Remington 870 Express Tactical Shotgun Review (HD) 

Legend has it they’re still working on that Quality Control

I have the same one I never have had any problems at all with it. It works awesome

I'm a Mossberg guy through and through but 870s are a strong #2 in my book. Thanks again bro.

So just bought a recent 870 express. Got a good deal out of it and I have to say, it's been shooting great. No rust issues also. You should relook them. 😊

This is exactly why I bought a Mossberg!!! I'm very happy and haven't had any of these issues or any at all!! I love the old 870s but not going to buy a new one now!

I bought the Remington 870 express tactical magpul 12ga a little over a year ago has 5-600 through it no malfunctions so far and has been my truck gun no rusting been a great gun 799 brand still no complaints on my end

I have two 870s. One is a Magnum Express from 1991 and the other is an 870 Tactical from 2014. Both are good guns and I've never had any jams/malfunctions, but I was always taught to rack that slide "like it owed you money." Most jams with a pump gun are operator induced. You gotta rack it like you mean it! I did polish the chamber of the 2014 gun with steel wool and an electric drill because I could feel some tool marks with my finger. The 1991 gun is smooth as butter from use. Great guns though.

Thanks for the honest review. My 870 has major rusting issues too and wish I would've seen a video like this before getting it.

I bought a brand new production 870 tactical basic version with the express finish a couple months ago, and when I started taking it apart and cleaning it, it didn't take long for me to discover that the finish was initially FILTHY when I used ballistol on it. With that kind of crud coming off just from wiping it once, it's easy to see why they rust so frequently. Half an hour of cleaning later, and the finish is as clean as a whistle. Only shot around 40 some rounds of federal, remington, and Winchester ammunition through it. No problems at all so far. The point I'm trying to get across; field strip and clean any new gun before using it; you'll never know what you'll find.

Thats why I went with the 590a1, I do massive research on any firearms I want before I buy. Thanks to guys like you who take the time to review guns and gear, saves alot of us money and trouble. THANK YOU SIR!!!.

wow, my remington police model and my 870 HD have never malfunctioned.

i have a 590a1 with xs sights i bought for hog hunting, and just bought a 870 police, for well my duty shotgun. i had to buy the remington for my departments policy. i will say that the remington is easier to take apart. the mossberg: i like the open elevator in the bottom, i like the one piece mag tube so i dont have to take off a barrel brace for disassembly, and the action release is nice behind the trigger (i could see possibly an accidental engagement though). Remington: i love the way the trigger and bolt come out, mossberg isnt hard but i had to read the manual actually to line things up and learn. the remington is smoother to operate, mossberg is smooth but remington is like glass. both are very tough and good shotguns, i do like the steel reciever on a remington but its negligible. both have pros and cons. i will say the mossberg is much easier to get than a new police, luckily i live near and am LE so i had access to a police pretty quick.

My Remington Express was actually a police trade in. I replaced the bolt and trigger group with the ones found in the 870 Police Models (purchased from Brownell's). I also replaced the barrel with a Vang Comp. It has not had a malfunction since then.

Bought my 870 Security back in '92, she still runs like a champ. The only thing I ever really had to add was a mag extension. I hate when good companies sell out and turn to crap.

I have heard many of the same complaints. I have one of the 870 Tactical models and in the beginning I really worked to break it in and it cycles like butter now with zero issues. It's nearing 1000+ rounds through the gun, mostly rio, federal and some winchester stuff. I have even used it in 3-gun and it was great. My only complaint is that it does not come with a choked barrel. Great review

My magpul express tactical was manufactured in January, 2014. It has the cerakote finish with zero signs of rust. Changed the extractor to a non-mim extractor, upgraded the dog carrier spring, swapped out the safety switch for the Wilson Combat larger one, replaced the plastic follower with an aluminum one. Tbh, I haven't put alot of rounds through it, so far no hiccups. But I've now decided I want it to be my home defense gun so I will be running it at the range. The bore feels smooth, no burrs or rough spots. If I have any extraction issues, I'll have my gunsmith polish it up.

I'm in the market for a home defense scatter gun and super glad I found this video (i do watch a lot of yours but just have not seen this one). The 870 was on the top of my list, key word is was. It's a shame that Remington has taken probably the most popular shotgun in all the world and let their quality control completely ruin it. Looks like my research continues and I'll give the 590 more consideration. Thanks for the great reviews.

I just watched a video that explains and fixed my 870. The videos creator seems to have found the problem and the solution. Clearing and PERMANENTLY FIXING a Remington 870 JAM - Failure to Extract FTE

Ive had a new one for about 6 months, awesome quality, hunted in the rain and no rust, all the failure to eject were due to short-chucking. No idea what any of y'all are talking about i love my 870

Just got mine this summer, 2k rounds through it with only a handful of extraction problems. Those were likely due to me, and not the gun. I train using situational shooting (having access to the farm is great) and the failures were usually when firing from very awkward positions, usually with the ejection port pointing straight up, our when I was running the action VERY quickly. But overall i am very happy with it. It has run everything from high brass 00 3" hunting loads, sabot slugs, breach rounds and a mountain of #8 bird shot wokehand throwing clay.

I bought a Remington 887 nitro mag for my first shotgun. I wasn't even able to put 2 boxes off shells through it before I returned it to Remington. After almost every shot the spent she'll jammed in the chamber and I couldn't get the action to cycle. I had to break it down to get the spent shell out. Remington said the extractor was machined to short. I won't buy another new Remington shotgun. I would buy an older winchester without hesitation but nothing new. Good review keep up the good informative videos. Happy New Year.

I've had mine for about 5 years. I've only had a few malfunctions and I could have short stroked it. I love mine.

A couple of months ago I decided that I wanted to build a Remington 870 for home defense. I haven't owned a pump shotgun since the 90's and when I started to go to local gun stores to check out the shotguns, I was very surprised to say the least! The new Remington 870's (as well as other brands) all felt like Crossman bb guns to me. Light, cheaply made, not smooth, and still with a hefty price tag! I literally have German made pellet rifles that feel more heavy duty than the new-age garbage on the shelves now! Long story short, I ended up getting a Remington 870 Police Magnum from a gunsmith friend of mine who got 15 of them in. He went through them and replaced anything that needed replacing (with factory Police model parts), re-parkerized them, basically brought them back up to like new status. Put Mesa Tactical Urbino stocks on them and Scatter Gun Ghost rear sights. When I held it in my hand all I could thing was "Now this is the F-en Shotgun that I have been wanting!" Bought it, added the Streamlight TL Tracker forend, Mesa Tactical side saddle with rail on top, and a Holosun 507c XE optic and man, I love it, wouldn't trade it for any of the new production crap out there now! It's heavy duty, built like a tank, action is slicker than snot, and just plain works! Sad to see what the new 870's have been reduced to...

Very good candid review. I bought a couple of 1187 Police models and they both experienced FTE's on the first several shots using full-power #00 Buckshot--As you mentioned, I had to do what apparently is the all too often (and perhaps now obligatory) polishing of the chamber with a drill and steel-wool. The resulting mirror like chamber finish corrected the problem. Still the QC at Remington (and others to be fair) seem to have really dropped off from years back. Happy Holidays to All!

Thank you for a very helpful gun review ! I was looking into one of these and now I will make sure I explore my options. Keep up the good work !!

Damn luck would have it that this is the gun I got myself for Christmas…Wish I would've waited a few days because you are one of the very few people on YT/forums whose opinion I trust.

Hard to believe the 870 express has gone to shit. What a dissapointment. Bought mine in 1993 and it was the best gun I ever bought. Cycled anything, not a spec of rust. Rarely wiped it down. Carried it on patrol in the South Texas humidity and thunderstorms and never a problem, straight out of the box. Thanks for the warning. Appreciate your work.

bought mine a year after this video was made. been in the case for 2 years. checked it out today and no rust, guess i got lucky

I have 3 Remington 870's. My Grandfathers 1951 Wingmaster Deluxe, Remington 870 Super Magnum, and a Tactical version. The only issue I have ever had was with my Grandfather's Wingmaster. It was cold and I was rabbit hunting. My loose over-hanging sleeve got caught in the pump action. It blocked a full pump. Never discount a Remington 870. Many shots, no problem. Loose sleeve caused only one malfunction in 50 years.

My first Gen Express has non-cast integrals, metal trigger guard and is still 100% reliable after over 30 years.

@Mrgunsngear just picked up a 1986 870 express for $215. The thing is FLAWLESS.

Hmmmm. Glad I decided to fancy up my 590 amd leave the 870 with the bird barrel. I love your 'take it or leave it, this is what works for me you do what works for you outlook in your vids' and get the info across.

I had this issue where the gun seized up. From my research, I polished the chamber using steel wool wrapped over a throw away bore brush on a drill. I did about 5 passes over the chamber for a few mins at a time. Haven't had any issues since.

@Mrgunsngear Love your videos. Quick question. Do you feel as though the quality control has improved since you made this video?

I have the same model and haven't had any issues yet. Mine is a few years older but after the Freedom Group buy. I've heard the same issues since that you have. This vid gives me a heads up on what to watch for.

I just sent the first 200 rounds through my 870 tactical express and had the bolt lock up about a dozen times in the first 50-or-so rounds. When it functioned, it was very smooth out of the box and got even nicer after being slightly worn in. Additionally, after 200 rounds, the front sight had drifted right half-way out of the dovetail. That said, my Mossberg 500A has never had an issue with close to 2000 rounds (about 500 being buckshot). I'm sure the Remington will get better with age, but the Mossberg was cheaper and still incredibly reliable.

To quote Hoss "wow". I thought I would never hear the 870 get a negative review...that 590 A1 just got a little more attractive.

I had the same problem, took side saddle off and never a problem since.

My wife was going to buy me an 870 for my 40th birthday next week. Guess I should check out some Mossbergs.... Thanks for the great review!

So, you prefer the 590a1 over the express tactical ? I do for the dual extractors and solid trigger gaurd and heavy barrel. Seems to me Mossberg makes a lot more tactical models than Remington. Jus check the websites out.

I have a wingmaster, a police magnum , and an express model. Never had a problem with any of them in 45 years....

Nice video but I'll keep my Mossberg. Stay safe.

Got a new 870 Express Tactical with magpul furniture and rail for a red dot for $299. No malfunctions in the first 350 rounds so far

I've heard the pre-freedom group 870 Wingmasters were just amazing shotguns

Sorry to hear it, Mrgunsngear Channel. I have had no problems with the 500+ shells I've put through mine. :(

mine wouldnt eject Winchester shells, it will now after i replaced the extractor, im also going to change out the other springs to police model quality springs. you shouldn't have to do this in a new gun.

Great video. I'm a 1300 loyalist.

I couldn't pay $500 for a tactical express. That's why I got the m90a1. Less expensive for better specs. Heavy barrel, parkerized finish, super reliable. Just added the Magpul furniture and now it's perfect. I was looking at the 870P, but it was just too much money. Can't find them used around here, and the new ones are hard to find and expensive.

I had heard that for a period, some of the factory barrels were tight/rough and were difficult to extract from. I have yet to run into any extraction issues with my 2014 factory 870 express. My cousin has a factory 870 from the 2011 timeframe. He runs into extraction issues all of the time (around 1/every 20 or so rounds). We stuck gage pins in our barrel chambers and found out that his chamber was rougher and also .002" dia smaller than mine. He decided to purchase an aftermarket Carlsons brand barrel and his extraction issues dissapeared.

Great and HONEST review. Keep up the good work! Thanks

My 870 express tactical I bought in 2008 has never malfunctioned once. Has about 500 rounds through it. It has rusted though. Someday I'll have to sandblast and paint it. The finish that came on it was almost useless. I have to keep it freshly oiled at all times to prevent the rust from coming back instantly.

I have the same and it's a year and a half old. Never had an issue with it.

Looks like I'm going with the Mossberg 590-A1 now. Thanks for the heads up. I just wish they had chokes for the 590

Mine rusted when I kept it in the soft case or slide it under the blankets. (I lived alone at the time) I started leaving it out and it never rusted. It hasn't since using the hard case as well.

I am late to the party but I bought my 870 Tactical Express in summer 2014 brand new. It sits in my closet in my air conditioned house I keep at 75 F. Like you talk about I have two spots where surface rust developed. How disappointing it was to find that. I will remove it but it shouldn't be that way. That really does reflect on the poor quality and QC.

I was gonna settle on a Mossberg 590 but my bro insisted that Remington is superior. No complaints. Feels solid, with many steel parts. The butt of the gun itself is so solid, it could break glass! By comparison, my brother's Mossberg is lighter and the pump feels a bit loose and iffy. Both great guns, but the 870 would win the war.

+1 on the 870E rusting like crazy.

I was shocked to see your opinion of the 870 Express and then I saw the year the video was made. Whew! I guess they fixed things since then. I haven't shot too many rounds with my 870 Express, however, of the rounds that I have shot (200 at least); no issues at all. I did upgrade to all the Magpul furniture and do not have the side saddle as I have heard there are issues with the screws getting loose or other issues. No biggie for me as a shotgun sling will suffice. I am hoping you do an update review with the 870 Express (I have the 7-shot version) with a newer made model and see how it does compared to your 3 year old review. But either way, as always awesome video!

i just ran my 870 express tact through its first paces ... 100+ rounds mainly practice rounds did include some 2 3/4" 00 buck and 3" 00 buck.... no problems gun was flawless... (only thing i have done is add a magpul stock other than that it is the express tact 6+1 model ) this gun is brand new straight out of the box will update if i start having issues hopefully i got a "good one"

I had one and did the same thing with the magpul parts. Also replaced the weak plastic follower. With that said I personally didn't experience any failures to feed/extract

My 870 Wingmaster Classic Trap has had 2,500+ rounds through it and I shoot it weekly and have never had any problems

I experienced the same malfunctions and ultimately decided I’m turning a 500 dollars gun into a 1000 and it’s not working. I sold it and bought a Mossberg 590a1 and it has been working flawlessly. I’m not sure what the issue is but as far as I can tell there is something wrong with the extractor dimensions and I believe when you fire the brass swells up and causes the extractor to bounce off and the rearward momentum causes it to never come back down on the rim.

Field & Stream says if you get the 870 wet after taking it out, it's better to wipe it down or it will rust. I have watched a lot of videos on shotguns and some people favor Mossberg's and some favor Remington's. I just bought an 2022 Remington 870, and going to upgrade it myself.

I love the way it looks. I had the HD never failed me like that one but I didn't like how the tube extension kept getting lose even with the clamp. I have a 20 500 7+1 that hasn't skipped a beat over 1000 rounds and i put a big dot on it with magpul furniture. 100℅

That's distressing! I have the police PMAX model and it has been great. Looks like they are cutting corners big time!

Nothing wrong with mine, 8 years now!

I love your honest input. Keep it up .

Question , this video is 8 years old , I was looking at one just yesterday and the action was like butter , just as smooth as my express I've had for 30 years or more Have they improved since this review? Now after freedom group purchased Rem the quality went into the toilet, you could look into the breech and there would be the most grotesque display of machine marks I've ever seen , the action was "gritty" , and the over all feel was deminished I always loved the 870 over the Moss 500 because the mossberg action felt sloppy to me , not that they are bad I own a 500 .410 and adore that shotty , but the tactile I handled yesterday was not the same thing I handled after the freedom group bought Remington, it felt right , correct , like the way they use to be , I can not express how smooth the action was Have you revisited the 870 tactical since this review?

One thing to look at is the start of chamber where the shell base is. Look and feel around where the rim sits and watch for burrs. Even on police model factory sight barrel I have noticed burrs that will actually catch and keep shell from extracting.

Thanks for the heads up on the 887, they're everywhere here in south Texas. I thought they looked kinda cool but now I know.

We issued the Rem 870 Police and they were great. Thanks for the review of the Express as I am in the market for a HD shotgun. Think I will watch your Mossberg 590/500 review again. Freedom Group, Bah Humbug!

It's good to see a "can't recommend" review from you. You usually have really good luck with all your guns.

The 870 express (non-tactical, non-Cerakote) that I have used cycled reliably, but at only 6 months old, it was already developing surface rust. I agree with you, quality on the 870 Express line is a gamble at best. It's a shame too, because all of these Turkish manufacturers are "pumping" out (pun) decent shotguns for half the price! C'mon, Remington!

My H&R Protector shotguns cost around $200 and will take Remington 870 furniture and side saddles and come drilled and tapped to add an optics rail on the receiver. Great quality guns with no issues.

Would you prefer the Mossberg 500 over the 870 Express Tactical?

love this shotgun,quality,performance and it doesn't break your wallet.what else can you say about the 870,always ready when you need it

I got a H&R Pardner (870 clone) for under $200 and I am pretty happy with it.

I have been waiting to comment on this video until I had enough evidence. Just bought a remington 870 express tactical last month. Took it to the range and sure enough, failure to eject issues 1 in every 25 rounds. Called remington, gun still under warranty. They said no problem, picked it up, serviced it, and sent it back quickly within two weeks. Took it to the range today, put another 100 rounds through it....and I am sad to report the problem still persists. During the warranty service by Remington, a new non-mim extractor was put in, and the chamber was polished. I did my own polishing as well before the range, and still things are not much better. The point is this...I should have heeded this review more carefully. I basically bought the gun after watching nutnfancy's reviews, however, his review is honestly out of date, and it seems that todays production quality is not correlated with what it was back then. The bottom line is, things are still not fixed, there is something fundamentally wrong with the firearm. I want to sell this thing...how can I possibly trust this to defend me and my family? That being said I am also wondering if the gun is still being broken in and if a break-in period exists for these shotguns...

The only problem I've ever had with my 870 Express tactical is the receiver is prone to rusting after being handled. Mainly due to skin oils, but never had a malfunction. Thanks for the vid

Bought my 870 tactical In 2013 and I have had a similar experience. Put about 300 rounds through it and maybe 10% fail to extract. I'll try the mods that you mention in the video. If they don't help then I'll part with this gun. Too bad. I have an older 870 model that has never had a malfuntion.

I was really looking forward to buying this shotgun after I buy my first handgun (just turned 21 today), but the problems are real. My dad has an old 870 magnum that also has a lot of FTEs. Might give the Mossberg 590a1 9 shot a look.

Sadly I agree. Although I got my express in 2009 at a box store for $280 with rebate I have done ALOT of work to get it to run & personalize it. I never had a total failure but it was FAR from “smooth”. For the price the base express is a good entry budget minded gun with ALOT of potential, record, & parts out there to do it; sadly due to mentioned production “issues” I agree that these are practically required. I upgraded my trigger to the police & like the Wingmaster bolt (going to be looking into). Thanks!

Thanks for the honest review & for always keeping it real!

Nicely paired with the sw1911sc.

Bummer! thanks for the straight up review.

I guess I got lucky, i have a recent model, did some of the same upgrades as yours, except I have the factory bolt with a steel extractor, never polished the chamber, about 600 rounds not one FTE, ran all types of rounds including the Wally bulk stuff, so sorry yours isnt running properly...

I bought one in 2011 I had zero issues with mine.

Remington used to have such a phenomenal rep for the 870 it's tragic that they have let their standards down to the detriment of their once fine reputation.. if they we're to keep high standards then consumers would always buy even during tough times. i own two remington 870's the first one i bough back in 2003 and it's an express magnum with 7+1 extension all black polymer furniture etc.. and it's been flawless over these past ten years or so that iv'e owned it... but i can't speak on my newer 870 tactical yet iv'e only got about 150 rounds through it so far.. but i will say this.. no issues so far on the newer gun and it was bought about a year ago.. i may have gotten lucky and gotten one their better Q.C. people to get this one squared away for me.. but nonetheless iv'e heard some sad stories of Remingtons Q.C. not being what it once was. and i hope they put those rumors to rest by taking care of the customer. that is the Hallmark of any good business.. making the customer satisfied with how u treat them and how well you run your business and how good your product is.

Keeping it real, gotta respect that. Thanks MrGnG!

Lucky I got an early Tactical model, not one of these models but the one that comes with the speedfeed IV stock... Never had a single issue!!

my 870 express super magnum jammed on everything when i got it. There is a ridge that is right behind where the rim on the shell sits when chambered directly across from the extractor. 30 seconds with a mini dremel and a stone fixed it right up. Its just a tiny ridge. you've run enough through yours the top of it should be shiny. Remington told me it was a "break in issue"!!!! But its a simple issue to fix hit me up and I can send you pics if necessary It'd make a great how to vid for you to post.

Was going to purchase this but not anymore.. Love your vids keep up the great work

yeah i have had many failure to extract problems with my 870 express. That is why when i decided to buy a defense shotgun i didn't buy a Remington. I bought a Winchester SXP defender to try it out. I mean I could at least try it for only $280.

I see this is an old video but I'm converting my dad's 1954 Wingmaster into a home defense gun. For a few hundred more I could have bought a new tactical. I'm glad I didn't.

*My favorite shotgun indeed 👍🏿*

Holy shit!!! Look how young he is!

I've never had a problem with my 870 express. No rust or jamming and it's a 2012

This will be my next purchase. Awesome Izhmash shirt man!

Mrgunsngear Channel Mine only has about 100 rounds through it, and I'm having frequent problems cycling the action rearward to extract spent shells. I have to slam the butt stock on the ground to get it unfrozen after firing. Should I even bother contacting Remington about this? Keep up the awesome vids man. Thanks.

I own the express 7 shot which I had many problems with during its break in period! That being said I contacted Remington who suggested a chamber polishing before trying to use my warranty. 10 minutes with the Dremel and I haven't had a failure in 750 rounds. Maybe I got a good one? I would take this over any mossberg except the 590 A 1, that gun is boss.