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Old November 23, 2001, 08:13 PM   #1
cbjessee@NH
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Spare Parts for Rem870 Police?

Can anyone recommend field spare parts for a Rem 870 Police? I'd imagine nothing much breaks, but if it's my primary long gun, I'd prefer to have some of the parts along to replace those that are more likely to break and can be readily replaced in the field.

BRET
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Old November 23, 2001, 09:04 PM   #2
lunde
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Probably the firing pin. A $5 or so part.
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Old November 23, 2001, 09:09 PM   #3
Dfariswheel
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You're right......nothing much breaks. A friend of mine was the armouror for a large Police dept. He always joked that his Remington spare parts supply fit in a shoe box, with enough room left over for a burger and fries. Most of his replacements were bent/squashed barrels, and splintered stocks.

If it makes you feel better, you could get an extra magazine spring, a firing pin and spring, and an extractor with spring and plunger.
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Old November 23, 2001, 10:11 PM   #4
Dave McC
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My old agency's spare parts for about 30 870s left room in a shoe box also. If it bothers you that much, get a spare firing pin, extractor and spring, roll them up in cloth and stick them in the stock bolt hole under the pad. Your grandchildren will find them there eventually.

BTW, in 40 years of 870 usage, both personal and professional, no glitches. Guess I've fired well over 10K rounds personally, and at least that much professionally. About 4K through my 870 TB claycrunching trap gun since last winter, and it's just getting smooth!
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Old November 23, 2001, 10:48 PM   #5
DML
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In the 6 years that I have been working on 870s the only serious failure I have seen is several broken ejectors. Unfortunately, this is not normally a field replaceable part. It can be replaced by anyone with hand tool skills, but a good drill press or vertical mill will do a better job. Also, unless you don't care what your gun looks like, it will have to be refinished.
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Old November 24, 2001, 06:19 PM   #6
cbjessee@NH
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Thanks for the tips.

Any good amil order sources for such parts?

BRET
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Old November 24, 2001, 07:57 PM   #7
Dave McC
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Either Remington itself or Brownells should have everything you want or need. I'd check Brownells first, Big Green's customer service is not, repeat not, impressing me lately....
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Old November 29, 2001, 07:00 PM   #8
jaysouth
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Dave Mc

A friend of mine worked for the FL department of corrections. He relates a story about a rack of 870s used for training non-correctional personnel. Every employee, whether dentist, teacher or secretary has to do a firearms famaliarization course which includes 5 rounds of bird shot and 5 rounds of buck. The five guns used for this particular course were purchsed in 1959. Despite thousands and thousands of new employees firing their ten rounds, as of 1988 or thereabouts, not a part had been replaced on any of the five. He went on to relate that failures from tower and guard guns were mostly related to unauthorized tinkering or outright abuse.

I am proud to tell you that I was a lifelong fan of 870's long, long BEFORE my friend shared this story with me. My hunting gun is an 870 that my father won in a duck calling contest in 1955. It has been abused frightfully but keeps on ticking. Some years ago some mud got in the muzzle, then the gun was fired. A local smith cut the barrel back to 19 inches and silversoldered a Cutts on the end. The shorter but heavier barrel seems to swing smoother for me. My pride is a TC with a straight trap stock. To make it a skeet gun as well as a trap gun, I added a 26" skeet barrel. I have powdered many, many(and missed many) clay birds at skeet and trap with this combo and 1 oz loads of #8 shot.
As I got more into the skeet shooting culture, I bought a fancy Beretta over/under with a set of barrel tubes. It sure was pretty but I never hit more birds with this rig than my 870.

With as many 870's as I've got now with numerous extra barrels and stocks, I never worry about an 870 letting me down.
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Old November 29, 2001, 08:16 PM   #9
Dave McC
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Thanks, Jay. War stories about the 870's marvelous ability to keep going abound. Said this one before...

An 870 was designated as a training weapon in 1981 when MCIJ opened, and was still in use in 98 when I retired. It still may be in use. During that time, it fired hundreds, if not thousands, of rounds including slugs, buck, non lethals(Just for demos) each and every month.Total parts replaced, new wood.

To get another 870 going that was a nice non glare shade of brown from rust took some CLP and elbow grease.

At one point I had so many leftover parts I bought a salvaged receiver and put together the ugliest 870 in the County, yclept Frankenstein. It sure shoots purty, tho(G)...

With 4 12 ga 870s and a 20 ga also, spare parts are not a prob.
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