I had a similar problem with two 870 Marine Magnums. Couldn't polish the chamber on those guns as that would have ruined the nickel finish. Fortunately, the store I bought them from allowed me to return them. Another potential issue with recent-production 870's is out of spec extractors (with the hook not being as pronounced as it should be). It's really shameful that a once-legendary gun maker like Remington is now in the business of selling guns that can only be described as factory seconds.
New Rem 870 Express Tactical jams!
- Thread starter yukonpete
- Start date
I think the problem is us. We keep looking for a better bang for less bucks. They are just meeting the demand for cheap guns. I bought an Express, not a Wingmaster. And that's exactly what I got. Thankfully 10 mins of work made it perfect... Just my 2 cents
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Precisely.
+1.
Owners will always piss and moan when slight changes are needed to make a new, quality controlled product function.
Unfortunate, but Ill take the time to do perform a light fix and and be done with it. These are solid guns otherwise.
Storm-Trooper
New member
- Location
- The Country.
Personal experience regarding the 870.
I had two Remington 870 express's. The Remington 870 "police" issued shotguns are good because their is more stringent requirements regarding product control thus the increased price. As for the express that's why its one of the most sold shotguns across the world because of the quality, brand, as well as the price of the shotgun ($3-500) at the cost of product control. I sold my old one and bought the super express magnum and that treated me a lot more justly as well as I lucked out a bit on that one. In order to fix those horrific jam's I have two three suggestions: feel the insides for sharp/grippy or really rough areas and smooth them out and apply a grease or good gun oil (rem oil with Teflon on moving parts personally), change out the extractor, and drop a round inside of the barrel with it being removed from the chamber and see if theirs any play (movement) with the shell if not have a dremmel and lightly but evenly remove the inside of the barrel until there's little play.
I had two Remington 870 express's. The Remington 870 "police" issued shotguns are good because their is more stringent requirements regarding product control thus the increased price. As for the express that's why its one of the most sold shotguns across the world because of the quality, brand, as well as the price of the shotgun ($3-500) at the cost of product control. I sold my old one and bought the super express magnum and that treated me a lot more justly as well as I lucked out a bit on that one. In order to fix those horrific jam's I have two three suggestions: feel the insides for sharp/grippy or really rough areas and smooth them out and apply a grease or good gun oil (rem oil with Teflon on moving parts personally), change out the extractor, and drop a round inside of the barrel with it being removed from the chamber and see if theirs any play (movement) with the shell if not have a dremmel and lightly but evenly remove the inside of the barrel until there's little play.
There clearly have been quality control issues with newer 870's such as the Express and Tactical models. They can be tuned up. From what i gather, Wingmasters and Police models are superior period. You can fix up an older inexpensive Wingmaster...but refinishing it may cost you a bit.
As for the ammo...three years ago I got a Winchester bulk pack of 12g target loads, and at the range we had them sticking in the chamber, refusing to extract, from:
- 870 Express
- Mossberg 535 (I think that's what it was called, anyway a sporting version of the 500 series)
- vintage Remington 1100, made back when all their products were top notch
I chalked it up to a bad batch of ammo whose brass may be too soft and deforming too much.
As for the ammo...three years ago I got a Winchester bulk pack of 12g target loads, and at the range we had them sticking in the chamber, refusing to extract, from:
- 870 Express
- Mossberg 535 (I think that's what it was called, anyway a sporting version of the 500 series)
- vintage Remington 1100, made back when all their products were top notch
I chalked it up to a bad batch of ammo whose brass may be too soft and deforming too much.
It's OK for them to sell shyte because there's enough loyal brand followers who make up excuses for their product and fix their own guns at their own expense/time.
If I was a manufacturer of said product, I would send these folks a free hat to reward them for their loyalty.
I have enough hats.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
I understand your frustration dude. I've been in the exact same boat. Higher quality takes more time to complete the extra finishing work. Extra time means more wages they have to pay an employee to work on one gun. The more money that a manufacturer puts into each individual product, the more they have to charge in order to make a profit so they can continue to do business.
You bought an express. They take the express lane past the final finishing stations at the factory. So the fit and finish are lacking. But you have one of the best and most versatile platforms to build upon and you got it for cheaper than if you bought a higher class gun.
When you buy a truck, you can't complain that it doesn't perform like a sports car, no matter how much you want it too. But, the truck is still useful and can perform well if treated right. Make sense?
A 870 is not a truck, or a sports car 
Its a shotgun, and a shotguns function is to fire shotgun shells. Load up the magazine with quality ammo and rack the slide to chamber, fire and then rack to extract and reload the chamber. If it can not extract or jams up while trying to extract then it has issues. If those issues are fit and finish and quality in machining that is imposing on its design function, then its defective. That is it will not properly perform its design function.
Its very sad to see just how far down the rabbit hole this manufacturer has fallen! I have my Grandfathers 870 Express from the mid 80's, he passed on and it found its way to me. It has never been cleaned, EVER! The only special treatment this gun has gotten was a squirt of WD40 once every other year and a paper towel wipedown. It does not jam, has never jammed and just keeps going. This is the kind of quality that is expected when one invests in a 870.
My Mother has the family Mossy 500. It rode in a ARGO 8x8 for a couple of decades without being in a case or holder, just thrown in the back. It has loads of rust, no bluing left and has been beat to H#ll and back literally. It now looks like it was retrieved from the bottom of a river and put away wet without care! Oh, yeah, that is true, it went to the bottom of the river a few years ago and was put away wet to rust after a boating accident on a river. It still functions like it did 30 years ago, no jams and no misfires.
If a gun like the above examples can perform better than a brand new gun from a quality manufacturer for $600.00 dollars after abuse and no care then there is something very wrong.
Pump action shotguns are some of the most reliable firearms ever created, bomb proof and will not quit comes to mind when the 870 model is remembered, too bad todays examples fall very far from where their ancestors are.
Its a shotgun, and a shotguns function is to fire shotgun shells. Load up the magazine with quality ammo and rack the slide to chamber, fire and then rack to extract and reload the chamber. If it can not extract or jams up while trying to extract then it has issues. If those issues are fit and finish and quality in machining that is imposing on its design function, then its defective. That is it will not properly perform its design function.
Its very sad to see just how far down the rabbit hole this manufacturer has fallen! I have my Grandfathers 870 Express from the mid 80's, he passed on and it found its way to me. It has never been cleaned, EVER! The only special treatment this gun has gotten was a squirt of WD40 once every other year and a paper towel wipedown. It does not jam, has never jammed and just keeps going. This is the kind of quality that is expected when one invests in a 870.
My Mother has the family Mossy 500. It rode in a ARGO 8x8 for a couple of decades without being in a case or holder, just thrown in the back. It has loads of rust, no bluing left and has been beat to H#ll and back literally. It now looks like it was retrieved from the bottom of a river and put away wet without care! Oh, yeah, that is true, it went to the bottom of the river a few years ago and was put away wet to rust after a boating accident on a river. It still functions like it did 30 years ago, no jams and no misfires.
If a gun like the above examples can perform better than a brand new gun from a quality manufacturer for $600.00 dollars after abuse and no care then there is something very wrong.
Pump action shotguns are some of the most reliable firearms ever created, bomb proof and will not quit comes to mind when the 870 model is remembered, too bad todays examples fall very far from where their ancestors are.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
not if you paid $600 for it.
The point I was trying to make is that the Express is an economy shotgun. Its the cheap version for a reason. Is it ok that it doesn't actually function properly? No. But when you buy the cheaper version of something, you have to expect cheaper quality or quality control issues. They didn't decide to make the express have a lower price because they are being nice.
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- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
I did hold them accountable. I sent mine back and made them correct the problem. I have no particular love for any Remington product. I just don't delude myself into thinking that economy models will have the same quality as much more expensive models.
I think it would take a substantial redesign of the 870 to get it "right" again at the low end of the market, otherwise having to manufacture a gun with a forged steel receiver has gotten to be too expensive vs cast aluminum rivals, and too many corners have to be cut to keep it competitive in that segment.
