870 Marine Magnum Birthday Present

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txcoyote

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Picked up my own birthday present last week. Bass Pro Shop finally got a single 870 Marine Magnum in and honored my $419 rain check from their Fall Sale. Even got about $15 back on their rewards card. I was pressed for time and was going to come back later, but I had the sales guy check to verify that it was the only one they had received. He also checked the warehouse which had no others, and they had no others scheduled for delivery as best he could tell. Needless to say, I made the time to use the rain check right then. I really had doubts of ever seeing it honored. Happy birthday to me!

I had also previously tried handling the Mossberg Marine version but the Remington just seemed to fit me better for some reason and felt more comfortable.

Never having had a pump gun before, I had read every 870 shotgun cleaning thread on THR that I could find. The magazine extension was in fact as hard to get off as others have noted recently. Big water pump pliers well padded in layers of leather got it loose without any marks. Any idea why they think it needs to be that tight?

None of the cleaning threads had prepared me for how long that magazine spring was! I had expected it to be heavier gauge metal also. It was like a slinky getting it back in until I used the barrel cleaning rod as a guide.

Interesting that the magazine extension was flush with the tip of the muzzle. The ones I had seen previously extended out beyond the muzzle. Design change?

Contrary to recent threads indicating heavy protective coatings in the barrel, this one didn't appear to have much of anything in it. Maybe they don't bother coating the Marine models?

I actually didn't have time to break it down any further right then, so I didn't take the trigger assembly out yet. Any thoughts on if I really need to do that before trying it out?

Sure is pretty.... I'm a happy camper and I haven't even got to shoot it yet.:D
 
You got a really good deal- congrats! You did good to snag it before it got away.

No, the magazine extension sleeve doesn't have to be THAT tight. I have no clue why they're cranking down on them so hard at the factory, I hear complaints about how hard it is to get them off new guns pretty often.

Remington recently changed the barrel length on guns with extensions from 18" to 18.5" to bring the muzzle out flush with the extension. So it is a change from Remington, and fairly recent at that.

I looked at a NIB 870MM at Gander Mountain today, and didn't notice a lot of gunk on it either. Maybe they don't spray the MMs like they do the blued guns.

I'd say you could get by without yanking the trigger plate assembly, but it might benefit from some light lube early along.

Enjoy it, and Stay Safe,

lpl/nc
 
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