The Expresses are the mainstay of the 870 line at this time. They are budget shotguns when compared to the 870 Wingmaster. The MSRP on the Wingmaster starts at $847.00; the Express starts at $417.00
This is from a page I copied off the internet some years ago:
Differences between the Express, Wingmaster, and Police:
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.
Hardwood or synthetic stock, with a sporting-length fore end and pressed-in checkering.
Some Metal Injection Molded (MIM) parts, like the extractor.
The Wingmaster has:
An aluminum trigger group, (Possibly changed to polymer in 2008).
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.
Walnut stocks with the famous "Bowling Pin" finish in gloss or satin. and better checkering.
No use of MIM parts, the extractor is milled. (not sure about current)
The 870 Police has:
An aluminum trigger group. (Possibly changed to Polymer in 2008).
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.
Walnut or synthetic stock, with a short police-length fore end.
The Remington “R3” super recoil pad that reduces felt recoil by 30%.
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.
I'm not sure about current trigger groups, they may be polymer. Also not sure about MIM parts.
If you are looking for a pump action shotgun the 870 Wingmaster is iconic. Problem is the catalog doesn't list them with shorter tactical/hd barrels. If you are wanting new you can buy a Wingmaster and then buy an additional shorter barrel if that is your desire. Otherwise the used market is your best bet.
I have several Expresses that run just fine, but I've gone through them and polished chambers and bores, as well as other work.
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President... - Theodore Roosevelt, Lincoln and Free Speech, Metropolitan Magazine, Volume 47, Number 6, May 1918.
Every Communist must grasp the truth. Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party Mao Zedong, 6 November, 1938 - speech to the Communist Patry of China's sixth Central Committee
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