10 Steps to Upgrade Your Remington 870 Express to Police Version
The Remington 870 is a pump action shotgun model that is one of the best in the world. There are many different versions of the Remington 870 and each version is made for different purposes. The Remington 870 Police version is based off the Remington 870 Express model. The Express was always considered an important shotgun in the sporting, home defense and recreational shooting market. But despite the cosmetic differences of the various Remington 870 shotguns, they all have very similar parts inside of them. The Remington 870 Police uses the same platform as the 870 Express because they are both suitable for the streets and tactical use. However the functionality of the 870 Police version is superior to that of any other Remington 870 version.
They are made to be superior because they are used by the military, law enforcement, security guards and correction officers. These aren’t jobs where people would use their shotguns just to go hunting with. These jobs require shotguns with the best speed, balance and accuracy. Otherwise the person’s own life could be at risk from the dangerous person they are trying to stop.
The Remington 870 Police pump shotguns are put through a vigorous inspection of 23 different attributes before they are issued to authorities. These inspections include visual inspections, test firing, functionality testing, pump testing, and more. The 870 Police shotguns are not assembled in the same area of the commercial plant as the other Remington weapons. All police issued weapons are assembled in a special building area of the plant that is secured for factory personnel only. When shotgun parts enter this special building area, they are visually inspected by hand in order to make sure they are good quality and completely functional. These inspections reduce the chances of an assembled gun malfunctioning later on when they are being used by the authorities. Since pump action shotguns have a lot of recoil, the 870 Police shotguns use longer magazine springs to help increase its function and feed ability. Most importantly, these shotguns have no safety system built into them like the some other 870 models. This safety system is a locking mechanism used in some commercial shotguns. So naturally, this feature was taken out of the police issued shotguns because it could delay the officer’s ability to defend themselves against a suspect.
Overall, the 870 Police shotgun is the perfect weapon for any law enforcement official who has to go up against dangerous people on the streets or in the battlefield.
Differences between Remington 870 Express and Remington 870 Police
You are all probably familiar with the standard Remington 870 shotgun. But there are also other versions of the shotgun model including the Remington 870 Express and the Remington 870 Police. The main differences between these two shotguns have to do with the parts that they’re comprised of and how they’re assembled. Remington 870 Police shotguns go through a more thorough quality control inspection before they are released. Aside from a visual inspection, the functionality of the shotguns is tested along with their firing capabilities. Once that is done, they go through one more final inspection before they get approved. The 870 Police shotguns are built in a highly secured area of a weapons plant located in Ilion, New York. This is an area that only creates military and law enforcement shotguns.
Remington 870 Police with Wood Stock and Forend
In a nutshell, the 870 Police is more reliable than the 870 Express for obvious reasons. Law enforcement officers require a dependable weapon because they are often faced with life or death situations. The 870 Police shotgun utilizes longer magazine spring. It has the heavy carrier dog spring. As well as the heavy sear spring which provides a more reliable trigger pull. The forends of the 870 Police are smaller than the 870 Express. And when you want to add an extension tube to the police version, you won’t have to physically modify the magazine tube of your weapon like with the express version. Most importantly, the 870 Police shotguns have no integrated safety system installed in them like the Express 870 does. This safety system is an extra locking mechanism that is integrated into the safety, which can delay the shooter when firing the weapon. Since the 870 Police shotgun doesn’t have that, then it won’t slow the police down when having to shoot in a critical encounter.
The Remington 870 Police shotguns are not made available to law enforcement and military officers only. You can buy them as any other Remington 870. You can also upgrade your Remington 870 Express with parts from a Remington 870 Police. In fact, it is quite easy to get the Remington 870 Police parts and then install them on your Express shotgun. You can find them for sale at gun shows or at gun shops all across the United States.
Remington 870 Police with Folding stock and Eotech Forend Light
Here is list of differences between Remington 870 Express and Remington 870 Police. Most of the parts which are used on Remington 870 Police are easy to get and install on the Express version of a shotgun.
- 870 Police shotguns go thru a special 23 station check list – ranging from visual inspection, functional testing, test firing, and final inspection.
- All Police shotguns are assembled in a “special build area” at the plant in Ilion, NY. This section is secured and serves only to build LE and Military shotguns, with the same factory personnel working at that assignment each shift.
- All parts that enter the “special build area” are visually inspected by hand to ensure top quality and functionality.
- Due to heavy recoil in buck and slug loads, all 870 Police guns have a longer magazine spring which ensures positive feed and function.
- A heavier sear spring is used to generate a reliable, positive trigger pull between 5 and 8 lbs.
- A heavier carrier dog spring is used to ensure when the carrier elevates the shell, it will be held there until the bolt can push it into the chamber. This ensures positive feeding when using heavier payload rounds.
- Police shotguns do not have an ISS (Integrated Safety System) which is a locking mechanism on the safety of commercial shotguns. This type of locking mechanism can cause delay to an officer who needs the weapon but does not have the appropriate key. LE shotguns have the standard, proven, cross bolt safety.
- The fore-end on the Express model is longer and not compatible with many police shotgun vehicle racks.
- The Police shotguns utilize the heavy duty SPEEDFEED Stocks and Fore-ends.
- The Express model will not allow for the addition of an extension tube without physical modification to the tube and barrel, which can nullify the warranty.
- The Express model has a BEAD BLAST BLUE finish while the Police models utilize either High Luster bluing or Parkerization.
- The Express model utilizes a synthetic trigger housing while the Police models use a compressed metal housing.
- The Police shotgun barrel is locked down with a “ball detent” system in conjunction with the magazine cap vs. a lesser grade “synthetic magazine spring retainer” lock down as used on the Express system.
- The receivers used in Police guns are “vibra honed” to smooth out rough finishes and remove burrs before parkerization or bluing.
- Police shotguns use machined ejectors and extractors, as opposed to powdered metal cast which are utilized on the Express models.
10 Steps to Upgrade Your Remington 870 Express to Police Version
Here are 10 steps to upgrade your Remington 870 Express to Police version…
Step 1, Selecting a Good Remington 870
The Remington 870 is one of the most recognized shotguns in the world. But what many people fail to realize is that there are many different versions of the Remington 870 shotgun available on the market. There is the Remington 870 Express, the 870 Wingmaster, and the 870 Police; just to name a few. Each shotgun has a unique quality about them which is suitable for certain actions. If you are in law enforcement or a military officer, then you would want the Remington 870 Police. If you want an inexpensive shotgun that is easy to find and serves most sportsman purposes, then the 870 Express is likely what you would want. As for the Wingmaster, that is suitable for someone who wants the classic feel of a wooden stock and forend. Most people would use the Wingmaster for hunting, but you could use it for self-defense as well.
The second thing you want to do when selecting a Remington 870 shotgun is to make sure the internal components are in good working order. For example, when you are inspecting a Remington 870 shotgun that you might wish to purchase, load some empty shells into the magazine tube and check both the ejector and extractor. If the shells are extracting adequately in the shotgun, then thing are looking good. Next, you’ll want to inspect the exterior of the shotgun and make sure there isn’t any rust or scratches. You’ll also want to check the interior for rust or scratches as well. This means you’ll need to have the shotgun disassembled and then you’ll have to inspect the barrel and the chamber for any marks. Use a flashlight to look inside of the barrel to check for these marks. Inspect all the other parts for marks as well.
Finally, you should inspect the condition of the sights, forend, stock and recoil pad of the Remington 870 shotgun. Make sure they are suitable enough for your particular shooting needs. If they aren’t, then you may still want to purchase the shotgun if it is being sold at a reasonable price. Then, you can upgrade some of these parts after you purchase the weapon. This especially comes in handy if you are purchasing a used Remington 870 shotgun. Most private owners won’t necessarily tell you everything about the working condition of the internal components. Either that, or they will lie about them. That is why it is always important to inspect all the parts. Any good seller should not have a problem letting a potential buyer do their due diligence.
Related post: Where to buy firearms, including Remington 870 online
Step 2, Upgrading Magazine Spring
The magazine spring that comes with the Remington 870 is decent enough for beginners, but more experienced shotgun owners will probably want to upgrade their magazine spring with a better quality one. Remember that the job of a magazine spring is to push the shells from the magazine onto the carrier of the shotgun. If you are someone who likes to shoot quickly, then you’ll want to have a magazine spring that pushes the shells fast without much delay.
In order to get the best feed out of your magazine spring, you need to choose one that is powerful and long enough. The Remington 870 Police shotguns are a perfect example of this because they tend to have longer magazine springs than the standard Remington 870 shotguns. But don’t worry because you can easily upgrade the Remington 870 with a high-quality magazine spring from Nordic Components. Their springs have already been tested in comparison to other brand springs and Nordic comes out on top. Depending on the size of your magazine, you may have to cut down the magazine spring in order to make it a suitable length for it. If you are not comfortable with cutting, then you should have several backup springs on hand in case you cut too much. Fortunately, these springs are not that expensive so it will be affordable to purchase several of them for later use.
Aside from the Nordic Components magazine springs, there are some shooters who prefer the Wolff magazine springs instead. These particular springs are made to add extra power and strength to your weapon while you shoot it. These carbon steel springs allow the shooter to cycle through the shells like a breeze. This is perfect for any shooter who needs to shoot quickly in a shooting or hunting competition. The best part is that you don’t need to be a gunsmith to install these springs into your existing Remington 870. If you have a 3-round or 5-round magazine tube that is a 12-gauge, then you can drop the springs right into it without much effort at all.
Numerous gun parts companies have deals when you purchase multiple magazine springs at the same time. If you were to just purchase one, then it would be around $7 for it. But if you purchase a pack of 5, then you can expect to pay only $30 for it. This would save you $5 off the individual purchase price.
Recommended Products:
You can get Nordic Components Magazine Spring for Remington 870 on Brownells |
Step 3, Upgrading Sear Spring
The Remington 870 depends on having a high-quality spring for its sear, which is the component of the trigger mechanism that keeps the bolt locked in place until you pull the trigger. Some sear springs make it easier for you to pull the trigger while others make it harder. This is where the term “light trigger pull” and “heavy trigger pull” come from. They are both dependent on the type of sear spring that is in your Remington 870 shotgun.
All Remington 870 shotguns can be upgraded with one of three different types of sear springs. There is the standard sear spring which gives the shooter a trigger pull of four to five pounds. You can expect to find this sear spring in virtually any Remington 870 Express shotgun on the market. It is a pretty average sear spring and can be used for all kinds of regular shooting. However, if you are a competitive shooter then you’ll want to have a competition light pull sear spring. This gives you a trigger pull of three pounds, making it very easy for you to shoot with. That way, you can quickly shoot at targets when you are in a competition with others and rack up the most points that you can. Finally, there is the police sear spring that gives the shooter a heavy trigger pull of around five to eight pounds. This makes the trigger of the shotgun harder to pull, but that is the point because it is much safer and reliable to handle.
Most people are not usually happy with the trigger pull that comes with the Remington 870 model they purchased. That is okay because it is very easy to upgrade the sear spring with one that suits your needs. All you have to do is take out the trigger group and then find the current sear spring that’s in the weapon. Use a screwdriver to compress the sear spring and then remove it. Be careful because the sear spring is under a lot of pressure and it can fly away easily. Now just install the new sear spring with your fingers in the area where you took out the old sear spring. It is a very simple process to do and you don’t need to be an expert gunsmith to figure it out. If you are still confused, there are tutorials on the internet that will guide you with a few easy steps.
Related post: Remington 870 Sear Springs (Light Pull, Standard, Police (Heavy))
Step 4, Upgrading Carrier Dog Spring
The carrier dog spring of the Remington 870 is responsible for lifting the next shell from the magazine tube so that the bolt can push the shell into the chamber. The general idea is that if you want to have a more reliable weapon that has fewer feeding problems, then you’ll want to have a heavy carrier dog spring. In this case, the Remington 870 Police carrier dog spring would be the best spring to have in your Remington 870 weapon. You don’t necessary need a Remington 870 Police shotgun either because you can upgrade another 870 weapon with the carrier dog spring. That way, you can get the same reliability in those weapons that you would with the Police 870, but without the added expense of having to purchase the police shotgun.
Most of the Remington 870 carrier dog springs are either black or silver. They are the same dog springs that you’d find in a Remington 1100 model, which makes them very unique to the 870 model. You can purchase either a standard carrier dog spring or a police carrier dog spring. The police carrier dog spring is the heavier of the two. If you are having feeding problems with your current Remington 870, then you probably have a standard carrier dog spring in there. Therefore, you should go ahead and replace it as soon as possible. You can purchase any of these carrier dog springs for between $7 to $10.
The process of upgrading your carrier dog spring is pretty simple enough, but you have to follow a few basic steps. First, you’ll want to have either a screwdriver or a Silver Bullet tool for this process. Once you have the tool, use it to push out the carrier tube and then take out the carrier. Now you can take out the carrier dog follower and then remove the carrier dog spring from it. Insert the new carrier dog spring into the follower and then reverse the entire process. When you go to insert the carrier tube back in, use the other side of the Silver Bullet tool (if that’s the tool you’re using).
At this point, you should reassemble your Remington 870 shotgun and then go practice shooting with it. Take note of how fast the feeding is with your weapon. You should see a vast improvement in the feeding from when you used it before.
Related post: Remington 870 Carrier Latch Spring Upgrade
Step 5, Install Shorter Forend
The standard forend that comes with every Remington 870 shotgun is a little bigger than most gun owners would like. But if you were to look at the forend of a Remington 870 Police model, it has a much shorter forend with deep grooves in it. This gives the shooter a much better grip on their forend and virtually eliminates any possibility of their hand slipping off from it. Police and military officers like this convenience because it allows them to endure many kinds of weather conditions such as rain and snow. Furthermore, these shorter forends allow users to use shotgun vehicle racks with their weapons. You even have the option of installing sidesaddles on a forend that is as short as these ones are.
The forend you find on a Remington 870 Police model shotgun is made from Speedfeed. They are a gun parts manufacturing company that create some of the best quality forends for the Remington 870 shotgun. The best thing is that civilians can upgrade their standard Remington 870 with the police style forend. That way, they don’t have to join the military or police force in order to enjoy the benefits of this forend. Once you see it for the first time, you’ll be amazed how much shorter it is than the factory forend that comes with most Remington 870 shotguns. It doesn’t even extend over the receiver so there is plenty of room to maneuver when you are in a hurry.
Speedfeed’s Remington 870 Police forend costs about $24.99. This is a pretty decent price for an upgrade that can make a significant difference in the shooting experience of the user. Glass-filled polymers make up 30% of the forend, which is what gives it that extra bit of durability it needs to sustain tough environmental conditions. The only downside is there are few stores that still carry the Speedfeed Remington 870 Police forend because the manufacturer has discontinued it. So, you have to look around very carefully for them and snatch them up before they are all sold out in stores.
When you go to install the forend, make sure you first empty the chamber of your weapon and disassemble all the parts of it. This includes taking the magazine tube off first so that you don’t accidentally load a new shell into the chamber. Instructions on how to take off the existing forend and install the new one should come with the forend when you purchase it.
Related post: Best Forend for the Remington 870
Step 6, Install Speedfeed Stock
Standard Remington 870 shotguns come with factory manufactured stocks. These may be suitable for beginners who just want to do some recreational shooting, but they are not that great for more experienced shooters who want the very best shooting experience possible. If you were to look at the stock on a Remington 870 Police shotgun, you’d notice a significant difference in its quality in comparison to the OEM stock. Remington 870 Police shotguns have a heavy duty Speedfeed stock which is made of rock solid materials that can sustain all kinds of environmental conditions. These materials include fiberglass and a thermoplastic called Tenite. With this powerful combination, the stock will not swell up or shrink when weather conditions get rather tough. Furthermore, it is resistant to dings, dents, and chips that may occur accidentally while handling the weapon.
Although Speedfeed stocks may be made for law enforcement and military use, a sportsman will also benefit from a Speedfeed stock as well. Not only does it have a recoil pad made of hard rubber, but there are molded tubes inside of the stock which can hold 4 additional shells. This comes in handy if you are in an emergency situation and you want to get a few extra rounds into the chamber without having to reach into your pocket or bag for them. The cost of the Speedfeed stock is about $59.99. They are typically sold at most sporting goods retail stores and websites.
The installation of the Speedfeed stock is a piece of cake. The first thing you need to do is remove the original stock that is already on the weapon. Make sure your magazine tube is disconnected and that no shells are in the chamber. Now, start by removing the recoil pad from the stock. You can do this by unscrewing the two head screws by using a Philips screwdriver. If you can’t find the screws, check underneath the small rubber cuts near the bottom or top of the pad. You may want to add a little bit of oil to the end of the screwdriver so that you don’t end up cutting the rubber. Once you take the recoil pad off, you should be able to look inside the hole you created and see the other end of the stock’s interior. Take a long flathead screwdriver and stick it in the hole to reach the screw that is on the bottom. After you get that screw out, the stock should fall right off. Just reverse this process in order to install the new stock and you’ll be all set.
Related post: 5 Best Aftermarket Stocks for Remington 870
Step 7, Install Magazine Extension
As great as Remington 870 shotguns are, the one thing that people complain about is not having a big enough ammo capacity inside their OEM magazine tube. That is why magazine extensions are such a brilliant tool because they can add extra ammo capacity to your Remington 870 shotgun. If you were to purchasing a Remington 870 Police shotgun, then it would already come with a factory magazine extension already installed. However, the extra ammo capacity it gives you is less than other magazine extensions you can add to it. And if you are using a standard Remington 870 shotgun, then you’ll certainly want to install a magazine extension to get the most out of the shooting experience.
Magazine extension tubes can add anywhere from 1 round to 4 rounds of ammunition to your shotgun. To install a magazine extension tube onto a standard Remington 870, it will be much more complicated than the process of installing a new tube onto a Remington 870 Police. If you were to use a Remington 870 Express, for example, then you’ll have to remove the two dimples that are inside of the magazine tube. That way, the follower will be able to go through the tube.
There are two ways you can remove the dimples. The first way is to drill the dimples out using a Dremel tool. The second method is to use a 16-17mm socket and press out the dimples from the inside of the tube. However, it is preferred that you drill out the dimples using the Dremel tool because the socket method will just make the magazine tube’s diameter a little bit bigger. Not only that, the socket tends to get stuck while it’s inside the magazine tube and you might not be able to get it out that easily. If you have a Remington 870 Police, then the holes already exist and you don’t have to do any drilling. All you have to do is take out the previously installed magazine tube and replace it with the new one. It is pretty self-explanatory.
There are five preferred magazine extension tubes that you should consider purchasing for your Remington 870 shotgun. There is the TacStar, Choate, Nordic, Scattergun, and Vang Comp Systems. You could also go with the original Remington magazine extension tube if you want to install it onto another Remington 870 that doesn’t have any tube. However, you should probably invest in a better one if you want a more pleasant shooting experience.
Related post: Magazine Tube Extensions for Remington 870
Step 8, Install Police Trigger Group
The police trigger group is the trigger group found on a Remington 870 Police model shotgun. It is made completely of metal, which makes it much more durable than the standard OEM trigger group found on the Remington 870 Express shotgun. But the reason most shotgun owners like the police trigger group is because of its look and feel. If you were to polish the metal, then it would look even better. Don’t worry if you only have a Remington 870 Express because you can upgrade its trigger group with the police trigger group. You can do this by either taking the police trigger group out of an existing Remington 870 Police shotgun or you can purchase the part separately. The cost of the police trigger group by itself is around $119.99. You can find it available at most sporting goods stores on the internet.
To install your new police trigger group into your existing Remington 870 weapon, you’ll first have to disassemble the entire shotgun. First, engage the safety feature and then push the action bar lock upward and pull the forend back. This will open the action bar, and you then slide the forend back about 50% of the way. Unscrew the magazine extension tube and remove it from the weapon. Be careful not to let the magazine extension spring fly out because it is under a lot of pressure and can spring away quickly after the extension is removed. So, just remove the tube slowly and decompress the spring. Now take out the magazine spring and follower, then pull the barrel away from the receiver. Hold the left shell latch tightly and then slide the forend out of the magazine tube. Be sure to hold on to the bolt carrier and bolt or else they will fall from the action bars.
After you take out the bolt carrier and bolt from the action bars, push the two pins out of the receiver. Now, you can finally take out the trigger group that is currently there. If you have a pistol grip stock then you may find it difficult to take the trigger group out of the receiver. Don’t worry, because all you have to do is push the carrier forward toward the magazine tube. The trigger group can be pulled right out after this. Next, take the police trigger group and insert it into the receiver where you took out the old trigger group. Make sure the new trigger group is aligned with the holes of the receiver. Insert the pins back into these holes in order to secure the police trigger group in there. Reverse the rest of the steps to reassemble your weapon.
You can get Remington 870 Police Trigger Group on Brownells
Step 9, Install Non-MIM Extractor
The non-MIM extractor is certainly more reliable in a shotgun than an MIM extractor. That is why the Remington 870 Police version of the shotgun model has a non-MIM extractor already built into it. But if you have a Remington 870 Express or another type of standard Remington, then you will have to manually upgrade the weapon with the non-MIM extractor because it may not be in there already. Fortunately, a non-MIM extractor only costs around $17.99. If you purchase the Remington version of the non-MIM extractor, then it will be easily compatible with both the Remington 870 and the Remington 1100.
New Remington 870 shotguns have MIM extractors, which are metal injection molded extractors. These are a lot cheaper to manufacture but they are also less reliable when it comes to removing the spent shell cases after the ammunition is fired. Many gun owners complain that their shotguns get jammed because the MIM extractor in it broke or got damaged easily. Don’t let this happen to you because it is very easy to replace these MIM extractors with an old fashioned non-MIM extractor, which means it is a machined extractor. These extractors can remove the shells from fired ammunition without any problems because they are so durable and do not break that easily like the MIM extractors do. Any gun owner knows that you need a reliable extractor no matter what kind of shooting you are doing. You could be a hunter, target shooter or police officer, and it will always be important to have a non-MIM extractor in your Remington 870 shotgun.
To begin the installation of your non-MIM extractor, you need to first check to make sure your shotgun is not loaded with any shells or slugs. This means you need to inspect the chamber and magazine tube to ensure they are both empty. Now you can begin disassembling the entire weapon. Look at the previous step to see a more thorough explanation about the beginning of the disassembly process. Once you have the bolt in your hand, take a flathead screwdriver and place it between the existing extractor piece and the plunger. Pull back on the extractor to depress the spring that is located behind it. Now you can lift the extractor out by rotating it. Then, take the non-MIM extractor piece and install it into the bolt by rotating and pushing it down. Keep doing this until you hear it snap into place. Reassemble the weapon and test out the shotgun to see if it works properly.
Related post: Remington 870 Non-MIM (Machined) Extractor
Step 10, Paint Your Shotgun
Do you like the color of your shotgun? If you have a Remington 870 Police shotgun, then you probably think so because the finish on it looks so much better than the finish on the Remington 870 Express. Also, Remington 870 Express rusts easily.
However, if you only have a Remington 870 express, you don’t have to upgrade to a Remington 870 Police in order to enjoy the aesthetic benefits. All you need is a Duracoat or some other type of gun paint, and you can use it to change the color of your existing 870 Express shotgun. Once you are done, you will have successfully turned your 870 Express into an 870 Police; at least on the outside. If you want to go a step further, then you can install the internal components of an 870 Police into your 870 Express in order to complete remodify the weapon into something that looks better and functions better.
If you want to paint your weapon, you need to first disassemble your existing Remington 870 shotgun. Make sure you protect the barrel, magazine extension and magazine tube with a set of plugs. Use the plugs in all the open areas of these parts so that paint won’t be able to get inside of them later on. Remove the sights off the front of the barrel with a flathead screwdriver. Now before you go to paint these parts, you’ll want to remove the old coating of paint from them first. You can do this through sandblasting these parts until the color coating comes off. Do this on the stock, receiver, forend, barrel, and any other part you want to paint. After that, put the parts in the oven for about half an hour to degrease them. Take the parts out of the oven after 30 minutes and let them cool off for a while. Repeat the degreasing process one more time to ensure that it was done right.
Finally, you are ready to paint the parts. Use whatever paint coating that you have like Duracoat or KG Gear Kote, and paint the forend and stock with it. Then paint the moving parts with a different color than what you used before. Then use a finish of either Duracoat or KG Gun Kote on everything you painted after they dry. Once you are done, place the painted parts in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then take the parts out and let them cool off.
Remington 870 Police with Upgrades
Photos of the very nice Remington 870 Police from Remington 870 Forum:
By sodapopsixtysix:
“I actually bought it as a standard police model. I purchased the ghost ring and tritium sight, mag extension, hi-vis follower, jumbo safety, and side-saddle from Scattergun Technologies before they were acquired by Wilson and added them myself. I picked up the Wilson case recently when I wanted a jumbo safety for my 870 Synthetic and ended up browsing their store.”
List of upgrades:
Ghost ring and tritium sight
Magazine Extension by Wilson Combat
Oversized Safety
TacStar Sidesaddle
Remington 870 Police in Blue! (Model 24899)
New 870P in Blue! (Model 24899). Originally I went to my LGS looking for maybe one of the Police models with the Scattergun/XS combo’s but nothing in stock. My other 870P is on it’s way back to Remington and a lucky bingo night for the wife funded a backup 870. After unsuccessfully negotiating a price for a 870P with the plain XS sights I asked if they just had any of the plain jane P’s in wood again as they were a fair price. I was surprised when he brought out this blue one with the chromed bolt. Not what I was after but I couldn’t leave it behind, just too damn pretty! Once my paperwork cleared a different salesperson rang it up for the $75 cheaper than originally planned. Stupid conscience got in the way and I had to fess up… Still OTD $600, probably not the best deal in the world but fair to me.
Cerakote Remington 870 Police Magnum with Surefire 618FA Forend
Remington 870 Police Marine Magnum
Remington 870 Police, description, price, advantages, differences
The Remington 870 is a pump action shotgun model that is one of the best in the world. There are many different versions of the Remington 870 and each version is made for different purposes with different accessories and upgrades. The Remington 870 Police version is based off the Remington 870 Express model. The Express was always considered an important shotgun in the sporting market. But despite the cosmetic differences of the various Remington 870 shotguns, they all have very similar parts inside of them. The Remington 870 Police uses the same platform as the 870 Express because they are both suitable for the streets. However the functionality of the 870 Police version is superior to that of any other Remington 870 version. They are made to be superior because they are used by the military, law enforcement, security guards and correction officers. These aren’t jobs where people would use their shotguns just to go hunting with. These jobs require shotguns with the best speed, balance and accuracy. Otherwise the person’s own life could be at risk from the dangerous person they are trying to stop.
There are Remington 870 Police shotguns with different stocks (including recoil-reducing stocks), sights (including ghost ring sights) forends, flashlights and other upgrades available from the market.
The Remington 870 Police pump shotguns are put through a vigorous inspection of 23 different attributes before they are issued to authorities. These inspections include visual inspections, test firing, functionality testing, pump testing, and more. The 870 Police shotguns are not assembled in the same area of the commercial plant as the other Remington weapons. All police issued weapons are assembled in a special building area of the plant that is secured for factory personnel only. When shotgun parts enter this special building area, they are visually inspected by hand in order to make sure they are good quality and completely functional. These inspections reduce the chances of an assembled gun malfunctioning later on when they are being used by the authorities. Since shotguns have a lot of recoil, the Remington 870 Police and Remington 870 Police Magnum shotguns use longer magazine springs to help increase its function and feed ability. Most importantly, these shotguns have no special safety system built into them like some other 870 models. This safety system is a locking mechanism used in some commercial shotguns. So naturally, this feature was taken out of the police issued shotguns because it could delay the officer’s ability to defend themselves against a suspect.
Overall, the 870 Police shotgun is the perfect weapon for any law enforcement official who has to go up against dangerous people on the streets or in the battlefield. Yon can find new and used Remington 870 Police for sale for about $500.
Salinas Police gets 70 Remington 870s for $47,905
June, 2017. The Salinas City Council voted to give the police department the go ahead to buy 70 brand new shotguns for $47,905, specifically brand new Remington 870s with a price tag of approximately $627 each. The department is trading in 60 shotguns at $150 each and adding 10 new guns, with the trade-ins bringing in $8,520 in refunds.
The guns are being bought from L.C. Action Police Supply based in San Jose, where the department previously purchased its supply in 2007. They are expected to arrive by the end of this month.
“Realistically we don’t fire shotguns that often in critical situations, but every day you go out and you check to make sure the shotgun works. Everyone is issued the same ammunition,” Shaw said. A cadet goes through an average of 300 rounds during the academy.
Remington 870 Police Magnum
Chief Brody, one of the members of the Remington 870 forum has posted pics of his beautiful Remington 870 Police Magnum. Click on images to see in full size.
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Remington 870 Police Magnum
Remington 870 Police Magnum from BlenderWizard from Remington 870 Forum:
My Rem 870 PM did not come with the speedfeed stock nor a mag extension. While I have seen some with the speedfeed stock I have never seen a stock PM with the mag extension from the factory.
Model # 24407 Police is 6 +1 from the factory…Its a great home defense firearm.
If people are installing a magazine extension and a complete Police trigger plate assembly, there’s no need to change the magazine spring or any of the trigger components. Also, 870 Police models aren’t painted; most are Parkerized, and a few are blued.
And the parkerizing sucks…After just a few months of riding in the shotgun rack of my squad car it has rubbed off to bear metal and looks like crap.
If i purchase a Police trigger group then i would not need to upgrade the SEAR & Carrier Dog Springs True?
Yes, correct. Police trigger group comes with heavy sear and carrier dog springs.
thanks Dude.
Some incorrect information:
–The magazine spring on the Police is not longer than that of the Express.
–Remington stopped installing the heavier sear spring in the Police years ago. It was only installed for legal liability issues with “trigger happy” recruits. There is absolutely no reason to install the heavier spring. It was universally disliked, so Remington stopped using it.
–There is general agreement among Remington armorers and other experienced owners of both the Police and Express that the polymer trigger assembly used on the Express is actually more durable than the metal group of the Police. I believe that the polymer trigger group is now being used on the Police.
Well, I just found my project for the summer. Hahaha. Thanks for sharing this, Vitaly!
What is the cost of all these upgrades vs just buying a Police model?
Duracoating alone will add almost $200!
If you by the 870 express – LEAVE it alone! Upgrading it os for hobbyists and mall ninjas! The Express is a cheap functional shotgun, good for sport and target shooting, some hunting applications and yes home defense if necessary .
The only problem I have had with mine( and I own a police magnum too) is the shoddy parkerizing on the express compared to my older police magnum( ” thanks freedom group”- cheap sons of a …..)
It will rust on you faster than a crack head Can collect aluminum cans! Lightly oil and sand it , then apply krylon . Keep shooting .
The express is a bargain bin Remington to compete against the mossberg 500
Sir,
I own an 870, that was bought in a by back, from the S.C. Highway Patrol. It has a wood stock & foregrip. The receiver roll marks are simply; “Remington 870 Magnum”. The serial # begins with a V & ends with an M. My question;…is this an older Police Magnum, without “Police”, as part of the roll mark? And if this is an early Police Magnum, would it have the parts in it that are covered in the above article?
Thanks much
Do you still need to change the carrier dog spring if you upgrade the trigger group to the police version?
One thing doesn’t seem to be mentioned here. The 870P has a steel receiver instead of aluminum. I think this is what contributes to the large difference in price between the Police Magnum and the Express models. This is mentioned currently on Remington’s website BTW.
Cheers
Both Express and Police models have steel receiver. Mossberg shotguns have aluminum receiver.
This is not true. All Remington 870’s wether Express,Wingmaster or Police are machined from a solid block of steel. The only difference is in the finish. Express = matt blue Wingmaster = polished blue and all Police are parkerized. Mossberg receivers are made from Aluminum however the barrel lock up is steel on steel. No Remington 870’s are made from aluminum never have been, never will.
get a Pardner 12 gauge Pump Protector, a Norinco (china) version of the Rem870. It’s my junk/truck shotgun I experiment with and shoot all kinds of ammo. It was $175.00 out the door @ WalMart. This shotgun is extremely reliable and not had any malfunction. What’s your take on this model?
How many rounds have you put through it?
close to 900 rounds of any kind of ammo. From homemade to firequest exotic boom/bang ammo. What’s your thought on this junk/truck gun? I just bought it to experiment with? It’s an 870 “tribute” gun?
I didn’t have a chance to test Remington 870 clone but I have very bad experience with Taurus clone of the Mossberg 500 shotgun.
Do they make these parts in 20 gauge and if so where can you purchase the products
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Here you go: http://www.rem870.com/2014/01/27/remington-870-express-20-gauge-upgrades/
Can you please discuss the polishing of the action bars?
enjoyed your website, and will rtn soon to purchase some spares for my 870.
I have a 95′ Express Magnum. Its never given me a problem. My question is, does this particular year have any of these upgrades, being that its a older model? The Trigger group is definitely aluminum. It appears to have the MIM injector of course (damn)! It also has the 20′ in. Improved cylinder, smoothbore, rifle-sighted barrel (which I Love). Did this barrel come standard on this make and model? I believe the code is OO or OP? Plz tell me I have a gun worth cherishing my entire life. Opinions and thoughts welcomed. REM870 Rocks…
Just read your writeup because i am looking for any answers to why my foreend tube nut continues to back off (loosen).
I have the hunting version 870 Turkey Express magnum.
When it loosens it will no longer completely go into battery and renders the trigger dead.
I have had this probem for years. I sent it to a gun smith and he said i broke a firing pin and he said he put a titanium one in. The shotgun worked for a while and then it quit working,…. i then took it apart and cleaned everything and inspected everything and then re-assembled and it would work perfect for a while and then the same old thing would happen again. This time i cleaned the threads really good and added blue locktight and tightened down,….. not problems for a while and then it happened again.
This time when i took it apart i saw the evidence of the old locktight and i re-cleaned everything and added more locktight,….. im assuming that rem oil or some of my breakfree gun lubricant is making it down to the locktight.
Has anyone had these kid of issues with the silly little nut????
if this continues and no one can come up with a better idea i am going to assemble with forearm grip and tig weld the dang thing with some itty bitty tungsten and low amps and put a tack on it without penetrating thru to the tube that holds the shells. :)
Sounds like your magazine tube nut is not correct for the barrel that you are using. some models lock on a plastic paw on the mag plug and the others have a detent ball in the loop on the bottom of the barrel. You can purchase the detent springs and balls and the staking tool from Brownells. or change the end cap, both version are available. good luck, I hope you found the answer sooner than this reply.
Hello, I have a rem. 870 express purchased in 1989. I recently changed the barrel to an 18 in. and added a magazine extension . the extension is slightly past the barrel. after firing the muzzle blast has removed the finish on the ext. tube. I am not concerned with the finish, I want to know if any danger to the metal of the ext. tube ?
No problem at all, just clean it regularly.
Thank You
Can anybody tell me the exact measurements of the Police upgrade springs required? In New Zealand it is virtually impossible to buy Remington parts now byt engineering supply stors have a good supply of generic springs of most dimensions
Anyone have a Wood Stock Set for sale for my Remington 870?Thanks!
Tony
Vitaly Pedchenko, Howdy;
Liked your Blog up top. That gave me a question, you mention changing out the Sear Spring (Step 3),
and the Carrier Latch Spring (Step 4), then way down at Step 8 you have the whole Trigger Group. If
one were to just simply do step 8 they could skip steps 3 & 4 as both those parts are included in the
trigger group. That would chop your 10 steps down to 8 and save some $’s don’t ya think. I mean if
you’re serious about making the transition then skip 3 & 4 and go straight to 8.
hank
You are absolutely right! :)
I just bought a Rem870 Wingmaster from an retired cop. It’s been converted to a sort of combat shotgun (shorten barrel, etc.)… would this make a good home defense shotgun?
Yes, of course, 870 Wingmaster is a fantastic shotgun, smooth and reliable.
I wanted a 870 like the ones I trained on back in the 80’s and used on boardings while in the USCG. So, bought a used Express, with hunting barrel and camo stock set. Swapped out the long barrel with a 18.5″, traded the stock set for retro wood, added the 7-round mag tube, swapped the trigger assy for a police one; voila, instant plain-Jane style boarding shotgun. Stays by the nightstand as home defender. Feels right in the hands, as it should.
… sounds like you know what your doing. great shotgun. I have a shortened WingMaster that’s kept by my bed.
I just bought the 870 express for left handed yesterday in armories in Kissimmee. But I have to wait 30 days or less to receive it. I am excited.
Just found a nice surprise… a new 870 Express Combo kit still in the box, never fired, that my Dad had given me over 30 years ago. The combo part is that it comes with two barrels : a 20 inch and a 28 inch. Still beautiful, no scratches and no rust even though its over 30 years old. While I haven’t disassembled, it does have the non-MIM extractor. Not sure about the other parts, but from what I’ve read these older ones shared more parts with the police version before they started replacing with cheaper parts. I’ll have to read up more on it.
Rob, Howdy; The one I have I bought in ’93, many, many rounds have passed through both barrels. The 20″ that I have is smooth bore but with the rifle sights. Believe there was an option for the rifled barrel. The 28″ should be threaded for the Rem-choke and have a wrench (flat with circular end with nubs that fit the notches in the choke tubes. Yes it has the steel extractor. also the Spring retainer is the metal pry-out not the plastic twist out (IMO MUCH better!).
I’d recommend a basic take down and cleaning then see how it patterns the ammo of your choice.
Ya got an EXCELLENT 870.
New to your forum. Looking to upgrade to SpeedFeed Law Enforcement Fore-end & Stock (but, not w/ pistol grip). I have found several stocks for sale; however, the fore-ends I’ve found have both 21 grooves (as do the SpeedFeed ones depicted in your article) as well as 12 grooves. Did SpeedFeed make both styles or are the ones w/ 12 grooves I’ve seen not actually authentic SpeedFeed ones? Obviously, I’m looking to buy both so if anyone has an authentic SpeedFeed fore-end & stock for sale, I’d be interested in offers. Thanks for publishing this forum… it’s great!
Vitaly, where can I source an original 870 Police folding stock? I am using the polymer ATI folder but it feels flimsy and just isnt metal and thats what I want, steel. Thanks in advance!
They are not easy to find. Maybe eBay or CheaperThanDirt.