870- old vs. new

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sixpistons

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hey guys I have been throwing around the idea of tactical 12ga. being my next build. Only looking into it a bit I have
seen that for variety and availability for aftermarket tactical parts, the 870 seems to be the route I will be taking.
The main question I have right now, is an 870 action an 870 action? if I were to pick up a used "older" 870 will all aftermarket
parts produced for the Remington 870 mount fine or did anything change in the design over the years? and info or advice is appreciated
thanks in advanced.
 
The older ones are perceived to be better made, with more hand fitting and polishing done to make them run perfectly.

The finish on the Expresses leaves a lot to be desired. They'll rust if you look at them too hard with liquid in your eyes.

But an 870 is an 870...receivers are still milled from steel.

The later Express and lower models have the 2 dimples in the mag tube and that crappy plastic gear holding on the mag cap. Either buy a gun with a factory extension on it like a Tactical or get an older gun to avoid the dimpled mag tubes.
 
If you can find one, a 70's or earlier wingmaster is the way to go. They are beautifully made guns. i have one and would buy another.
 
Also, interested in this thread .... By the time all the upgrades are added to an old 870, is it worth the cost compared to a brand new 870?
 
An old Wingmaster with a short barrel in modern tactical furniture is ###y thing.

If you want an Express, look at the Magpul model. They are great, I use one as my main 12g.
 
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Get an old 870 or a new production police model. Skip the 870 express line.

i am partial to an old wing master. The ones I have are smooth as butter
 
City Boy said:
Is it that big a deal that the old ones are 2 3/4" ?
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If you put on a newer barrel chambered for 3" shells, you can fire them, but when cycling back, the empty shell will not fully eject and you have to pull it out. A gunsmith can change the parts to make 3" shells eject correctly. I personally feel old Wingmasters have smoother pump actions and nicer triggers than the current Express models.

Do not fire 3" shells in an original 2 3/4" chambered barrel.
 
Nestor said:
Thanks, but I'm not complaining about the newer 870s. Didn't see one that wouldn't work despite all this crying here.
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My 'Newer' 870 Express was a little stiff, but since then It's seen over 1500 rounds and it's smooth as silk. It will cycle under it's own weight if you just hold it by the foregrip. I really don't see what all the complaining is about either...
 
jlomein said:
If you put on a newer barrel chambered for 3" shells, you can fire them, but when cycling back, the empty shell will not fully eject and you have to pull it out. A gunsmith can change the parts to make 3" shells eject correctly. I personally feel old Wingmasters have smoother pump actions and nicer triggers than the current Express models.

Do not fire 3" shells in an original 2 3/4" chambered barrel.
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Good to know ... Then an extended mag and 18.5" barrel .... And good to go?
 
Soulfly said:
My 'Newer' 870 Express was a little stiff, but since then It's seen over 1500 rounds and it's smooth as silk. It will cycle under it's own weight if you just hold it by the foregrip. I really don't see what all the complaining is about either...
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Complaining is essential to establish superiority of your choice over the next guy...and also usually points toward a fellow who's shotgun will have little to no mileage anyway. I've seen and worked with the old, newer and brand new 870s. All of them worked just fine as long as the shooter knew what he was doing. Occasional malfunctions will happen with any equipment though. Yes, I've seen springs failing during the competition where one shotgun was used by the large crowd pretty much constantly...and yes, it was the older 870. I'm sure that many shotguns would give up under such a hard use as well. Now, your newer Wingmaster or Express will get smoother with time, so 40 years down the road you may feel slightly better about it. Will you?
 
The newer guns are workable and all, but the vintage ones were able to successfully compete against the likes of the Winchester Model 12 and other classic designs that were extensively machined and hand fitted.
 
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