Is a 4 year old 870 Police(not magum) worth $400 used?

Dude, $350-$400 sounds like a pretty good price.

Personally, I don’t know what the thing is above the trigger guard, but it looks to me like a scope mount bracket. You see these side-mounted jobs on AK’s sometimes.

it could also be a bracket that holds a shell rack of some sort.

i would ask your buddy about it. He may throw in whatever attaches to it as part of the deal.

I'd say the $350 is more realistic. The saddle mount is worth probably $20-25 used. From the wear on the guide bars and shell tube, I'd guess it had more than 10 rounds run thru it. Biggest problem right now is trying to find a HD shotgun like that.....anywhere. Online dealers are all sold out and could be the reason he wants a premium price for it.

All 870's made since sometime in the 1980's are magnum capable regardless of what name they have. For the 1st few years after the change they stamped "Magnum" on them just so people would know. They dropped that some time back. If the SN ends in M, and if it says 2 3/4 and 3" on the barrel then it will take any 2 3/4" or 3" shell.

Not to be confused with the Supermag which will also take 3 1/2" shells.

A lot of people "claim" that the police models and Wingmasters are built from better components than the Express models. That is not my experience. The only difference I've noted is in the finish and the type of wood in the stock. From the photo's it appears to have the same matte blue finish as an Express, but I may not be seeing them clear enough. The better guns are parkerized which is more of a dark gray color.

Looking around at comparable prices I'd say $350-$400 is a good price if it is matte blue metal. And a bargain if it is parkerized.

I would buy it for $350. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks to me that the top rail (scope mount) is attached by brackets that extend downwards on either side of the receiver, to the pins that hold the trigger guard in place. That would mean that the receiver is not drilled and tapped for the scope mount, and that the scope mount is easily removable.. That fact may or may not be a selling point.

The magazine extension is a big plus.

Picture is turning out fuzzy but I would agree it looks like he's shot it more than 10 times... unless he sat down and continuously racked the slide to smooth it out which some people do.

Is the red dot included? Is it decent? I'd pay $300 or so in normal times but if the red dot is included than $400 makes sense to me.

Here's a pic of mine. It's not a police model but it's configured similarly.



They're cool guns with a modular design so the possibilities are endless.

Im in the 350 camp. I dont like extended magazines tho, and at 400 id be inclined to buy a used 150-200 dollar "sporting" gun and lop the barrel of at 19"

The saddle modunt looks like one of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/380845399030

IMO, it is worth whatever you are willing to pay for it.

Don't buy into the idea that because anything is called a "police" model that it is better than a normal model.

$300 sounds like a good deal to me

$400 sounds like a deal breaker to me.

Would depend on how much I wanted it how much I would pay between $300 and $400.

Not sure what the rail is supposed to do. I guess you could put a light there.

That 870 Police model is nicer than any of the 870s I have bought. I buy 870s that are good inside or merely worn in and cosmetically challenged. And I pay in the neighborhood of $300-$325 for them.

The shotgun in the photo, if it is a Police model and not just an Express Tactical/tacticooled up, would be worth $400. That is an OK price, not a bargain and not a steal. You are not getting raked over the coals either. Unless it is an Express, which are indeed inferior in finish and have a few lesser parts bits. They still work OK, but are Essentially a Mossberg 500 with a steel receiver: functional. I would rather buy a used Police or Wingmaster than a new Express.

The saddle-style rail receiver rail mount is no great shakes. They work...OK as scope or red dot mounts. Drilled & tapped receiver is better. Usually eyeball/scope alignment with them is off. Ask him if he has the original receiver pins so you can get it back to original if you want.

350-400 would be ok with me. Take it apart, clean and relube it good. Should last you a lifetime. If you like it then $50 should not keep you from buying it. What's $50 over your lifetime?

jmr40 said:

A lot of people "claim" that the police models and Wingmasters are built from better components than the Express models. That is not my experience. The only difference I've noted is in the finish and the type of wood in the stock.

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Wingmasters and 870Ps ARE better built and do HAVE better components than the Express Model. WM and 870P overall are basically the same same gun, the 870P has changed over the years so what it has or doesn't have is dependent on when it was made (this is important).

Wingmasters and Police models have a milled/barstock extractor, the Express has MIM.

WM and 870P have polished bores, Express models are not that finely finished inside the barrel.

WM and 870P both use an aluminum trigger housing, Express models use plastic.

870P use the classic style magazine retention system, the Express models use the new style plastic and have a dimpled mag tube.

870P has used a heavy-duty magazine spring (22lbs), trigger-sear spring, and shell lifter spring. This may vary as to when your 870P was made.

870P comes with a shorter forearm (either synthetic or wood)to allow locking in a police vehicle.

870 Police shotguns go thru a special 23 station check list.

Wingmaster and 870P are very similar, many are basically the same gun depending on the era they were made in.

i bought this 12ga 3" rem 870 tactical with 18.5 barrel with choke tubes. front sight and rear peep sigh and picitenny rail(for 350.00) for a turkey shotgun(works very well) i.m not in love with the rear stock and may change it out.

Milkmaster said:

If you like it then $50 should not keep you from buying it. What's $50 over your lifetime?

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This. Sometimes we get so obsessed over getting a “deal” that we miss the bigger picture. You’ll put $40 worth of gas in your car and it’s gone in 1/2 a day. Your shotgun will be yours for years. Took me a long time to come to that conclusion.

Funny, I can remember what I paid for a gun ten years ago, but I can’t remember why I walked to the garage.

Olon said:

Picture is turning out fuzzy but I would agree it looks like he's shot it more than 10 times... unless he sat down and continuously racked the slide to smooth it out which some people do.

Is the red dot included? Is it decent? I'd pay $300 or so in normal times but if the red dot is included than $400 makes sense to me.

Here's a pic of mine. It's not a police model but it's configured similarly.

View attachment 916883

They're cool guns with a modular design so the possibilities are endless.

Click to expand...

My wife would be so mad if my stinky guns were on her clean couch.

You say not a Magnum, but Remington hasn't made a 2-3/4" only 870 in about 40 years.
They have made some 870 Expresses in Police configuration. If it's Parkerized or blued it's a real Police. If it's flat/matte black or has a black bolt it's an Express.

redneck2 said:

This. Sometimes we get so obsessed over getting a “deal” that we miss the bigger picture. You’ll put $40 worth of gas in your car and it’s gone in 1/2 a day. Your shotgun will be yours for years. Took me a long time to come to that conclusion.

Funny, I can remember what I paid for a gun ten years ago, but I can’t remember why I walked to the garage.

Click to expand...

I know EXACTLY why I walked into the garage. Or I did up to the point of entering the garage. What the heck, LOTS of things to do in the garage, if I get after them, I will likely get around to my original purpose.

And yes, for most folks a Rem 870 Police or WM will last them a lifetime. $40 over your remaining years is no big whoop.

I would not pay 250 for it, but I don't like Remington.

At $400 I would pass on it