I meant that I dismissed them for serious use. Worded my post poorly.
I still maintain the loading port is poorly suited to loading quickly. It works well at removing flesh though. And the extraction issue is very real, lots of examples of 870's with extraction issues.
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Military use is not a good excuse for poor design:
Safety has to be disengaged by trigger finger, and cannot be engaged without full dismount ... have to use left hand? well, that's really too bad.
Slide release has to be operated by trigger finger and can't be reached in "ready" position or operated by weak hand (really? that's what it says in the manual)
Load port blocked spring-loaded shell lifter is a thumb bitter.
I've never experienced it myself, but this is not the first time I hear about 870 FTE with heavy load - my guess single extractor just doesn't do it.
All these problems are there for 60 years. In good Remington tradition they keep giving deep discounts to military and keep floating on consumer loyalty and ignorance. Don't get me wrong, 870 is not a "bad" shotgun - and I can see where it has very few flaws in hunting or even assault situation; however it is superbly poorly suited for HD/SD - I'd go as far as to say I'd rather use SxS - checking to see if safety is off with finger off the trigger is just not my thing.
Oh, yeah, ever tried quail hunting with a 5 foot club? That's what 870 becomes when shell gets stuck under the lifter.... LOL great hunt 
I retreat my previous statement - 870 is just plain POS!!!!
I retreat my previous statement - 870 is just plain POS!!!!
Sir, you seem to be like many gun enthusiasts that I know who I like to call all or nothings. It appears that you rate guns as either 100% (best thing since sliced bread or 0% (POS!!!!). I actually believe that almost every gun has its own advantages and disadvantages and probably rate around 90% (none are perfect). I never said any other gun was inferior or superior to an 870. My only comment was to technetium-99m that you cannot condemn an entire line of guns because 1 particular gun had some loading/extraction issues.
Now as to your other comments, sure the 870 has some design issues that could be improved upon as do all guns. The safety issue you mentioned can be easily solved by using a Vang Comp Dome Head Safety which allows you to keep the tip of your finger on the trigger yet disengage the safety using the back part of your finger. I have one on my 870 and it works great. You are correct in that lefties are out of luck. You could use a Mossberg with its tang safety that works great for right and left handed shooters (advantage), but this precludes your ability to easily use a pistol gripped stock (disadvantage).
I do agree with you on the slide release issue and I do not know about the extraction issue with heavy loads except that I have never had that issue or seen anyone else with that issue.
As to the shell getting stuck under the lifter, that is a serious issue in a HD gun, but Remington came out with the Flex-Tab lifter that allows you to simply pump the action to clear that type of jam (albeit you do have to pump it harder). This came out about 20 years ago and you can retro-fit older 870 if this is a concern.
As to Remington giving deep discounts to military and keep floating on consumer loyalty and ignorance I do not think you would find much loyalty if folks in the field kept having so many issues and I seriously doubt any Military or LE agency would care about any discount if they kept finding their troops/officers dead next to a jammed up 870.
Lastly, I do believe that military use is the best way to bring out the strengths and weaknesses of ANY piece of equipment. I have worked for the Army Ordnance Corp for the past 27 years and see every day the kind of abuse that stuff takes. If something can stand up to a soldier, it should stand up to anything. If it doesnt stand up it gets updated or replaced. The M1911, M1 Garand, etc.. did not get their reputation in the hunting fields. The M16 did have issues and they were remedied in later versions to the fine weapon they are today. I believe the 870 has stood up to this test of time as well.
I hope I have not insulted you and it was not my intention to argue. I just believe that almost any firearm made in the last 100 years all have good and bad characteristics. I do not think any gun is a POS and I do not think any of them are perfect. You must decide what features are important to you, which things you can upgrade and which things you can live without. For me the 870 meets my needs, but that in no way implies that any other gun is vastly inferior or superior.
Oh, yeah, ever tried quail hunting with a 5 foot club? That's what 870 becomes when shell gets stuck under the lifter.... LOL great hunt
I retreat my previous statement - 870 is just plain POS!!!!
You're a POS. Just kidding, but don't be hating the 870. It's a great gun, and I've killed my share of stuff with it.
The extraction issue is common to newer production express models. IMO for my money, a Nova is a far better pump. I'm not as extreme in my dislike as moboost is.
Even with the memory of having to buttslam my 870 all the time.
Even with the memory of having to buttslam my 870 all the time.
870. Plain simple gets it done. I plan on buying an 1100 someday. just not high on my list of things to buy.
I have had 3 870s in the past. one Express managed to get the shell lodged under the bolt and above the lifter. It was either disassemble the shotgun to get it out or slam the butt stock on the ground while holding the forend. Option two resolved the problem and I kept shooting it through class.
Safety's on shotguns are nice to prevent the trigger from moving. However they aren't a drop safe design. So whats the point of using it. Keep the chamber empty until you are aready to shoot something and you won't have to worry about the safety.
The only 870 I own right now is my Short barrel Police Magnum. No magazine extension, no pistol grip, no lights, lasers, toasters, HAM radio receivers. Just a basic walnut stock with a 4 round magazine and a bead sight. If 4 rounds of buckshot won't resolve an issue in my house I picked the wrong neighborhood to live in.
We can tell you our opinion all day long. But an 870 if you don't like it odds are you can sell it here in a heart beat. Same with the 1100. Just put Tactical in the title and someone with a post count of 26 will PM you within a minute or two.
I have had 3 870s in the past. one Express managed to get the shell lodged under the bolt and above the lifter. It was either disassemble the shotgun to get it out or slam the butt stock on the ground while holding the forend. Option two resolved the problem and I kept shooting it through class.
Safety's on shotguns are nice to prevent the trigger from moving. However they aren't a drop safe design. So whats the point of using it. Keep the chamber empty until you are aready to shoot something and you won't have to worry about the safety.
The only 870 I own right now is my Short barrel Police Magnum. No magazine extension, no pistol grip, no lights, lasers, toasters, HAM radio receivers. Just a basic walnut stock with a 4 round magazine and a bead sight. If 4 rounds of buckshot won't resolve an issue in my house I picked the wrong neighborhood to live in.
We can tell you our opinion all day long. But an 870 if you don't like it odds are you can sell it here in a heart beat. Same with the 1100. Just put Tactical in the title and someone with a post count of 26 will PM you within a minute or two.
funniest thing that I have read outside of general discussions
but seriously, no one else hates the safety thing on the 1100 where you feed shells into the tube?
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