I'm interested in a 870 Express Synthetic 7 round I know the 870 Express guns are not the best but how they compare to other shotguns in the same price range? How is the finish on the 870 Express? Any jamming or extraction issues with the "new" 870?
870 Express Synthetic 7 round
- Thread starter Buster95
- Start date
Avalonthas
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toronto ON
I own that same shotgun and its the best one I have ever owned. Also also shoot trap with my other 870 and I shoot 25/25
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
I'm interested in a 870 Express Synthetic 7 round I know the 870 Express guns are not the best but how they compare to other shotguns in the same price range? How is the finish on the 870 Express? Any jamming or extraction issues with the "new" 870?
the express will function just as well as the higher end 870s, except the action wont be as smooth out of the box.
think of Express as Mastercraft/Craftsman, and Wingmaster as Snap-On. they both work. one costs significantly more, but has a better finish and more pride of ownership.
btw - for the same budget you can build on a older Wingmaster receiver instead. you can either stick with 2 3/4" capacity (3" really is not needed in a camp/defense/upland/target/etc gun), or upgrade the receiver to a 3" as part of your build (for about $20 worth of parts). benefits are a much smoother action, all metal triggergroup, no mag dimples, much better machining and finish inside and out.
this cost me less to build than that Express:
what is the standard diameter for trap loads? Can you shoot the 2 3/4 in a 3" ? And for that upgrade part you are talking about where can we get?
Sorry OP i have been pondering about this exact shotgun also! They run at a pretty decent price @ Le Baron + 30$ mail in rebate
How long of a barrel were you looking for? Will you be trapping, hunting, etc?
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
wingmaster 2 3/4" - 3" conversion
the only difference between a 2 3/4" 870, and a 3" 'magnum' 870 is that the hook in the ejector is placed 1/4" further back. thats all. the rest of the receiver is the same.
you can pick up Wingmaster receivers on the EE for ~$150, complete with metal triggergroup. the one i posted, i picked up at Epps for $225 and sold the wood stock it came with for $100, so the receiver cost me $125 - and when i got it it looked practically unfired.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
its not hard at all, but it takes time to find the parts at non-ridiculous prices on the EE.
factory 3" chamber 18-18.5" barrels are worth $125-150 or so on the EE. but when guys are asking $175 for a used old 18.75", beadless 2 3/4" barrel they cut down at home... well.. like i said you need to bide your time a bit and check the EE every day to filter through all the BS and find the honest good deals.
2 3/4" Wingmaster receivers can be found on the EE, or at your local gun shop. years of gun/ammo marketing has convinced people that 2 3/4" guns are 'useless', therefore there is pretty low demand for them. just about every gun shop you go to will have some old 2 3/4" Wingmasters that just about everyone passes over to buy Express Magnums. $150-175 is the going rate for a complete 2 3/4" receiver in good condition. you can convert it yourself to 3", get your gunsmith to convert it, or just leave it as is (your d*ck wont fall off, i promise): unless you are hunting waterfowl/turkey, 2 3/4" is all you need.
if you need a gun *now*, then this isnt the ideal project since you need a month or two to gather up all the parts, wait for shipping, etc. if you want something now, get the express and just do one of these Wingmaster builds as a sideproject down the road. if this is your first 870 - well, ill wager itll be joined by others in your safe soon enough. the low cost, amazing versatility, availability of a massive selection of new/aftermarket/used/take-off parts, and the simplicity of these guns makes it difficult to resist picking up another one to set up in a different configuration. i could just as easily have one 870 receiver, and a stack of different barrels/stocks/etc that i can configure for a camp gun, an upland gun, a turkey gun, a slug gun, etc -- but with receivers so cheap its just much more convenient to have more than one, and each dedicated to their purpose.
if i were buying an 870 express now, i would buy the Remington 870 Express Trio. the sum of the parts of that package are worth way more than the ~$535 price tag (LeBaron). with hunting season around the corner, you could easily sell the cantilever rifled barrel on the EE for $200. the 28" barrel will go for ~$150. now youre at just over $200 for a new 870 Express and a 23" turkey barrel with FO sights and tapped for chokes. keep it for hunting, or sell it too and buy whatever you want. id buy it off you today for $150+ shipping
factory 3" chamber 18-18.5" barrels are worth $125-150 or so on the EE. but when guys are asking $175 for a used old 18.75", beadless 2 3/4" barrel they cut down at home... well.. like i said you need to bide your time a bit and check the EE every day to filter through all the BS and find the honest good deals.
2 3/4" Wingmaster receivers can be found on the EE, or at your local gun shop. years of gun/ammo marketing has convinced people that 2 3/4" guns are 'useless', therefore there is pretty low demand for them. just about every gun shop you go to will have some old 2 3/4" Wingmasters that just about everyone passes over to buy Express Magnums. $150-175 is the going rate for a complete 2 3/4" receiver in good condition. you can convert it yourself to 3", get your gunsmith to convert it, or just leave it as is (your d*ck wont fall off, i promise): unless you are hunting waterfowl/turkey, 2 3/4" is all you need.
if you need a gun *now*, then this isnt the ideal project since you need a month or two to gather up all the parts, wait for shipping, etc. if you want something now, get the express and just do one of these Wingmaster builds as a sideproject down the road. if this is your first 870 - well, ill wager itll be joined by others in your safe soon enough. the low cost, amazing versatility, availability of a massive selection of new/aftermarket/used/take-off parts, and the simplicity of these guns makes it difficult to resist picking up another one to set up in a different configuration. i could just as easily have one 870 receiver, and a stack of different barrels/stocks/etc that i can configure for a camp gun, an upland gun, a turkey gun, a slug gun, etc -- but with receivers so cheap its just much more convenient to have more than one, and each dedicated to their purpose.
if i were buying an 870 express now, i would buy the Remington 870 Express Trio. the sum of the parts of that package are worth way more than the ~$535 price tag (LeBaron). with hunting season around the corner, you could easily sell the cantilever rifled barrel on the EE for $200. the 28" barrel will go for ~$150. now youre at just over $200 for a new 870 Express and a 23" turkey barrel with FO sights and tapped for chokes. keep it for hunting, or sell it too and buy whatever you want. id buy it off you today for $150+ shipping
