Why does everyone love the Remington 870 so much?

[Hookeye]

I liked my Upland Special 20 gauge BPS.
But I liked my Special Field 870 20's more

 

[Cerberus]

You have to remember there is a big difference in Remington 870's. A 870 Express is nowhere near the quality of a 870 Wingmaster or Police model. I would take a Mossberg 590 A-1 over a Remington 870 Express any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. When you compare these guns, you cannot paint with a broad brush.

I own 3 870s. One is an early 80s vintage Wingmaster Police, the other 2 are express models. There are no REAL differences except for polishing. You could point out the metal verses plastic trigger housings, but to be honest I would rather have plastic over pot metal. And from my experiences with the real miltary Mossberg, I'll keep my Remies.

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW my old Police 870 (mid 80's) had the sloppiest barrel to receiver fit (have had over a dozen 870's).

 

[billt]

What I think is a bit funny in reading through this, is how some complain one "rattles" more than the other. Complaining about rattle in a pump gun is like complaining about snow in Alaska.

 

[Hookeye]

People have different levels of tolerance....

The 870 rattle is like a gal that needs to lose 5 lbs.

The 500 is morbidly obese.

 

[billt]

I'm not getting all these people running around shaking their shotguns?

 

[Fordtough25]

My 590 doesn't rattle. And I use it pretty rough just to test it.

 

[indiucky]

I kind of like Ithaca model 37's and Winchester model 12's myself...But...Between an 870 and a Mossberg I will go with the 870 everytime...When manufacturing costs began began making Model 12's unaffordable the 870 slipped right into the role the Model 12 had for 50 years...That role being America's "best" pump shotgun.....That's a pretty telling tidbit right there...


With that being said the Mossberg 590A1 beat out the 870 in the Military trials...The point being...It's kind of hard to buy a "bad" pump shotgun...It's America's gun and they are ALL going to be going LONG after we are onto our reward.....

'Merica and pump shotguns....It's how we roll....

 

[cce1302]

What I think is a bit funny in reading through this, is how some complain one "rattles" more than the other. Complaining about rattle in a pump gun is like complaining about snow in Alaska.

Yeah people complain about the transfer bar rattle in Rugers, too.

Yawn.

 

[Hookeye]

If you're hoofing it hunting you might be a bit more aware of the rattle.
But if you take the ATV to the ladder stand 200 yards from the back porch it might not be as noticeable.

As for Rugers................never noticed transfer bar rattle, but do think NM's feel crappy compared to the OM's. My .44 mag has no silly little bar to rattle Do think the cylinder pin plunger on the NM's that bears against the transfer bar to be problematic now and then (just saw one stuck on a NM this week). Easy to unstick...........but it did cause a glitch in the owners shooting until corrected.

I would think that more of a concern than the rattle of a NM.
But then I think Ruger's "warning labels" to be the worst sin.

 

[Hookeye]

So at the Grand Am....................how many 500's are out there compared to 870's?

 

[Cerberus]

With that being said the Mossberg 590A1 beat out the 870 in the Military trials...The point being...It's kind of hard to buy a "bad" pump shotgun...It's America's gun and they are ALL going to be going LONG after we are onto our reward.....

All things being equal, the military WILL go with the most cost effective, and some of those contracts are awarded on differences of pennies per unit. This is where the arguement falls apart, because military and civilian M500s are not equal. The real military kind have steel recievers, where only a few civy models have such. Now if Mossberg offered the steel reciever as standard, well then they would cost about as much as the easier to maintain 870, and what would the cheap skates use as their justification then?

 

[indiucky]

But then I think Ruger's "warning labels" to be the worst sin.

It is the worst tatoo ever in the history of the world......

"Boy that's a nice Ruger you got there...Check out those clean lines and OMG WTF IS THAT BILLBOARD DOING ON THE SIDE OF THAT GUN!!!! HOLY SMOKES!!! WHY DIDN"T THEY JUST USE BRAILLE!!!!!"

Sorry...That is a bit of a sore spot with me as well...Gosh that is the first time I have ever yelled on the internet.....

 

[indiucky]

All things being equal, the military WILL go with the most cost effective, and some of those contracts are awarded on differences of pennies per unit. This is where the arguement falls apart, because military and civilian M500s are not equal. The real military kind have steel recievers, where only a few civy models have such. Now if Mossberg offered the steel reciever as standard, well then they would cost about as much as the easier to maintain 870, and what would the cheap skates use as their justification then?

I have held both side by side you are right in that there is a WORLD of difference...Orion's had some LEO trade ins once for a good price and about half were mil spec and within two days the mil spec were all gone and the others were still there...It was the first time I had ever held them side by side at the same time and trust me, Helen Keller could've notice the difference in quality...

 

[kalboy]

Indiucky I'm a little surprised, I kinda figured your reply to the 500 or 870 question would be /......" neither,go out and find a nice model 12 Win or Rem model 17"..... lol

 

[nashfred01]

I think the 870 has now become a must have legend because of its reliability and history. Kind of like a Colt 1911. Are there better 1911s? Sure, but Colt is the legend. Same as the 870.

 

[Psode27]

Owned and fired both, maverick 88 included. I actually kinda preferred the cheap Mav to the Mossberg, but I'd take any three. I ended up buying one of the weird "tactical" 870s. I wanted it for HD and it basically looked stock how I wanted it to, but if I had to do it over again I'd just buy the regular one.

 

[jb1911]

I've owned and shot 870s for 50 years. Trap, Skeet, Woodcock, Quail, Ducks, Pheasants, you get the idea.
The first time I picked up a Mossberg it seemed like a piece of junk. Like when you're used to AR15s and
you check out an AK47 for the first time.

 

[Contender]

I have always liked the 870. First shotgun and have collected three of them over the years. Not too happy with one of them right now though. It got wet turkey hunting yesterday. Took it apart tonight and the little welds that hold the bar in the receiver that connect with the action bar are broken and that peice fell out. At least you can hold it in place and reassemble, just a pain. I had another one do this over the years. Still my favorite pump gun though. Benelli's fill my auto needs.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

The 870 is the Glock of shotguns. Tough to beat.