Noob question: What's the difference between a wingmaster,express, police and marine models of 870's?
Which is superior and why?
thanks, Plinker777
Which is superior and why?
thanks, Plinker777
Rem 870's
- Thread starter plinker 777
- Start date
Wingmaster is lighter and will have longer barrels for bird/skeet/clay shooting generally. Higher quality build than express.
Express is cheaper built than all the others (but still excellent) you can get both 'tactical' and birding/skeet type express model shotguns in a variety of barrel lengths. I have an 870 express tactical and it is excellent.
The police is a higher quality build than the express, usually has a 14in barrel, and is very well built. Some have said it is heavy also.
The marine is a 870 with a coating applied to make sure it does not rust, as the name says, meant for marine areas but not limited to that sole use. Very durable .
superiority depends on your use for it
Express is cheaper built than all the others (but still excellent) you can get both 'tactical' and birding/skeet type express model shotguns in a variety of barrel lengths. I have an 870 express tactical and it is excellent.
The police is a higher quality build than the express, usually has a 14in barrel, and is very well built. Some have said it is heavy also.
The marine is a 870 with a coating applied to make sure it does not rust, as the name says, meant for marine areas but not limited to that sole use. Very durable .
superiority depends on your use for it
Anyone ever heard about an 870 called a Remington 870 XCS Super Magnum?
Were can you get them and how much do they go for?
I just read an articale here about them & was wondering if anyone has 1 and what they thought about it?
http://www.gunreports.com/news/long_guns/Remington-XCS-Shotgun-Waterfowl_329-1.html
Were can you get them and how much do they go for?
I just read an articale here about them & was wondering if anyone has 1 and what they thought about it?
http://www.gunreports.com/news/long_guns/Remington-XCS-Shotgun-Waterfowl_329-1.html
1300_stainless
Regular
- Location
- Nova Scotia, Canada
Wingmaster is lighter and will have longer barrels for bird/skeet/clay shooting generally. Higher quality build than express.
Express is cheaper built than all the others (but still excellent) you can get both 'tactical' and birding/skeet type express model shotguns in a variety of barrel lengths. I have an 870 express tactical and it is excellent.
The police is a higher quality build than the express, usually has a 14in barrel, and is very well built. Some have said it is heavy also.
The marine is a 870 with a coating applied to make sure it does not rust, as the name says, meant for marine areas but not limited to that sole use. Very durable .
superiority depends on your use for it
That pretty much somes it up.
Police models are also common with a 18" bead sight barrel and can be had with a 20" rifle sight barrel. Maybe others, IDK. The main difference with police models is heavier springs for reliability with any ammo.
The express, if it's a newer model, will have a plastic trigger housing, cheap finish, dimples in the magazine tube, and a plastic part with "teeth" to hold the magazine cap on. This is a pain if you want to ad a magazine extension.
The Police and Wingmaster should have an alloy trigger housing, no dimples and use a ball detent on the barrel to hold the cap on. The Wimgmaster will likely be deep gloss blued. The Police can be had blued or parkerized I believe.
Depending on what you are doing a lot of people would recommend an older Wingmaster. These guns can be found used on par, or cheaper in price, than an express. The quality is far better and they cycle smooth. However most are only chambered for 2 3/4", and may need modification of the barrel to shoot steel.
There are some people on here that are very knowledgeable about the 870 (More knowledgeable than me, that's for sure). I'm sure they will be along soon to offer more help.
What would you be using it for? (Like Brit said, superiority depends on what you're using it for, and your budget too)
I had one about a year ago, was a decent gun. All that makes in XCS is the coating they put on, its very similar to arma coat. I sold it in favour of a basic 870P. I am much happier with the 870P IMO the xcs was a gimmick.
As to the OP
express is the entry level 870. its blued instead of parkerized, plastic trigger group, reciever isnt as nice as a wingmaster or police. Its functionally the same just with a few corners cut to save costs. They are fantastic guns.
870P is parkerized and assembled in a super secret special part of the remington factory. apperantly uses better internal parts, has a metal trigger group and is designed for hard use in the field.
Wingmasters are mostly field guns for clays or birds. Has a parkerized finish, metal trigger group.
you will be happy with any 870 you buy. personally im an 870P fan
MauserMike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Wingmasters have high gloss blue, never "parked"
you actually have the weights here and full description
http://lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/rem_870_express.pdf
i am still debating on the Express Synthetic or the wooden one... is the wooden "pump" part interchangeable?
http://lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/rem_870_express.pdf
i am still debating on the Express Synthetic or the wooden one... is the wooden "pump" part interchangeable?
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
^yeah, the forend comes off. you need to remove the forend assembly (very easy: do a youtube search for 870 strip or disassembly), and then there is a nut on the end that you unscrew, and the wood/synthetic forend slides off.
to remove the forend nut you need either a forend wrench (inexpensive, and you can make one yourself) or you can use the bolt carrier as an improvised forend wrench - which ive been doing for years with no ill effects.
if you are considering buying an 870 express, you are better off picking up the Trio, or a combo, and selling the extra barrel on the EE. priced fairly, and with hunting season just around the corner, they will go fast - and the combo/trios always cost less than the sum of their parts. lebaron has the trio on sale for $534, and even if they are out of stock (wouldnt be surprising), im sure you can find a good deal on it elsewhere as well. the cantilever rifled barrel alone will net you ~$200 on the EE, and either of the other barrels ~$150.
to remove the forend nut you need either a forend wrench (inexpensive, and you can make one yourself) or you can use the bolt carrier as an improvised forend wrench - which ive been doing for years with no ill effects.
if you are considering buying an 870 express, you are better off picking up the Trio, or a combo, and selling the extra barrel on the EE. priced fairly, and with hunting season just around the corner, they will go fast - and the combo/trios always cost less than the sum of their parts. lebaron has the trio on sale for $534, and even if they are out of stock (wouldnt be surprising), im sure you can find a good deal on it elsewhere as well. the cantilever rifled barrel alone will net you ~$200 on the EE, and either of the other barrels ~$150.
Hmmm...so if it's a wingmaster (it is) how can i tell whether or not the barrel is for steel or lead? Can you shoot steel through a barrel designed for lead, and can you shoot lead (rifled slugs) through a barrel designed for steel shot?
) how can i tell whether or not the barrel is for steel or lead? Can you shoot steel through a barrel designed for lead, and can you shoot lead (rifled slugs) through a barrel designed for steel shot?
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Hmmm...so if it's a wingmaster (it is
If its full choke, no. Anything else more open steel is fine. Also note that you can put Express barrels on Wingmasters, you just have to replace the mag cap at the same time (before anyone argues, ive done it).
Wingmasters are a superior gun, by far. I have one and will never get rid of it. Its a fantastic gun. On the other hand, I detest Express models. Horrid pieces of junk that feel like trash.
IC slug barrel......whatever that means? (improved choke?) meaning not as tight as Full Choke? smooth BTW,no rifling.
I'm aware that some pump action shotguns can be slam fired....is that the case with an 870?
I'm aware that some pump action shotguns can be slam fired....is that the case with an 870?
IC Slug Barrel means a smooth bore, likely rifle sighted, barrel which has an Improved Cylinder choke at the end. Some people report that slugs shoot better with a hint of choke.
FYI, chokes are constrictions at the muzzle end of shotguns which put a small sqeeze on the projectile. This helps patterning, and especially shot dispersion. If your target is further out, likely you will use a tighter choke to keep the shot together for longer.
The typical chokes you will run into are,
Cylinder Bore - zero choke, straight
Improved Cylinder - a little constriction compare to Cylinder
Modified - a little more choke than IC
Full - generally most constricted choke
Xtra Full - usually reserved for guys like turkey hunters.
Rifled - a choke which is rifled, to give a slug shot from a smooth bore barrel a quick little twist at the end, often works as well as a fully rifled barrel.
Some barrels will have fixed chokes, such as is often the case with short slug barrels, or older style bird barrels. Newer barrels often will have removable (unscrewable) chokes, which let you swap out chokes as your needs dictate. Remington refers to their swappable chokes as RemChokes, or RC. If the barrel you are looking at doesn't say RC or RemChoke, it is likely a fixed choke.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
improved cylinder. you can fire anything through it. rifled slugs are rifled because the 'rifling' is designed to swage through any choke - you can fire them through even full chokes.
cylinder bore = .000" constriction
improved cylinder (IC) = .010" constriction
modified = .020" constriction
full = .035" constriction
and no, you cant slam fire an 870
cylinder bore = .000" constriction
improved cylinder (IC) = .010" constriction
modified = .020" constriction
full = .035" constriction
and no, you cant slam fire an 870
Noob question: What's the difference between a wingmaster,express, police and marine models of 870's?
Which is superior and why?
thanks, Plinker777
The Wingmaster is a smoother better finished field gun.
The Express is the same gun but a "cheaper" alternative (ie: hardwood or synthetic stock, bead blasted finish, plastic trigger guard, etc.). It is also available in many configurations from field, deer, youth, and defense models.
The Police and Marine Magnum versions are higher quality 870s. Much like the Wingmasters they are a much smoother cycling gun and have better fit and finish.
Hmmm...so if it's a wingmaster (it is
You can shoot steel shot thru any barrel but it is not recommended to shoot steel shot sizes larger than #2 thru any full choke, be it fixed or removable.
The IC stands for Improved Cylinder and is indeed an "open" choke and not as tight as full. The 870s cannot be slam fired! You will have to release and pull the trigger for each shot.
The 870 is by far one of the most trouble free shotguns you can own and very simple to take apart. Besides a new firing pin every 8000-10000 rds, you shouldn't have to worry about any other parts failures!
Thanks Guys...i now feel well versed in 870's
