Mesa Tactical 870 Side Saddle reviews

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Durable, Good looking 870 side saddle

I purchased this mesa tactical 870 side saddle after reading many reviews stating it was a sound investment for any tactical 870. It was delivered promptly (per stated on amazon) and in pristine condition. The install took all of 10 minutes with ease, thanks to the tools provided in the kit.

I took it to the range, and it worked like a dream. The rig kept hold all six shells as I put at least 50 rounds through my 870 tac. Express. There was a point where the gun was dropped 3 feet onto concrete with the shell holder down. I picked it up, expecting a broken rig, but other than a few scratches in the finish, it was completely intact!

Strong and sexy, I highly recommend this to anyone who likes the idea of a sidesaddle on their 870.

Awesome

Great remington 870 shell holder. Sturdy, well machined, and beautiful matte finish. Installs easily, looks great and is very secure. And when I say safe, I mean ROCK solid. I agree with another reviewer that it causes much less wear and tear on the elastomer, which is the rubbery material used to retain the shotshells in the saddle if you smoothly spin the shells into place. This is a lovely piece of kit. I highly recommend it.

I’ve heard this is the best sidesaddle on the market and I believe that 100%
I received mine this morning. This side saddle is VERY well made. It rests one inch from the end of the receiver, and my Hogue forend works perfectly with it. I love how the back comes off to add/replace the retention tubing. I am incredibly pleased with this product. This is the first product from Mesa Tactical that I’ve owned, but if the rest of their line is of this quality, then they have a lifelong customer. They included a Mesa Tactical sticker in the package, and my gun case will wear that proudly lol.

Mesa Tactical 870 side saddle Carrier

I purchased this side saddle shell carrier for my Remington 870 Express Tactical. All I can say about this product is WOW! This company sure has their ducks in a row! It arrived packaged well, and it had plenty of info on the box about the product. Opening it up, I found a glossy instruction manual (a novel, really) that precisely described every step required to install the sidesaddle correctly. It came with absolutely everything you need to fix it, including two correctly sized Allen keys.

They thought of everything, including a pre-cut piece of adhesive-backed rubber to protect the finish of your firearm. Also included, are another part of rubber friction material with a different friction coefficient for different climates and shell types. Nice! They even left a cut-out so that your serial number is visible!

Installation was quick and straightforward, and it looks SWEET! Better yet, it’s functional and not just “tactical.”

If you don’t currently have the mesa tactical 870 side saddle installed on your home defense or tactical shotgun, consider your rifle naked. Stop the indecent exposure! Dress your gun with one of these!

Easy to mount, fits well, easy to use!

I bought this for my Remington 870 Express Tactical. Mounting was effortless and involved removing the two action pins which hold the 870 trigger group in place. The bolts are replaced by double-ended screws (Chicago screws) that tighten from both directions. These, in combination with a thin rubber adhesive strip, allow the mount to fit snugly to the weapon without damaging the finish. They hold on to shells very tightly from either a primer-up or primer-down position. The only difficulty is with the rubber retainer piece. When loading the sidesaddle, the rubber tends to squish around and twist, making remaining shells a bit tricky to pack. If this happens, DO NOT FORCE THE SHELLS IN! This may damage the rubber and deform it considerably. I figured out that if you twist shells while sliding them in, they go in smoothly without binding up the rubber retainer. I know that this thing is good to go! Durable, made of aluminum, and fits well. I definitely would use it on my other shotguns.

Looks awesome

This mesa sure shell ammo carrier is beneficial. I love the way it looks and feels. I do have a couple of issues with it, though.

1. Gets scratched easily. Don’t set it on a rough surface ( rocks, dirt, etc.)

2. Some of the ammo (slugs, 00 bucks, birdshot) tend to slide in and out more comfortable than other holes. I believe the middle holder is the tightest, so I have to pull or push the ammo through.

I believe I paid 60 for mine, and right now, I see it for 71. It is worth the money, but you can’t be rough with this item. Easy to install as well. I’ll give it a four because I had those issues sadly.

Well built

This thing is high-quality construction. It holds the shells correctly, even during “run and gun” exercises. The only concern I have with this is that the front pin was hard to install and required some persuasion with a brass gunsmithing hammer to drive it past the spring, thus making cleaning and field stripping a little more complicated. Overall this is an excellent product, and I would purchase it again. This one of my favorite Remington 870 accessories.

Lovely quality and fit

The remington 870 side saddle was worth the extra money to go with metal rather than plastic or some of the other cheaper models available.
The fit is excellent on the 870, and it comes with a rubber gasket to buffer the shell holder form the gunmetal.

What is also cool is the way it holds the shells. It has a rubber tube (2 different types), which contains the round by force. You can put the shells upside-down if you wish, it will hold them.

It will probably outlast the shotgun.

A little assembly required (get some medium lock-tight)

The Mesa Tactical 870 side saddle is worth Every Penny

I was torn between the Mesa Tactical carrier and what I’d call the “main competitor” product, which is about half the price. After trying them both, I’m much more satisfied with this product from Mesa Tactical. It didn’t feel cheaply made; It was effortless to install, snugs right up against the weapon (for me, and 870), and with the included backing, it doesn’t scratch the receiver. It took about 5 minutes to put on.

It has a durable feel and holds the shells very securely while still allowing them to be accessed and pulled efficiently. I’ve got about 500 rounds of 00 through the weapon, and there hasn’t been any loosening or issues with the carrier. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a useful, practical add-on that will last. The eight shell variant is excellent too; it just takes up much more space on the receiver.

A great addition to your shotgun.

This thing is excellent. They are bolted on in a couple of minutes. 2 3/4 and 3″ shells hold in very well and have the option to insert a different stiffener strip if it wears out. Comes with different stiffener strip if you want more hold. You can put shells in and shake it upside down, and they do not fall out as well.

It comes with a rubber adhesive separator, so you don’t have metal on metal contact with your shotgun receiver, keeping the finish beautiful.

The finish was excellent, would buy another if I had another 870. I might have to get one for my 1100, but it has an engraved receiver and used for hunting only.