Why does everyone love the Remington 870 so much?

[danielson]

Recent threads have led me to realize that my preference of the Mossberg 500 over the Remington 870 express might be uncommon.

So? Why does everyone like the 870 express so much? I cant figure out why it would be ANY better than a Mossberg 500, but I can find a few reasons why the 500 could be considered better than the 870 express.

Opinions?

 

[45fan]

Its an 870. For many years it was the golden standard of pump guns. I grew up shooting 870 Wingmasters. Solid, reliable, and sweet shooting. Mossbergs USED to just be a cheaper alternative, and you could see the difference in the two side by side.

Im not sure how old you are, but if you are in your 20's, Id guess that the 870 you are accustomed to seeing is of the Express variety. Not that they are a bad shotgun, but the 870 express pales in comparison to the older 870s of years past.

 

[SSGSAD]

Also, it was, (still is?) the choice of LEO .....

 

[VERT]

Yeah the express is not a wingmaster. Actually I prefer the mossberg 500. I like the way it loads and the top mount safety. The 870 is easy to add a mag extension, seems to shoot softer and doesn't rattle like a 500.

 

[billt]

I have both the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500. Both are very good pump shotguns. This is another Ford vs. Chevy debate, with no real, clear "winner". Both have features I like. My 870 is a nicely blued Wingmaster. I like the steel receiver, and the way the gun is fit and finished. My Mossbergs are a 500, and a 590 A-1 Mil-Spec. I like the heavy walled barrel on it. You are finding fewer and fewer repeating shotguns sold today that have all steel receivers, because they are harder and more time consuming to machine. The Browning all steel Auto-V has been replaced by an Aluminum receiver model. Production costs caused it. The same with the Aluminum receiver BLR and several models of the BAR. Now, only the Safari Model BAR has a all steel receiver.

While one can successfully argue a steel receiver is not required, many shooters still prefer them. This is what keeps the prices of these guns on the used market high, and it is what also drives the popularity of the Remington 870.

 

[JDvader]

My dad bought me an 870 when I was a boy, I grew up hunting with one, and I inherited my grandfathers Remington's as well. I have sentimental attachment to the 870's.

 

[Trigger Time]

The 870's I've used and own work and work well. Their non demanding or picky. They feel solid and I trust them.

Mossy 500's TO ME, feel cheap, rattle, the safeties have broken, the finish is not as nice. It's a $200 gun and it shows.

some people like hi points and swear by them. I don't and think they suck. I'm not totaly against owning a 500 but I'd rather spend slightly more and get an 870

 

[kalboy]

Changing mag tube springs , just to name a single item, is somewhat more of a chore on the Mossy 500 series. The mag tube must be removed from the receiver, not a major issue but not as easy as the 870. Mossberg used a different mag tube arrangement on the 590 series .

 

[chezuki]

Recent threads have led me to realize that my preference of the Mossberg 500 platform over the Remington 870 might be uncommon.

So? Why does everyone like the 870 so much? I cant figure out why it would be ANY better than a Mossberg 500, but I can find a few reasons why the 500 could be considered better than the 870.


Opinions?

I went beck and forth and actually owned both briefly. I finally sold the 500 in favor of the 870 after holding both side by side. The 870 just felt better made. Less slop and rattle in the slide, and an over all tighter feel. I also prefer the safety location. On an 870, but that's largely subjective depending on stock configuration. Barrel interchangeability is also better with the 870's (unless you get one of the weird new "tactical" models with the one piece mag). I'd trust my life to either before one of these new twin tube monstrosities.

 

[saleen4971]

i honestly dont understand it. i dont think i will ever buy ANYTHING remington. the 870's i have used? ALL had issues. admittedly, this is a small sample size, but my experience has been that they are unreliable.

that goes double for remington ammo.

the only thing i dont like about my mossbergs is that i cant put a tube extension on them.


for me, mossberg beats remington every single time. in every way. your mileage may differ.

 

[VERT]

If a person wants to run a pistol grip stock the safety on the 870 makes more sense

 

[saleen4971]

what the crap is this "safety" you speak of?

 

[danielson]

The 870's I've used and own work and work well. Their non demanding or picky. They feel solid and I trust them.

Mossy 500's TO ME, feel cheap, rattle, the safeties have broken, the finish is not as nice. It's a $200 gun and it shows.

some people like hi points and swear by them. I don't and think they suck. I'm not totaly against owning a 500 but I'd rather spend slightly more and get an 870

Mossberg 500 is a 300$ gun, and an 870 is a 350$ gun.

They both rattle, and I guess Im not as good at picking out the difference between the cheap plastic they're both made out of.

Im not old enough to remember when the 870 was MUCH different than the 500. The seem pretty close in quality and fit and finish to me. But the places where Im lost on the 870, for one, is the placement of the controls. They are all in the wrong place, and if you want to use them, you damn near have to contort your hand, where as on the 500, you can use them all without moving your hand much at all. You can use them all at the same time if you wanted to. I also don't understand the ejector. Remington has taken a part that should be a 1 minute swapout, and made it a gunsmithing exercise, and for what? I know they dont break often, but they DO break eventually. Ive shot them both, and they seem to be exactly the same as far as performance, except the 500 is easier to use and faster to cycle, due to the ergonomics.

I guess Im wondering if the majority of people who love 870's so much, aren't just biased toward them because they've been using them for so long, and they're much more comfortable with them.

Im biased toward the mossbergs, mostly because of ease of use, especially if your a lefty.

But I have an open mind, and I have nothing against the 870's, I just have never been able to see why theyre so beloved.

 

[remauto1187]

The 500 like others have said has fitment issues with the slide. The slide is loose as a goose. You dont see that on the 870. Ive owned both and sold them both and went on to an auto (1100/1187). I am going to get/build an AOW this year and It will be a 870 receiver. The Mossberg works and Ive never had one FTF or even FTE but the fitment issues just are annoying to me. You just have to get use to the safety down on the trigger guard of the 870. It becomes automatic after you've been around rifles/shotguns like that for along time.

 

[scott delaney]

I got a 870 for my 1st 16th bday. I think it was the 1st yr for walmart holiday combo(18.5 & 26" screw in choke barrels ). that was 30yrs ago and it still looks and shoots great. I have a pretty new mossy 590.....with magnum loads its ok , but 2 3/4 short brass it wants to fte.
im going to stay with the 870 forever,but im looking to trade my 590

 

[Trigger Time]

Mossberg 500 is a 300$ gun, and an 870 is a 350$ gun.

They both rattle, and I guess Im not as good at picking out the difference between the cheap plastic they're both made out of.

No. A 500 is a $200 gun an a 870 is a $250-275 gun. If your paying more than that for the basic models (used) then your overpaying. I've been in this rodeo for a long time on both sides of the table

 

[darinb]

I like the mossberg 500 better than the 870 due to price point and safety location but both are great guns. I think the 870 is popular because the remington company has alot of nastalgia behind it and its reliable,durable and affordable with lots of accessories available. Its just a standard american shotgun thats served many a hunters,police and servicemen for a very long time.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

There hasn't been a single thing I've ever wanted to do with a shotgun that I couldn't do with a 500 or an 870. Any difference in function is beyond my ability to notice.

 

[danielson]

No. A 500 is a $200 gun an a 870 is a $250-275 gun. If your paying more than that for the basic models (used) then your overpaying. I've been in this rodeo for a long time on both sides of the table

Well, I was quoting NEW prices, as most people do, since used prices can fluctuate so much depending on quality, and terms of sale, and it makes it ridiculous to use as a base price for comparison.

 

[danielson]

Are there alot of people who think the mossberg 500 has a sloppy slide? I never felt much difference between the base 870 express and the base mossbergs 500's Ive shot. Ive never shot a wingmaster.