Remington 870P vs Marine Magnum

Remington 870P vs Marine Magnum

  • 870P

    Votes: 35 68.6%

  • Marine Magnum

    Votes: 16 31.4%
  • Total voters
    51
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E

ejnogarb

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Sep 9, 2008
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Which of these two shotguns is better in terms of quality? Remington 870P or Marine Magnum? Thanks for voting!
 
I think the general understanding is that the Marine Magnum is based on the Express platform, so even with recent changes in the 870P the P is still a "better quality" product line. Here's a fact-ette, however. I recently ordered a Marine Magnum extractor from Midway, and it is clearly not a MIM part. What that proves, if anything, I don't know.
 
What is your climate like?? I am about to pull the trigger on a Mossberg 590A1 Mariner with the marinecote finish. I live in rainy Wa state. Since I can't take a shot gun to the range, it will most likely see some rainy weather shooting.......thus the marinecote.

I vote for the Marine Magnum.
 
JNewell, what do you mean when you say "recent changes" to the 870P?
Click to expand...

I am thinking principally of the change to a polymer trigger plate from the earlier metal trigger plate.

The following, however, are no longer differences between the Express and Police lines:

• Police shotguns do not have an ISS (Integrated Safety System) which is a locking
mechanism on the safety of commercial shotguns. This type of locking mechanism
can cause delay to an officer who needs the weapon but does not have the
appropriate key. LE shotguns have the standard, proven, cross bolt safety.
Express guns no longer have the "J" lock/ISS lock

• The Express model will not allow for the addition of an extension tube without
physical modification to the tube and barrel, which can nullify the warranty.
Recent production Express guns I have seen no longer have the "dimples" in the magazine tube

• The Express model utilizes a synthetic trigger housing while the Police models use a
compressed metal housing.
Police guns now have the polymer trigger plate (housing)

• The Police shotgun barrel is locked down with a “ball detent” system in conjunction
with the magazine cap vs. a lesser grade “synthetic magazine spring retainer” lock
down as used on the Express system.
Recent production Express barrels I have seen again have the ball detent to retain the magazine cap
Click to expand...

Obviously there will be "old" Police and "old" Express guns in distributor and dealer inventory for years, so the specific gun that someone buys may or may not have a specific set of features.
 
Last edited:
Did they get rid of the dimples in the mag tube on all 870's? Including the field express?
 
Did they get rid of the dimples in the mag tube on all 870's? Including the field express?
Click to expand...

I believe so. I have a very recent Express that does not have them. Whether it is throughout the entire line, I cannot say. Every other gunmaker and most other manufacturers manage to ship "transitional" products for quite a while after a design change, so with that and the way inventory is handled, I am sure that there will be NOS Expresses showing up with dimples for years.

Edit - I suppose this could work the other way around. Maybe the one I've got is a goof? I can't vouch for the whole production run. I was always surprised that they could save enough on the MIM extractors to make having two sets of otherwise identical parts cost-effective, given the cost of managing two parts through procurement, manufacturing and assembly.
 
I also see on their website that all 870's will come Drilled and tapped now.

I had a 2007 dimple express, it was fine for hunting if you didn't want an extension. Much easier to remove the retaining cap, push in and twist.
 
Thanks everyone for commenting and voting. Looks like I'll be getting an 870P.
 
If saltwater, or alot of any moisture isn't in your future I would lean towards 870P. That being said I purchased a discontinued 870 XCS Marine Magnum for Southeast Florida's marine environment and salt ladened humidity from Gander for $200 less than original MSRP of $848. Plastic (corrosion resistant) trigger assembly would be my only concern in combative environment, but black TriNyte coating is a nice matte finish. Wouldn't include MM in Express shortcomings.
 
I currently own an 870 Marine, and I once owned an early 90's production 870 Express 12 gauge. That old Express was a lot slicker than my Marine. Maybe it's because I put so many thousands of rounds through it as a teenager. The Marine will occasionally stick on some types of Federal ammo. My old Express would have fed corn cobs through it if I'd tried!

My Marine barrel went back to Remington twice (went through 3 barrels total) before I finally gave up and kept the second replacement they sent me. All 3 barrels had rough patches about half way into the bore, where the finish was flaking off (the last 2 barrels hadn't even had rounds through them). When I finally got a rep on the phone to give me a straight answer, he admitted they had a batch of Marine barrels that had bad finishes inside the bore. He offered to send me the XCS barrel to replace the nickel barrel, but I knew that would look goofy. So I just kept the best of the bad nickel barrels and called it good.

See my threads on the subject here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=436616

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=439465

I may get a cheap 18" parkerized barrel for practice, and keep the nickel barrel for the sake of having a complete gun.

Anyway, if you decide to buy the Remington 870 Marine, be sure to take the barrel off and check the inside of the bore very carefully with a bright flashlight. What you're looking for is a patch about the size of a quarter with a few tiny flakes on the edges of the patch. Kind of looks like a faint nickel...scab, I guess (best way I can describe it).
 
Is it hard to install a 2-shot extension on an 870P? I see a lot for sale that only hold five rounds and I want to keep my options open.
 
No, but there is an amazing post at TFL from yesterday about this. Seems someone installed an extension WITHOUT removing the spring retainer and actually drove it down into the tube, out of sight. :scrutiny: :uhoh: :barf: Talk about a magazine plug. :cuss: So - make sure you remove the retainer as part of the installation.
 
as far as I can tell, a Marine Magnum is a slightly-better-in-some-ways-maybe express, and an 870p...well that's what Remington's built their reputation on. If you have the Dinero and you truly want a world class shotgun that is extremely weather resistant, I'd get a used Wingmaster or 870p and send it to Robar.


But both are fine. Just a suggestion. I almost bought a MArine Magnum once. Definitely do like. The 870p is probably superior though in fit and finish.
 
I have looked at the Winchester, Mossberg, Remington and Benelli "marine" shotguns for decades. Great concept, but I always felt I might need sunglasses to shoot them. (I'm being serious.)

I should mention that the person who reported the problem in my post just above was not the person who FU'd the shotgun - he bought the gun used (and confused).
 
I thought the XCS was the new Marine Magnum
Click to expand...

I think that was Remington's plan, but either sales weren't enough for the expensive TriNyte (Vapor Particle Deposition?) finish, or they were getting too many imperfections. My original purchase; the replacement barrel that took 9weeks to ship; and a third one that Gander ordered all had an identical spot on the muzzle lip where the electroless nickel was showing through. I have put 300+ rounds through with no issues other than the factory mag follower getting hung up at mag tube extension a couple times. Have since purchased highly reputed S & J Hardware mag follower.
Remington still offers the electroless nickel Marine Magnum and though I wouldn't trade my XCS for a new 870P it's obvious it didn't get the same special attention that the LE models did.
 
Back in February, and again at end of May several Gander locations still had a few 870 XCS Marine Magnums for $649. Being able to leave aboard boat, not having to clean off salt spray until trip over, and not having shiny "aim here" finish for HD purposes 95 percent of time were worth the premium to me.
 
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