New 870P Questions

[Dollar An Hour]

I read that 870P's, unlike Express models, are shipped with a coat of cosmoline applied, as they may spend a lot of time in storage before seeing duty, and that this cosmoline needs to be removed first thing.

Are 870's pretty easy to field strip?

For this initial cleaning, would it be OK to clean everything with Hoppes Elite, then spray with Rem Oil or CLP?

Also, is it true that 870P models are assembled in a different part of the New York plant than the rest of the 870 line, or is this internet myth? :uhoh:

[RCR29]

870's are very easy to strip. It is pretty intuitive to take one down to its basic components.

Here's what Remington says about the differance between the Express and the Police guns:

REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, LE DIVISION
Important differences between Remington 870 Police and 870 Express shotguns
The 870 Express has been an important part of Remington’s offering to the sporting market.
It was designed to meet a price point in the commercial market while still providing classic 870 functionality.
All of Remington’s 870’s have interchangeable parts, even if they have cosmetic differences.
It is also important to note that many manufacturers use the 870 Express platform for their Police / Combat models.
Without exception, every manufacturer who utilizes our 870 platform serves to upgrade their system to a more efficient, street worthy platform.
While the 870 Express is still an 870, the best pump shotgun on the market, there are some very important cosmetic and functional differences between it and the 870 Police.
To 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.

[james_bond]

I don't know about cosmoline coating or stuff like that.
very easy to feild strip, remove the the magazine cap and two pins and you have trigger action and barrel removed, and just about every thing is very accessable to clean it.
YourHoppes and Rem-Oli and CLP will be fine.
I would think they are all assembled in the same place, but I really don't know.

EDIT: Never mind about 90% of my post, RCR29 did a better job

[Snarlingiron]

Not sure of the composition of the coating on Remington 870's. I have bought two of the 870 express models during the last 2 years, and both were coated with a sticky brown grease. They both needed to be completely stripped and thoroughly cleaned and lubricated before shooting the guns. Remington recommends this in the owners manual. Dave McCracken gives an excellent description of how to do this in his excellent Cleaning 101 (http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=17035&highlight=101) post.

[Dollar An Hour]

Thanks RCR29, terrific post!

[DPris]

When this question came up on another site a couple years back, I talked to Ken Nickerson, Field Services Support Manager at Remington about the info circulating at the time.

People were being told Remington ships the guns with a coating of cosmoline that has to be removed before shooting. The Remington website also stated that.

Nickerson said it was not true, that there might be some very minute residual amounts of a different formulation of Rem Oil left from the manufacturing processes, but there was no coating of cosmoline, and nothing had to be removed before shooting. He said he was unaware the website mentioned it, and the website was wrong.

My sample 870 PMAX came out of the box bone dry, and I shot it bone dry. I did not remove anything & did not add any lube during its test session.
I had only two failures to fully eject during that session, which I attribute to most likely short-stroking the action. My error, nothing to do with any "coating".

These are my personal experiences, take it or leave it as you wish. :)

While it never hurts to break down a new 870 & lube it, the cosmoline myth seems to be just that. :)

Denis

[Pete409]

I've cleaned many new guns that had a tacky (sticky) brown colored substance on all the metal parts..... inside and out. I'm pretty sure this was some kind of rust protectant that the manufacturer used.

I've heard many stories of people whose new autoloading shotgun would not operate properly until they gave it a thorough cleaning (inside and out).

I've also found wood splinters and metal shavings inside new shotgun actions. So, while it may not be necessary to clean a new gun in EVERY instance, it sure doesn't hurt anything and it just might save you the disappointment of having that brand new gun malfunction like some old junker. It's amazing how quickly the "new gun fascination" can wear off when it jams on you time after time.

[dfariswheel]

Whether Remington still applies cosmoline or not, it's just good practice to clean off any factory dirt or metal chips, and apply a rust preventing coating.

I recommend field stripping the gun, including the magazine assemble.
Spray everything but wood or synthetic stocks dripping wet, inside and out, with well-shaken CLP Breakfree.
Allow to soak for 20 minutes or so, then wipe off the excess and reassemble.

For the trigger group, after spraying, stand it up and allow to drain, then after soaking shake and wipe the excess off.

This will remove any factory lubrication and production dirt or grit, and will impregnate the parkerized finish with Teflon. This will not only lubricate the gun, it will prevent rust.
Every time you handle or use the gun, apply another thin coat of CLP to maintain the layer.