870 Express, first impression. (PICS ADDED)

Butcherbill

Butcherbill

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So I picked up an 870 express 3 barrel combo recently, it came with a 20" barrel with rifle sights, a 23" rifled slug barrel with cantilevered mount and a 28" ribbed field barrel. Synthetic stock and a parkerized finish, now. Now I know a lot of people aren't that hot on the Express model compared to other 870's but I gotta say it's pretty nice, fit and finish is pretty good to be honest.

I just tore it down to give it a good clean and lube and inspect it closer, no rough edges or burrs left from machining. Everything locks up nice and tight, all three barrels fit snugly but not too tight that I can't get them off easily. Chambers were all nice and smooth, no rough edges. Machining was way better than my grizzly, I spent some serious time deburring and polishing the grizzly action to get it cycling smooth as silk.

I installed a synthetic police forend, jumbo left hand safety and polished all three chambers with steel wool on a cleaning rod in a drill. Honestly I didn't feel like I needed to polish chambers but it didn't take much more time. Gave it a good cleaning and lubed it up, cycles smoothly. I bought a laminate stock set and have been giving it a BLO soak and will swap out the synthetic stock set, the only other thing I plan to do is change the follower and spring for an S&J set. Gotta say so far I'm happy with it, will put some rounds through tomorrow grouse hunting hopefully.
 
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Cool. Just remember the finish is not very corrosion resistant. I shot in the rain and has spots of pumpkin by the time I drove home. like 4 hours. Rub the entire thing in CLP and your good.

Also needed to polish a small section where the brass rims of shells would catch. Maybe they polish better at the factory but two 870s of mine needed it.
 
I'm used to the finish, I have a couple parkerized shotguns and they all will develop surface if you don't oil them once they dry out. Or I find my oily fingerprints will start a rust bloom sometimes, so I don't think the finish will be an issue at all.

Today was a successful test, I patterned it before my grouse hike/hunt. Cycles, fires and extracts smoothly. I put some target load and 00buck through it and it patterned fine with a mod choke, carries light and was comfortable in the hands. Was in a mix of overgrown logging roads and thicker cottonwood saplings, I got wet and so did the gun. No rusting noticed, I oiled it after I let it dry by the woodstove for a bit.

Saw one grouse out of range that took off quick when it saw me, heading out tomorrow to a different spot lower in elevation. I was up in an area that had some frost and what food was to be had wasn't looking too green. Grouse closes tomorrow, would be nice to end it with a bang.
 
Quick update, I got the laminate stock put on. I gave it 3-4 coats of BLO and 2 buffed coats of furniture wax, sure feels nice in the hands with the wood stock on it. I really am starting to like this shotgun.

Factory buttstock and police forend
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Factory laminate set
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Oiled, waxed and buffed
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Butcherbill said:
I'm used to the finish, I have a couple parkerized shotguns and they all will develop surface if you don't oil them once they dry out. Or I find my oily fingerprints will start a rust bloom sometimes, so I don't think the finish will be an issue at all.
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If you saturate Parkerizing with grease, it'll never rust, become much more scratch and scuff resistant and will rarely if even need to be reapplied.

Its pretty much the same deal as seasoning a cast iron fry pan.
 
870P said:
If you saturate Parkerizing with grease, it'll never rust, become much more scratch and scuff resistant and will rarely if even need to be reapplied.

Its pretty much the same deal as seasoning a cast iron fry pan.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, I will have to test it out. I read on the forum at some point that a paste wax rubbed in works well also, I know guys that have waxed bare metal motorcycle tanks with good success. So I figured a wax and buff would likely do the job if I get tired of the periodic oiling, I always let it dry out beside the woodstove. That has worked well, even on the days when it been pouring rain and I'm out hunting.
 
Butcherbill said:
Thanks for the suggestion, I will have to test it out. I read on the forum at some point that a paste wax rubbed in works well also, I know guys that have waxed bare metal motorcycle tanks with good success. So I figured a wax and buff would likely do the job if I get tired of the periodic oiling, I always let it dry out beside the woodstove. That has worked well, even on the days when it been pouring rain and I'm out hunting.
Click to expand...

Paste wax will work but its better used on the Express finish than Parkerizing.

crazy merc said:
What kind of grease would you use?
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I use a thick synthetic gear grease, but Cosmoline would be ideal.

What ever you use its best if the finish has been totally degreased first(I used mineral spirits) and heated (a few hours of strong direct sunlight is fine) before application.

You might want to heat your grease first a bit too depending on the thickness.
 
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I heated my 870 with a hot air gun then melted Vaseline into the pores of the metal. When it cooled I wiped off the excess. I have not found a spec of rust since.
 
My last one [Express] came with a hunt of rust up by the front sight post. Had to actually peel it off. Since then things have been good. I don't clean after every use, and only do a light wipe down with Hoppes after I clean. This one is a range gun; the others have needed a little more attention. The grainy finish is a blessing and a curse. It soaks up oil and grease, but can also hold onto moisture. For outdoor use, I too have had luck with Vasoline. I prefer it to most grease, as the lubrication level seems to calm down after sitting. That way you don't have to chase the thing like a fish out of water.

As for reliability, I've had 2, and never a single issue. Mind you, neither are/were from the 90s and early 2000s.
 
The express 870 i had was a pretty good gun actually. It was a fairly new one.

Operated perfectly. Worse thing about it was of course the finish. They are no where near the bad rap they often get. Mine didn't even require chamber polishing but understand that some do.

It's too bad cerakoting costs as much as it does because that's a great fix.
 
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