Remington 870 Magnum question

[butwhat]

Dfariswheel, I think we're both nitpicking here. At the time the 870 magnum was introduced - 870 Magnum-AP (1955) - there were no Expresses - 870 Express (1987). All of the 870's were Wingmasters. That's probably why I found the quote "Remington introduced the Model 870 Magnum" because at the time all the 870's were Wingmasters. There was no need to differentiate further. People just dropped the Wingmaster part out of the verbal discription. Just like not including your middle name in every piece of correspondance. It wasn't necessary til 1987 when the Express came out.
It wouldnt' surprise me to find out that the Express would technically be the Remington 870 Wingmaster Express. It just really don't matter a lick. I would imagine the only way to tell an original 870 Magnum - pre-1987 - would be to check the serial number. They had Magnum stamped on the side of the receiver and the Wingmaster fit & finish. The largest percentage of Magnum stamped guns that I have seen had a 28" or 30" full choke barrel. At that time you used 3" shells for duck & goose hunting and would want a full choked barrel. This was before choke tubes.

"He said it also had a 20” barrel with rifle sights, is that a norm for the magnum model. Thank you for your help and answering my questions that have probably been asked several times already."
Your freind would have to check the serial number to see what exactly it is that he has. How old is the gun? Could be a 870 RSS Rifled Slug Special (1959) I have no idea if they had RSS stamped on the receiver but I would imagine they did. All the other specialty guns I've seen from that era were stamped. The gun could have a slug barrel on it or a barrel that was cut off & had sites added.

Somewhere in this long boring thread I think it was stated that all 870 barrels interchange. I don't believe this is still true with the introduction of the 870 Super Magnum 3 1/2". Who knows for sure? Somebody that doesn't know to check could get bit on that.

Sad to say my 870 days are over. My screwed together shoulder won't take it. Not even with light loads and a mercury tube. I'd hate to knock my screws loose. Something the Doc warned me about when he fixed me up.

[mlbastin]

The more I read, the more I'm confused. I have a Remington 870 and the box it came in. On one side it says "Remington 870 Magnum" and on the other it says "Marine Magnum. On the original Box it says, the bar code says "870 Special Pump Magnum' On another label it says "Model 870 Marine Magnum" Nowhere does it say "Wingmaster, Express".

[daisey53]

Forget what the box says....what does it say on the actual gun?

[mlbastin]

Apparently, you didn't read what I wrote. The gun is stamped Remington 870 Magnum and on the other side it has Marine Magnum. Peviuos posts say that it's either a Wingmaster, Express or similar model and that is not listed on anything related to this gun.

[Dfariswheel]

Remington builds the "Marine Magnum" on the basic Express guns.
They also use the basic Express for the new "Tactical" models.

Today, Remington builds guns on the premium line "Wingmaster" sporting gun, the "Express" budget gun, and the premium "Police" gun.
All Remington 870's are based on one of the three.

The "Magnum Marine" is basically an Express gun with a satin nickel plated finish and a magazine extension, OR the new Black Magnum Marine is the same only with a new black coating.

[olddrum1]

I think that if you check the older 2 3/4 wingmasters you will find that they could not handle the ejection of the three inch shells in that the ejection port was not long enough to alow the shell to eject. I believe that the M or Magnum designation is just that the gun is capable of handling a 3 inch shell. The older guns just did not have enough length in the ejection port to get the shell to flip out in the standard 2 3/4 version.

[Dfariswheel]

Actually, that's wrong.
The Magnum and older non-Magnum receivers are exactly the same, including the length of the ejection port.
The only difference between them is that the Magnum receiver is fitted with a longer, 3" Magnum size ejector, and the Magnum has a serial that ends with an "M".

In fact, most good gunsmiths who have the correct staking tools can replace a non-Magnum ejector with a Magnum length ejector and the gun then shoot up to 3" shells.
As example, Wilson/Scattergun offers a "Remington Steal" package in which they refinish and re-stock the gun and convert it to a Magnum receiver by installing the longer ejector and lengthening the chamber.

[mikenbarb]

delete

[Scattergun Bob]

Gee I get busy and don't watch the forum and I miss all the fun!!!!

bryan2010x, the simple answer to your question is Rem Police Mag is had some hand fitting, better QA inspections on parts and some speciality parts distinctive to this flavor of 870. Your friends scattergun should except most stock sets plastic or wood.

NOW HOWEVER I need to correct a couple of errors that I was surprised to find in this post.

1st - the ejector in Remington 870 and 1100 series shotguns are RIVITED not STAKED into the receiver before they are finished. It is not easy or factory recommend to remove or replace the ejector, if you do so it MAY require a re-finish of the receiver!

2nd - THERE IS MORE TO MAGUMUN 870 SCATTERGUNS THAN LENGTH OF THE EXTRACTOR!!!! I know many of you are unaware of 2 3/4 only barrels. thousands of these barrels exist and their chamber length is SHORTER than 3" rounds. I am not sure that you can even force a 3" in a 2 3/4" chamber if you do the results of restricting the mouth of the shell will be devastating.

[B]WE ALL NEED TO BE "SHOTGUN SURE"[/SIZE] OF THE CORRECTNESS OF INFORMATION WE PRODUCE IN THIS FORUM. SHOOTING LONG ROUNDS IN SHORT CHAMBERS CAN COST SOMEONE THEIR LIFE!!!!!!!

Good Luck & Be Safe

[mikenbarb]

DFERRIS, Its not based on an express. "Remington 870 Marine Magnum, Same general specs as the 870 Wingmaster except a 7 round magazine. 18" plain barrel with ic fixed choke. Bead front sight. Made from 1992 to date. Nickel finish." Thats rite out of the book folks.
The old 870's do have a smaller ejection port than the new ones.

[Dfariswheel]

I'm not sure what book you're reading but the REMINGTON FACTORY says the Magnum Marine and new "Tactical" models are all based on the Express model.

They have the same slightly rougher, less polished receiver, the same plastic trigger guard and other features as the Express.
The only difference is, the Magnum Marine has a plated finish over the rougher metal, and the addition of the extension.
The basic gun itself is still an Express, per Remington.

While all Remington 870's have the same "basic" specifications, the Express is their "budget gun" made to compete with the cheaper Mossberg and Winchester guns.

When Remington decided to make the Magnum Marine and later Tactical models, they based them on the Express, again, to hold the price down.
If they based them on the far more expensive Wingmaster, the price would have been up with the Police models, and therefore, just about priced out of the market.

When you make as many 870's in as many variations, and for as many years as Remington has, things get REALLY confusing, and it's hard to follow what's what.

[Scattergun Bob]

I do not have to read a book, I lived the history of the 870, you are wrong, the Marine Magnum predates the express, it was made on the wingmaster receiver originally!!!!

You also need to gain more education on shotgun function, DON'T THINK, KNOW.

[Nnobby45]

2nd - THERE IS MORE TO MAGUMUN 870 SCATTERGUNS THAN LENGTH OF THE EXTRACTOR!!!! I know many of you are unaware of 2 3/4 only barrels. thousands of these barrels exist and their chamber length is SHORTER than 3" rounds. I am not sure that you can even force a 3" in a 2 3/4" chamber if you do the results of restricting the mouth of the shell will be devastating.

Since a fired 2 3/4" shell is about the same length as an unfired 3" shell, of course the 3" will fit into the 2 3/4" chamber. No need to force it, in most cases.

ScattergunBob is correct in that pressures will skyrocket upon firing, since there's no chamber ahead of the crimp for it to unfold into.

Common sense dictates that you use a 3" barrel if you shoot 3" shells. The Mag. ejector works with either size shell, as does the Mag. barrel.

The 2 3/4" ejector doesn't allow the 3" shell to clear the chamber before it tries to kick it out of the gun. The Mag. ejector works fine either way.

Sure a lot of argument for something that doesn't involve rocket science.

[Scattergun Bob]

You are right, much to do about little. I usually sit on the side lines and read the posts, I do respond to incorrect or incomplete information about Remington 870 stuff.

Thanks for the thoughts on 3" chambered in 2 3/4", I never done it, and I try to only attest to things I have actualy done.

Good Luck & Be Safe

[mikenbarb]

Most books dont tell the whole history from day 1. Especially the new books. They say what they want to be appealing to the reader and not the boring stuff that matters.

[Dfariswheel]

Arguing about guns is FUN. Let's keep it on that basis....FUN.

With that said, from Remington's OWN web site:

1992
Remington assumed marketing responsibility for DuPont's "Stren" fishing line and associated fishing products.

Remington introduces a number of new products:
The stainless steel version of the Model 700 centerfire rifle
The Model 11-87 Sporting Clays autoloading shotgun
Light Contour barrel versions of the Model 11-87 shotgun
The Model 870 Marine Magnum shotgun
Camouflage versions of various shotguns and rifles.

The 870 Express was introduced in the Spring of 1987.

[Taxidermist44]

I think this is what you are talking about.

[hogdogs]

Okay ya'll remmy guys... Why would remington use the term "Magnum" if it only holds 2 3/4 &3 inch shells? If it don't hold 3 1/2 magnums isn't it false info? Or are all these guns made prior to the advent of the 3.5" shell?
Brent

[Brian Pfleuger]

You got it.... back in the day 3" WAS magnum.

Still is in most cases.

[Jeff F]

2nd - THERE IS MORE TO MAGUMUN 870 SCATTERGUNS THAN LENGTH OF THE EXTRACTOR!!!! I know many of you are unaware of 2 3/4 only barrels. thousands of these barrels exist and their chamber length is SHORTER than 3" rounds. I am not sure that you can even force a 3" in a 2 3/4" chamber if you do the results of restricting the mouth of the shell will be devastating.

A 3 inch shell will drop right in a 2 3/4 inch barrel with no force needed. I's when you pull the trigger that the bad things can happen.

Always go by the markings on the barrel not what the receiver says, especially on 870s, all barrels have their chamber length marked on them. I have a 30 inch full choke VR barrel that only has a 2 3/4 inch chamber that is mounted on a Wingmaster 870 magnum receiver that I use for trap shooting.

[ziggy222]

idk if this helps at all but i bought this as a remington 870 turkey magnum and it seems heavier than other 870's i've picked up.the package said 870 turkey magnum,i think because it came with a short 20 and a half inch barrel for quick swing action and a recoil pad.it has remington870 express magnum engraved in the side.i bought it new about 8 yrs ago.they stamped in the barrel -use 2 3/4 or 3" shells in magnum receivers-use 2 3/4 in all others.i don't think reminton had the 3 1/2 inch chambers at that time so this would have been the magnum.

[nottelybill]

by the way, I take my spanner nut off with a pair of needle nosed pliers all the time with no damage to the nut. The needle part is long though like fishing pliers.