Model 870 express synthetic 7-round

It's a very good home defense gun - can't go too wrong with an 870. Mine patterns very well with buckshot. Holds 6 in the magazine (for the 7th round you'd need one in the chamber). It has an 18-inch cylinder bore barrel and a perkerized (mat black) finish.

The Mosberg 500-series are a little lighter because they have an aluminum receiver, but I appreciate the weight of my 870 due to the recoil of 12-GA shells.

The 870 is a very proven and reliable weapon, and there's a very large aftermarket for it. Police agencies have used them for decades. The only thing I did with mine was install a side saddle shell holder and a hardened extractor.

If you've never shot a pump shotgun before take it to the range and get used to it. Biggest problem people have is not cycling the slide all the way and jamming the weapon - training issue.

You can also convert it to a hunting gun by changing the barrel and putting a plug in the magazine. (Although I'd rather use my Wingmaster for hunting.)
 
The gun has one fault - the chambers tend to need minor polishing when new else inexpensive steel hulls can stick in them until the gun wears in. I understand this is not a problem with brass base hulls.

The fix is easy and inexpensive. Just polish the chamber for a thirty seconds with steel wool wrapped about a piece of dowel chucked in a drill. http://www.aiptactical.com/Page_2.html See the part about "new barrels".
 
Have had once since the beginning of the year and there is nothing that I don't like about it. There is no choke in the barrel that comes with it (18") and the only thing I've run through it so far are slugs. The range I go to is an indoor range and does not allow buckshot. As soon as I have an opportunity, I will run a couple of boxes of buckshot through it, just need to find the time and location to do so.

It's a black matte finish (parkerized) and it has not shown any signs of wear.

As for cons, I really can't come up with any? I know that the barrel can be swapped out for hunting purposes, but I have no intention of doing so. This is strictly a range/home defense gun. Honestly, it's a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Range time is a blast!

Between the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500, I'm really glad that I went with this one. I like the slide release location and safety location on the 870 more than on the Mossberg. Just my opinion, but I can't imagine you not being happy with the 870.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with!
 
The Express synthetic used to be named the "Home Defense".

It's a lower cost version of the Wingmaster sporting gun and the Police gun.
The only real differences is that the Express has a rougher finish inside and out with machine marks and some burrs left in place.
The extractor is made of MIM steel, but that's easy to replace with a milled part from the Wingmaster or Police models.

Where the Wingmaster has a polished blue finish and the Police models have a parkerized finish, the Express has a bead blasted flat blued finish.

Other then that, the Express uses the same forged steel receiver and heavy duty fabricated internals the more expensive 870 models have.
Just like the more expensive models the Express 870 will last several lifetimes in heavy use.
 
I bought one several years back in that exact model. I haven't had any problems at all.

My only complaint is the stock is a little long for my stubby arms. Some of the newer Remington's seem to have a little shorter stock from what i can tell. I handled one of the desert digital camo versions at the gun show and it had a shorter more comfortable stock,or it felt like it anyway. It may have just been my imagination.

I wasn't sure if you could use slugs or not so i didn't but it's good to know you can.
 
Most of the econo line of Rem 870s I have examined could definitely use some cleanup work in the chamber. They're still great guns for the money. Avoid using the cheap 12 ga. shells on sale at Walmart. Smooth up the chamber and feed it the good stuff. I also believe that the factory stocks are a little long for most guys.
 
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I've heard the bead blasted finish isn't as nice or durable as the 870 Police model and can cause it to rust easily. Any truth to this? What are the differences between the 870 express and 870P other than the finish? What improvements does the 870P have to cause it to be double the price of the 870 express?

I know I want an 870, there's no question. I just need help figuring out which one, 870 express or 870P.
 
Where the Wingmaster has a polished blue finish and the Police models have a parkerized finish, the Express has a bead blasted flat blued finish.
Click to expand...

^This^

It's a really good gun. Consider the Mossbergs as well.

If you've never shot a pump shotgun before take it to the range and get used to it. Biggest problem people have is not cycling the slide all the way and jamming the weapon - training issue.
Click to expand...

Shuck it like you mean it.

I like the 870 express/HD, but if you've never handled a wingmaster, check one out too.
 
I've heard the bead blasted finish isn't as nice or durable as the 870 Police model and can cause it to rust easily. Any truth to this? What are the differences between the 870 express and 870P other than the finish? What improvements does the 870P have to cause it to be double the price of the 870 express?

Parkerizing is 60% more durable then bluing according to Remington which is why most Police guns are parkerized.

The reason many Express gun owners complain about the finish rusting is because they fail to do what Remington recommends, which is to clean the gun before use to remove the factory preservative.
That's also one reason some people complain a new Express has extraction problems. They also failed to scrub the factory preservative from the chamber, and when fired it gets sticky and causes failure to extract.

To clean the gun and prevent rust, field strip the gun per the owner's manual, including disassembling the magazine and removing the trigger group.
On a pad of newspaper, spray the gun dripping wet inside and out with CLP Breakfree and let soak for 30 minutes to dissolve the factory preservative.
Wipe dry and reassemble.
This not only removes the factory coating, it coats everything with a rust preventing coat of Teflon.
Thereafter, every time you handle or use the gun, refresh the layer with a little more CLP.

Both the Express and Police use the same forged and milled steel receiver and heavy duty fabricated internals. Both will last an equally long time. (Just about forever and two days, or 250,000 rounds).

The Express is Remington's budget gun made to compete with the much cheaper to make Mossberg.
The Express is much less polished and de-burred inside and out and many machine marks and some burrs are left.
The extractor is MIM, and on standard 4 shot magazine guns the magazine retention system is plastic.
These 4 shot guns can't accept a magazine extension unless the magazine tube is modified, and the gun can't accept some accessories due to the longer sporting type fore end.
The bore and chamber is a little less polished, and it has the bead blasted blue finish on the metal.
Wood stocks are hardwood stained with a walnut stain and a varnish type finish.

The Police guns cost more because the Police model is more inspected and has more hand labor attention given during manufacture.
Hand labor and inspection runs the cost up due to cost of a persons time.
Each part is hand inspected before assembly.
All metal inside and out is much better polished with few machine marks and no burrs left inside or out.
The finish is a military type parkerized finish.
Wood stocks are American Walnut with a military type oil finish.
The gun will accept all extensions and accessories.
Extractor is milled steel.
Several springs are heavy duty to improve feeding during rapid fire.
There are many more options on barrel lengths, stocks, sights, and accessories.
Due to it's primary use as a police gun, every effort is made to insure it works 100% right out of the box.

Bottom line, the Express is an inexpensive but serviceable Chevy. The Police is the top of the line Cadillac.
 
870 and steel based shells

Sometimes the polishing of the chamber works. Sometimes it does not. I have six 870s. 3 have had the chambers recut by a gunsmith. One of the recut ones was a Wingmaster. All have had the AIPI steel wool treatment 4-5 times each.

About half of them still have problems with low base steel Federal shells. They all work perfect with brass Winchester AA shells.
 
dfaris is spot on the money regarding that factory preservative they use. That gunk is nasty and when heated up becomes even worse. Like baked on oven grease. On a new 870 spend some time with solvent and brushes and get all that stuff off. Then oil it well and keep it oiled. Keep the chamber clean. Use cheap ammo and you may have problems but it's probably not the gun. Some of the ammo they're making now is just awful.
 
It is not the preservative. I have had 3 chambers recut. I have scrubbed to infinity the chambers.

I don't know why. But, many many many 870s will not reliably work with steel based Federal ammo. My Benellis do. My 870s don't.
 
Got one a year or so ago just for grins, and a little tactical build project. Fun to blow things up with, and would make a great HD shotgun. I haven't had any problems with mine.
Lots of unnecessary stuf added like AR style buttstock, the vertical grip/flashlight, and heat shield w/ ghost ring sights. But because of a shoulder, and elbow injury the grip does help, and I just put it together to look cool.

002-2-1.jpg
 
A short barrel shotgun with wood furniture is awesome. Case in point
ShotgunandPA084.jpg


Though thats not an 870. Here is an 870P with wood.
dsc0319h.jpg
 
This exact 870 is on my wish list - I already have the upgrade parts I want to add. I'm going to swap out the forened for Speedfeed and add a Hogue Tamer pistol grip. The only thing I've heard that is a drawback is the finish. I was planning on having mine Cerakoted.
 
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