[bratch]

I'm going to clean up my 870 Express HD and replace some of the MIM parts with steel. I'm also going to replace a couple parts for better quailty.

So far I've identified:

Extractor
Ejector
Safety
Mag spring

Have I missed anything?

[Gord]

Trigger pack, if that's your thing. Plastic to steel.

[MIL-DOT]

There's another thread here about a broken extractor jamming up a brand new 870.
I just bought a used,but nearly new, 870 that's maybe 10 years old.
Would it have plastic MIM parts in it,too? What's the mag spring made of ? I would've thought that was steel.
Dang it, now more stuff to worry about !!:uhoh:

[abuelo]

As far as I know all magazine springs are made of steel. I have never seen an 870 with any other kind, new or used. Newer models have plastic shell followers though but they seem to work fine.

[dfariswheel]

Unless your Express still has the lockable safety, there's no reason to replace it.

Other parts you might want to replace, but really don't "need" replacing:
Replace the standard magazine spring with a police model. It's a heavier spring.
Replace the carrier dog (cartridge lifter) spring with a Police spring.
Replace the factory magazine follower with a Choate or Wilson/Scattergun follower.

The plastic trigger group has proven to be so good, Remington is apparently now installing them on the Police models.
Unlike the aluminum guards, the plastic will flex and return to shape. The aluminum will bend and break.
The polymer guard stands up just as well as the powdered compressed aluminum guards.
(Notice how much better "aluminum guard" sounds than what it really is, "powdered compressed aluminum".

Remington has never made a "steel trigger group" for the 870. They've been powdered aluminum since 1950.

[bratch]

It still has the JLock.

Didn't know about the carrier dog thanks for that one.

[Fred Fuller]

MIM means "metal injection molded." There's no plastic involved. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_injection_molding )

First of all, how old is the Express in question? Older Express guns have NO MIM parts and in fact are the same quality internally as Wingmasters- the only difference is the external finish. Can you visually identify an MIM extractor versus a machined extractor? 8^) (MIM extractors have mold marks, machined extractors have tool marks, FWIW.)

If all the angst that was directed at worrying about different parts in Express guns were used to learn how to shoot the things instead, the community of shotgunners would be a lot better off IMHO. Yes, in fact I AM saying I think it's a MAJOR waste of time and worry- and money, often enough, to change out parts in ANY 870 that does not have a broken part to start with.

In other words, just shoot the thing. If it breaks, THEN fix it. Spend your worry on learning to be a better shotgunner and your money on ammo to do it with.

There are a gob and a bunch of Express guns here. All ages and all stages of Express guns, from one old enough that it has walnut furniture from the factory, to newer models with magazine tube dimples and plastic trigger plates. They all get shot from time to time. All of them KEEP shooting. I shot Louis Awerbuck's shotgun class with two different Express guns. Both of them have MIM extractors. They worked two years ago and they still work (well, except for the one that doesn't like Fiocchi birdshot loads- it still doesn't like them, but that has nothing to do with the extractor).

Just shoot the thing... 8^)

lpl