Deal or no Deal on a used 870?

[roach4047]

I would like opinions from those of you that know a deal when you see one. I'm debating on picking up a Remington 870.

My cousin and I have decided that we are going to go deer Hunting this next shotgun season. My primary intention is to purchase a worthy Shotgun that will fit the bill. We'll be hunting on his brothers property which limits our shots to less than 100 yrds by nature of his land. Research tells me that a Remington 870 is something I should consider. While shooting at the local indoor range today I inquired about an 870. Turns out they have a used one for sale with an asking price of $350.00. I may possibly be able to get a 3% discount if purchased with cash vs CC.

Here's the deal.

The shop nor I have no known history on this shotgun.
-Used Remington 870 Pump SuperMag 3.5"
-Wood Stock with shoulder cushion? and forgrip finish 95%
-Finish on Barrels (x2) 95%+
-26" choked barrel (unknown choke) mounted onto gun so didn't look down the barrel.
-20" Rifled barrel with Rifle sights. No visual pitting inside or out. Looks like it's been fired a few times and could use a cleaning. Appears a bit gunked up in the rifle grooves but no noticible pits on any of the smooth parts of the rifled barrel. I'm guessing it would clean up nice but I'm no expert and really wouldn't know it I was looking @ something to be concerned about or not.
-Barrels' finish looks like what I've been told is parkerized but I'm no expert here. It's definitely not blued.

Judging from the outside of the gun it doesn't look bad at all.

What do you guys think? Am I ok with this or should I simply go to Wally World and pick up a brand new 870 with a rifled barrel?


All input is welcome.


Roach

[Brian Pfleuger]

You've got a while before deer season. If it were me I'd go to some gun shows and look for an 11-87 or 1100. I got an 11-87 with a rifled barrel for $400 that looked to be brand new. The gun will shoot nicer with less recoil.

However, $350 for a good condition 870 with 2 barrels is a pretty good deal, especially if it's an older gun. I personally think the quality was better with older 870s.

[New_Pollution1086]

i think tht you can get a brand new one for that price. however it wont have a second barrel.

ehh look around a little, if you dont find a better deal go for it.

T

[bigghoss]

do you really need the 3.5" chamber? on a super magnum(3.5") thats a good deal with the 2 barrels, but if you go for just a regular express magnum(3") you can get one much cheaper.

[Waterengineer]

Do that deal. IF and I nean IF there is something wrong with it, parts are so redily available it is no big deal to find them or trade them out. YOu have plenty of time before shotgun season that working out the gun should be no problem.

[Tom2]

I would shop around and see what the extra barrels would cost you if you decided to get one or the other later on. The cost of extra 870 barrels is not chump change anymore. Therefore it adds considerable value unless one or the other seems completely useless to you. But in that case they are good trading stock for a barrel you might want.

[rem870hunter]

if it goes bang when you pull the trigger,with a shell loaded in of course. have a smith give a good lookover before shooting it. $350.00 for that setup don't sound bad at all. unless its a rusty pos. then no deal,unless the price comes down. or buy a new 870 with a fully rifled barrel.

depending on where you buy loose barrels from, and if you buy new or used the 26" would run like 120.00,the fully rifled like 150.00. you said the 26" is a choked barrel but not sure what choke. is it a fixed choke barrel or a screw in (rem choke). if its a fixed its most likely a 2 3/4" chamber,but is a really bad idea to put that barrel on a 3 1/2" receiver.

[roach4047]

Not even a spec of rust on this thing. Looks damn near new. The only thing that makes it looks even the slightest bit aged is the flat finish of the wood but that's how it came I from remington from what I've read.

It was suggested that the set up is a Remington Model 870 Express Super Magnum Combo.After reading up on Remingtons sight I agree. Remingtons web sight describes this exact set up. So then I guess the screw in choke is then a Modified Rem™ Choke. I'm going to sleep on this and see what I think about the deal tomorrow.

Roach

[onthejon55]

the 870 is the shotgun that always goes boom. if it looks okay then im sure that it functions flawlessly. the only problem is the supermag. thats a lot of gun if you dnt plan on using it for turkey or waterfowl. i would consider getting a regular mag so that way u can us the 2-3/4" shells for clays or small game and the 3" slugs for deer.

[Lee Lapin]

I don't care for the 3.5" guns personally, but that's neither here nor there. A rifled barrel by itself usually goes for $100- 125 or so, that means the gun is $225- 250. That's about what good used Express guns go for around here, maybe a touch high but not excessive. If you can get $25-50 off the sticker price, so much the better, but if you really want it, it doesn't seem like too bad a deal.

Express guns are bead blasted then blued, leaving a matte blue finish- if it's parkerized (light to dark gray), that happened after it was sold AFAIK.

hth,

lpl

[wpcexpert]

That's good deal for the shotgun with two barrels.

I've been looking for a slug for some time too. I shot my Rem 870 with some cheap old Rem Slugger 2 3/4 shells. With the bead at 50yds I was touching holes. I can't imagine what it would do with a scope on it.

Then I started looking at ammo. The new slugs from Remington are insanely expensive. So what I'm going to do is get a smooth bore with a cantilever scope mount and just shoot the rifled slugs. Cheaper and seems just as accurate.

So if it were me, I'd wait...who am I kidding, I'd get the shotgun anyway.

[roach4047]

Turns out it's a factory finish that looks similar to a Parkerized finish but it's not Parkerized. I described it like that because that's how the finish looked to me. Once I inquired I was told that no it's not a Parkerized finish but it does look a bit similar to parkerized with it being a Black non-glare Matte finish about the texture of dry wall would be a good description I guess. Definitely not a smooth glassy blued finish.

I have a question???????

Is a barrel that's chambered for a 3" also capable of firing the 2 3/4" as well or is it a "one or the other" deal?

So far as my decision on this particular gun that I mentioned in the opening post; I've decided to hold off on the purchase. They didn't want to budge on their price. I don't really consider it a steal after researching it a bit more and like other's have said... Do I really need the SuperMag 3 1/2" when all I'm really wanting out of the shotgun is the Rifled barrel for deer hunting. I think I'll be better served waiting for the local gun show at the end of the month and dropping the cash on a gun that better fits my original intention. I'm saying my prayers that I run across a modern Ithica Deerslayer III for a really good price. If so I'm all over it. I wouldn't mind an Ithica Deerslayer storm one bit either.

Roach

[Chuckusaret]

Buy the gun, it is well worth the price with two barrels.

[bigghoss]

the chamber length means it will shoot UP TO that length of shell. so a 3" chamber would do both 2 3/4 and 3" shells and a 3.5 inch would do all three