Any issues with the Remington 870?

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2ndamd

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I am looking to buy a new pump shotgun.
I will not be shooting it much (2-4 times a year).
But I want it to be reliable when I need it.
I will be loading it with OO buck and slugs.
No hunting, just home defense gun.

I don't really want to trick it our with sights and rails and lights. I will probably add a Knoxx stock at some point. Otherwise, keeping it stock.

So, do I really need an 870p?
Or is the basic 870 good enough?
When I worked at the prison we used plain jane 870s that did not even have a 2 shot extension.

What are some of your thoughts. I have heard it mentioned here that the new 870s are having a few QC issues. That's not good if true.

What's the difference between a Mossberg
590A1
500
Maverick 88

Would Mossberg be a better choice for now?

Thank you for helping me with your knowledge and experiences.
 
dont get the express model, all they have to do is look at the rain ad they begin to rust- the finish is crap... and i live in a semi-arid desert!

oh, the 500a is better than the maverick- the 88 is a simplified version, usually a single pump bar... they have a tendency to jam
 
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870 Express finish is not as bad as people on the internet make it out to be. All you need to do is use some CorrosionX after each use and you'll be fine. Plus, I'm assuming that it'll never see rain in your situation so even better.

As for reliability, Remingtons and Mossbergs are probably the most reliable shotguns in history. Just remember to break it in with about 100-200 shots before dedicating it for home defense.
 
The 870 express will work fine. Some prefer the Mossberg 500, but for my money the 870 is the better gun.

If you are looking for a SD only gun the 590 is a beefed up 500 that is designed for combat, not hunting, and is a better choice than the 500 if that is what you want.

The Maverick 88 is a bare bones 500
 
What's the difference between a Mossberg
590A1
500
Maverick 88

The 590A1 is Mossberg's beefed-up gun for sales to the military and police.
It uses a Remington 870 type of magazine and barrel system.

The 500 is their standard model, suitable for civilian use, but not as tough as the similar 590A1.
It has a different magazine and barrel system, and you pretty much have to stick with the length of magazine that comes with it. Meaning no extensions.

The Model 88 is Mossberg's "bottom line budget" version of the Model 500.
It has a few small differences and is assembled in Texas from some parts made in Mexico.

For sheer toughness and durability, no pump gun made can compete with the Remington 870. The Mossberg's are made of aluminum with stamped internal parts.
The 870, even the budget Express are made from forged and milled steel and heavy duty internals.
The Express is basically the same gun as the Police, only not as well polished inside or out.

To prevent any shotgun from rusting, simply apply a coat of a good rust prevention lube like CLP Breakfree.
This will soak into the rough finish and build up a rust-proof layer of Teflon.

If you can afford it and can get a dealer to order one for you, buy the Police model. It's the Cadillac of them all. Expensive, but the absolute best.
 
Are you kidding? Any 870, with the most basic of maintenance, will last a lifetime and beyond, and be reliable to boot. Yes, I've heard of some rust issues with the newest 870 express models but I doubt that they've been even wiped down with a good rust preventative as should be standard procedure. I shoot about 75-150 rounds a week with an 870 wingmaster that I bought used at a pawn shop. If I do my part, I can easily hit 23 out of 25 at the trap range, sometimes better. I also have an early express model that has never had a "rust" problem but I know it's an older express version that maybe had more similarities to a wingmaster. If I were you, I'd cruise the pawn shops or gun shops in your area and buy a used model. The 870 is a great gun, hands down. It's simple, reliable, and fun to shoot. What more could you ask?
 
cyclopseshooter said:
the 870 express finish is not as good as some people on the internet would have you believe
Click to expand...

How badly did your Express rust? Did you use a good rust preventative such as CorrosionX or Eezox? I've seen rust on all kinds of firearms, not just Expresses, from being neglected. Steel will rust if untreated. Simple as that.

BTW, 2ndamnd, if you could stretch for a Wingmaster, I'd look into those. They're like a well broken in 870.
 
dont get the express model, all they have to do is look at the rain ad they begin to rust- the finish is crap... and i live in a semi-arid desert!
Click to expand...

An overstatement at the very least. I have 2 of them. I live in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Lots of folks think it is dry here. Not so. It is hot, but not dry. My 870 Expresses get used. Neither has ever seen the slightest spec of rust. They both got thoroughly cleaned and lubricated the day they came home. They got coated with Johnsons Paste Wax. They get regular attention and a regular rub down with oil and a coat of paste wax when they are being stored away. Just like my 9 other shotguns with fancy polished and blued finishes do.

Personally, the very last thing I would allow to steer me away from the 870 Express is the finish. There really is nothing wrong with it. You have to take care of it, but that is the case with any gun.

the 870 express finish is not as good as some people on the internet would have you believe
Click to expand...

And not nearly as bad either.
 
thanks for all the responses.

I was looking at several today at the range. The 870's controls seem to hit me better than the Mossbergs.
I think I'll go 870.

There is a guy on gunbroker AI&P tactical, He makes 870s into "P" models and changes out the follower. His basic package is $460. It sounded like a pretty good deal to me. They want $399 for the basic 870 here in KC.

Anybody buy from AI&P before?
 
I would not really want to buy from someone who makes guns into "P" models. If they can do this and make money they must be cutting corners somewhere. If you want a "P" gun buy one, not an express gussied up. It will always be a gussied up express.

On gunbroker you will see police trade-ins. It used to be nobody wanted them and they used to go for $250 but I believe they are now going for $300 to $339 and there are fewer to be had. Some come with mag extensions and rifle sights. You might need to work on the wood some or even eventually the finish. but you will get a Wingmaster or Police grade gun that has not been used much in most cases. If the pictures are dark ask for more or move on.

Good luck.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=129032232
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=129138266
 
How badly did your Express rust? Did you use a good rust preventative such as CorrosionX or Eezox? I've seen rust on all kinds of firearms
Click to expand...

The problem with rust on a bead blasted matte finish (not just the 870 Express) is that the finish is three dimensional so the rust is, too. It's next to impossible to ever polish off the rust because it's next to impossible to polish 3d. You can rub and you can lube til the cows come home....and then tilt it just right and the danged thing will still show rust.

The only way to remove that is to totally refinish the effected firearm.

Bead blasted matte may look pretty cool by itself, but the thing you have to remember is that it's also the cheapest finish there is short of no finish at all. It's not there for "tough". It's not there for "good looking". It's not for rust prevention. It's there for "cheap" and it works about as good as it costs. In this case, it's actually worse than no finish at all. If it were simply in the white, you could blue it, parkerize it, paint it, polish it etc with no probs....but bead blasted makes all those a real b*tch to do.

rich
 
Food for thought. I have had a few Brownings, all of them had a nice bluing job, and I still have a BSS. It has always been babied. If you look at it in any light, it has as beautiful and polished a set of blued barrels as you have ever seen. Not a blemish. But, if you spray a little RemOil, WD-40, or G-96 on a pure white patch or piece of cloth, and wipe those barrels, it will come back with a brown stain on it. It has done the same thing, with absolutely no change in appearance of the barrels, for 36 years now. One BPS and two autos along the way did the same thing. I quit worrying about 35 years ago.
 
Whatever you get, you're gonna need to shoot it more than 2- 4 times a year, unless you have other guns of the same make/model you'll be shooting more often. The idea that a shotgun in the house can ward off crime all by itself without any contribution from the owner is a popular shotgun myth, about as good as the one that goes "you can't miss with a shotgun." Well, sorry- you CAN miss with a shotgun. And if you don't train and practice with it, you might just miss when the chips are down.

Get whatever fits you best, and suits you best, and then shoot it till it feels like a body part.

lpl
 
870 exxpress will rust, this is a 1 month old gun, yes I had been wiping it down with CLP after each shoot:

rust2.jpg

I'm having it parkerized right now.
 
when loading, make sure you feel the shell click into the mag. Remingtons have a nasty habit of kicking them back out behind the carrier/lifter/flipper, whatever you call it. This results in a tied up gun. The mossberg open bottom system can't do that.

~~~Mat
 
I've owned both and the Mossberg hands down over an express. Now, you want a Wingmaster and don't mind the inferior ergos, go for it. But down here in the salt air, the express will rust in the gun cabinet if the AC goes out. :rolleyes: My Mossberg has a tough camo finish, so I guess it's not a fair comparison. I had an older Mossberg, wood and blue, before that and didn't have a problem keeping the rust off it.

I really prefer the Mossberg for the better southpaw ergos, though, more than anything else. They're both rugged, reliable shotguns. I have had some problems with the old Wingmaster I had in cold weather. The loading gate "shell elevator" would pinch my thumb if it was cold and it hurt and a few times I'd yank the thumb out and the shell would fly back under the elevator and jam it. I'd have to dig it back out and into the magazine with a pocket knife. But, if you hold the shotgun with your off hand and hold the elevator up and out of the way while you load it, you can avoid that. That's what I do with my Winchester when my hands are cold or I have gloves on to avoid the problem. The Mossberg's shell elevator is up out of the way, though, when it's in battery. That's really the better design IMHO. The tang safety is a southpaw's dream and even the slide release is in a more ergonomic position on the gun. It's like someone actually thought all this out when they designed it, go figure. LOL I have had some problems about 15 years ago with Remington 3" hanging on the ejection port of both my Mossbergs. Twas the ammo, not the gun. Recently, I had some problems with 3" Winchester expert stickin' in the chamber of the Mossy. It appears to have been a tad bit of corrosion making the chamber rough because I used some steel wool to lightly smooth the chamber and haven't had the problem since. I have heard of Winchester Xpert doing this on other guns, 870s included, and had thought it might be the ammo, but it's eaten a couple of boxes of the 2 3/4" stuff since I did that with no problems. Never shoot the thing with low brass or lead shot, that's what my 20 gauge is for. :D

But, proper cleaning and maintenance and either gun will run reliably for years and years. My old Mossy was an old Revelation M310, so it has to be 45 years old or so and it's still running for the guy I sold it to.

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