The TRUTH about the Remington 870 Express

To be honest, I had 2 guns that deeply disappointed me: Rem 870 supermag and Glock... I sold my Rem some time back and never regretted it. I still have a Glock, but I was thinking to sell it at least 3 times this week.

If you compare those two guns to the other guns on the market, there is nothing special in them at all. It's like LADA is popular in Russia, but it doesn't make it a great car. Same for Rem and Glock... there are much more better guns on the market, but everybody go "it's few bucks cheaper and 'everybody' had it, so it must be good."
 
To be honest, I had 2 guns that deeply disappointed me: Rem 870 supermag and Glock... I sold my Rem some time back and never regretted it. I still have a Glock, but I was thinking to sell it at least 3 times this week.

If you compare those two guns to the other guns on the market, there is nothing special in them at all. It's like LADA is popular in Russia, but it doesn't make it a great car. Same for Rem and Glock... there are much more better guns on the market, but everybody go "it's few bucks cheaper and 'everybody' had it, so it must be good."

I think the 870 Superman has 10x more problems then the regular express as most people complaining about their 870 seem to haev the super mag. As for the Glock it is a gun that you can depend on to always go bang and has low maintaince but *gasp* not really a tac driver. Both of these guns are pretty low on the price scale for both handguns and shotguns so for the price that you pay for of those guns you can't complain much...you want an amazing gun you (sadly) usually gotta pay an amazing high price. just my 2 cents.

UTAF
 
To be honest, I had 2 guns that deeply disappointed me: Rem 870 supermag and Glock... I sold my Rem some time back and never regretted it. I still have a Glock, but I was thinking to sell it at least 3 times this week.

If you compare those two guns to the other guns on the market, there is nothing special in them at all. It's like LADA is popular in Russia, but it doesn't make it a great car. Same for Rem and Glock... there are much more better guns on the market, but everybody go "it's few bucks cheaper and 'everybody' had it, so it must be good."

Theres a reason the 870 is the best selling pump shotgun. It is very reliable, fits alot of shooters, looks good, has all the desirable features of the more expensive guns and the everyday man can afford it. That's the biggest thing there. All too often the members of this board forget while there are tens of thousands of board members who call themselves gunnutz, there are millions of working joes who want to shoot and hunt. Most have families, mortgages, car loans and college savings. Average joe may want a Benelli but all the budget allows is a Remington. And theres nothing wrong with that. Myself, as much as I enjoy fine guns I prefer the low cost beaters. I've got a safe with nothing but these days. There is nothing fancy in there but what I do have I have complete confidence in. I think most others feel that way too, perhaps not on this board but in the real world. That's why the 870 has been and will continue to be one of the great guns. It works! Now I too once had a Supermag and it did have issues, but I've never really had any issues with a 3 inch gun except for my bad shooting. :)
 
the 870 will take a beating, i dropped mine in snow, on a puffball, bbl downward into creek, and no rust. They DO need a break in with some racking, break it in with a snap cap a couple hundred racks. i just stripped my down yesterday, no rust after 5 years. I use CLP and coat everything. (synthetic stock and turkey/rifled bbl) after each use. I have had stovepipes with 3" shells, so only use them for turkey. (1450 fps for 2.75" vs. 1550 fps for a 3"slug) BTW consider the combo if your looking for deer and second smoothbore. I also have a swivel so would recommend you replace the cap with an uncle mikes swivel. Take sling off when walking through thick bush. And finally, use it with it authority, raking it good to avoid short stroking the cycle, she won't break!
 
I own 5 870's and have never had any issues. If my super mag gets really really dirty you gotta slap it around a bit for proper lock up but lack of maintenance and cleaning is never a good idea anyways.....
 
If someone has problems with using or keeping 870's properly working they are seriously retarded and doing something wrong.Sure they will rust when wet (what gun doesnt).As long as you follow a proper cleaning/maintenace regiment you can not go wrong.Ohh and the jamming problems are "YOUR" faults as well for sticking cheap ass ammo in the tube.User error accounts for 99 percent of all firearms fvck ups....
 
I have an 870 Express I bought a few months ago. I chose it over the Mossburg because I wanted a specific configuration I couldn't find in the Mossburg (20-21 in vent rib barrel with inchangable chokes). I also found the 870 was recomended over the Mossburg way more on other forums and by people in general. I see that here on Gun Nuts they are roughly equally recomended.

I am not sure if it is a Supermag or not. It is not marketed as one, and according to Remington only shoots 2.75 or 3 in shells, but the barrel looks like it will take 3.5 in sheels with the right reciever, and my reciever has a supermag serial number. The bolt however doesn't look like a supermag bolt, so I don't know...

Anyway, I have been shooting mainly the cheap Federal target loads and have been less than satified with their ejection. They seem to stick in the chamber. The first few of every session would cycle fine, but it seems that as the barrel heated up they would start sticking. I have put around 200 shells through it, and have not had any problems with last 75 or so, so maybe the gun just needed some breaking in.
 
I like my Supermag so much I bought a second one for my son, “that’s how I justified it to the wife” from another member at a great price thanks ken! I hunt with a buddy who is gun snob all I here is berretta get a berretta the 870 sucks. Well all I can say is I have put hundreds of rounds through it with out issues and I shot Wally mart crap and the good stuff. This spring while hunting snow geese the fabulous berretta was jamming. If he had been using an 870 this would not have happened. If you find that you gun is rusting take a firearms course again because you must have missed the section on regular cleaning and lubrication. There is a reason the GSG9 uses the 870 if they use it that’s good enough for me
 
I have had some surface rust issues, some rust "stains" that are permanent. Some stoppages and jams.So? much to do with maintenence and operator error. I'll take my licks. If I do my part, the express does its part. Simple. Still love my post 2000 $375 express. However........The finish on those expresses leaves something to be desired, both on the laminate "wood" and the steel parts. Higher than normal maintenance to avoid rust dust film, even after unused cased storage in vehicle for a couple of days. But still a good TOOL at a good price.
 
I have 7 Wingmasters. All of them have performed flawlessly over the past 25 years. The older ones (30-40 years old) have been refurbished and whether it is turkey, duck or deer...or even IPSC, I have never had a problem that was caused by the gun. Any jam etc has been caused by the operator.

As far as rust is concerned, the gun is metal afterall. A cleaning, oiling, and wipedown are SOP. Even the most expensive shotguns will rust if you do not exercise some degree of care and maintenance.

If the Express as good as a Wingmaster? No. The Wingmaster is in a class all of its own. But it does come close. Are Mossburgs or Winchesters good guns. Absolutlely! But now we are down to personal preferences and budget, and that is always specific to the individual.
 
I have two 870 Express Magnums. One I bought new over 15 years ago for $270 with full vented rib barrel, great deal! The other I bought used about 5 years ago in a slug gun rifled barrel configuration. I have used both (swapping barrels as needed) for trap, hunting geese, boar, and deer. Never had any problems with cycling or rust. I have used them in rainy days and no rust, not even on the small spots where the finish wore through (from action cycling) to bare metal. I use Break Free CLP.
 
I had a Remington 870 express Super Mag, and it was great for the first 2 years I owned it. However after about 200 rounds through it, the gun malfunctioned so much, I traded it in and bought a Baikal MP 153 and have'nt looked back. I will have to admit that I am not a big fan of the Russians politics, and there bullying tactics, but boy oh boy, they can sure built a good shotgun, at a great price. The Baikal MP 153 shoots as good as a shotgun twice the price, but it just does'nt look too fancy.
 
Just get one......how bad can it be, I have had this one now for 4-5 years, no issues so far

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I have an 870 magnum and its simple and full proof yes it will rust but as said befor if u take it in the rain clean and oil it when you get home, never has it jammed and it cycles nice and smooth I have hade this gun for 7 years now and use it alot every year,
 
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I own mossys, browning and a few 870s, they are good guns, we use the police version of the 870 at one of my jobs and they are very differently manufactured, so i ordered one from wolverine, 870, parkerized,18.5 inch bead sight, wow what a difference to an express.

Pay the extra if you want an 870 and get a police
 
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