870 question for you guru's

[Milkmaster]

I am just curious... What distinguishes an 870 as being an "Express" model? I think of an express as being the economy model with matte finish and synthetic stock, but I see expresses a few years old with wood on them. When did the express model show up and did/does it have any significant differences? I have owned a couple of 870's but neither was an express. Now all of them seem to be unless you get a wingmaster.

Please let me reask and clarify my question...I understand what an Express is NOW and the past few years. I am asking has it always been that way and/or was the Express name used years ago for the 870 etc?

 

[sig226]

The Express is the matte finish metal with a synthetic stock or a matte, birch stock. It is distinguished from the 870 Trap and 870 Wingmaster, which have polished metal and walnut stocks. The stocks can be high gloss or matte finished. Mechanically, the guns are identical.

There is also the 870 Marine, which is electroless nickel plated with a synthetic stock.

 

[Regolith]

The express is their basic model. Fit and finish isn't as good as on the Wingmaster or Police lines. As sig said, it has a matte finish instead of the polished blueing on the Wingmaster line. The wood is birch instead of Walnut.

Its still a pretty good shotgun though. The finish may be a bit rough, but its good enough for a working gun, and it works well. Its also as tough as nails.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

With a little know-how and some elbow grease you can debur, polish and make an express gun look like a Wingmaster. Well It will look nice but it might not look exactly like a Wingmaster.

And btw, the newer expresses have laminated stocks.

 

[Milkmaster]

Please let me reask and clarify my question...I understand what an Express is NOW and the past few years. I am asking has it always been that way and/or was the Express name used years ago for the 870 etc?

 

[The Deer Hunter]

I don't know too much about the older ones, but I don't think they had the "express" line when they were first produced. IIRC they started the Express line due to higher wages and higher prices on precious metals.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

As I recall, the Express was introduced in the late 80's as a lower cost entry level option. Somewhere around here I have one from 88 or that has wood stocks, matte barrel, and an a choke system. Two years prior, the entry level was the 870 Sportsman 12 (I think, if you're terribly interested I'll go dig it out). It has a glossy stock, polished barrel, and fixed chokes.

 

[Whitman31]

The original express was just a cheapened version of the Wingmaster, still is. Parkerized(ish) finish, non-walnut stocks, not chrome bolt.

 

[Fred Fuller]

According to the timeline in Kuhnhausen's book, the 870 Express line (stamped Express on the receiver) was introduced in 1989. The 870 itself came into production in 1950 (Wingmaster). A year or two before the Express guns were introduced, Remington made a plainly finished version of the 870 and the 1100 they labeled the Sportsman. I think the Express evolved out of that, I don't know.

The earliest Expresses had wood stocks, we have one early model here that actually has walnut, though it is very plain and dull finished. Later on they came with both synthetic and wood, I don't know what the motivation for that was or what the difference was.

hth,

lpl/nc

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Lee, according to this page the Express came out in 1987. However, they don't even mention the Sportsman. The year code on my Sportsman here is LF which puts it in 1985. I got the gun in 86 so that lines up. I don't have the Express here, but I know where it is. I'll make a call tomorrow and get the code of the barrel to see if that sheds any light the date.

 

[Fred Fuller]

IMO the best bet for establishing born-on dates for 870s is to call Remington with the serial number and let them check their records.

As far as battling authorities are concerned, you definitely made me look- I didn't misread the date in Kuhnhausen (which is always possible), it says 1989 for the intro of the Express line.

I'm no expert, and I'm not prepared to argue one version/expert versus the other. I simply don't know, and it doesn't bother me to admit it. FWIW Kuhnhausen doesn't mention the Sportsman either, I have seen exactly 2 of them (Sportsman versions of the 870) in my entire life. I didn't buy either, both were on used gun racks and priced like Wingmasters. Sorry, but I'm a cheap Charlie where used 870s are concerned- I want a bargain or it's no go on the deal. I'm a sucker for Cinderella 870s, but not that big a sucker.

Thanks for contributing to the discussion, that was an interesting link and not one I had seen before. I tend to be an accumulator, not a collector 8^).

Regards,

lpl/nc