870 Express Tac question

[tonelar]

Just a question guys; when they call those Express 18.5" shotguns "7 round" are they talking 6+1 or do they hold 7 in the magazine?

[newglockster]

I believe it's 6+1

[calif 15-22]

There are so many variations of the 870 that it sometimes seems like every guy's gun is a different model.

The 870 Express Tactical, below, comes from the factory with standard Rem-Choke threads and an 18.5 inch barrel. The faux breacher on the front end is a screwed in choke tube and it's Cylinder, IIRC. The mag extension also comes from the factory and the tube is not dimpled. It comes with rail and ghost ring sights installed, and I believe the stock and fore end are supplied by Speedfeed. Aippi can correct me if I am wrong on the stock source.



The 870 Express Synthetic 7 round below, which Big 5 often puts on sale and markets as the "Security" model, is a fixed Cylinder choke 18.5 inch barrel. The extension is factory and the mag tube is not dimpled. It has the plain bead sight and a more sporting style stock set.



They are both serviceable and will get the job done. My personal feeling is that the sights and faux breacher are un-necessary, but there is good in being able to drop a modified choke tube into the Tactical model to get a little better accuracy out of rifled slugs.

Bigdogatplay has it right. I have both in the safe and they both look exactly like his pics. I just liked the look of the Tactical version and especially since I put a Knoxx Recoil reducing stock. I just could not cancel the Express so now I have 2.

[BigDogatPlay]

I believe it's 6+1

^^^ Correct ^^^

[NYCShooter]

No you don't need Modified, you're right. I've cloverleafed rifled slugs at 35 yards through a Cylinder bored 870 and using a plain bead in LEO training more than a few times. My point was that adding just a bit of constriction with a Modified tube can improve accuracy at longer ranges. Lots of shooters have been moving to Modified to help tighten patterns with shot and groups with slugs.

Yes, slight constriction is better for slugs. My slug barrel is an 18 1/2" I/C bore with rifle sights.

IMO, today's better ammo negates the need for choke or barrel modifications to improve patterns with buck. My HD gun is an 18 1/2" CYL bore with a bead. It is typically loaded with LE132 00 (FliteControl, 9-pellet) and this load performs better out of a CYL bore. With it I get really tight patterns: 2" hole at 7-8 yds., 4 1/2" at 15 yds., 9-10" at 30 yds., and about 12" at 40 yds.

[Zartan]

I just could not cancel the Express so now I have 2.

Rough Life

To beat a dead horse, does the express tac have the plastic extractors? Whats the difference between the express tactical vs the police?

[BigDogatPlay]

IMO, today's better ammo negates the need for choke or barrel modifications to improve patterns with buck. My HD gun is an 18 1/2" CYL bore with a bead. It is typically loaded with LE132 00 (FliteControl, 9-pellet) and this load performs better out of a CYL bore. With it I get really tight patterns: 2" hole at 7-8 yds., 4 1/2" at 15 yds., 9-10" at 30 yds., and about 12" at 40 yds.

And not everyone uses that ammo... disclaimer, I do because it shoots very well in both my guns. Out of curiosity, have you tested it out of a tighter choke than Culinder?

To beat a dead horse, does the express tac have the plastic extractors?

Not plastic... Metal Injection Molded, known as MIM. Powdered metal is injection molded to make the part. Less expensive that milled steel, but still plenty durable.

Whats the difference between the express tactical vs the police?

Now that's beating a dead horse. Search function will find you plenty of threads on that topic.

[NYCShooter]

And not everyone uses that ammo... disclaimer, I do because it shoots very well in both my guns. Out of curiosity, have you tested it out of a tighter choke than Culinder?

Yes, a few years ago, out of an I/C bore. No longer have the results, but I recall the patterns being very slightly wider at 30-40 yds. That surprised me at the time, but I think that is the norm for FliteControl. It is also interesting that FC seems to perform worse through a Vang Comp barrel, probably because of the back-boring.

[Bartin]

I went with an 870 Express HD, which is a factory 6+1 with a bead front sight and the stock and forend from the tactical

$300

[r8dr rider]

There are so many variations of the 870 that it sometimes seems like every guy's gun is a different model.

The 870 Express Tactical, below, comes from the factory with standard Rem-Choke threads and an 18.5 inch barrel. The faux breacher on the front end is a screwed in choke tube and it's Cylinder, IIRC. The mag extension also comes from the factory and the tube is not dimpled. It comes with rail and ghost ring sights installed, and I believe the stock and fore end are supplied by Speedfeed. Aippi can correct me if I am wrong on the stock source.



The 870 Express Synthetic 7 round below, which Big 5 often puts on sale and markets as the "Security" model, is a fixed Cylinder choke 18.5 inch barrel. The extension is factory and the mag tube is not dimpled. It has the plain bead sight and a more sporting style stock set.



They are both serviceable and will get the job done. My personal feeling is that the sights and faux breacher are un-necessary, but there is good in being able to drop a modified choke tube into the Tactical model to get a little better accuracy out of rifled slugs.

The top version is the one I like. Do I need a "breaching choke"? No, but it looks so tacticooool. Do I need ghost ring sights and picatinny rail? Refer to last answer. I also saw the M887 Tactical and i think I like it better!