Better/best 870 clone? Blue Line or ATI MB3R

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G.Mitchell

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Hello folks,

Looking to do up an 870 clone for my son. I have experience with a variety of 870 vintages and know their quality has varied wildly over the years.

I have read everything I can find on the Blue Line and ATI MB3R but cannot really find a definitive answer to which is the better option. I will be adding a Magpul stock set so the quality of the original stock set isn't relevant.

Which has the best internals? Least failures? I have read that folks have had issues with the ATI MB3R not having the shell latches properly staked. Is that common? Other issues common with one that aren't in the other?

Thoughts?

Thanks all
 
G.Mitchell said:
Hello folks,

Looking to do up an 870 clone for my son. I have experience with a variety of 870 vintages and know their quality has varied wildly over the years.

I have read everything I can find on the Blue Line and ATI MB3R but cannot really find a definitive answer to which is the better option. I will be adding a Magpul stock set so the quality of the original stock set isn't relevant.

Which has the best internals? Least failures? I have read that folks have had issues with the ATI MB3R not having the shell latches properly staked. Is that common? Other issues common with one that aren't in the other?

Thoughts?

Thanks all
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Curious why not just buy a 870 rather then clone.
 
If you do a search on here I did a photo comparison of them not long ago in the black and green shotgun section, might help you get an idea what you prefer...
I own both but have not shot either one yet so I can't attest to which is more reliable. My experience is limited to only testing different parts and accessories on them. I've had a shell latch come out of my Blue line as well so I'd say that's not an isolated problem to just the ATI MB3R.

A few differences to take into consideration the Blue line has an aluminum trigger group where the ATI's is plastic, the Blue Line's a 5+1 capacity and the ATI is 4+1 but then that means barrel compatibility is limited for the Blue line where the ATI can accept regular 870 barrels. And the ATI has a drilled and tapped receiver (for Mossberg 500/590 rails) and the Blue line isn't.
 
I got em all brother. I am the great shotgun hoarder.

The Turnion and Blue Line are great. I’ve got an 870 Police too.

For features and construction I’d say the Turnion with pistol grip, rifle sights, and the heat shield are great for around $360
 
No name said:
If you do a search on here I did a photo comparison of them not long ago in the black and green shotgun section, might help you get an idea what you prefer...
I own both but have not shot either one yet so I can't attest to which is more reliable. My experience is limited to only testing different parts and accessories on them. I've had a shell latch come out of my Blue line as well so I'd say that's not an isolated problem to just the ATI MB3R.

A few differences to take into consideration the Blue line has an aluminum trigger group where the ATI's is plastic, the Blue Line's a 5+1 capacity and the ATI is 4+1 but then that means barrel compatibility is limited for the Blue line where the ATI can accept regular 870 barrels. And the ATI has a drilled and tapped receiver (for Mossberg 500/590 rails) and the Blue line isn't.
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I have scoured your post, have it open currently too. Great info!

From your photos it looks like the ATI might have a longer opening in the trigger guard but not as tall. Would you say that is correct? Gloves are a must here much of the year so a larger opening around the trigger would be preferred.
 
JeffMan said:
I got em all brother. I am the great shotgun hoarder.

The Turnion and Blue Line are great. I’ve got an 870 Police too.

For features and construction I’d say the Turnion with pistol grip, rifle sights, and the heat shield are great for around $360
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Thanks, I forgot all about the Ternion...

What about the Ternion do you prefer?
 
the 870 wing master quality has been 100% since 1951
the other versions have been up and down because people are cheap and buy crap then complain about quality now your going one step below remington's low end and asking about quality of off shore crap well there is no quality with the off shore guns and really that goes for all manufactures the reason it is built off shore is because people won't pay for quality
 
G.Mitchell said:
Thanks, I forgot all about the Ternion...

What about the Ternion do you prefer?
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It’s got the same quality receiver as the Blue Line - perhaps even the same manufacturer.

It’s feature rich and comes with a mag tube extension, guarded front sight (HK style) and graduated rear sight (AK) style. Heat shield, pistol grip, sling swivels, and pic rail. The pic rail isn’t very sturdy, but it’s there.

The options you suggested are all good. But for the money the Ternion offers a lot of tacti-cool.

I picked up my two Blue Line shotguns for $199 and built them up differently from each other. Great shotguns.

I like my 870 Police too, and have been using one professionally for 20 years.
 
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struff55 said:
the 870 wing master quality has been 100% since 1951
the other versions have been up and down because people are cheap and buy crap then complain about quality now your going one step below remington's low end and asking about quality of off shore crap well there is no quality with the off shore guns and really that goes for all manufactures the reason it is built off shore is because people won't pay for quality
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That’s all fair. I had a Wingmaster, TacOrd did the flexitab mods, I foolishly sold it. Sold a Dlask 8.5” too, several other 870 builds too. Should have kept them. Prices have gone up and express model quality down… hence the inquiry on offshore options.
 
JeffMan said:
It’s got the same quality receiver as the Blue Line - perhaps even the same manufacturer.

It’s feature rich and comes with a mag tube extension, guarded front sight (HK style) and graduated rear sight (AK) style. Heat shield, pistol grig, sling swivels, and pic rail. The pic rail isn’t very sturdy, but it’s there.

The options you suggested are all good. But for the money the Ternion offers a lot of tacti-cool.

I picked up my two Blue Line shotguns for $199 and built them up differently from each other. Great shotguns.

I like my 870 Police too, and have been using one professionally for 20 years. My work one is beat to heck. It gets cleaned religiously every decade 🙄 to get the donut crumbs out.

It’s got XS sights (? I think), a side saddle, 14” barrel, very little finish (you could signal aircraft with the reflective side of it), deep gouges, and lots of scratches. Still goes bang every time and can punch the center out of a silhouette at 25m. It does lose magazine spring tension now and then. So I pull it out, stretch it, and am back in business.
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Excellent feedback.

Thank you.
 
G.Mitchell said:
I have scoured your post, have it open currently too. Great info!

From your photos it looks like the ATI might have a longer opening in the trigger guard but not as tall. Would you say that is correct? Gloves are a must here much of the year so a larger opening around the trigger would be preferred.
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You made me curious about that so I had to check. The differences of the dimensions inside the trigger guard seem to be very minimal though. The ATI has pretty much the same dimensions and shape inside the trigger guard as the factory 870, having a bit more in front of the trigger. Where the Blue line has a bit less in front of the trigger but more space up and down. Here's some pictures with the dimensions- (measurements for front to back are from the deepest part of the curve on the trigger to the farthest edge inside the trigger guard) 1000020212.jpg1000020210.jpg1000020208.jpg1000020209.jpg
 
No name said:
You made me curious about that so I had to check. The differences of the dimensions inside the trigger guard seem to be very minimal though. The ATI has pretty much the same dimensions and shape inside the trigger guard as the factory 870, having a bit more in front of the trigger. Where the Blue line has a bit less in front of the trigger but more space up and down. Here's some pictures with the dimensions- (measurements for front to back are from the deepest part of the curve on the trigger to the farthest edge inside the trigger guard)
Click to expand...

Thank you for these. Appreciate your attention to detail.

I imagine both use MIM parts? Any idea which has more?
 
I was under the impression that the BLUE LINE extractor was machined but it does look like it's a MIM part same as the ATI MB3R extractor.1000020236.jpg
So it's the extractors and atleast one component maybe more in the trigger group assembly.1000010008.jpg1000008091.jpg1000020240.jpg
The dog carrier or carrier dog has those same dimples on both.
And here's the height of the front sight you asked about in your PM. Around 1/2" height over the barrel for the ATI and around 3/4" height over the barrel for Rem Police front sight.1000020237.jpg1000020238.jpg1000020239.jpg
 
G.Mitchell said:
Thanks, I forgot all about the Ternion...

What about the Ternion do you prefer?
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Just found out that the forward sleeve that tensions the barrel on the Ternion not only can be used to install 870 barrels but also is a built in tool for handguard removal. You can use it to unscrew the nut that holds on the handguard.
 
Ternion indeed works with 870 barrels as long as you get the version with the long pic rail. This one is my buddy's as i dont own any firearms, has a 14" norinco barrel from some other ancient 870 clone, conveniently the front sight matches the rear. OAL as pictured is about 28-30 inches cant remember exactly.
1000028374.jpg
 
Of the half a dozen or so of the Blue Line 870 clones in the inventory, none have had issues. No live shells fired through them, but all had about 1500-2000 various shells cycled through them with no issues
 
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