870 Police magnum vs 870 Express

S

shooter963

Inactive
There is a for sale post on another board for a Rem 870 Police magnum modified by Vang Comp.
The seller states "Please note that this 870 was built up on a Police Magnum base gun by Hans. The PM uses a forged receiver, held to tighter tolerances, whereas the Express, while functional, use a cast receiver and less precise tolerances. The PM also has a metal trigger guard whereas the newer 870 Express' have a plastic part"
I know Remington has gone to a plastic trigger guard but I have never heard about the forged vs cast receiver. Is this correct? Are special purpose 870's cast or forged? What about the different model 11-87's?
Thanks in advance for you answers
 
All I can tell you is what they told me when I went to the Remington Police Armorer School. During one part of the class they showed a video of Remington 870 receivers being machined from forgings and the Remington Rep told us that all 870 receivers were made the same way. Specifically he said that Police Magnums had "Police Magnum" stamped on them and Express models had "Express" on them. I used to maintain about 90 Remington 870s with 5 "Express" Models (ordered by accident) and the rest being Police Magnums. These Express models were the pre "keyed safety" models but were internally identical to the Police Magnums with a couple of exceptions.

1. They had a dimple in the magazine tube that was supposed to keep you from adding a magazine extension.

2. The magazine tube (barrel retaining) cap was not secured when tightened by the spring loaded ball detent on the barrel to lock it in place but instead relied on a notched plastic plug in the magazine tube that was supposed to lock the cap in place when tightened. The ring that attached the barrel to the magazine tube just had the hole for the ball detent.

3. The stock was attached to the receiver with a mounting system designed to prevent you from attaching a Remington folding stock.

I prefer the Police Magnums because of the ease that desired modifications can be made but the Express models are very serviceable, we used them for range guns with no problems other than the operators.

Hope this helps,

Marvin
 
Isn't it amazing what people will come up with? I can only assume that this person ( the seller) came to the conclusion that the Express has a cast receiver because the finish is a bit rough compared to the PM. WHAT NONSENSE! (I'm being polite here)

As Marvin said, the only real difference is the external finish and the plastic trigger housing on the Express. Remington even makes the Express without the dimples now on some models. The PM does have a few heavier springs and it has that groove on the top of the receiver. Tighter tolerances? Yeah, right. Strip down a PM and an Express and examine the parts. You won't see any difference except for the color of a few springs.

By the way, except for the PC safety I have heard nothing negative regarding the plastic trigger group. I don't know what kind of plastic it is, but it seems like tough stuff.
 
If spread on your rosebushes, that stuff about cast receivers will give you a bumper crop. Real Caca Del Toro.

And, IMO, it'd cost Remington more to set up a receiver foundry than they'd save on machined receivers.

As for the plastic, I've heard NOTHING about any probs with them, or the plastic followers.
 
"1. They had a dimple in the magazine tube that was supposed to keep you from adding a magazine extension. "

Oh no no no. I contacted Remington about this dimple and they "assured" me that it was only there to keep that notched plastic plug in place. It was done "for my convenience" and not for any PC policy.

Yeah right! LOL.

Mike
 
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