• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Suppressors Remington 870

mtm87tx

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 15, 2006
247
0
37
Texas
All,

I am in need of a inexpensive shotgun for plinking at the ranch, small pest and a decent shotgun to get around the house.

How much 870 do I need so that it is of decent quality. are the new HD models worth anything? what about the "tactical" line? I really would like a police for the metal trigger guard and better internals but they are just pricey.
 
Re: Remington 870

A remington 870 express is a perfectly fine and functioning weapon. I have no concerns with how it functions or will function down the line as a plinker or home defense weapon.
 
Re: Remington 870

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bikemancs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A remington 870 express is a perfectly fine and functioning weapon. I have no concerns with how it functions or will function down the line as a plinker or home defense weapon. </div></div>

Ditto,

Buy an 870 Express, its a magnum capable gun with screw in choke tubes to which you can add accessories as you find that you need them. You can find them used in gun shops and online for $200.
 
Re: Remington 870

..

The truth of it?

Find yourself a clean old, metal, 870. One that you can take a good long look at and find to be remarkably clean cecause the person before you bought it and never actually used it. Buy that, take it apart, clean it, toss the wwear parts, and build up whatever you want. When you get it perfect, send it out to be coated. You will have it for life.

There are about 300,000 of them out there.
 
Re: Remington 870

I bought an 870 Express at Academy Sporting Goods a couple years ago. After the $30 rebate from Remington it cost me about $190. (reg price was $228 IIRC).
 
Re: Remington 870

I also have a used 870 Express bought from a buddy who's a fed LEO. The only downside is those stupid little notches inside the mag tube that you need to sand down in order to put a mag extension on. Other than that, it functions smoothly and without any problems
 
Re: Remington 870

As stated before the 870 is simply the best do all shotgun out there. With a bit of tweaking you can personalize it to your specific purpose. Parts are reasonable, and most work can be performed by the end user.
Personally I think the ejection system is stronger and less prone to hassles than the Mossberg.
If you are going to look for used the line breaks down like this:
The Wingmaster has a better fit and finish (rem bluing and nice wood stock), the express is a parkerized type of finish, stock not as nice. Both will do the job. It depends how much the finish is important to you. If looking for a used 870, decide if you want a smooth barrel (like a police model) or a vent rib. Some of the old police models have a shorter bb and do not have the remchoke system if that is an issue.
Shoot the snot out of it and decide if you need anything else.
 
Re: Remington 870

The express tactical comes with all the express features plus mag extension, and XS ghost ring sights mounted on picatiny rail. They have definately gone up in price over the last few years though.
 
Re: Remington 870

I would get an 870 with synthetic stock and be done with it. Where I am at the where selling for 300 and that included a deer barrel.
 
Re: Remington 870

I dont want anything fancy, just a 870 with a full tube and a speedfeed traditional stock. no ghost rings I had that on my M1S90 and the only thing they did was look cool, I hated shooting with them because you start treating a shotgun like a rifle and I was "aiming" to much instead of pointing

is a wingmaster better than an express? they seem to be older
 
Re: Remington 870

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but a wingmaster is the same thing as an express except the wingmaster has a better finish on it (high gloss wood stock and blued metal). The internals should be the same just the wingmaster looks a lot nicer. I believe someone already mentioned sending the gun away to get it coated; if you go that route the express would be the way to go.
 
Re: Remington 870

I was lucky enough to buy a nice used 870 Wingmaster at Cabelas,,,$169,,,,timing is everything
 
Re: Remington 870

The Wingmaster is a steel receiver and the express is aluminum. Some of the internals are also changes from steel to Alu. or plastic for non stress parts on the express. The best I can tell they are the same and all parts will interchange.
I've got Wingmasters, police mags and an express around here, they all work all the time.
 
Re: Remington 870

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: css</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">The Wingmaster is a steel receiver and the express is aluminum</span>. Some of the internals are also changes from steel to Alu. or plastic for non stress parts on the express. The best I can tell they are the same and all parts will interchange.
I've got Wingmasters, police mags and an express around here, they all work all the time.
</div></div>

I would need to check that info.
 
Re: Remington 870

Other brands and models are good, but get the bare-bones 18 or 20" 870. It's the best value and you can upgrade all you want later. The 870 has the largest after-market support of all makes/models, you can't go wrong!
 
Re: Remington 870

It used to be (it's been a few years since I checked) that the express guns had several corners cut and there were several sites that showed where many of the express internal parts were not as well fit and finished as the old wingmaster parts, I also believe more were made from AL/potmetal as stated above but can't remember for sure. There were also some lists that provided what you needed to replace in an express to get the better quality parts.

From poking around it seems the 870 express use an Al trigger housing vs steel, and also a lot of MIM (I know that's a can of worms) parts where the wingmaster does not, and the express does not have as well of a finished bore (not an issue for a tac gun)

That aside the wingmasters were definitely better fit, and finished both internally and externally than the express. However I've had an express for many years now and it's been 100% but I did polish/clean up quite a bit of the internal parts that were really rough when it was new. Also my wingmaster just feels smoother and more solid as well. It's like anything else if it's cheaper there's probably a reason.

If it were me I'd find a nice used wingmaster or the older "police" model 870 if you can find it they were really the best built 870's for tactical work. This was posted as coming from remington's LE site on the differences between the police and express models: (it's older info as they reference the ISS)

"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.

There are significant differences, but that's not to say the express is not a good gun, most people never have an issue with them.
 
Re: Remington 870

Thanks for this write up, looks like I will be upgrading my 870 express
 
Re: Remington 870

After talking to a Remington armorer who has attended the class, been through the manufacturing facility and has build many shotguns. I picked up a Remington 25077 870 for 315.

From what he says here is the differences in a nutshell.

Composite versus metal trigger guard.
http://www.ruger.com/products/1022Target/extras.html

click on the polymer trigger housing video for a interesting video

While the tubes are different I am putting a Wilson +2 one because the locking nut is strong enough to hold the extension without a clamp on the barrel and adds an additional side sling attachment

The extractor is a billet steal versus MIM, and one spring is different in the receiver.

The tubes are different but this has a +2 already

And the finish is parkerized on the police

The barrel is a different choke

the 25077 has the speedfeed forend and being half price I can put whatever stock on I want, which I did, I bought a speedfeed V1.

Other than that after looking through the Remington parts list it does not offer anything different from the new express and the police models.

The express barrel is actually about 30.00 more expensive then the police barrel.

I am very happy with this shotgun for right at 399 before selling the factory stock and forend.

Look the the 25077 for a great platform to start modification because the 300 difference doesn't offer enough changes for me to justify

2w6cpc2.jpg