utengineer w/870 Express

[utengineer]

Greetings!

My name is Derek. My first firearm was given to me by a girlfriend's dad. It was a 20g he had as a kid and grew up shooting it with Nolan Ryan. I do not remember the manufacturer of the gun; but, I gave it back when we split up. Last Christmas[2012] my dad gave me a Remington 870 Express from good ol' Santa Claus, ha! Since then, I have learned a lot about the 870.

I was really surprised to find out how modular the 870 platform is from a component level. So many bolt-on options for the stock and forend, barrels, and trigger group. Since getting the 870, I have not really done any modifications sans getting a Mossy Oak synthetic furniture set-up. I used it to shoot dove and blast away at snakes and targets at my parent's place. I also experimented with making wax slugs...they work great.

Last month I found a near mint set of Wingmaster stocks on Ebay(picture below). I really like using real walnut stocks versus the synthetic furniture. I am really glad I got the Wingmaster stocks, as they add a unique aesthetic value to the 870.

Anyways, I have spent a lot of time internet researching things I can do to my 870. In my research endeavors, I came across this website a lot. I would like to thank the host for putting together a great and informative site. All this being stated, here are some of the things I have decided to do with my 870...

- just ordered the gold 870 trigger from Brownells. I think this adds a classic look to the 870. I have completely disassembled the trigger group to clean and polish. So this trigger replacement is just cosmetic.
- I also have had some minor rust issues. There are a few spots on the outside of the receiver below the ejection port. There is also a small rust spot inside the receiver, just below the ejector spring. I have thought about doing a media blast and Cerakote, but I really prefer to keep the gun classic and do a blueing job. I ordered some Flitz polish and hope to remove the rust spots. Once I have tamed the rust issue, I will strip the base factory finish, hand polish the receiver and re-blue until I get a flawless finish.
- I am planning to do a spring-trigger overhaul. I will use the police sear and carrier springs. Marine magnum extractor/spring, plunger swap coupled with the Wolff firing and hammer replacement springs.
- I will extend the mag tube(w/Nordic) to extend about an inch beyond my 28" barrel. This will mate with the extended chokes I use to give a flush barrel/mag-tube appearance. Plus lots of extra rounds for running and gunning. Found a nice Aluminum follower that is Teflon coated. Smooth cycling all around.

I have a rifled choke tube and will test out some Sabot Slugs over Christmas. I also plan to jewel my bolt, but need to get the correct parts for my drill press.

So, thanks again to Rem870.com for providing me access to 870 resources.

Some of my hobbies include:
bowhunting
computer building and mods
website design and administration
camping and off-road trucking

[Synchronizor]

Welcome to the forum. I have to say, that Wingmaster furniture really makes the gun look great. Nothing functionally wrong with cheaper laminate or polymer of course, but nothing looks quite as classy as real hardwood.

- I also have had some minor rust issues. There are a few spots on the outside of the receiver below the ejection port. There is also a small rust spot inside the receiver, just below the ejector spring. I have thought about doing a media blast and Cerakote, but I really prefer to keep the gun classic and do a blueing job. I ordered some Flitz polish and hope to remove the rust spots. Once I have tamed the rust issue, I will strip the base factory finish, hand polish the receiver and re-blue until I get a flawless finish.

The Express finish is pretty basic, so it's important to keep it oiled to prevent rust. All types of bluing and Parkerizing need to be kept oiled, of course, but the Express bluing needs more care and attention than higher-end finishes in harsh conditions.

The polishing and rebluing sounds like a fun project, you'll have to post some pictures of the process. What bluing method are you planning on using?

- I am planning to do a spring-trigger overhaul. I will use the police sear and carrier springs. Marine magnum extractor/spring, plunger swap coupled with the Wolff firing and hammer replacement springs.

Not sure why you'd want to go with the police springs. It sounds like you're trying to put together a nice-running sporting shotgun, not a knockaround riot gun. Heavier sear, hammer, and carrier dog follower springs are going to make the action stiffer, and increase your trigger pull weight.

I have a rifled choke tube and will test out some Sabot Slugs over Christmas.

Your mileage may vary, but you're probably not going to get a sabot slug to stabilize properly with just an inch or two of rifling at the very end of the barrel. Rifled choke tubes tend to be more useful for producing wide shot patterns at very close ranges. If you want to get serious with sabot slugs, you'd be better off getting a second, fully-rifled barrel.

[utengineer]

Thanks for the reply Synchronizor! Having the Wingmaster stocks is really a nice add-on. The gloss finish and checkering is nice; but I like the walnut feel. There are a few small dings that are only noticeable if you are looking. After I do the metal finish job, I may dedicate some time to refinishing the stocks and darkening the checkering area.

The Express finish is pretty basic, so it's important to keep it oiled to prevent rust. All types of bluing and Parkerizing need to be kept oiled, of course, but the Express bluing needs more care and attention than higher-end finishes in harsh conditions.

The polishing and rebluing sounds like a fun project, you'll have to post some pictures of the process. What bluing method are you planning on using?

I am still doing my research on gun bluing. I picked up a Birchwood Casey kit to practice and test on some scrap metals. I research various methods(cold, hot, rust) and have determined the single key to bluing is surface preparation. I will definitely document this project once I sink my teeth in to it.

Not sure why you'd want to go with the police springs. It sounds like you're trying to put together a nice-running sporting shotgun, not a knockaround riot gun. Heavier sear, hammer, and carrier dog follower springs are going to make the action stiffer, and increase your trigger pull weight.

I assumed the same, but the springs are cheap and I want to find if they work for me. My buddy is a cop and likes the heavier springs as they help prevent short-stroking the action. Getting really familiar(training) with stiffer springs gives him a more responsive feel when firing-cycling. If I was using the gun to precision shoot(targets, deer, etc) at longer ranges, I would probably put the light pull sear spring in(4 lb.). Again, I am going to experiment with different spring set-ups and see which I like.

Your mileage may vary, but you're probably not going to get a sabot slug to stabilize properly with just an inch or two of rifling at the very end of the barrel. Rifled choke tubes tend to be more useful for producing wide shot patterns at very close ranges. If you want to get serious with sabot slugs, you'd be better off getting a second, fully-rifled barrel.

Agreed, but I don't want to invest in a $200 rifled barrel just yet. I think I would just get a dedicated slug gun if I went that route, considering the cost. I have a few different types of slugs and will check out their accuracy over Christmas.

[Synchronizor]

I am still doing my research on gun bluing. I picked up a Birchwood Casey kit to practice and test on some scrap metals. I research various methods(cold, hot, rust) and have determined the single key to bluing is surface preparation. I will definitely document this project once I sink my teeth in to it.

There are a number of different bluing methods, but I would recommend against trying to use any cold bluing products to completely refinish a gun. That stuff works well enough for minor cosmetic touch-ups, but it's not very durable or corrosion-resistant even if you do the right prep work.

[utengineer]

There are a number of different bluing methods, but I would recommend against trying to use any cold bluing products to completely refinish a gun. That stuff works well enough for minor cosmetic touch-ups, but it's not very durable or corrosion-resistant even if you do the right prep work.

Thanks for the tip. My buddy does a lot of Cerakoting. While I like the benefits of Cerakote, I like the traditional finish/look of bluing.