remington 870

[Naches Sportsman]

Who uses one for hunting? I have been seeing a few floating around for cheap and wanting to know some pros and cons of them. I was looking at a synthetic for 275 today and was thinking that I should buy a cheap gun as I usually shoot my expensive berettas which wouldn't be good if I dropped it in the water.

[mrolen]

I think im up to 4 870s now they seem to multiply when they go in the safe In my opinion they are the best pump shotgun out there for the money. the only complaint I have about them is the finish sucks it will rust. rattle can it or spend some coin and have it cerakoted.

[Mongo Hunter]

I used one for a while for hunting and have since started to convert it to a SHTF gun. 870 is one of the best shotguns ever made, parts are everywhere, its easy to disassemble to clean, its rugged reliable, what else do you need?

[Mongo Hunter]

I should say its an automatic so its an 870 express.

If its an Auto its not an 870. the 870 is a pump gun so is it a 11-87 or an 1100?

[Bofire]

ten million sold!!!!! best pump gun built, my 2!!    There is a huge difference between the Express and Wingmaster. The wingmaster being FAR superior.
Carl

[Timberstalker]

You can't buy a better pump shotgun. Period.
I built a trap grade custom last year and shot just over 10k shells through it in 8 months. No hitches. They do the job.

[lokidog]

I love my 1963 Wingmaster, though I hunt more now with my Nova because I can shoot 3" shells with it.

[2labs]

ten million sold!!!!! best pump gun built, my 2!!    There is a huge difference between the Express and Wingmaster. The wingmaster being FAR superior.
Carl

The 1970 safe queen and the el cheapo. The wingmaster is in about 90% condition. Awesome, love this gun. The express is ugly and functions well. Wingmaster,best pump ever made. IMO.

[uplandhunter870]

I do. best field field gun ever made in terms of reliability and toughness.  i have 3, 20 ga wingmaster, 12 ga express and a 410 express. ive had the 410 since i was a teen it was my cherry orchard gun i honestly cant tell you how many starlings that gun has sent to starling heaven, the finish has worn off the grip and forearm yet i have never cleaned it and it still goes bang everytime.

ive torn several apart and fixed a few they are an engineering marvel, so simple to work on and parts are stupid easy to find and cheap to get

[GEARHEAD]

been using mine anually since 1987, the parts are the same since more than 30 years prior and up to now, never failed me, ever.

[Tiger1358]

Who uses one for hunting? I have been seeing a few floating around for cheap and wanting to know some pros and cons of them. I was looking at a synthetic for 275 today and was thinking that I should buy a cheap gun as I usually shoot my expensive berettas which wouldn't be good if I dropped it in the water.

Get a Mossberg 500 All purpose shotgun for $249.99 from Walmart with wooden stock and 28" barrel. It comes with F,M, and IC chokes and 10 years warranty.

[rasbo]

870 best in my mind wouldnt even think about any other

[troyspinetar]

Have a Rem 870 20 gauge. Great chukar gun!

[Forrestrover.02]

I love my 870 & have killed a lot of things with it. Great investment.

[follow maggie]

Love mine. It's all scratched up, finish is coming off the wod and it doesn't look like much, but it goes bang every time and hits right where it's pointed.  How do you go wrong with that?

[turkeyfeather]

I have an express magnum and a wingmaster. They both function flawlessly but the wingmaster is alot smoother (operation) and feels nicer in the hands. I actually almost prefer it to my $1000 SX3.

[Bullkllr]

ten million sold!!!!! best pump gun built, my 2!!    There is a huge difference between the Express and Wingmaster. The wingmaster being FAR superior.
Carl

  I have a Wingmaster I bought about 35 years ago. I can't even imagine the thousands of rounds put through that thing. It still functions flawlessly. Buddies who have hunted next to me wore out/broke at least a couple guns each in the same time period. I have other shotguns, but I still always take the 870. It just feels right.
I notice a big difference in the feel and "solidness" between the old wingmaster and the newer express- besides the poor finish on the express.

[BigGoonTuna]

i've had a wingmaster for about 5 years now.  i bought it thinking new would be better than used...it's a nice gun, and much better than any express, but still isn't quite as buttery smooth as the ones made 30+ years ago.  hunting saltwater took its toll on the finish, so i had it cerakoted by nw hydroprint.  it's like having a new gun now!  take it home, give it a wipe off with a damp towel and i'm good to go.  the only "drawback" is that it's only got a 3" chamber...but i'd never want to touch off a 3.5" super mag in a 7lb gun.  i stick to the 10ga for that.

[Rob]

Mine will be 23 years old next month-a Christmas gift from my dad the year before I got married.   I literally have well over 10,000 rounds through her (I call her Heather) - did some basic math based on trips to the shotgun range a few years back.

Together we have shot Rio Grande/Eastern & Merriam turkey, Canadian goose, snow goose, probably a dozen species of duck, coot, woodcock, ruffed grouse, spruce grouse, blue/bobwhite & California quail, pheasant, catfish, chucker (evil birds), pigeon, white wing/mourning dove & black banded dove, guinea fowl, cotton tail/snowshoe & jack rabbit, Hungarian and gray Partridge, and heaven only knows what else with her.  Someday we will shoot a deer together.

We have taken countless walks together and put endless miles on the boots in all kinds of weather.  We have nearly fallen to our death together (too many times to count!)

I have dropped her through ice, shook the water out and shot a duck.  I have left her leaned up against the truck and drove off and had to drive 500 miles round trip in the middle of the night to go retrieve her. 

We have hunted in 8 states (Washington, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Minnesota, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona) and Namibia.

Two years ago the extractor broke.  I would have spent any $ needed to fix her – in excess of the value of the gun.  I worked with wades to send it back to Remington.  They repaired and send it back to me and even put a fresh new coat on the receiver at no charge.


She is beat up and banged up and beautiful to me.  Never has anything I have had ever felt so natural and as much of an extension to my body than this shotgun.  I hope to be buried with her!

[lokidog]

Nice write up Rob, but pretty selfish to take that with you... let her live on, she's got way more life in her than you do.   

[Rob]

true...  true... 

but only if I can find a worthy person to leave her to.

I have firearms worth many many times the value of this one, but she is my hands down favorite.

[ohopluke]

I have an 870 Magnum from my grandpa, not sure how old it is, but it is a great gun. A touch heavy for ground pounding all day but great if your sitting in a blind. You can't argue with the millions sold. I don't think the finish is aging as well as some of my other guns, but it has spent most of its time on the water. Mossberg 500 is another great gun, a little cheaper, not quite as tight but I have one that has never failed, and it's been swimming a couple times.

[BiggLuke]

I have and old beat up 870, 3 1/2" camo gun that is my new favorite gun.
Picked it up for under $300 at a gunshow a couple year back, and it's a beast. It's been shot thousands of times before I got it. I have dropped it in mud and frozen water and sand, but it still pumps shells out like it was brand new.

I love it.

[lokidog]

i've had a wingmaster for about 5 years now.  i bought it thinking new would be better than used...it's a nice gun, and much better than any express, but still isn't quite as buttery smooth as the ones made 30+ years ago.  hunting saltwater took its toll on the finish, so i had it cerakoted by nw hydroprint.  it's like having a new gun now!  take it home, give it a wipe off with a damp towel and i'm good to go.  the only "drawback" is that it's only got a 3" chamber...but i'd never want to touch off a 3.5" super mag in a 7lb gun.  i stick to the 10ga for that.

Mine would be with me more, but the 2 3/4" action is somewhat limiting.  I do have a 3" chambered barrel and found that if I cycle it really hard the empty hulls will clear the action but mostly use it now for coons around the house.

[724wd]

it was my cherry orchard gun i honestly cant tell you how many starlings that gun has sent to starling heaven

starlings don't go to heaven 

[Fowlweather25]

  i hate starlings!

I love my 870!