Remington 870 Police versus Express

[Balrog]

How does the 870 Police differ from the tactical version of the 870 Express?
Am I putting my life in danger to rely on an Express for home defense?

 

[Inebriated]

The 870 Police has:
- Compressed aluminum trigger guard
- Stronger Carrier Dog Follower Spring
- Machined Extractor
- Parkerized finish
- Anything aftermarket that they're outfitted with at the factory... Wilson Combat extension, Speedfeed furniture, XS sights, etc.
- Supposedly go through their own QC line, and have tighter QC.

The Express has:
- Weaker CDF spring ($6)
- Polymer trigger guard (I prefer it, compressed aluminum isn't exactly machined steel, and can be bent/broken, particularly in cold environments)
- MIM extractor (People love to hate MIM, but I'll say this... I've never seen one break... I've seen them have some defects out the gate, but that shows up quick and is a quick fix)
- Matte Blued finish (Not as good as parkerizing, but shares the same characteristics of glossy blued finishes... Keep it oiled).
- Guns that leave the factory with a 4-round tube have dimples in the magazine tube that prevent the addition of an extension. They're easily removed with 15 minutes of work.


The Express is fine, the Tactical is just an Express with ghost rings and a Rem Choke barrel. If you want that, it's not bad. I don't care for the sights, so I'd just get an Express or Police model. If you get an Express, the CDF spring is the only thing I'd upgrade immediately.

 

[LeonCarr]

Everything Inebriated said, plus the 870P has a stronger magazine spring than the Express.

In the four round magazine tube models the 870P magazine spring is usually about 22 inches long, compared to about 16 inches long for the Express.

You are not putting your life in danger with an Express. Just make sure you clean it well when first purchased to remove all of the factory preservative, make sure it is reliable with your chosen ammo, and make sure you shoot it until it becomes part of you.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Virginian]

The aluminum trigger plates are cast, not compressed. But, I believe I would actually prefer the plastic. Not all Police models are/were Parkerized by a long shot. The Police models also utilize a stronger sear spring.

 

[Sav .250]

Your kidding ...right! As to "putting your life in danger."

 

[lemaymiami]

I have an Express in short barrel riot configuration (four shot mag, simple bead sight) and I consider it a lot better than any of the old Remingtons that I was issued for the street....

If I were intending to run a high round count on it I'd want the "Police" version - but as a home/vehicle defender I'm happy with the Express, period. By the way, from my point of view the Police version is a relatively recent proposition -none of the Remingtons I used on the street were ever so designated all you got were Wingmasters back then (I retired out almost 20 years ago). No matter how old or beaten up - the Remington was always my first choice when things got ugly....

 

[btg3]

The aluminum trigger plates are cast, not compressed. But, I believe I would actually prefer the plastic. Not all Police models are/were Parkerized by a long shot. The Police models also utilize a stronger sear spring.

One of my Wingmasters has a cracked aluminum trigger plate -- not noticeable unless removed for inspection. I also prefer the plastic.

Express -- Magnum -- Wingmaster -- Police -- Marine
(Base -- HeavyDuty -- PimpedOut -- UberPro -- JacquesCousteau)

You can spend more, but the Express has no comparative shortcomings for HD purposes.

As for the heavier springs in Police models, there are reports that the gun takes a wee bit more effort to cycle. Heavy springs work against having the "slick" pump operation desired by many.

 

[Virginian]

The heavier carrier dog follower spring (same as the one on an 1100/11-87) can be a needed improvement if one is a very forceful operator. The only thing that keeps the carrier engaged with the action bars is the force of that spring.
The heavier sear spring is purely a hedge against accidental discharges in the land of litigation.

 

[Inebriated]

As for the heavier springs in Police models, there are reports that the gun takes a wee bit more effort to cycle. Heavy springs work against having the "slick" pump operation desired by many.

The only spring that has any effect on the cycling is the sear spring, which is essentially a glorified colicky pen spring. The Police might come with their slightly heavier version, the red one, but in any event, it bears no additional weight on the cycling. The Carrier Dog Follower only affects the positivity of the lifter, and the magazine spring obviously has no affect on cycling.

The additional effort to cycle is likely because of fresh parkerizing, which will wear down where necessary.

 

[AI&P Tactical]

I think you are simply mistaking a part as the sear spring has nothing to do with the cycling of the 870. It simply controls the amount of pressure it takes to releases the hammer and keeps the hammer and sear engaged when the hammer is cocked

They stopped putting the heavy sear spring in the 870 Police about 9 years ago. All 870's come with the 4-5 pound sear except the Wingmaster Trap Model which comes with the 3 lb Competition Trap Sear Or the 3 lb Yellow Clay Sear not which ones they use in the various high dollar models but it is one or the other.

All 870's cycle the same. Have to as they all have the exact same parts. Any idea that one model cycles better then another is a misconception. Same forend tube assembly, slide and breech bolt.

Time and time again someone post on a forum that their Older model Wingmaster cycles smoother then their new Express. True. The reason is simply the older Wingmaster has a high round count. Put the same round count through any 870 and it will be same. However, one 870 is not as smooth as the others due to the finish. That is the Marine. I quess it would smooth out but have no idea the number of rounds it would take to do that if ever.

What stops the 870 from cycling smoothly is the damage to the action bars on the forend tube assembly. They become twisted due to over torqueing of the forend when racking it to the rear. Want to breath new life into an old 870 that is not cycling as smooth as it used to, simply, get a new forend tube assembly.

 

[gamestalker]

Concerning any 870, including the bottom of the line Special 12, I would feel anything but vulnerable. So as to your reference to "putting your life in danger" that's actually almost worth a chuckle, it's an 870, it's not at all likely gonna fail you.

GS

 

[Fred Fuller]

Am I putting my life in danger to rely on an Express for home defense?

If you are, then I am too ...

 

[Neo-Luddite]

I work state corrections and we have a 40 year+ hodgepodge of 870s (Wingmasters, Police Magnums, ect) that are used for duty interchangeably. Some even have plain beads on them instead of rifle sights, wood stocks, gloss blue/matte blue/park/ect. It seems they bought whatever was cheapest and met the basic requirements. They all have the absolute crap beat out of them, get checked by the armory and 'tuned up' once a year, but it's hard to say that there is any serious difference in the performance or durability between models save for the fact that I did have a wood forestock come to pieces in my hand from use and abuse. So maybe think synthetic if absolute durability is a concern. I myself did cast a frown when the old gloss blue wingmaster I'd been using for a few years was swapped out for its annual check for a new parked PM--but was surprised by just how slick the new PM's action cycled. Two weeks later, the old Wingmaster was back and really either was just fine for the job.

 

[dogtown tom]

Inebriated .....the Tactical is just an Express with ghost rings and a Rem Choke barrel.

Not all 870 Tacticals have ghost ring sight or Rem Chokes..........my two don't.
#1 has a plain bead, OD Green finish and a Knox recoil reducing stock.
#2 has a plain bead, grey powdercoat finish and a top folding Knox stock.

Note the some 870 Express "tacticals" aren't marked "tactical".
The "870 Tactical" will have that rollmarked on the receiver.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Mine been working great for 33 years.

 

[Slater]

This is an Express Tactical I picked up a few months ago. They're now coming with this one-piece mag tube.:

 

[MICHAEL T]

I took a new 870 Wingmaster in 1982 and made a 18 1/2 " gun Added a extension. I don't think has had 2 boxes through it. I grab my coach gun every time . Only 2 shots but handles much better to me. I never go with out a 1911 along for ride.

Today I leave both in case and grab my AR-15 with a 30 round mag. I live in country Rifle better for me

 

[farscott]

I took a new 870 Wingmaster in 1982 and made a 18 1/2 " gun Added a extension. I don't think has had 2 boxes through it. I grab my coach gun every time . Only 2 shots but handles much better to me.

The 870 handles a lot better without the extension. None of mine have a magazine extension for that very reason.

I have stuck with the 870P, the older 870SP, and the older Wingmaster guns instead of the Express or Tactical for the following reasons:

1) The older style magazine cap retention system common to those guns that is not present on the Express and no dimples in the magazine tubes.

2) No J-lock on any 870P and on the older Wingmaster guns. Of course, the J-lock is now parked in the dustbin of history.

3) I like being able to find old 870 guns at great prices and use them as the basis for guns customized to my needs and wants. Since I usually discard the stocks, buying guns with ruined wood usually means a less expensive gun. I especially like the older 2-3/4" Wingmaster as the samples can be found for very little, and I have no need for 3" shells other than in my dedicated rifled slug barrel which is on a Magnum 870SP.

That being said, an Express will do the job. I just am a bit picky about my tools.

 

[Drail]

There is currently very little difference between an Express and a Police model. Very little. I currently use an early Express model built in the early 90s purchased from Walmart and it is now VERY slick and smooth. Has never once failed to feed function and fire. About the ONLY thing I would change on it is to have it Parkerized. I would also like to say that AI&P Tactical does extremely nice work. He is a stand up no B.S. guy. Wish there were more shops like his.

 

[AI&P Tactical]

The 870 handles a lot better without the extension. None of mine have a magazine extension for that very reason.

I have stuck with the 870P, the older 870SP, and the older Wingmaster guns instead of the Express or Tactical for the following reasons:

1) The older style magazine cap retention system common to those guns that is not present on the Express and no dimples in the magazine tubes.

2) No J-lock on any 870P and on the older Wingmaster guns. Of course, the J-lock is now parked in the dustbin of history.

3) I like being able to find old 870 guns at great prices and use them as the basis for guns customized to my needs and wants. Since I usually discard the stocks, buying guns with ruined wood usually means a less expensive gun. I especially like the older 2-3/4" Wingmaster as the samples can be found for very little, and I have no need for 3" shells other than in my dedicated rifled slug barrel which is on a Magnum 870SP.

That being said, an Express will do the job. I just am a bit picky about my tools.

You have a sound approach to this since your simply prefer the older models. The only comment I can make is if you are buying the old Wingmasters without the Flex Tab conversion for a defense gun you need to add $112 to the cost as it is critical to upgrade those to the Flex tab conversion. Of course this comment might start some mess with people who don't believe this is important. Fine, but it is for me as anything can go wrong in the high stress of a fight and having a jammed shotgun does not bode for a positive outcome for anyone but the bad guy.

 

[Drail]

Yup. Murphy really does run the Universe. If anything can go wrong - it will - and at the worst possible time.

 

[Slater]

A common complaint is that the Expresses seem to corrode fairly easily, although being in Arizona I haven't experienced this.

 

[Drail]

They do if you don't feed them oil once in a while (like Parkerizing). Mine tried to rust when I first got it in 1993 but if you keep some oil on it - no problem. I mop it on with a small brush - then blot off the excess with a rag. I just use Breakfree CLP.

 

[Virginian]

Factory rinse doesn't always get the bluing salts out of the pores. Wash with warm soapy water, then dry, then oil. Oil (or Hoppes or CLP) is not a solvent for bluing salts. You can oil it forever and you will never stop it.

 

[farscott]

In the past I have equipped some of the older Wingmasters with the Flex Tab kit, but Brownells has been "out of stock" for more than two years. I currently have one HD gun that does not have the retrofit. I use that one for training only. I have induced the failure that the Flex Tab is able to clear. Without it, is is a bear. I have tried the slam the butt on the ground while firmly gripping the forend. It works -- after three tries.

The 870P and 870SP samples that I have all have the kit. Of course, my older 870TB does not, but my 870 Classic Trap came with it. The latter gun also has the J-lock, and it did lock itself once on the line.