For a 870, which one should I get?

[Jicko]

There are so many favours......

I want to do 3-guns, I want to have it as home defence, yet I wanna shot sporting clay...

;-)

I guess... a 18" w/ extended magazine is probably what I want.... (since... altho not optimal... i can still shoot sporting clay with an 18")

So... now... for a 18".... what choices are recommended, guys?

Oh by the way, why is the new 870 tactical($500+ @ turners) so much more expensive than a 870 synthetic($299 @ big5)?

[Stanze]

Doesn't the Turner's 870 have a factory extended mag, pistol grip Speedfeed stock, "custom" finish and "TACTICAL" rollmarked on the receiver?

That could explain the price difference.

I used to own a 870 w/ all the tacti-cool bells and whistles and found it kinda heavy and unbalanced fully loaded. A stock 870 may of felt better with at least a extended mag.


(old early 90's pic, sidesaddle and heat shield not installed)

You get what you pay for.


If it's for 3 gun, just buy a 11-87 Police Model at CPE and be done with it, like what this guy did.

[kantstudien]

So long as it says "Police" on the side of the receiver instead of "Express," you will be fine.

[6172crew]

I have an old school Wingmaster 870 that I traded out the skeet barrel for a Police and use for HD, Id think the 11-87 is the way to go for 3 gun.

[mblat]

So long as it says "Police" on the side of the receiver instead of "Express," you will be fine.

Why? What is the difference?

[fourXfour]

This would be the official difference between the Express line and Police line

[Jicko]

But a 870EXPRESS cost only like $299.... while a 870POLICE is like $500+???

The only thing I see kinda important is "magazine extension".... but... $299 model I found in Big5 is already 18" barrel and 7 shots......

http://big5sportinggoods.shoplocal.com/big5/default.aspx?action=browsepagedetail&storeid=2503808&rapid=272779&pagenumber=6&listingid=-2095073488&ref=%2fbig5%2fdefault.aspx%3faction%3dbrowsepagesingle%26storeid%3d2503808%26rapid%3d272779%26pagenumber%3d6

[Stanze]

But a 870EXPRESS cost only like $299.... while a 870POLICE is like $500+???

The only thing I see kinda important is "magazine extension".... but... $299 model I found in Big5 is already 18" barrel and 7 shots......

http://big5sportinggoods.shoplocal.c...pagenumber%3d6

My 870 was an Express model and I had to drill out the magazine(voiding the warranty-which I didn't know I was doing at the time) to install the extended magazine. I was disappointed in it's ugly, easily rusted finish. Being a n00b to guns, I assumed all 870s were like that and wondered what the big deal was? After reading that Police shotgun post, it's clear that the Police 870 is a better tactical duty weapon, but if you want it to shoot and not spend too much, buy the 870 Express.

I think $299.00 is too much money for a 870 Express.

[Jicko]

I was thinking, if I have to pay like $539 to get a 870Tactical.... from turners... why don't I just pay about the same $$ to get the FN TPS from online... and it got the rails, ported barrel, pistol grip, telescoping stock and a C-more red-dot sight.....

[rushta]

870 express riot from turners is 339, sometimes 309. Also police models aren't all super expensive. You can get them for around 400 if you look around enough.

[esskay]

I have a 870 police, it also has a parkerized finish IIRC.

[Omega13device]

I was thinking, if I have to pay like $539 to get a 870Tactical.... from turners... why don't I just pay about the same $$ to get the FN TPS from online... and it got the rails, ported barrel, pistol grip, telescoping stock and a C-more red-dot sight.....

What makes the 870 Tactical $240 better than the Express 18" synthetic HD model with the 7-shot mag? Is it just more tacticool?

[Jicko]

What makes the 870 Tactical $240 better than the Express 18" synthetic HD model with the 7-shot mag? Is it just more tacticool?

I've been asking that questions...

And I really would like to know what are the exact "Police Accessories" (surefires??) that a 870Police can use and a 870Express can't.....

870Tactical DO have its benefit... in that it comes with the Knoxx Industry $130 SpecOps recoil reduction pistolgrip/stock.... (but this is the only thing i know... I don't even know if 870Tactical is built on top of an 870P or an 870E)

[rushta]

870 Tactical is on an express reciever. The Police is beefier as stated before, and worth it in my eyes. The specops stock isnt worth much to me. Just get a bunch of ammo and shoot it up at clay pigeons or doing drills. 100 rds a week (15 for the federal value packs at walmart) for two months and slugs, 00b, and whatever else you want to shoot will not bother you much. I can shoot a lot of full power 00b out of a light Mossberg 500 with out any trouble after building up some toughness in my shoulder, kinda like blocking with forearms in karate. After you get used to a lot of shooting it, it ceases to hurt.

The Police has a parkerized finish, stronger springs, a metal triggerguard ($80 seperate), the R3 recoil pad ($30 seperate, very good), and it says POLICE MAGNUM on the side too.

It's worth the extra money to get the police. At impact guns, you can get an 870P starting at $400. If the specops stock was so wonderful I think you might see some .mil support.

The Remington Police models are the same ones supplied to the military. #4449 is my personal favorite but it is slightly pricey at $580 with the wilson combat sights. I will pick one up as soon as I finish my 2 ARs and get a M700 for my big scope to go on.

870s have a STEEL reciever, which is far superior to aluminium in my eyes because it adds good weight up close and balances better. The more a gun weighs, the slower the recoil velocity (the acceleration of the firearm towards you on firing) and the more of a "push" the recoil comes rather than a punch.

Mossber 590s and 500s are fine too. The 590s were going for 339 at turners recently, and the 500s will go on sale at big 5 for 240 with an 18 and 28 inch barrel.

870s are better, in my opinion though. Get an 870 police, I don't think you will regret it.

[Jicko]

rushta, thanks for your posting.... there are just so many variation on a 870that make it so confusing.... and your posting is to the point stating the real difference between a 870P and 870E....

now... is there ANY local stores that carry these? I know Big5 and Turner always have some 870... but seemingly now, that they won't be the nice "POLICE" version?

do you know anything about the FN-TPS then? once getting up to like $500+.... I may be able to get a FN-TPS instead...