New Remington 870 - Thoughts? Opinions?

adrock1978

adrock1978

Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
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I've been holding out for an 870 for years, trying to decide which model I want, which configuration, and which one had the most bang for the buck. Last year they introduced model number 81198 - 7 round round mag tube, factory Picatinny rail, XS Ghost ring sights, Tacticool door breach choke all with a tough as nails black finish. For under $500!! I was set... ready to pull the trigger.
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Then they had to go introduce model 81204... and I'm stumped. Same accessories, same chamber size, same everything EXCEPT!!! the Speedfeed pistol grip stock, which would be great for turkey/deer hunting. Damn!! Anyone have any wisdom or opinions? Both guns would be used for double duty hunting/HD. All those features are perfect

81204.jpg
 
adrock1978 said:
Look everyone! Captain Obvious!... Round of applause for Captain Obvious! :D Hahaha... I'm kidding. I know!!! But there are literally hundreds of models.
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I hear you... ;)

I am thinking about picking up a no frills standard 870 here soon. :D

I don't need all that fancy stuff. :thumbup:

I had a few of them years ago.
 
I own every guage available for the 870. I love that shotgun. I have never had any reliability issues them. My 12 guage has been by my side for the last 15yrs and has shot hundreds of rounds of sheet and has taken down hundreds of ducks / geese and even a deer. IMO it's one of the best meat guns on the market.

No one will drool of it but it will never fall you if you clean it once in a while and get used to pumping.. LOL
 
Ankerson said:
I hear you... ;)

I am thinking about picking up a no frills standard 870 here soon. :D

I don't need all that fancy stuff. :thumbup:

I had a few of them years ago.
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Yeah, I'm really not a fancy stuff guy either, but if you hunt with it, you end up putting on after market scope mounts or different sights or different stocks or barrels. I hate frills... really I do. But both these models have a few smart upgrades I'd get anyway. Plus an 18" smooth bore barrel that can handle shot or sabots right out of the box.
 
My favorite Remington 870 is my Wilson Arms WP870 (AOW) that was built from a Remington 870:

wawp870-aow-right-1.jpg
 
IMO for freehand shooting .... so no sling and stood up free style .... the pistol grip takes the weight of the weapon better for a steadier sight picture at stationary targets using "slug" .... say hitting clays nailed to a target at 25 yards ..... but if hitting moving targets and needing to swing through .... the traditional grip works best .... so it depends on your most frequent use. For practical shotgun comps I think the pistol grip works best .... for survival/living off the land the traditional stock works best .... I have a Benelli combat semi auto with very similar spec options .... I went for the traditional stock option .... with practise you can still do well freehand at still targets but shooting moving targets with a pistol grip is harder to keep swinging through ....
 
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adrock1978 said:
Yeah, I'm really not a fancy stuff guy either, but if you hunt with it, you end up putting on after market scope mounts or different sights or different stocks or barrels. I hate frills... really I do. But both these models have a few smart upgrades I'd get anyway. Plus an 18" smooth bore barrel that can handle shot or sabots right out of the box.
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Yeah just old plain old standard 12 Gauge with 3" chamber with Modified choke barrel is fine for me. ;) They work with Shot or Slugs. ;)

I shot thousands of rounds through mine and never had any problems hitting what I was aiming at.
 
lunde said:
My favorite Remington 870 is my Wilson Arms WP870 (AOW) that was built from a Remington 870:

wawp870-aow-right-1.jpg
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Thats a thing of beauty. Unfortunately I live in The People's Republik Of New Jerseystan, and an SBS is a no-no

PeterPHWS said:
IMO for freehand shooting .... so no sling and stood up free style .... the pistol grip takes the weight of the weapon better for a steadier sight picture at stationary targets using "slug" .... say hitting clays nailed to a target at 25 yards ..... but if hitting moving targets and needing to swing through .... the traditional grip works best .... so it depends on your most frequent use. For practical shotgun comps I think the pistol grip works best .... for survival/living off the land the traditional stock works best .... I have a Bennelli combat semi auto with very similar spec options .... I went for the traditional stock option .... with practise you can still do well freehand at still targets but shooting moving targets with a pistol grip is harder to keep swinging through ....
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Excellent excellent info. I've shot plenty of traditional stocked 870's. I always smash my nose with the back of my thumb/wrist being over the comb. Plus I feel I can handle the gun better with a pistol grip. I'm most concerned with turkey and deer, so stationary targets will be the norm. Its not like I'm limited to ONLY using the pistol grip, but like I said I'd like to get the gun with the most options right out of the box. I can always pick up a cheap stock later on.
 
I think that in this configuration that the second one down with the pistol grip would be a better choice cause in this configuration it will be a great self defense, and dual purpose turkey/deer gun.

Neither model is going to be the best at wing shooting configured the way it is so I would go with the bottom one. :thumbup:

Also, I shoot rifled slugs in a smooth bore, and I would shoot sabots in a rifled barrel.
 
I highly recommend looking for an old wingmaster and then building the gun you want. You can do it for close to the same price and the wingmaster or old police models are much better built than the new ones.
 
adrock1978 said:
shot or sabots right out of the box.
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Not to Mr Obvious II, but the sabot rounds will be less efficient without a rifled component to your barrel.

From the looks, those models are threaded for RemChoke tubes, and there is an extended rifled choke tube marketed.

There are two camps on those.

The first says they work fine, as they impart adequate spin on the projectile/sabot where the round is traveling "normal" through most of the barrel and is only "grabbed" and spun during the last 3-inches by the rifled tube.

Second camp says you must have a fully-rifled barrel or the sabots are wasted, since the projectile/sabot is rotating from the time (essentially) it enters the barrel only with a fully-rifled barrel, and not just the last few inches.

YMMV
 
go with the standard Remington 870 Police model

it has:
-Milled shell extractor.
-Heavy wall thickness barrel. (can be sent to Hans Vang of vang comp for barrel work)
-Extra heavy springs for the shell lifter, mag, extractor.
-Metal trigger guard.
-Parkerized finish.
-+2 mag tube extension.

these are some of the things that are not on the express model, & of the ones pictured there may be variations of the options in them as well.

hope this helps
 
I dunno....

I killed more game than disease with a very old Single Shot 12 Gauge 2 3/4" chamber. ;)

Then I got my 1st 870 and well dead is just dead you know. :D
 
I'd recommend getting the top one and adding a Knox/Blackhawk recoil reducing stock so you can shoot it more than you thought possible:D. It's amazing the difference the stock makes. A few weeks ago I fired 5 full power slugs from a seated position in a match. I stayed seated and no bruise.

GregB
 
thatmguy said:
Not to Mr Obvious II, but the sabot rounds will be less efficient without a rifled component to your barrel.

From the looks, those models are threaded for RemChoke tubes, and there is an extended rifled choke tube marketed.

There are two camps on those.

The first says they work fine, as they impart adequate spin on the projectile/sabot where the round is traveling "normal" through most of the barrel and is only "grabbed" and spun during the last 3-inches by the rifled tube.

Second camp says you must have a fully-rifled barrel or the sabots are wasted, since the projectile/sabot is rotating from the time (essentially) it enters the barrel only with a fully-rifled barrel, and not just the last few inches.

YMMV
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You're right... I meant slug, not sabot. Being a smooth bore I can shoot slugs or shot from one barrel. I'd tend to agree though that a fully rifled barrel with a sabot would be a more accurate projectile. At least in my experience.

Adrenaline said:
go with the standard Remington 870 Police model

it has:
-Milled shell extractor.
-Heavy wall thickness barrel. (can be sent to Hans Vang of vang comp for barrel work)
-Extra heavy springs for the shell lifter, mag, extractor.
-Metal trigger guard.
-Parkerized finish.
-+2 mag tube extension.

these are some of the things that are not on the express model, & of the ones pictured there may be variations of the options in them as well.

hope this helps
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It does help, and it was a concern. Both models pictured actually have the last 3 features you listed despite being an express. I can always upgrade the springs and follower.

MORIMOTOM said:
i dont think rails or ghost rings will be all that necessary for hunting.
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Well, like I said its also going to serve as an HD gun... plus, on the contrary a picatinny rail is the perfect platform for a scope or some sort of red dot. I've seen plenty of guys get more mileage out of their Aim Point while turkey hunting than with any other use.

I'm not trying to argue all the suggestions. I appreciate them. Like I said though, I've already settled on one of these two guns.
 
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