A few 870 Factory Top-folder questions...

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For some reason, I have a bee in my bonnet to find a Remington 870 with a factory top-folder. I freely admit this shotgun would be a range toy, and would probably be shot pretty rarely at that. I really have no use for a shotgun, so if I buy one, it might as well be "cool".

So...what would a fair price for an 870 with a factory top-folder be, broadly speaking? I've seen pictures of them with both wooden and polymer forends, and with or without extended magazine tubes, but I haven't seen many prices.

How does it deploy - is there a button that releases it, and does it move smoothly and lock firmly into place?

Are those holes for storing shells or just to lighten it?

Is there a good way to tell the "cheek-rippers" from the later ones?

How bad is the recoil, really? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being an AR-15 and 5 being a Mosin-Nagant carbine, would an 870 with this stock approach "10" firing run-of-the-mill OO buck loads?

Finally, does anyone have any decent photos of 870s with the factory folding stock, or direct me to some online? I've searched somewhat thoroughly and haven't seen all that much online.

Thanks for indulging me, and, for the record, I'm looking at other 870s too, but I have to admit, the 870 Police with the top-folder, like the HK VP70z, is a painful, clunky, ergonomic nightmare that I'm strangely attracted to. Let's not get into how many times I've seen Aliens and Terminator 2.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I know that the factory top folders bring top dollar on the used market. I have seen nib folders bring over $300 and used just over $200. That's just for the stock. They are on e-bay all the time. I would like to try one, but not at that price.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The factory folders I was forced to use (issue) were the rippers. Recoil was noticeably more severe. A button at the hinge point unlocked it.

Maybe a folder is cool. Having a shotgun one can use well is extremely cool.

 

[Gordon]

Well I think you all know how I disparage PG only SGs. The reason is after 15 years of playing (shooting thousands of rounds at poppers ect.) with the LEO Rem top folder,folded, I could not CONSISTENTLY get all my hits in a mag full at 7 yards-or less!
So I have experience with these things, truth be told one is folded in a little sub gun case behind the seat of my truck-what they are designed for.Unfolded IN AN EMERGENCY they would work OK, you won't feel the pain (right then), and someone used to make a Limbsaver like pad that snapped in to the rear holes in the butt. I lost mine and can't find one.

 

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Thanks for the replies! I'm fairly big and the recoil of a Mosin carbine doesn't bother me at all. If I get an 870, I'll probably wind up getting one with a Speedfeed or Knoxx stock of some type - probably the folding type, but I do like the looks and compactness of the factory folder. I get to shoot long guns maybe 2 or 3 times a year, and this hypothetical shotgun purchase would not be specifically for home defense, so suitability for regular use is not really a priority.