# Remington 870 Safety Question



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I have a Remington 870 Express Magnum. The safety is a left handed safety (gun is on fire when the safety is pushed to the right). Does anyone know if the safety can be reversed by a gunsmith? Thanks.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Yes... pretty simple operation that I am sure you can do yourself... see if there is a tutorial on youtube. Otherwise there are lots of articles on the web showing how to do it.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I looked online and still haven't found a real definite answer. Does this require a new safety button? Anyone else know for sure?


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## ToConfuz (Oct 14, 2009)

Author Message 
Gay Bob Rob

Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:17 pm
Posts: 6 
870 left hand safety
How do I convert a left hand safety to a right hand? I have a 1977 (or 1979?) lightweight .410 ga.
Thanks.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:36 am

Virginian

Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:03 pm
Posts: 420
Location: Evangeline, Louisiana 
Re: 870 left hand safety
Buy a regular right hand safety button and swap them. That's the only difference. And no, you cannot reverse the one that's in it. Mechanism is offset.

Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:54 pm

Gay Bob Rob

Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:17 pm
Posts: 6 
Re: 870 left hand safety
Thanks, Virginian. I am not a gunsmith. Could you explain or instruct how to accomplish this?

Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:03 am

Virginian

Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:03 pm
Posts: 420
Location: Evangeline, Louisiana 
Re: 870 left hand safety
If you haven't, download an owners manual and look at the parts diagram. Remove the trigger group. Take the safety off, put your thumb on the hammer, pull the trigger and gently release the hammer tension. Then you have to drive out the Safety Mechanism Retaining Pin. Do not let the spring and detent ball fly out and get lost. Dump the ball and spring out of the hole, remove old safety, install new safety, put ball and spring back in hole, reinsert retaining pin.

Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:29 pm

Gay Bob Rob

Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:17 pm
Posts: 6 
Re: 870 left hand safety
Thanks much, Virginian. You have been a great help. God bless our troups.

Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:07 am

erik meade

Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:11 pm
Posts: 3 
Re: 870 left hand safety
It depends on how it came to be a left handed safety to begin with. If it was a right hand gun and they used one of the special left hand safeties to convert it, then doing what Virginian suggests will work fine.

If they drilled the trigger group to convert it to a left hand safety, then it is a matter of putting the parts back in the original position. (unless they filled the original holes as they do sometimes, if that is the case, then you are probably best just leaving that as left handed and buying a new or used trigger group.)

If it came from the factory as a left hand safety, then...

You have to take it apart and see what you find. A left hand safety will look something like this. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=463939 If you have that in there, then just put in a regular safety. They have grooves that go all the way around the safety button. No notch like on the one pictured.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Fallguy,
Just buy a right hand safety selector and ill put it in for you. I have all the tools needed for the job. They aren't that much. Order it up and let me know when it comes in.
Xdeano


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I removed the trigger group last night, and as far as I can tell, it is the right hand trigger group, with a left hand safety put in. I made this assumption because the safety detent spring is to the RIGHT of center. I ordered a Wilson Combat oversize right hand safety. I will let you know how it goes after I receive the new button and install it.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Went in like a charm! I now have a right handed 870 with a thumbhole stock. Thanks everyone for the info!


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