole stock, but could use a slight increase to length of pull, or you want to reduce recoil, add a stock pad, which will kill those two birds with one stone.

Add a Fiber Optic Sight (or a Red Dot)

Most shotguns come with beads. They work, but they’re not as good in low light situations as fiber optic sights, which are perfect even in near darkness as they gather and magnify ambient light.

Another option, if you have a receiver that’s drilled and tapped, or a receiver that already has a rail, is to add a red dot sight, that will offer instinctive, reflexive shooting, even in the dark and with a poor mount.

Add a Mag Tube Extender

Many shotguns are made with relatively limited magazine capacities, but you can fix that issue by simply adding a magazine tube extender, which in some cases can extend the capacity of the gun considerably.

These are particularly valuable for waterfowl hunters, in which many follow up shots may be necessary in short order (of course, pay attention to all local regulations, as some states require plugged, not lengthened, magazines). A mag extender can also be a really good shotgun upgrade for a defensive gun.

Add Sling Mounts

If your gun didn’t come from the factory with sling mount studs, you can add them yourself, or swap to a stock that has the mounts. This will give you the flexibility to add a sling, which will make it a lot easier to carry your shotgun in the field.

Invest in a Camo Wrap

If you use your shotgun for hunting, especially for species with sharp eyesight like predators, waterfowl, turkeys or crows, then a camo wrap can transform the gun and considerably aid you in concealment.

How About a Winchester 97? Get a Bayonet Lug and Heat Shield

For those of you that have a Winchester 97, which is a legendary pump gun, among of the coolest shotgun parts we offer here are our Winchester 97 bayonet lug and heat shields - you can learn more about them at the previous link.

Explore Military Surplus Firearms and Shotgun Parts Here

Here to explore military surplus firearms or shotgun parts you can use to make some of the upgrades mentioned here? Take a look through our collection and if you have any questions, get in touch with us.