Remington 870?

[Miles2014]

Thinking of picking up a new 870 with the current rebate. Anyone purchased one in their recent incarnation? What’s been you experience, is the quality still good?

Thanks!

[Pahoo]

Need just a little more info. Are you talking about the Express or Wingmaster?

Bottom line is that even though there are potential problems, they are still good enough. ....

Be Safe !!!

[Targa]

Mine is 20 years old but I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one.

[Model12Win]

I sure like my 870 Police I bought new last year.

[Miles2014]

Thanks, Pahoo

I was looking at the basic Express with wood (or wood like laminate) stock with 18.5 inch barrel.

Thanks again.

[Virginian]

The newer Expresses are solid guns. Much better exterior finish than earlier, and a lifetime warranty.

[Screwball]

I’ve always been a fan of Remington shotguns... have two 11-87s and a 870 Police. All are old enough before current “issues” started appearing at Remington.

I’m actually looking to pick up a TAC-14, so I have no issue buying a new 870. One stipulation is that I’d want to look it over first. As long as there isn’t anything major, I’ll deal with Remington CS if there is a smaller issue. I actually plan on getting it plated by Robar or CCR, so it will be looked over prior to that.

[shootbrownelk]

The newer 870's use a lot of cast parts....old Wingmasters use machined parts. If I were looking for an 870, I'd look for a used but not abused Wingmaster.

[Virginian]

Please list the cast parts.
The Expresses' extractors and ejectors (not the ejector spring) are produced via the MIM process. I have also seen one newer Wingmaster with an MIM extractor, don't know about the ejector.
IF the manufacturing process on correctly designed parts is properly controlled on MIM units there is no reason they should not perform equally to a fully machined part. The problem lies in that the limits of control are much tighter on MIM than on forgings. Remington did nave a few issues several years ago, but it appears they have addressed that and I am not aware of any in recent times.

[Pahoo]

The newer Expresses are solid guns. Much better exterior finish than earlier, and a lifetime warranty

The last Express youth model that I bought for my grandson, has a laminated wood stock. There was little or no protective finish. Just some kind of a stain that scratched off very easily. After the first season, we refinished it. I have one of the older expresses, in solid Birch with a very serviceable finish. To be honest with you, I don't know how the new ones are stocked. We also encountered a chamber issue that was easily fixed. That Express is very serviceable..... .

Be Safe !!!!

[eastbank]

the trouble with a lot of shotguns today not ejecting fired cases is the shells, they have steel bases and it doesn,t act like real brass. and the chambers must be smooth and cleaned regularly to use them. eastbank.

[DHart]

Remington's cheap 870 models have been known to have rough chambers, leading to extraction problems. Some people addressed this by polishing the chambers. It seems as though Remington has, in recent years, cut corners wherever they could - particularly with the very low priced models.

I have three relatively late model 870 Police Magnums, two high polish blued with walnut stocks and one parkerized with polymer stocks. All three of these are well done.

If you want to go with an 870 (rather than the excellent Mossbergs) then I'd stick with 870 Police or 870 Wingmaster, which are likely to be better made than the cheap Express models.

Consider Mossberg 500 and 590 also - they have dual extractors (single with 870), dual action bars, very well placed controls, a lifter which stays up and out of the way for easiest recharging of the magazine (870s lifter sits down and must be pushed out of the way for recharging) and Mossbergs haven't suffered from the decreasing quality reputation that Remington has been getting in the last number of years.

I just picked up a 590 Shockwave and am very impressed with the fit, finish, and quality of today's 590s! Mossberg is (and has been for a long time) really kicking butt with their shotguns.

If I was looking for a full-size defense shotgun today, I'd go straight to the 590.

[Virginian]

If you are a fan of aluminum receivers the Mossberg is a solid choice. Hard to go wrong with a Mossberg or a Remington 870.

[DHart]

For me, this choice has nothing to do with whether the receiver is aluminum or steel. Both materials have been exceptionally well-proven for DECADES on a wide variety of big-name, very popular, and widely-used shotguns.

This choice should, in my view, focus on user controls/ergonomics, design features, build quality, fit, and finish. Time and real-world use has proven that whether the receiver is aluminum or steel is really of very little practical significance.

[Virginian]

To each their own. I prefer polished and blued steel. I can see and feel the difference, and that goes for semi autos too.

[DHart]

Nothing wrong with polished and blued steel; nor stainless steel, nor aluminum. I enjoy them all, myself. Tend to like old school styling, as well.

Here, just a small trio of pump guns, all of them capable. The Persuader has seen the lion's share of use. Awesome gun. Drop dead reliable.



590, old school-style, is a sweet one too.



Steel vs aluminum receiver is of virtually no consequence to me. Same with my semi-auto shotguns.

Parkerized is quite effective, but polished & blued has 'panache'.



Stainless, anyone? It's all good!



Nickel-plated aluminum receiver? Sweet, too. Browning Maxus Golden Clays.



Let's not forget the tactical self-loaders! Versamax Tactical and Beretta 1301 Tactical:



Shotguns are just sa-weet!

[Longhorn1986]

My wife bought me an 870 Express Tactical 7rd for Christmas about 5 years ago. It is okay, but can be finicky with ammo. Eastbank is correct. ammo makes a huge difference. I cannot run Winchester white box at all. Even Remington target ammo will hang a bit when the chamber heats up. That said, I've never had an issue with high brass buckshot.

[T. O'Heir]

"...talking about the Express or Wingmaster..." Same thing. Different finish. Wingmasters haven't always been Remington's higher end shotgun either. Mine says Wingmaster on it and high end it ain't. It's also about 37 years old.
There's nothing wrong with cast parts. Ruger built their entire business on investment cast parts.
"...Finicky with ammo..." Operator failure. Rack the slide harder.

[eastbank]

rack the slide harder? when the steel plated cheap shell base expands it grips the chamber wall and doesn,t go back to close the original size and if the chamber is very dirty or rough you can,t rack the slide hard enough to eject the shell as its locked up tight. I have seen them locked up that took a ramrod to help eject the fired shell. 4-5 minutes polishing the chamber and cleaning every once in a while will keep your gun running. we have several 870 rem express,s that the boy scouts use a lot(several thousand cheap wallyworld shells) thru the year, the only thing we did was polish the chambers and clean them after every use. eastbank.

[DHart]

If you decide on a Remington... give serious consideration to doing a thorough polishing job of the chamber.

[lefteye]

Wingmasters haven't always been Remington's higher end shotgun either.

What was Remington's higher end shotgun??? I have four Remington 870 12 ga. shotguns and all have been flawless. I have used them for upland game, waterfowl, and deer. Fortunately, I haven't needed to use my original Home Defense model with the black synthetic stock. My deer gun with the rifled barrel and cantilever scope mount is amazingly accurate with solid copper sabot slugs well beyond 100 yards.

Remington 870 shotguns are affordable and reliable. They were never intended to be higher end shotguns such as a Browning Superposed.

[Virginian]

A higher end pump is an oxymoron. The ones that are finished better cost more, that's all.

[DHart]

According to Remington, "higher end" 870 models (the Police models, specifically) differ in more ways than simply finish.

WHY BUY THE HIGHER PRICED LAW ENFORCEMENT MODEL? READ ON FROM REMINGTON …

The 870 Express has been an important part of Remington’s offering to the sporting market. It was designed to meet a price point in the commercial market while still providing classic 870 functionality. All of Remington’s 870’s have interchangeable parts, even if they have cosmetic differences. It is also important to note that many manufacturers use the 870 Express platform for their Police / Combat models. Without exception, every manufacturer who utilizes our 870 platform serves to upgrade their system to a more efficient, street worthy platform.

While the 870 Express is an 870, there are some very important cosmetic and functional differences between it and the 870 Police. To our customers in Law Enforcement, Military, Corrections, and Security, whose lives depend upon the unfailing performance of Remington shotguns, the Police modifications are of paramount importance.

Synopses of the variances are provided below.

• 870 Police shotguns go thru a special 23 station check list – ranging from visual inspection, functional testing, test firing, and final inspection.

• All Police shotguns are assembled in a “special build area” at the plant in Ilion, NY. This section is secured and serves only to build LE and Military shotguns, with the same factory personnel working at that assignment each shift.

• All parts that enter the “special build area” are visually inspected by hand to ensure top quality and functionality.

• Due to heavy recoil in buck and slug loads, all 870 Police guns have a longer magazine spring which ensures positive feed and function.

• A heavier sear spring is used to generate a reliable, positive trigger pull between 5 and 8 lbs.

• A heavier carrier dog spring is used to ensure when the carrier elevates the shell, it will be held there until the bolt can push it into the chamber. This ensures positive feeding when using heavier payload rounds.

• Police shotguns do not have an ISS (Integrated Safety System) which is a locking mechanism on the safety of commercial shotguns. This type of locking mechanism can cause delay to an officer who needs the weapon but does not have the appropriate key. LE shotguns have the standard, proven, cross bolt safety.

• The fore-end on the Express model is longer and not compatible with many police shotgun vehicle racks.

• The Police shotguns utilize the heavy duty SPEEDFEED Stocks and Fore-ends.

• The Express model will not allow for the addition of an extension tube without physical modification to the tube and barrel, which can nullify the warranty.

• The Express model has a BEAD BLAST BLUE finish while the Police models utilize either High Luster bluing or Parkerization.

• The Express model utilizes a synthetic trigger housing while the Police models use a compressed metal housing.

• The Police shotgun barrel is locked down with a “ball detent” system in conjunction with the magazine cap vs. a lesser grade “synthetic magazine spring retainer” lock down as used on the Express system.

• The receivers used in Police guns are “vibra honed” to smooth out rough finishes and remove burrs before parkerization or bluing.

• Police shotguns use machined ejectors and extractors, as opposed to powdered metal cast which are utilized on the Express models.

SPECIFICATIONS

18” barrel; pump action; 3” chamber capacity; twin action bars; improved cylinder choke; single billet milled receiver; 14” LOP; 2 shot extension tube; sling swivel studs.

==================

Whether the foregoing remains true today, I do not know. This statement from Remington dates back perhaps 8 years, or so.

[Virginian]

They said higher priced, not higher end, and then said why. For a while they were marketing non-polished, non-Parkerized matte blued guns marked "Police", for less money. The did have the heavier springs, etc. The Express type finish is not tough and they dropped it.

[DHart]

Yeah... all indications are that Remington has slipped quite a bit in recent times.

Mossberg is a safer bet. Dual extractors, lifter stays up and out of the way of the magazine port, thumb operated safety, dual action bars, better ergonomics for placement of slide lock release, chambers nicely polished. The new 590 I just bought is impressive as ever! Really well put together. All around, Mossberg has edged the 870 out. Not that the 870 is *bad*, just that Remington is not the company they once were.