870 Express Magnum

[musky hunter]

Hi, well i got the 870 Pump Express Magnum in 28". Any tips on cleaning, breaking it in, loads, etc....

What choke for what use, skeet, trap, SC, rabbit, grouse, etc...So far i only got the Rem. Modified Choke.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Doc]

Loads: shoot what you like and see if the gun agrees. Mine likes what I like

Breaking in: shoot what you like

Cleaning; clean it well prior to shooting.
I am not so meticulous cleaning my shotguns, but it's not hard. I like one of those rigid fuzzy cleaners - i put solvent on it and run it thru a bunch then clean it with degreaser, use the bronze brush and do it again until it doesnt pick up much fowling then switch to patchs

Chokes: I have cyl, skeet, imp cyl, mod, mod imp, full, steel full

My rule is to use a more open choke than I think I need. So cyl or skeet for skeet, imp mod (or imp) for trap, mod for steel waterfowl and tunsten waterfowl. Imp for upland and rabbits.

Hunting: tungsten matrix for waterfowl, lead 4s for upland, 8s for skeet and trap 7.5 for clays

Enjoy

 

[Dave McCracken]

There's a floating thread up top about breaking in new pumps that may be of assistance,Doc.

Congrats and Mazeltov, with care your great- grandchildren will thank you for that shotgun.

For starters, add a Cylinder, Skeet or IC choke, and a Improved Modified or Full. If gobblers are on your agenda, consider an aftermarket extra full tube.

Remeber that the markings on those chokes are just educated guesses by the maker. It'll take patterning to determine just what they actually do with your load of choice.

But right now, get some light and cheap generic loads and go have fun. Trust me, you will!

 

[musky hunter]

Hi,

I bought a Full and IC choke. Do i need a skeet schoke for close range clay pideons? or would the IC Choke work. Is the IC choke goo dfor rabit, hare, etc...

 

[Dave McCracken]

IC,with proper loads,Ryan, works well out to 25 yards or so. Skeet gives a little better pattern at close range, but you can open or close a pattern by load choice.

Within 25 yards, an IC with hard 6s will do the job on bunnies. Rabbit targets need 7 1/2s.

 

[riverdog]

MH,
IC should be fine except for maybe the second bird on doubles from station 1 & 7 and those two from station 8. Likewise, shooting Trap with a Full should be fine although some additional success may be found with an Imp-Mod. If those chokes do prove too tight, Briley makes great Skeet and Imp-Mod chokes for Remington barrels. They can be had through the Brownells catalog/website.

 

[musky hunter]

I just got a booklet that tells me what choke/load to use for a specific game.


What choke would i use for buckhot and slug. There seems to be many loads in buckshot. Can somebody explain buckshot and uses. Can i use slugs in a non rifled barrel? Is there a actual book that will help me understand Shotguns?

 

[Dave McCracken]

Ryan, open chokes TEND to do better with most slug and buckshot than tight ones, though exceptions exist.

Full diameter slugs like the older Forster style and the various Brenekkes do best from unrifled barrels. Again with exceptions.

Buck is used for medium sized game like deer, hence the name, and against personnel. First used in and around Wallachia ca 1500 in hand cannon, it's been an amazingly effective short range stopper ever since.

Brister's "Shotgunning, the Art and the Science" is a great source for learning about scatterguns.

As for uses, that will make more sense a little further down the road. Right now just get to know your shotgun with some light shot loads.

And search the Archives, this is the best resource I can think of.

 

[musky hunter]

awesome. I just bought a box of rifled slugs and a few buck shots. What is the hardest recoil shot? i just bought alot of accessories for the little bugger. All i need now is my hunting license.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The hardest kicking shells are probably the 2 oz turkey loads. Use the light stuff and work up by degrees. Trust me on this.