I'm thinking about getting a Rem. 870 "home defense" model as a Christmas present (to myself?).  This is the Rem. 870 Express with an 18" barrel and synthetic stocks.  I'd really like an Aimpoint, but can't turn down the opportunity to legitimately add another long gun to the safe.  An Aimpoint blends in much easier than another new gun.  Besides, I'd like to wait and see what the Trijicon Tri-Power looks like.

So, that being said, I will quickly add a Scattergun Technologies +2 magazine tube extension and side saddle carrier.  Eventually it'll have a set of ST tritium/ghost ring sights.  I realize that I'll have to file the Express "nubs" from the inside of the magazine tube so the extension fits, and think I have that figured.  Basically this will be used as a home defense shotgun.  If it is effective at shooting clays, all the better.

My questions are as follows:

1.  My friend has an 870 Express that he uses for grouse and clay shooting.  Out of about 100-150 rounds that I've witnessed him shoot at the range, probably 5 empty shells have gotten stuck in the chamber to the point where he had to break the barrel out to clear them.  He said it happened because, in his opinion, the 870 Express is cheap and not really meant for rattling off 100 rounds during a range session.  This may be fine for him (the grouse don't shoot back), but it would be unsat for a defensive firearm.  Anyone have any experience with 870 Express' and can shed some light on this malfunction?

2.  Does proper maintenance of a shotgun include breaking down the bolt (or whatever the shotgun equivolent is) every time you clean it?  How do you break down an 870?  I have an inherited Winchester Model 12 that I have yet to break down.  Anyone know how the M12's come apart?

I think that's all I have, although I feel like I've forgotten something....  I'm sure I'll think of it later.

Any other comments on the shotgun and my plans for it would be appreciated.

TIA

Send me the model 12, and i'll give you my 870.

But really, I've had an 870 for 26 years. I shot skeet and trap competetivly with it.  Used reloads almost exclusivley, and when I was into the competition would shoot 200-400 rounds per week.  The worst problem I had was the bruised shoulder! Ouch. Never had a jam, or misfeed.

I was 14-17 years old during this period, but I won many many matches against folks using Browning superposed, Rem 3200, and Rem 1100s, and all kindss of fancy guns. I was nicknamed Mr. Automatic Pump :)

It is an extremley reliable shotgun.  However, I do not know anything about the "express" version of this gun.

As far as cleaning the 870:

1 Take the barrel off
2 Clean with rod/patches, or a bore snake.
3 the slide, and "bolt" mechanism slide forward, by pressing on two levers under the loading area. Clean these, and the inside of the reciever
4 use rem oil on pump tube, and slides, and side of "bolt"
5 re-assemble

When I shot a bunch, I would clean it every week, but now, I'm not as hyper about it.

I dont have an 870, however what you described about your friend's 870 - this to me is a problem that need to be corrected.

There is no reason that an 870 should not be able to fire - I dunno - 500 -> 1,000 rounds without cleaning or failure.

Does he have a sidesaddle? Sometimes an improperly installed side saddle will cause binding.

Corey,

I own two 870's one home defense and one I use for trap (forget exact model).  Neither of my shotguns has ever had a problem.  I shoot trap at the local sportsmans club and haven't seen any other 870's malfunction.

Sounds like your friend needs to send his to remington.

The takedown and cleaning of the 870 isn't rocket science.  Just follow the instructions in the manual. The 870 is just as easy as the AR 15.

I had wilson combat add my extension and side saddle.  They did a great job.

Hope this helps.

Live Free

mine DID malfunction like described above. never did hunting, or shooting heavy buck loads. it just messed up with cheap trap ammo. now i have a benelli, problem solved.

I have an 870 Express HD with several hundred rounds through it, and also an old Wingmaster with countless thousands of rounds through it and neither has ever malfunctioned in any way. Sounds like your bud's gun needs some work. I also have a failure free Benelli, FWIW.

Entropy:

What is the fascination with the M12?  I did a bit of research into it when I got the gun, but I'm not sure I'm getting the full story.  It is much lighter and has a shorter stroke than the 870 though.

Mine occassionally hangs up as the round is being picked up and chambered.  Again, this happens with bulk birdshot, so hopefully it's not an ammo problem.  And I do have to admit that I haven't pulled the breech assembly out since getting it, so it's probably gone its whole life without ever getting tore down.

I've got to figure out how to get the barrel off so I can break it down once and for all.  Anyone have any ideas?

I think I'll suggest that my friend send his gun back to Remington to have them look at it.

live_free_or_die:

Is your home defense 870 an Express?  Did you send it in to ST for a package upgrade?  How did ST deal with the Express magazine tube nubs?

One of my best friends has a 870 express, and it has never had a failure to extract. He puts trough an average of 500+ rnds a month, and has gone for almost a year w/out cleaning it on 2 occations (another frind and I have been forcing him to clean it about once a month now, he cleans it so he doesn't get board while were cleaning all of ours:-))

On occation, if we have been rappid firing for around 50+ rounds, it'll get so freaking hot that the cocking action becomes difficult, which sounds simulare to the extraction problem your friend has, however, a good quick jerk will always open it up, extract, and reload another round.

It also has the 5 rnd extention giving it a total 10+1 capacity. Fileing the nubs off was easy, and took 45 min w/ a small file. it would have taken about 1 min if we had bothered to drive back to my place and grab the dremmel.

Overall, It's an extramly nice shotgun, and IMO, one of the most relable ones available (right behind the Ben. M1 and Fabarm FP6 I guess?)

If I could do it over again, I would NEVER have bought my Mossberg Jam-O-Matic 12 gauge (actually, more of a "click and do nothing else when you pull the trigger 12-ga), I would have gotten the 870 or a FP6.

Later,
Justin

Corey,

1. Is your home defense 870 an Express?

 Yes, my home defense model is an express.

2.  Did you send it in to ST for a package upgrade?

  I sent it to ST / (wilson combat).  I just   checked off the items I wanted from the Workorder sheet
 www.wilsoncombat.com/workorderform.htm

3.  How did ST deal with the Express magazine tube nubs?  
   They neatly filed them off.

Wilson combat has great customer service.  I got the side saddle and extension for $100 installed (including shipping).

Live Free

Rem 870......overall...BEST shotgun in the world.........

I have three friends who do a reasonable amount of hunting with the 870 express.  Two have had no functional problems apart from a cracked stock which was easily fixed with epoxy.  The other has had persistent extraction issues with waterfowl loads, and he is pretty handy with a shotgun.  Simichrome polish of chamber did not seem to improve the extraction, but maybe the problem wasn't with the shotgun.  

The 870 Express is the same basic gun as the Police 870P, or the Wingmaster.  The only real difference is the quality of finish.  The Express uses a powder coat finish which is cheaper.  The design and materials are the same.

Your friends problem could be as simple as a dirty chamber, or a fouled extractor spring.  

870's have the best reputation there is among pump guns.  Virtually very police department in America uses the 870, and it isn't because they are cheaper.

My 870 HD was 100% in every aspect.

Yeah, that seals it.  I need to get an 870 HD.

What do these usually go for?  The local shop quoted me around $275.  Is that a fair deal?

Quoted: I'm thinking about getting a Rem. 870 "home defense" model as a Christmas present (to myself?).  This is the Rem. 870 Express with an 18" barrel and synthetic stocks.  I'd really like an Aimpoint, but can't turn down the opportunity to legitimately add another long gun to the safe.  An Aimpoint blends in much easier than another new gun.  Besides, I'd like to wait and see what the Trijicon Tri-Power looks like. So, that being said, I will quickly add a Scattergun Technologies +2 magazine tube extension and side saddle carrier.  Eventually it'll have a set of ST tritium/ghost ring sights.  I realize that I'll have to file the Express "nubs" from the inside of the magazine tube so the extension fits, and think I have that figured.  Basically this will be used as a home defense shotgun.  If it is effective at shooting clays, all the better. My questions are as follows: Out of about 100-150 rounds that I've witnessed him shoot at the range, probably 5 empty shells have gotten stuck in the chamber to the point where he had to break the barrel out to clear them.  He said it happened because, in his opinion, the 870 Express is cheap and not really meant for rattling off 100 rounds during a range session.   TIA

Somewhere between 1700-2000 rounds with no failures at all. I'd rely on the 870, nom questions asked.

If your truly looking for a combatshotgun whynot go with a Mossberg 590. The safety is easier to operate, and it's easy to packextra on it without spendine the $$ on a custom shotgun. By "extras" I mean with already instaled/attached Speedfeed stock and ghostring sights that you can buy it new from the manufacturer. The only thing that stopped me from buying the 590 was that I needed a gun to shoot trap with. Bought the 870 express that came with a 28" trap barrel and a 20" unrifled barrel.

And the wife allows one shotgun purchase per trip to gun store per year?I'm gonna sneak it in soon.

Sherm

Edited to add:

I've shot the 590. A friend owns one and I also shot it while on US Naval Reserve duty deployment to Curacao with the Dutch Marines. The 590 is their shotgun of choice and I had no problems dumping 9 shots quickly and accurately into man sized targets 7 yds away. Great weapon.

Quoted: Yeah, that seals it.  I need to get an 870 HD. What do these usually go for?  The local shop quoted me around $275.  Is that a fair deal?

                                            That`s a good price for new....getting a lot of gun for the money....Hey, I`m a mossberg freak....but my first ever was a 870 and I still love it...(kid hunts with it now)...my brother shot competition for many years with...870...he has about 7 of them in different degrees of dress.....