New Remington 870's reliable?

I've heard the rough chamber stories, but it's not been my experience. I have a '68 Wingmaster, and a 2 year old 20ga. Express. The latter shoots just as well as the Wingmaster. Just bought a new 870P and have yet to shoot it...but not expecting any issues at all. (or I wouldn't have bought it) Just bought a used 28" VR barrel off an Express for it too, so I'll report back if there any issues. For what the barrel cost, I wouldn't be overly discouraged if it did need 10 minutes of elbow grease...but not anticipating it will.

To the OP~get one. Most intuitive to work on (in my opinion) an Remingtons just seem to point best to me. I think the look the best too. :)
 
I had a 2010 or 2011 manufactured wingmaster 870 and it was flawless; only issue was that it was too pretty for my bush bashing.

I also have a 1976 ex armoured car wingmaster 870 that I shoot several times a month if I have the time, never had a single issue and its smoother than butter.

I would buy another new 870 in a second if I needed a replacement for my 76 wingmaster.

I would not be so inclined to buy a mossberg; cheaper versions are mexican made and the issue with changing ammo types on the fly is much easier on the 870.
Either way if somehow you had an issue with the newer 870 you can polish the chamber and run even smoother.
 
Adam134 said:
I had a 2010 or 2011 manufactured wingmaster 870 and it was flawless; only issue was that it was too pretty for my bush bashing.

I also have a 1976 ex armoured car wingmaster 870 that I shoot several times a month if I have the time, never had a single issue and its smoother than butter.

I would buy another new 870 in a second if I needed a replacement for my 76 wingmaster.

I would not be so inclined to buy a mossberg; cheaper versions are mexican made and the issue with changing ammo types on the fly is much easier on the 870.
Either way if somehow you had an issue with the newer 870 you can polish the chamber and run even smoother.
Click to expand...

^Indeed. My new 870P seems closer to my Wingmaster than my Express does, but, the Express (fine from the start) seems to get smoother every time we use it.
 
Having worked on many. These are what I have found are must haves
The finish on them is so bad most don't make it to the range and back without rusting.
The mag spring and follower are crap, and should go the moment you guy your gun.
The exstractor will fail, it just depends when.
The chamber has to be polished, be it a bubba job with drill and a bunch of u 0000steel wool, or a 3 stage chamber polish. Like we do.
Most people do not want to pay for refinish, but the other things. Are cheap and you can get them all from us.
These are the cost cutting things remington has done.
You may ask yourself, why not just buy another brand of shotgun that does not have these issues??
The 870 is the most simple gun,less parts and easy to strip down.
 
I had a super mag a couple of years back. It was great unless you were shooting low-brass, cheap target shells. Would get the occasional jam on eject with those. Perhaps the polish fix would have remedied that, don't know. I prefer to shoot over polish
 
TheArmyMan204 said:
So basically the new ones require finishing (polishing the chamber) at home rather than being finished at the factory. Point taken, might just add another mossberg to the collection and sleep sound at night.
Click to expand...

This is if you buy the Express model. The "Tactical" model is just an express with an extended mag tube. You won't have these problems if you buy an 870P (Police) or a Wingmaster. There's a very good reason why Express/Tactical models are cheap - they're not finished inside or outside like the others. Having said that, with a chamber polish, a machined extractor, and the Police Carrier Dog Follower Spring, you've now got a shotgun that will run with the big boys. Update the finish down the road and you have a shotgun that is cheaper to get into and you can spread the cost down the road. One bonus to the Express over the Police or Wingmaster is that the polymer trigger plate assembly (trigger guard in Remspeak) is actually a better part than the cheap pot metal Police one.
 
jaycee said:
This is if you buy the Express model. The "Tactical" model is just an express with an extended mag tube. You won't have these problems if you buy an 870P (Police) or a Wingmaster. There's a very good reason why Express/Tactical models are cheap - they're not finished inside or outside like the others. Having said that, with a chamber polish, a machined extractor, and the Police Carrier Dog Follower Spring, you've now got a shotgun that will run with the big boys. Update the finish down the road and you have a shotgun that is cheaper to get into and you can spread the cost down the road. One bonus to the Express over the Police or Wingmaster is that the polymer trigger plate assembly (trigger guard in Remspeak) is actually a better part than the cheap pot metal Police one.
Click to expand...

I've heard it before; but how are they better? Proof or opinion?
 
Nah I gave up on buying the Remington, went and fired my mossberg again on boxing day till my shoulder had enough. Decided I really dont need ghost ring sights (it's a friggen shotgun haha) and my mossberg will do everything an 870 can do without buying parts or polishing and shoots any ammo I feed it and is/was a cheaper purchase than the 870.

Just look at these beasts! Got both of these for under $500 the persuader is tan now and as$ ugly but I love it

null_zps1a5e2aab.jpg
 
Adam134 said:
I've heard it before; but how are they better? Proof or opinion?
Click to expand...

- Rough finish that looks like a 4 year old attacked it with 2 grit sandpaper - proof. Go and look at one - scary.
- Rough chamber - I've polished several Express chambers that were sticky (with a steel wool wrapped bore brush on a section of cleaning rod spun in a cordless drill), and
voila, no more sticky chamber - proof.
- Carrier Dog Follower Spring - compare the silver Express spring alongside the black model of the Police - the Police version is much stronger - proof.
- extractor - haven't seen either fail, but a machined one is cheap insurance - well founded speculation.
- polymer trigger guard - take a bunch of 870s apart - for some reason, the polymer trigger plates seem to stay much cleaner and free of gunk - proof.

You can go ahead and make up your own mind.
 
jaycee said:
This is if you buy the Express model. The "Tactical" model is just an express with an extended mag tube. You won't have these problems if you buy an 870P (Police) or a Wingmaster. There's a very good reason why Express/Tactical models are cheap - they're not finished inside or outside like the others. Having said that, with a chamber polish, a machined extractor, and the Police Carrier Dog Follower Spring, you've now got a shotgun that will run with the big boys. Update the finish down the road and you have a shotgun that is cheaper to get into and you can spread the cost down the road. One bonus to the Express over the Police or Wingmaster is that the polymer trigger plate assembly (trigger guard in Remspeak) is actually a better part than the cheap pot metal Police one.
Click to expand...

This is not true. I spent 1400 bux on a 870P max with the surefire front end. It was very pickey with ammo, where as my mossys would eat anything. The best shotgun I have owned in the 870 design is a Wilson Combat "Border Patrol" 870. Cost about the same as the 870P max but is built way better. Uber reliable. If ya got the buxs that is the ultimate in the 870 platform, outside of getting an old wingmaster and having casey at tac ord pimp it out ( probably cheapest route for good quality 870).
 
jaycee said:
- Rough finish that looks like a 4 year old attacked it with 2 grit sandpaper - proof. Go and look at one - scary.
- Rough chamber - I've polished several Express chambers that were sticky (with a steel wool wrapped bore brush on a section of cleaning rod spun in a cordless drill), and
voila, no more sticky chamber - proof.
- Carrier Dog Follower Spring - compare the silver Express spring alongside the black model of the Police - the Police version is much stronger - proof.
- extractor - haven't seen either fail, but a machined one is cheap insurance - well founded speculation.
- polymer trigger guard - take a bunch of 870s apart - for some reason, the polymer trigger plates seem to stay much cleaner and free of gunk - proof.

You can go ahead and make up your own mind.
Click to expand...

I was only asking about plastic vs metal trigger group; I realise that different levels of 870s have different levels of care and quality.
I prefer my old wingmaster to any other pump on the market. I never have to clean it and it eats absolutely everything available with no problems.
My metal trigger group has never given me an issue I guess it comes down to preferences. I've never had my trigger gum up even when dropped in mud when out in the bush.

To each their own but of the shotguns I've owned my old 870 is the only one that will never be sold. Cost me $150 and its never had so much as a hiccup from the thousands of rounds I've put through it in varying conditions
 
I have owned four 870 shotguns,
67 wing master
New tactical
870 express
Wing master I built from a receiver I got on trade

I sold the last two

I also owned a mossberg 500
And a dominion arms grizzly mag.

I liked my 500, but sold it.

I love my old wing master and tactical.

Don't shy away from a great design. Treat it like a solid shotgun, and it will always work for you.
 
I have a Marine Magnum 870 and it has the polymer trigger guard and MIM extractor. Bought a forged extractor from Tacord for cheap insurance, though I doubt I'll need it. It has been flawless. I have no urge to sell it -- and that's a rare thing for me! :)
 
my two cents. i have owned a number of 870 guns and only had problems with one . the gun was a police model made within the last eight years .i bought it at a gun show from a dealer for a cheap price as it cycled hard . it is a 14 inch factory barrel police model and was priced with standard express models . when i got the gun home and attempted to take it apart i had a real struggle to get the bolt out . i suspected some part had been improperly sized and after comparing it to other 870 gun parts i found the plate that carry's the bolt had not been machined properly in that it was too thick. i machined it down and it worked 100 per cent .i ended up with a fine gun at a cheap price . Remington slipped up at the factory and i benefited .
 
I have a "new" 870, probably built around 2007ish.
It is certainly not the finest finished gun and the fit is certainly not the greatest.
That being said it fulfills a shotguns main purposes in my mind.
1) It is dead nuts reliable with everything I have put through it. To be fair, it did need a little polish work in the chamber because as new it hated, and I mean to the point of slamming the gun into the ground to unjam it hated low brass shells of every type except challenger.
2) It has been built for 50 years, the design is proven, parts are easy to source.
3) It isn't pretty, and doesn't need to be. It's a work tool and will be used as such, therefore I don't want a gun that will make me cry every time it gets a mark on it.
4) They are still incredibly affordable and come in a lot of excellent packages perfect for the starter outdoorsman (combo guns with bird and rifled barrels, turkey packages, etc).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom