tacticalcity
Inactive
Tactical - Express is great!
It is all what you're using it for.
I use my 870 Express as a tactical shotgun for home defense,and basically just to have one. The shooting style is totally different, and the drills you run are totally different than other types of shooting. It's fun.
I got the express because it was cheap, and had a really plain jane military look to it. I added a magazine extension, side saddle shell holder, surefire forend, and a knoxx recoil reducing stock. Now it is an awsome...and ideal tactical shotgun.
I use my 870 Wingmaster with the high gloss finish and pretty engraving for shooting trap (and if I hunted I would use it for that too). Initially I used it for double duty...but putting all that tactical gear on it just seemed wrong. It's too pretty with the wood furniture. And adding a magazine extension and side saddle seemed wrong too, since they would both ruin the finish on the gun in their respective places. Admitidly, I shoot is less often because the wood buttstock has a lot more felt recoil than my Tactical shotgun with a knoxx stock...this keeps it looking pretty...which I am sure my grandkids will thank me for someday.
Since an ideal tactical shotgun means adding the high end accessories, and since a matte finish won't reflect light, starting off with the cheaper 870 Express is a good idea. Most the negatives about it will be eliminated once you add the cool accessories. Which once you get into it, you know your going to do. So why pay extra for wood stocks you're going to remove and a glossy finish that reflects light?
Yes, I do know the police model's finish holds up better, but they usually come with riffle sights wich I learned the hard way I like less than the bead sight. And I've heard about dimples on the Express that make adding the magazine extension difficult. Oddly enough, my Wingmaster had them but my Express didn't. Putting a magazine extension on my Wingmaster would have ment punching them out, but adding one to my Express required no modification. This was the luck of the draw I think, because most forum posts I've read claim the exact opposite. Perhaps my express was an older model that sat on the shelf for a while? Who knows.
Good luck!
It is all what you're using it for.
I use my 870 Express as a tactical shotgun for home defense,and basically just to have one. The shooting style is totally different, and the drills you run are totally different than other types of shooting. It's fun.
I got the express because it was cheap, and had a really plain jane military look to it. I added a magazine extension, side saddle shell holder, surefire forend, and a knoxx recoil reducing stock. Now it is an awsome...and ideal tactical shotgun.
I use my 870 Wingmaster with the high gloss finish and pretty engraving for shooting trap (and if I hunted I would use it for that too). Initially I used it for double duty...but putting all that tactical gear on it just seemed wrong. It's too pretty with the wood furniture. And adding a magazine extension and side saddle seemed wrong too, since they would both ruin the finish on the gun in their respective places. Admitidly, I shoot is less often because the wood buttstock has a lot more felt recoil than my Tactical shotgun with a knoxx stock...this keeps it looking pretty...which I am sure my grandkids will thank me for someday.
Since an ideal tactical shotgun means adding the high end accessories, and since a matte finish won't reflect light, starting off with the cheaper 870 Express is a good idea. Most the negatives about it will be eliminated once you add the cool accessories. Which once you get into it, you know your going to do. So why pay extra for wood stocks you're going to remove and a glossy finish that reflects light?
Yes, I do know the police model's finish holds up better, but they usually come with riffle sights wich I learned the hard way I like less than the bead sight. And I've heard about dimples on the Express that make adding the magazine extension difficult. Oddly enough, my Wingmaster had them but my Express didn't. Putting a magazine extension on my Wingmaster would have ment punching them out, but adding one to my Express required no modification. This was the luck of the draw I think, because most forum posts I've read claim the exact opposite. Perhaps my express was an older model that sat on the shelf for a while? Who knows.
Good luck!
