870 upgrades

[ParadiseDweller]

No kidding. I've contemplated cerakoting mine for this reason.

They prone to rust?

 

[dfariswheel]

There's lots of complaints about the original Remington Express finish rusting. Other people had no problems.
It was a bead blasted blued finish.

Some people said that if you kept a coat of a rust preventing lube like CLP Breakfree it wouldn't rust, or at least not that fast.
Another way to prevent rust is to do what the manuals said to do: clean off the factory shipping lube and apply something like CLP.
The shipping lube coating apparently wasn't intended to be a user lube, just for shipping.
People who didn't clean it off were often the people who got rust.

Years ago Remington recommended user treatment of the Police guns was to field strip the gun, liberally spray it dripping wet with Rem-Oil or CLP let stand 20 minutes to dissolve the factory coating, then wipe it off and put it into use.
That's still good advice for the Express guns.

Best advice is to not get concerned unless your specific Express starts showing rust. Then you can figure out what to do.
Options are: parkerizing, a paint type gun finish like Cerakote, Lauer Duracoat, or GunKote, or just keeping a coat of gun grease, oil, or wax on it.
Note: NOT car wax...That's not suitable for this application.

 

[bernie]

I am a big fan of the Vang Comp Dome Head Safety. It is the first thing I put on an 870, even one meant for hunting.

 

[PapaG]

The one issue inputting on a mag extension is the age of the gun. At some point, Remington changed the magazine spring retaining method from a spring plug to a plastic plug held in by two dimples in the mag tube. I bought a mandril to drive in the tube to reverse swage the dimples. Mediocre. The fix was best done with a dremel tool grinding them off. If not removed, the extension does nothing as shells can't get beyond the dimples. Maybe so obvious it doesn't need mentioning but silly old me screwed an extension on a newer express and was shocked that the capacity didn't increase.

 

[plumberroy]

Here's an additional parts source (he has years of experience setting up Remingtons for combat purposes as well..) and used to post on this site...

AIP tactical gun slings

Rifle Sling, Shotgun Sling, Tactical Sling, One point Sling, Single Point Sling. Remington parts, 870 parts, Remington shotgun barrels, shotgun barrels, knives, k9 leashes, do leashes, gun cleaning supplies

tacticalgunslings.com

When I was looking at building an 870 this place was selling complete guns. He was able to sell me what I wanted cheaper than I could buy the parts and do it myself. I wanted a utility gun short enough for defense or hunting in the thick stuff. Reliable I also didn't want it to look special. Big thing is I wanted a right hand gun with a Left hand trigger group. They make tons of right handed barrels left your choices are 28 inch vent rib with remchokes. My gun is black zinc parkerized all springs upgraded milled extractor Wilson big head safety ,2 shot extension and follower ,18.5 fixed modified choke barrel with tritium bead .I used Remington synthetic stocks to keep it plain looking plus they fit me. I also have a regular magazine cap and standard spring to switch over to if I am hunting with it and don't want to deal with game warden questioning if it is plugged to 3 rounds. JD. Is extremely knowledgeable on 870's and I am happy with the gun I have

 

[Armored farmer]

I like my 870s .
I found a neat little accessory that I like....
Underalert 12 Gauge Shell Holder, Velcro Shotgun Shell Holder with Adhesive Backing Sticker, Mollle Shotgun Cartridge Card for Buttstock and Side Saddle, Ammo Carrier 12ga https://a.co/d/8XeICe8

It is fastened to the off side of the reciever (or buttstock) with double sided tape/velcro.
Keeps ammo handy
The velcro rips off and you can change to whole thing to slugs or shotshells or whatever.
Another thing I like is that I have velcro on my backpack, and I can stick spare ammo in there on the velcro.
Pretty useful for $12

 

[jmr40]

I installed studs for mounting a sling. And lots of ammo.

I had an mag extension on it for a time, but I don't like that it makes the gun muzzle heavy. 4+1 rounds of buckshot is pretty good as fast as a pump gun can be reloaded. I keep a beltpack loaded with 30ish rounds of buckshot near where the shotgun is stored.

I haven't found the need for anything else.

 

[lemaymiami]

As most who've read my posts know... I like my shotgun simple and only want a sling and a butt cuff for extra rounds -and no extended magazien tube... I've posted this before - here's my solution for additional rounds if I'm expecting serious trouble... This bandolier was meant for AR15 mags (it's a replica of what we were issued - all those years ago overseas...) and it works just fine for holding five round boxes of buck or slug rounds - while keeping them pristine, yet readily accessible...

The bottom of each box is cut away and to access the rounds you first pull the cardboard. With the labels showing you instantly know exactly what each box contains... from ordinary buck to flite control rounds, or slugs.. I tried an ordinary bandolier years before when I was issued a shotgun each working day and found that the exposed rounds deteriorated, riding in the trunk of a patrol car. With this setup they're fully protected and kept clean until needed. Very glad to report that they were never needed...

 

[Kingcreek]

I have an early express mag combo and have never had any rust issues.
I added sling studs, a better follower, +2 extension and spring, and a big head safety.
It gets used a lot as a loaner for HS trap team I coach (without the extension)

 

[gralewaj]

When I was looking at building an 870 this place was selling complete guns. He was able to sell me what I wanted cheaper than I could buy the parts and do it myself. I wanted a utility gun short enough for defense or hunting in the thick stuff. Reliable I also didn't want it to look special. Big thing is I wanted a right hand gun with a Left hand trigger group. They make tons of right handed barrels left your choices are 28 inch vent rib with remchokes. My gun is black zinc parkerized all springs upgraded milled extractor Wilson big head safety ,2 shot extension and follower ,18.5 fixed modified choke barrel with tritium bead .I used Remington synthetic stocks to keep it plain looking plus they fit me. I also have a regular magazine cap and standard spring to switch over to if I am hunting with it and don't want to deal with game warden questioning if it is plugged to 3 rounds. JD. Is extremely knowledgeable on 870's and I am happy with the gun I have

JD at AI&P Tactical is a great resource on the 870 and 11-87 shotguns. He no longer sells complete guns and with Remington not supplying their dealers with spare parts anymore (for now) his parts supply is very limited. He is worth a phone call if you have questions about install or disassembly of the shotgun or whether or not an aftermarket part is worthwhile to purchase.

I have 2 of his complete 870 shotguns and he has helped me with setting up about a dozen more that I was working on for friends or for sale. His black zinc Parkerizing is awesome.

 

[gralewaj]

There's lots of complaints about the original Remington Express finish rusting. Other people had no problems.
It was a bead blasted blued finish.

Some people said that if you kept a coat of a rust preventing lube like CLP Breakfree it wouldn't rust, or at least not that fast.
Another way to prevent rust is to do what the manuals said to do: clean off the factory shipping lube and apply something like CLP.
The shipping lube coating apparently wasn't intended to be a user lube, just for shipping.
People who didn't clean it off were often the people who got rust.

Years ago Remington recommended user treatment of the Police guns was to field strip the gun, liberally spray it dripping wet with Rem-Oil or CLP let stand 20 minutes to dissolve the factory coating, then wipe it off and put it into use.
That's still good advice for the Express guns.

Best advice is to not get concerned unless your specific Express starts showing rust. Then you can figure out what to do.
Options are: parkerizing, a paint type gun finish like Cerakote, Lauer Duracoat, or GunKote, or just keeping a coat of gun grease, oil, or wax on it.
Note: NOT car wax...That's not suitable for this application.

All this is true about the original Express finish. I used to sell guns for DSG (when they sold firearms, early 2000s) and I could pull 2-3 Rem Express guns from the factory box before finding a rust free gun for a customer. Yes it usually, mostly wipes off with a CLP soaked rag, but who wants to buy a rusty looking gun NIB!

When I started reselling guns, I could find "rusty" 870 express receiver very cheap. Got the rust off quick, new barrel and trigger group and off it went! Remington 870 small parts, trigger groups, and breech bolts used to be very inexpensive on eBay... not so much anymore.

 

[plumberroy]

JD at AI&P Tactical is a great resource on the 870 and 11-87 shotguns. He no longer sells complete guns and with Remington not supplying their dealers with spare parts anymore (for now) his parts supply is very limited. He is worth a phone call if you have questions about install or disassembly of the shotgun or whether or not an aftermarket part is worthwhile to purchase.

I have 2 of his complete 870 shotguns and he has helped me with setting up about a dozen more that I was working on for friends or for sale. His black zinc Parkerizing is awesome.

The gun I got from him is setting beside my bed cruiser ready condition

 

[mgmorden]

On my express I replaced the follower with a machined aluminum one. It also had the "locking" safety which I didn't like so I swapped it to a standard safety. And I threw on some walnut stocks that CDNN had for cheap.

If I had a bead blaster I'd go full irony and strip off the finish and slow rust blue it for giggles. Never had an issue with how it cycles though. Its circa 2000-2001 or so. My dad has a Wingmaster from around 1979-1980 that is smoother but also more loose (he's put a lot of rounds through it).

 

[ParadiseDweller]

On my express I replaced the follower with a machined aluminum one. It also had the "locking" safety which I didn't like so I swapped it to a standard safety. And I threw on some walnut stocks that CDNN had for cheap.

If I had a bead blaster I'd go full irony and strip off the finish and slow rust blue it for giggles. Never had an issue with how it cycles though. Its circa 2000-2001 or so. My dad has a Wingmaster from around 1979-1980 that is smoother but also more loose (he's put a lot of rounds through it).

How does the "slow rust" look? I got on old remington model 25 that someone stripped and left it. I was gonna get it reblued but in Ca they cant use the chemicals or some **** for a real blueing.

 

[Hookeye]

Down to one 870, an Express Supermagnum (once again my turkey rig for this year).

I still have an 1100 Special Purpose, and I like the thing, have had a dozen 1100s over the years.
And no issues.

But I like 870s better and have no idea why.
Just do.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Down to one 870, an Express Supermagnum (once again my turkey rig for this year).

I still have an 1100 Special Purpose, and I like the thing, have had a dozen 1100s over the years.
And no issues.

But I like 870s better and have no idea why.
Just do.

it’s Simple and does the job without hiccup. Fits well on my frame and arms! good gun

 

[mgmorden]

How does the "slow rust" look? I got on old remington model 25 that someone stripped and left it. I was gonna get it reblued but in Ca they cant use the chemicals or some **** for a real blueing.

Its about the same color/hue as hot dip blue, but usually not as high gloss polished looking as the carding process after each rusting tends to leave a bit more of a matte finish. It is much more durable than cold bluing (and doesn't have the associated stank).

I've got a Stevens 520 that I did at home that I'll see if I can get some pictures of when I'm there. It turned out a bit "splotchy" but not terrible (I was happy for my first attempt) and given that in its original state pretty much ALL the finish was gone, it was definitely an improvement.

I personally like it as rust bluing is more labor intensive than hot bluing but still yields a good result with minimal investment in equipment and no super toxic chemicals.


Mark Novak has a good video on doing it for cheap:

Anvil 013: Rust Bluing on the Cheap

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