Although Mossberg shotguns get a lot of attention and are often thought of as "the best", Remington offers a pretty aggressive competitor to the 500 and 590 series shotguns in the form of the 870 Express series.
Table of contents
Introduction
Pump-action shotguns, despite their venerable age, are some of the most revered and effective firearms on the planet- their effectively flawless reliability, simplicity and raw power make them extremely potent and effective tools for hunters, civilians defending their homes, military units, police officers and anyone else who needs to armed.
Among the very finest- if not the single best of them all- is the Remington 870 series of shotguns.
Like many of the weapons we review here, the Remington 870 is widely known and is praised and trusted worldwide, and its success has spawned sub-variants that have further improved upon it in various ways.
This week, we will be taking a look at one of the most popular incarnations of this excellent weapon, the 870 Express.
We will be giving an in-depth review of its functions, its features and how it handles and shoots, as well as a little bit about its background, purpose and hopefully, help you decide if it is indeed right for you.
Ready? Let's read!
A brief history of the Remington 870
Over the last century, the basic core design of most shotguns has remained more or less the same, but new materials, manufacturing processes and philosophies have further improved upon the weapons of old over the years.
In the late 1940's, the pump-action shotgun was one such type of weapon that- while being excellent and devastatingly effective throughout its existence- nevertheless needed a more modernized design, as models such as the Winchester M1897 and M1912 had been around for decades by this time and were beginning to show their age and where on the track to becoming obsolete by military standards.
Enter Remington. In 1950, the 870 model was produced from the ashes of the Remington model 31- which was a well-designed and well-received shotgun in its own right, but it carried a lofty price tag compared to other shotguns of the era, and this made it difficult for the firm to make financial inroads with such lucrative customers as the U.S military.
It was an instant success over the model 31, and by the mid 1970's, the Remington 870 had outsold its predecessor tenfold, and in 1983, officially claimed the title as the most produced shotgun in history.
Its success continues today unabated, and more than 11 million of these shotguns have been sold to satisfied customers all over the world, and most popular incarnation of the 870 lineup is most likely the subject of this week's article- the Remington 870 Express.
Hands on experience- function, features and more
First impressions
A slight disclaimer- when you first pick this shotgun up, its "feel" won't really stand out to you, especially if you've used any pump action shotgun before.
That's because the Remington 870 Express doesn't really look or feel any different from any other similarly-sized pump-action shotgun- there's no special gimmicks you have to learn or anything, and even if it's your first shotgun, the learning curve should be quite forgiving (new shooters take note).
The trigger, slide action and manual safety (which is a button-type trigger safety) all feel fine, being crisp but firm and easy to operate, and the 870 Express has an average (or maybe slightly above average) front-to-back weight balance- even holding it in a low ready position, it's surprisingly fast to swing up and point with.
It's also worth noting that the Remington 870 family has a solid steel receiver, which makes it both serviceable and incredibly tough (some of these weapons will last decades if you take care of them).
But overall, it's nothing exceptional for a shotgun in terms of physical feel or basic function, but don't leave yet- we're just getting started.
Features
Where it starts to stand out is how modular it is (for a shotgun, anyways).
You don't normally find shotguns with such an array of add-ons, aftermarket parts and whole subvariants available, and this is part of the reason why it's appealed to so many- whether you need a particularly niche choke, a collapsing stock, a shell holder, a red dot or a longer barrel, you can find a solution through the Remington 870 Express without having to buy an entire new gun.
The amount of subvariants of the Remington 870 Express is also worth noting- they come in a variety of barrel lengths from 14 inches to 30 inches, and since they all weigh between 7 and 8 pounds, they all will handle roughly the same even between really short and really long barrels.
There are also variants with synthetic stocks and furniture for decreased weight (or wooden furniture if you prefer that flamboyantly elitist, boomer aesthetic) as well as collapsing stocks, pistol grips, picatinny rails and even camouflage patterns straight from the factory- if you will it, it is no dream.
Moving on to specific individual features of the Remington 870 Express themselves, the shotgun feature a twin action bar (which will help ensure reliability and a smooth action, for those who don't know what this means or why it matters) as well as the ability to readily change out a barrel.
The 12-gauge variant of the gun also comes with a stock that is interchangeable with 20-gauge variants (although slight modification may be needed to ensure a comfortable fit).
The only real downside I can see with its design is in regard to disassembling the shotgun for any upgrades, maintenance or part replacements- the 870 Express is a bit of pain on this end (a bit more difficult than, say, a Mossberg 500), but it still shouldn't bother you too much. I'd prefer my guns to come apart and come back together quickly and smoothly when I need them too, but since even "simple" firearms are still relatively complicated machines, that's not always possible.
Shooting it
And here we come to the number one reason why the Remington 870 Express is so damn popular- it's reliable as the sun rising in the morning. I could write all day about it, as a matter of fact.
I've been shooting this gun for over a decade and no matter what I put through it keeps shooting- even with minimal maintenance and cleaning.
The last time I shot the 870, I went to one of three nearby gun ranges I frequently visit to do my testing (since nobody here can do shot in their backyard) and spent hours shooting slugs and only stopped because I was getting a splitting headache and my shoulder was bruising up something awful.
I don't know exactly how many rounds I put through it, but I'm guessing it was in the neighborhood of 100-150. I don't remember who manufactured the ammo, but I got it cheap, so I wasn't shooting top draw stuff, here. The weapon also looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months and the rangemaster mentioned it had about a quarter of a million rounds through it since they got it "10 or 12 years ago" (his words).
And guess what? Aside from occasionally being a little sticky here and there, it worked like a dream- when it came to both the gun and the ammo, there were no failures of any kind (a high bar even for some pump-action shotguns, which are known for their raw reliability).
Like all pump action shotguns, the Remington 870 Express is also fun as hell to shoot- it's hefty yet manageable weight soaks up recoil (even from slugs) really well, and the feeling of that powerful, reverberating boom combined with racking the slide the chamber another round unmatched for me and millions of others.
Overall, it's a fantastic shooting experience by every measure. In addition, its reliability means you can trust it with anything you'd need to trust it with- dealing with wildlife, protecting the life and welfare of others or even your own life- it will go bang whenever you need it too.
Pros and cons
Pros
Supremely reliable
Durable and long-lasting (even for a pump-action shotgun)
Quite customizable
Comes in a great many variants
Cons
Not particularly fast or easy to take apart
Final thoughts
The pump action shotgun has been and probably will remain one of the most important and bluntly effective firearms in existence for many decades to come, and while most pump-action shotguns can readily fulfill common roles as hunting weapons, tools for self-defense or the weapons for military and police units, it's nevertheless important to have a shotgun that is particularly flexible, reliable and ready for anything you could need it for.
So, while we have seen many designs in the last century that have seemingly maxed out the capabilities of a shotgun, the Remington 870 Express series- more than any other shotgun bar it's 500/590 rivals- has currently pushed the envelope the farthest and fulfilled whatever role it's been put in the best.
Superb reliability and durability, all manner of subvariants, add-ons and upgrades anyone could ever possibly want and all for a reasonable price likely make this the single best pump action shotgun ever made, and if you're serious about needing a shotgun, the Remington 870 Express series is calling your name and has your back.
Gun stats
Note: stats may vary depending on the source as well as other factors (specific make, model, materials etc.)- please consult the manufacturer for exact and official information on specific models.
Gauge | 12-gauge (Standard), 20-gauge, 28-gauge, .410 bore also available |
Action | Pump action |
Barrel length | Varies from 14 inches to 30 inches depending on model (18.5-28-inch barrels are the most common) |
Overall length | ~34-50 inches (depending on the barrel length, whether or not you've added a collapsing stock etc.) |
Weight | ~7-8 pounds (again largely depending on the specific model) |
Magazine capacity | Varies from 3+1 to 7+1 rounds depending on the model |
Safety | Button safety located on the rear of the trigger guard |
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