870 Police

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SATX man

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Can anyone tell me what the difference between the 870 express and the police model?
 
As Posted Here A`While Ago - A Great Rundown!

Again, here's the differences between Remington 870 models:

The Express is Remington's "budget" gun, made to compete with the cheaper to make Winchester and Mossberg guns.

The Wingmaster is Remington’s "Cadillac" top-of-the-line sporting gun.

The Police is a Wingmaster with a dull finish and is a much more carefully inspected and built gun.

The new "Tactical" and Marine Magnum guns are based on the Express.

How Remington lowered the Express price was to reduce hand labor to a bare minimum, and to eliminate much of the polishing and de-burring the better quality Wingmaster and Police guns get.

The Express is basically the same forged and milled steel receiver and heavy-duty internals gun the better 870's are, just in a rougher, less well finished form with plastic and MIM parts.

The Express Model has:
A plastic trigger group.
The dimples in the mag tube and the new style plastic magazine retention system, EXCEPT on the extended magazine versions, which do NOT have the dimples.
A rougher finish inside and outside, with machine marks and some burrs left.
A rougher, bead blasted blue job.
A less polished bore.
A two piece sleeved barrel. (not 100% sure about this)
Hardwood or synthetic stock, with a sporting-length fore end and pressed-in checkering.
The Defense version has 18", Cylinder bore barrel, with a bead sight.
The Marine Magnum and Tactical models have plated or polymer finishes.
Some Metal Injection Molded (MIM) parts, like the extractor.

The Wingmaster has:
An aluminum trigger group.
The old style magazine retention system.
A much smoother finish inside and out, no machine marks or burrs.
The Wingmaster gun receives a higher level of inspection and finishing.
A fine, commercial polished blue finish.
A polished bore.
A chrome plated bolt.
A one piece barrel.
Walnut stocks with the famous "Bowling Pin" finish in gloss or satin. and better checkering.
Wide choices in barrel lengths and choke options.
No use of MIM parts, the extractor is milled.
The Wingmaster is the full top-of-the-line commercial Remington pump gun, and is priced accordingly.

The 870 Police has:
An aluminum trigger group.
The old style magazine retention system.
A much smoother finish inside and out, no machine marks or burrs.
The Police gun receives a higher level of inspection and finishing and is built in a special area of the plant from 100% inspected parts.
A military-grade parkerized finish.
A polished bore.
A one piece barrel.
Walnut or synthetic stock, with a short police-length fore end.
The Remington “R3” super recoil pad that reduces felt recoil by 30%.
Choices in different stocks, including Speed-feed, and others.
18" to 20" improved cylinder barrel, with a wide choice in sights, including rifle, ghost ring, and luminous.
Police options like magazine extenders, forearms with built-in lights, and sling swivels.
Heavy-duty magazine spring.
Heavy-duty trigger-sear spring.
Heavy-duty shell lifter spring.
Sling swivel mounts.
No use of MIM parts, the extractor is milled.

The Express is a "bottom of the line" budget gun, the Wingmaster is a "top of the line" sporting gun, the Police is the top-of-the-line in defense guns.
The 870's are generally considered to be the finest quality pump gun made.
 
Except the note about the one-piece barrel. That's been in the list forever. I've never heard of a two-piece 870 barrel, always struck me as kind of odd.
 
" Can anyone tell me what the difference between the 870 express and the police model? "

New? Around $250-300 bucks.

You get what you pay for. Save up and buy the cop gun. You'll never look back.
 
" Can anyone tell me what the difference between the 870 express and the police model? "

New? Around $250-300 bucks.

You get what you pay for. Save up and buy the cop gun. You'll never look back.

I've had 870Es that functioned better than 870Ps, better fit and function. It works the otherway too.
It depends on whether or not the finish and trigger group is that important to you. For my money I'd get the 870 "E" p/n 25077. I know Wilson and Nighthawk use the plastic trigger groups in their builds, this may or may not mean anything to you.
 
Any Dealer that stocks for police departments, Gunbroker.com, bigskyguns.com (expensive).

Don't turn down the older WingMaster 2 3/4 inch used police guns either. They do not say "police" on the side but they are "WingMaster Police" guns and are made just as good as any of the 3 inch police guns. They usually go for about half to a third less than the new ones.
 
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The barrels all start out the same, one piece, the Expresses just get less work. The only spring that I know is different is the magazine spring. That is not bad, because there is nothing wrong with Wingmaster springs. Check the parts list. Remington identifies all the police parts; extractor, fore end, mag spring, etc.
Also note, I have seen a lot of police models that were polished and blued. I believe when a department placed an order they could get them however they wanted them.
 
OK where could one buy a police model at?

Any gun dealer can special order one for you.
Some may not want to go to the trouble, since they have to order from a distributor who's a Remington factory Law Enforcement distributor.
Many Remington factory distributors are sporting distributors, not LE.

Since many dealers don't deal with the LE distributors, its a special order for them, and they may not want to do it.
Find a different dealer.

Remington's LE web site:
http://www.remingtonle.com
 
I'm pretty sure newer {2006 onwards?} 870Ps also have the plastic trigger group, and generally don't seem to to do enough to justify their price premium over the better of the Express based guns.
 
OK where could one buy a police model at?

Buds now has used police with rifle sights. Mags are 290 and 2 3/4 are 250. Have not yet seen one myself. Neither says police on the side but then two out of my three do not.

budsgunshop.com
 
Purchased my 870P spring of 2008 and it came with the plastic trigger guard. I've heard they've since gone back to aluminum.

Well, I've been selling them since '02 and have not seen any plastic trigger groups. I would call Remington and see if you can get one as a replacement for the plastic one you have.
 
Why the big objection to plastic? Seriously. I mean Glock got rich using it, Ruger has a new revolver with a lot of it, I would think it would be better than aluminum myself. No more worries about scraping off the anodizing and having a silver spot for one. Benelli uses it and it's innovative, Remington does it and everyone cries.
 
Personally I don't care if the trigger guard itself is plastic. What I don't like is the trigger mechanism is working on a plastic assembly, especially on a shotgun.
To each his own. If that works for you fine, I don't like the idea of a plastic trigger group.
 
"Well, I've been selling them since '02 and have not seen any plastic trigger groups. I would call Remington and see if you can get one as a replacement for the plastic one you have."

Nope, nada, no way. My shotgun is used primarly for bear defense on steep, rough mountain trails where it's all to easy to slip and fall. I'd much rather stick to the polymer as it's far tougher and better able to take my kind of abuse than aluminum ever could.
 
INope, nada, no way. My shotgun is used primarly for bear defense on steep, rough mountain trails where it's all to easy to slip and fall. I'd much rather stick to the polymer as it's far tougher and better able to take my kind of abuse than aluminum ever could.

If you'd have read my post you'd have seen I don't mind a plastic trigger guard. It's the idea of plastic as a basis for a trigger mechanism that I oppose.

I've seen thousands of Wingmasters dating back decades and most were hunting rigs. Don't recall one that had a broken or bent trigger guard. Ask the Mossberg guys how well their plastic 590 safties work out.
 
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