My father has an 870 wingmaster 16Ga. built in 1954 that was given to him by his father and will be mine one day. We always talked about how it was a sweet shooting and smooth gun. It is older than my father and the only cleaning it has ever seen was a patch through the barrel. Last week I totally disassembled it and cleaned every part for him. He was amazed at how much more smooth it was. Needless to say itl be a long time before it comes to me. :) The smile on his face was worth the time.
@ChromeArty I can guarantee you my friend, you will not be disappointed. I entrusted my life to that shotgun in some very scary situations, against very bad people, in very bad places against very bad odds. That should say everything you need to know about that shotgun. You made a wise choice.
Can't go wrong with the 870. I own a Marine Magnum (6+1) 18" barrel, fold over stock and tac light for my home defense. I also own an Express (4+1) 26" barrel 12ga as my field gun. I just love the simplicity of the design. The Marine Magnum was kind of expensive but looks bad ass.
@Nutfnacny, I bought an 870 Tactical Express recently with the breach choke and picitany rail with the ghost sight. I then looked on Ebay and found the Talo stocks like in your shotgun and installed it. Also installed a side saddle and swing. Awesome! Best 870 out there. First and second kind of cool.
Excellent vid. I think one of the key points you make is the effect of 'combat' stress - elevated herat rate; hand shake; hyperventilation; 'tunnel' vision etc You have to train under stress simulation - run wind sprints for a while, wack out some push ups, and THEN load/action shoot. People make all kinds of 'boot' errors under those conditions, ESPECIALY guys who regard themselves as very experienced.
Awesome dude! Was having the hardest time deciding between the Mossberg and the Remington. Decided on the Remington. Thanks for the help. Love my new shotgun.
I totally agree on the trigger guards. (ie.) polymer. The newer Ruger 10/22's coming out are now polymer because it was tested as Stronger than the older metal ones! Again, Nut'n, GREAT VID! Thanks for all your time and effort in giving us the best reviews!
I save my beautiful 1980's 28' barrel 870 wingmaster for the skeet range. I bought an old police trade in 870 and refinished the stock and cleaned it up for my home defense gun. Got it for about $100! They are carried a lot but shot very little.
The tang safety on the Mossberg guns is great when using a full stock. With a pistol grip it can be quite a pain. You have to remove your hand from the engagement position to reach up and hit the safety.
I love the heat shield bickering. I had mine off during a full breakdown/clean and didn't put it back on before we went to war with some clays. After 20 rounds or so it was plenty hot. I flipped it over my shoulder in a transition drill and I could feel the heat through my t-shirt. To all those claiming it doesn't get that hot. Post a video of you shooting 20-30 rounds then grabbing the barrel... we could all use the laugh.
Great Vid - FYI tho, when you were talking about the bolt release locations you stated that the remington and the mossy release buttons were both up front in the same position. That is incorrect, the Mossy release is located on the left side at the back of the trigger guard. Some people think that it is easier to actuate (especially for a slug changover), but IMHO I like the 870s location. Also, if you use a pistol grip buttstock like a speedfeed IV the 870 safety is ideal.
Thanks Nutnfancy! Your ergonomics section saved me some grief. I have several Mossberg 500's and was thinking about getting a shlick shlick instead of a shlack shlack but the reach of the slide release on 870 was a deal killer for me. It would have bugged me nutty and I doubt I would have noticed till I was running and gunning. So I guess I won't have to worry anymore about repelling with a rope through the trigger guard being plastic and all ... I was being factitious.
I am personally a Mossberg guy, but one thing though is that the 590 series are like 400 dollar shotguns as opposed to the more common 250 dollar 500 series. And most people will opt for the 500 series because of that and their is no way to put a mag tube extension on because the way it is made you have 5+1 always Either way their both American made and will last forever, neither is a bad pick. And yeah pistol grips are nearly useless unless in super tight areas. Great video keep them coming!
I had a Winchester 1300 Defender about 15 years ago when I was a bounty hunter. I almost want to throw up a little every time I think about having gotten rid of it. Best shotgun I ever owned.
Man, your videos are great. I just found them and already you've sold me on the Remington. No one could ever say you don't cover everything in these reviews that's for sure!
I will agree with the slide release, I'm used to it these days but it is a bit unwieldy. I really can't fault anyone for preferences on the other two, they're solid firearms... I'm just used to the 870 and all. As always, great vids nutn.
I also have a Marine mag. Yes its a bit expensive but it'll never rust even when you don't clean it for a while! I left it original for Home defense and bought a 28" barrel and an aftermarket end cap so I can remove the extention to make it a field gun as well. So far it killed 3 deer & 2 turkeys! I love it!!!
And the gun I traded, had a bigger problem so I still made out, been having a blast shoot that 870 since, while I wait for my new Flintlock to be finished. it works smooth like the old wingmasters used to do.
Mine is one with metal trigger guard and the 6 round mag. Double pistol grips just like the ones shown. Fits in my bag along with my Su 16-C and plenty of extra rounds. Kinda heavy but I've been back packing since I was a young kid with 75 to 80 lbs on my back. I try to keep things light but I can handle the load. Along with many PVC containers stashed in the hills I think getting by for a good while is a good possibility. Be prepared. Nobody can take better care of you than yourself.
One thing people often do with the 870 is get a milled extractor to replace the one that comes with the gun, which is metallic injection molded (MIM). In theory there's really nothing wrong with the standard part but some people don't trust it. Same with the magazine follower, which is plastic (nutn has the stock extractor in his gun). You can get after-market anodized aluminum parts that drop in. Again, nothing really wrong with the stock part but some think it improves feed reliability.
nutn you are absolutely right on in the criticism of the shell lifter on the 870. I used to have an 1100 with the same lifter design and I constantly got my thumb pinched when loading shells into the magazine. A couple of times it got to the point that the tip of my thumb started to bleed. not fun
What he said about Win 1300 safety, I agree 100%!. When I am hunting, it is very convenient to keep finger on the safety all the time. Only downside with Winchester is that it is dicontinued and has less choice in parts and accessories, compared to Rem 870.
Hey Nutn, I shot slugs and 00 buck from my Mossberg, my sons' Remington and my new Benelli Super Nova w/ghost sights yesterday ...at 60 yards the Benelli was by far, the most accurate AND after 25+ rounds, my shoulder thanked me for shooting most of the rounds from my new Benelli! I LOVE the ghost sight vs the bead, the ergonomics on this gun w/pistol grip is superb, and the DESERT CAMO is... yep, Boba Fett Cool! PLEASE do a vid on this gift- from- the- gun -gods!
About the extractor on the 870, a friend of mine own a 870, great gun, fun and cool. But we did manage to make couple of rounds stuck in the chamber. Definitely cheap rounds and probably heat too. But it did take him couple of minutes to take the bad rounds out. If in a critical moment, it's definitional not a good situation to get into. But anyways, love all your reviews, great work, keep it up man!
You commented on those hex screws but they are not stock on the 870 AFAIK. The owner of that 870 used those to attach the side saddle, there are cleaner ways of doing that. I think you unfairly rated that modification against the 870, my Tactical 870 doesnt have hex screws there to confuse with the safety. Great review as always, thanks for posting.
definitely, as he said in the video thats the preferred setup. just make sure you get rifled slugs. I shoot all types of loads through a cylinder choke in my benelli and have had no problems
nice to see some real comments from people and not a bunch of "god hates shotguns" type crap going on. great job as usual nutn. You are very helpful to those of us on the fence about a weapons purchase.
I have to say for me the safety on the 870 is perfect. I can understand if other people don't like it. I've got an ATI non collapsible pistol grip and the middle of my trigger finger rides on it(pretty much the same for the factory stock too), so it's very natural for me to just click it right off. I also have to kind of disagree with the old slide too. I wouldn't try to load it with the slide rearward anyways, the shells like to hook on the top of the magazine cylinder so.
I recently acquired an old police 870 Riot Wingmaster, 1976 vintage. Wood stock, 20" cylinder bore, bead sight and lots of rack wear; but it has to have the slickest action of any pump gun I've handled. And, the trigger assembly is aluminum.
Picking up a Remy 870 Police in the morning. $275 used. Not bad at all. Ordered a Mesa Tactical 6-shell side-saddle and a Wilson Combat +2 extension. Plenty of 500's and 590/A1's, but this is my first 870 and I'm hyped. Great video by the way!
I going to agree on 2 points. First, this is a great series on shotguns! Second, all it took was a run & gun with my Mossy and accidently touching my bare leg with the barrel to make me install a heat shield. Minimal weight addition and no more OUCH!
Fair response to the 870 critics older model 870s like the discontinued 870 Wingmaster has a steel trigger guard, so if you can find them and handle the wear they have its a good alternative to polymer guard, assuming the guard is that big of a deal to you.
I'm pretty sure different sidesaddle manufactures use different screws. Our patrol shotguns have a very shallow profile on the bolts. Just throwing that out there for the viewers, and worst case, Go to the Hardware Store and you'll find what you need to slim that profile down. Great Stuff NUTNFANCY!!
@MyDisciple I think that the problem with the 870 safety is, if your a left handed shooter you could accidentally engage the safety. As compared with a Mossberg which has more of an ambidextrous safety. I'm a left handed shooter and have never had a problem with an 870, but in a high stress situation I can see where an accidental engagement of the safety could be a problem IMO.
For the side saddle screw being very near to the 870 safety I have done alot of training (specifically high stress induced training) And have never had an issue with thinking the machine screw head is in fact the safety. However extensive use of my 870 has allowed me to get the muscle memory so the odds of it happening are very low. However someone who doesn't train with their shotgun I can see the possibility. So get out and train!
@bigdogbuc I picked that shotgun up from buddy today... and it is beautiful... point the muzzle up, depress the slide release and the pump arm falls to within an inch of the receiver on it's own! ... not to mention loaded with 7 shells she feels like she weighs less than the Mossberg 590a1 does empty! ... I promise never to sell this 1300 ... for you my friend :) ... maybe you need to buy another.. it's like losing a pet... takes a while, but a new one will make you happy :)
Good video. Made me love my 870 even more. That tactical choke you were talking about was a Tactical Extended Rem Choke. The dealer that I bought my gun from said it was nick named "cookie cutter"
One thing to note on older models - That carrier in the Rem 870 and Win 1300 can cause the gun to jam. The jam occurs when a shell is pushed forward far enough to clear the end of the carrier, but not far enough to get caught by the shell stop. This causes a BAD jam that can only be cleared by taking the gun apart. Newer models have the Flextab carier which allows you to just open the action partway and push the shell back forward i(so it says on Yahoo Answers, the best Reference I can find).
I have a IAC Hawk 982. Its pretty much the same thing. Great gun. Could not be happier with it. I have some videos of it on my channel. But it is great and I have a friend with a real 870 and he could not tell the difference shooting them. Only problem is you have to modify them both to fit mag extension and barrels. But besides that for the price I recommend it every time.
yeah, if something bugs you on a gun that definitely adds to your options in buying. for example- a police officer nocked off the rear sight on his service pistol and had to have it serviced. he recieved the newer version of his gun which had a thinner barrel, and less heft. he felt much more comfortable with his big ol' smith
Hey Nutnfancy, I have read reviews where guys complain about the sidesaddle not holding the rounds tight enough. Have you had any problems like that. Thats the only thing keeping me from buying a sidesaddle. Great job by the way. Your reviews are awesome.
@jakerox43 No. It's easier and natural to pull out ammo from the bottom (brass down). Those side saddles are pretty good at gripping onto ammo so they never fall out. I've been using mine for years and no issues...
I watched a lot of stuff on pumps, plus my own experience/prejudice and went out and traded for a 2010 870 express tac. First shot and it stuck on initial extraction, I wiggled it, it came loose. Over the next two weeks it repeated that and at home with fired hulls it would do it also. I saw rough spots on the rims of a few shells, if they where opposite of the extractor they would catch in the rough machine marks at the edge of chamber I polished those out to a smooth surface no jam since
Speaking from my experience with my 590 - You don't want that setup. On my 590 the sling lug blocked my install of a Surefire light/forend. I just picked up a Wingmaster for $250 - Seems like the Remingtons have a problem with cracked buttstocks, not a problem for me cause I plan on doing a review of the Magpul SGA buttstock. Good luck.
Great set of Vids Nutn. This is atleast my second time rolling through this set. i love the 870 i have used it for many years for hunting and also in my Marine Corps job that im doing right now. The 870s i use in my job are worn and torn but shure get the job done.
Request: Do you have any plans to assemble your nutnfancy experiments? -results of two point slings. -the fixed blade you had mounted to the back of your plate carrier. Thank you for all the hard work, colonel. Ron
Reliablity. Most pumps you can feed mix of ammo and is less vulnerable for problems. But as always, find ammo that fits your gun (especially important on rimfire and shotgun) to get good reliability and accuracy or pattern. I have Win 1300 and only reliability issue has been with Buffalo slugs I tried. Bad lot or something, but empty shells got stuck in the chamber.
the ergonomics loading gate ejector of the 870 are deal breaker for me and as for plastic trigger guard i could care less but i did see 1 break from being dropped when sling broke
There are actually many people who include a ballistic vest in their home defense load-out. There are several vests (such as the US PALM Defender) designed to be quickly pulled over and strapped on for drop-of-the-hat situations. And yes, they could be fake, but after watching MANY of his videos, Nut'n isn't really the type to just "play army" because its cool. He also is retired military.
I have a wingmaster with a metal trigger guard, But The polymer trigger guards on the Express are known to be more durable than the pressed metal guards of the Police. Remington is beginning to transition Police guns to the same polymer guards as used on the Express.
good videos, what do you suggest as an ideal barrel length for general pest hunting ie rabbits, possums (yup NZ calling here) ? I hear everything from 22 inch to 28 inch? Some in the bush and some in the open to make it harder to choose too.
Interesting how you brought up the confusion with the hex nut and the safety. The original m1 carbine had a button for the safety and a button for the mag drop and soldiers kept pressing the wrong ones so they switched the next version so that there was one button and one paddle.
@ChromeArty I told you. That was the big seller for me, the way the bolt/slide broke loose for that fast follow up shot. Cut the work in half. That shotgun was made for fighting, plain and simple. It just feels good all the way around. If you want to have fun with it, and get in some good practice, try some clays with it. You'll be amazed at what it can do, providing you do your part of course. Congrats and most of all...ENJOY!!! =)
there are two more parts to this series where he talks in the same depth about the Mossberg 590 shotguns. he also has reviews on the KelTec KSG and the FN SLP, and has shooting videos on the Winchester 1300 and Saiga 12 too. click through his shotgun video playlist and shooting video playlist and you'll find them.
One thing that some people are not aware of, but those of us who have used M590's in combat critically aware of is the entire Mossberg 500 series shotguns are not particularly friendly with HIGH BRASS shells. The M590 is a little better than the M500's but having a shell jam on you when are in a life and death situation can be a real game ender.........FOR YOU. My 870 will EAT ANYTHING I FEED IT without so much as a hiccup, A failure to feed in the field or the skeet range it is no bid deal
My father has an 870 wingmaster 16Ga. built in 1954 that was given to him by his father and will be mine one day. We always talked about how it was a sweet shooting and smooth gun. It is older than my father and the only cleaning it has ever seen was a patch through the barrel. Last week I totally disassembled it and cleaned every part for him. He was amazed at how much more smooth it was. Needless to say itl be a long time before it comes to me. :) The smile on his face was worth the time.
Outstanding!!.. Just re-affirmed (once again) both of my 870 purchases.. yes, I pulled my Express Magnum out, cleaned it.. gave it some love.
@ChromeArty I can guarantee you my friend, you will not be disappointed. I entrusted my life to that shotgun in some very scary situations, against very bad people, in very bad places against very bad odds. That should say everything you need to know about that shotgun. You made a wise choice.
Remington 870 hands down winner.
Can't go wrong with the 870. I own a Marine Magnum (6+1) 18" barrel, fold over stock and tac light for my home defense. I also own an Express (4+1) 26" barrel 12ga as my field gun. I just love the simplicity of the design. The Marine Magnum was kind of expensive but looks bad ass.
I went out and bought a Remington 870 express tactical, after watching your video.
You're a great resource!
@Nutfnacny, I bought an 870 Tactical Express recently with the breach choke and picitany rail with the ghost sight. I then looked on Ebay and found the Talo stocks like in your shotgun and installed it. Also installed a side saddle and swing. Awesome! Best 870 out there. First and second kind of cool.
Nothing like a good shotgun! Best close quarter weapon of all times!
Excellent vid. I think one of the key points you make is the effect of 'combat' stress - elevated herat rate; hand shake; hyperventilation; 'tunnel' vision etc
You have to train under stress simulation - run wind sprints for a while, wack out some push ups, and THEN load/action shoot.
People make all kinds of 'boot' errors under those conditions, ESPECIALY guys who regard themselves as very experienced.
just picked up 870 tactical and love the crap out of it!!!
Awesome dude! Was having the hardest time deciding between the Mossberg and the Remington. Decided on the Remington. Thanks for the help. Love my new shotgun.
I totally agree on the trigger guards. (ie.) polymer. The newer Ruger 10/22's coming out are now polymer because it was tested as Stronger than the older metal ones! Again, Nut'n, GREAT VID! Thanks for all your time and effort in giving us the best reviews!
I save my beautiful 1980's 28' barrel 870 wingmaster for the skeet range. I bought an old police trade in 870 and refinished the stock and cleaned it up for my home defense gun. Got it for about $100! They are carried a lot but shot very little.
The tang safety on the Mossberg guns is great when using a full stock. With a pistol grip it can be quite a pain. You have to remove your hand from the engagement position to reach up and hit the safety.
"It just works." Best thing about a pump shotgun.
I love the heat shield bickering. I had mine off during a full breakdown/clean and didn't put it back on before we went to war with some clays. After 20 rounds or so it was plenty hot. I flipped it over my shoulder in a transition drill and I could feel the heat through my t-shirt. To all those claiming it doesn't get that hot. Post a video of you shooting 20-30 rounds then grabbing the barrel... we could all use the laugh.
Thanks nutn. I got my 870 with Ghost Rings and Choke like the one you showed and I love it!
Excellent review as always. Just bought 870 express tactical synthetic for $369 from BassPro...Thanks for the video
Great Vid - FYI tho, when you were talking about the bolt release locations you stated that the remington and the mossy release buttons were both up front in the same position. That is incorrect, the Mossy release is located on the left side at the back of the trigger guard. Some people think that it is easier to actuate (especially for a slug changover), but IMHO I like the 870s location. Also, if you use a pistol grip buttstock like a speedfeed IV the 870 safety is ideal.
I just installed a Mesa Eight Shell Side Saddle on my 870. Good call on the safety mechanism/side saddle bolt mix up.
Mesa Tactical makes the best sidesaddles in my opinion. I have one on my 870 and it's outstanding. It wasn't cheap but i think it was well worth it
geez I never realized shotguns had such great range.
Thanks Nutnfancy! Your ergonomics section saved me some grief. I have several Mossberg 500's and was thinking about getting a shlick shlick instead of a shlack shlack but the reach of the slide release on 870 was a deal killer for me. It would have bugged me nutty and I doubt I would have noticed till I was running and gunning. So I guess I won't have to worry anymore about repelling with a rope through the trigger guard being plastic and all ... I was being factitious.
Just got a brand new 870 for 280 bucks
I am personally a Mossberg guy, but one thing though is that the 590 series are like 400 dollar shotguns as opposed to the more common 250 dollar 500 series. And most people will opt for the 500 series because of that and their is no way to put a mag tube extension on because the way it is made you have 5+1 always Either way their both American made and will last forever, neither is a bad pick. And yeah pistol grips are nearly useless unless in super tight areas.
Great video keep them coming!
i like your enthusiasm and technical knowledge... thanks for posting.
I had a Winchester 1300 Defender about 15 years ago when I was a bounty hunter. I almost want to throw up a little every time I think about having gotten rid of it. Best shotgun I ever owned.
Man, your videos are great. I just found them and already you've sold me on the Remington. No one could ever say you don't cover everything in these reviews that's for sure!
I will agree with the slide release, I'm used to it these days but it is a bit unwieldy.
I really can't fault anyone for preferences on the other two, they're solid firearms... I'm just used to the 870 and all.
As always, great vids nutn.
Remington 870's are beast. I've got one, i luv it
I also have a Marine mag. Yes its a bit expensive but it'll never rust even when you don't clean it for a while! I left it original for Home defense and bought a 28" barrel and an aftermarket end cap so I can remove the extention to make it a field gun as well. So far it killed 3 deer & 2 turkeys! I love it!!!
And the gun I traded, had a bigger problem so I still made out, been having a blast shoot that 870 since, while I wait for my new Flintlock to be finished.
it works smooth like the old wingmasters used to do.
litterly JUST got my new 870.....wich is the second shotgun ive ever shot (new into guns) and shot six rounds through it outa the box...great gun
Mine is one with metal trigger guard and the 6 round mag. Double pistol grips just like the ones shown. Fits in my bag along with my Su 16-C and plenty of extra rounds. Kinda heavy but I've been back packing since I was a young kid with 75 to 80 lbs on my back. I try to keep things light but I can handle the load. Along with many PVC containers stashed in the hills I think getting by for a good while is a good possibility. Be prepared. Nobody can take better care of you than yourself.
One thing people often do with the 870 is get a milled extractor to replace the one that comes with the gun, which is metallic injection molded (MIM). In theory there's really nothing wrong with the standard part but some people don't trust it. Same with the magazine follower, which is plastic (nutn has the stock extractor in his gun). You can get after-market anodized aluminum parts that drop in. Again, nothing really wrong with the stock part but some think it improves feed reliability.
nutn you are absolutely right on in the criticism of the shell lifter on the 870. I used to have an 1100 with the same lifter design and I constantly got my thumb pinched when loading shells into the magazine. A couple of times it got to the point that the tip of my thumb started to bleed. not fun
What he said about Win 1300 safety, I agree 100%!. When I am hunting, it is very convenient to keep finger on the safety all the time. Only downside with Winchester is that it is dicontinued and has less choice in parts and accessories, compared to Rem 870.
Yeah that shootout never gets old. -- Veri
Hey Nutn, I shot slugs and 00 buck from my Mossberg, my sons' Remington and my new Benelli Super Nova w/ghost sights yesterday ...at 60 yards the Benelli was by far, the most accurate AND after 25+ rounds, my shoulder thanked me for shooting most of the rounds from my new Benelli! I LOVE the ghost sight vs the bead, the ergonomics on this gun w/pistol grip is superb, and the DESERT CAMO is... yep, Boba Fett Cool! PLEASE do a vid on this gift- from- the- gun -gods!
About the extractor on the 870, a friend of mine own a 870, great gun, fun and cool.
But we did manage to make couple of rounds stuck in the chamber. Definitely cheap rounds and probably heat too. But it did take him couple of minutes to take the bad rounds out.
If in a critical moment, it's definitional not a good situation to get into.
But anyways, love all your reviews, great work, keep it up man!
The shotgun run 'n' gun vids are my favorite, there is so much more speed and action!
You commented on those hex screws but they are not stock on the 870 AFAIK. The owner of that 870 used those to attach the side saddle, there are cleaner ways of doing that. I think you unfairly rated that modification against the 870, my Tactical 870 doesnt have hex screws there to confuse with the safety.
Great review as always, thanks for posting.
I just bought one. Not a bad gun. Long as you rack it with some force, it cycles fine
You just make the overall best videos for guns in all of the intarwebs!
Those are "sidesaddles", available most places. Nutn says you could try natchezss or brownells. -- Veri (Nutn's sister)
definitely, as he said in the video thats the preferred setup. just make sure you get rifled slugs. I shoot all types of loads through a cylinder choke in my benelli and have had no problems
nice to see some real comments from people and not a bunch of "god hates shotguns" type crap going on. great job as usual nutn. You are very helpful to those of us on the fence about a weapons purchase.
Yet another video full of knowledge and first hand experience.
Nutn,you amaze me.
Keep the outstanding videos coming.
I have to say for me the safety on the 870 is perfect. I can understand if other people don't like it. I've got an ATI non collapsible pistol grip and the middle of my trigger finger rides on it(pretty much the same for the factory stock too), so it's very natural for me to just click it right off.
I also have to kind of disagree with the old slide too. I wouldn't try to load it with the slide rearward anyways, the shells like to hook on the top of the magazine cylinder so.
I recently acquired an old police 870 Riot Wingmaster, 1976 vintage. Wood stock, 20" cylinder bore, bead sight and lots of rack wear; but it has to have the slickest action of any pump gun I've handled. And, the trigger assembly is aluminum.
Picking up a Remy 870 Police in the morning. $275 used. Not bad at all. Ordered a Mesa Tactical 6-shell side-saddle and a Wilson Combat +2 extension. Plenty of 500's and 590/A1's, but this is my first 870 and I'm hyped.
Great video by the way!
Got them, it is the TAG shotshell carrier. I have it and have tested it a bit. It's good quality.
I going to agree on 2 points. First, this is a great series on shotguns! Second, all it took was a run & gun with my Mossy and accidently touching my bare leg with the barrel to make me install a heat shield. Minimal weight addition and no more OUCH!
Fair response to the 870 critics older model 870s like the discontinued 870 Wingmaster has a steel trigger guard, so if you can find them and handle the wear they have its a good alternative to polymer guard, assuming the guard is that big of a deal to you.
I seem to recall seeing Mossberg Mavericks for around $100. That was 3-4 years ago, though. Pump shotguns give a lot of bang for the buck.
"Boba Fett Cool" is a piece of TNP jargon I can get behind.
I'm pretty sure different sidesaddle manufactures use different screws. Our patrol shotguns have a very shallow profile on the bolts. Just throwing that out there for the viewers, and worst case, Go to the Hardware Store and you'll find what you need to slim that profile down. Great Stuff NUTNFANCY!!
@MyDisciple I think that the problem with the 870 safety is, if your a left handed shooter you could accidentally engage the safety. As compared with a Mossberg which has more of an ambidextrous safety. I'm a left handed shooter and have never had a problem with an 870, but in a high stress situation I can see where an accidental engagement of the safety could be a problem IMO.
I have a hand me down 870 that was made in the 80's still wood furnished and i love it :) ps good review
For the side saddle screw being very near to the 870 safety I have done alot of training (specifically high stress induced training) And have never had an issue with thinking the machine screw head is in fact the safety.
However extensive use of my 870 has allowed me to get the muscle memory so the odds of it happening are very low. However someone who doesn't train with their shotgun I can see the possibility. So get out and train!
I guess that's why 870 is the most popular shotgun of all time
@bigdogbuc I picked that shotgun up from buddy today... and it is beautiful...
point the muzzle up, depress the slide release and the pump arm falls to within an inch of the receiver on it's own! ... not to mention loaded with 7 shells she feels like she weighs less than the Mossberg 590a1 does empty! ... I promise never to sell this 1300 ... for you my friend :)
... maybe you need to buy another.. it's like losing a pet... takes a while, but a new one will make you happy :)
Good video. Made me love my 870 even more. That tactical choke you were talking about was a Tactical Extended Rem Choke. The dealer that I bought my gun from said it was nick named "cookie cutter"
the whole grip sidesaddle thing was pretty badasss......
NutnFancy,
the current FN pump action shotguns are based on the Winchester 1300 setup and the auto model are alsobased on the Win SX2 design.
One thing to note on older models - That carrier in the Rem 870 and Win 1300 can cause the gun to jam. The jam occurs when a shell is pushed forward far enough to clear the end of the carrier, but not far enough to get caught by the shell stop. This causes a BAD jam that can only be cleared by taking the gun apart. Newer models have the Flextab carier which allows you to just open the action partway and push the shell back forward i(so it says on Yahoo Answers, the best Reference I can find).
I have a IAC Hawk 982. Its pretty much the same thing. Great gun. Could not be happier with it. I have some videos of it on my channel. But it is great and I have a friend with a real 870 and he could not tell the difference shooting them. Only problem is you have to modify them both to fit mag extension and barrels. But besides that for the price I recommend it every time.
Really good info like always Nutfancy.Keep up the good video quality I have grown to love.
wow on the video dude. really high def. goodluck on project
yeah, if something bugs you on a gun that definitely adds to your options in buying. for example- a police officer nocked off the rear sight on his service pistol and had to have it serviced. he recieved the newer version of his gun which had a thinner barrel, and less heft. he felt much more comfortable with his big ol' smith
i like the safety on top on the mossbergs. I wish remingtons were like that.
It's a foam part of the shot gun load that keeps stuff from getting mixed in the round. It comes out with the shot/slug when fired.
Hey Nutnfancy, I have read reviews where guys complain about the sidesaddle not holding the rounds tight enough. Have you had any problems like that. Thats the only thing keeping me from buying a sidesaddle. Great job by the way. Your reviews are awesome.
@jakerox43
No. It's easier and natural to pull out ammo from the bottom (brass down). Those side saddles are pretty good at gripping onto ammo so they never fall out. I've been using mine for years and no issues...
I watched a lot of stuff on pumps, plus my own experience/prejudice and went out and traded for a 2010 870 express tac. First shot and it stuck on initial extraction, I wiggled it, it came loose. Over the next two weeks it repeated that and at home with fired hulls it would do it also. I saw rough spots on the rims of a few shells, if they where opposite of the extractor they would catch in the rough machine marks at the edge of chamber I polished those out to a smooth surface no jam since
Speaking from my experience with my 590 - You don't want that setup.
On my 590 the sling lug blocked my install of a Surefire light/forend.
I just picked up a Wingmaster for $250 - Seems like the Remingtons have a problem with cracked buttstocks, not a problem for me cause I plan on doing a review of the Magpul SGA buttstock.
Good luck.
Great set of Vids Nutn. This is atleast my second time rolling through this set. i love the 870 i have used it for many years for hunting and also in my Marine Corps job that im doing right now. The 870s i use in my job are worn and torn but shure get the job done.
Request: Do you have any plans to assemble your nutnfancy experiments?
-results of two point slings.
-the fixed blade you had mounted to the back of your plate carrier.
Thank you for all the hard work, colonel.
Ron
This is a great series!
I would love to see a Saiga review along with some semi-auto shottys when you have the time !
Reliablity. Most pumps you can feed mix of ammo and is less vulnerable for problems. But as always, find ammo that fits your gun (especially important on rimfire and shotgun) to get good reliability and accuracy or pattern. I have Win 1300 and only reliability issue has been with Buffalo slugs I tried. Bad lot or something, but empty shells got stuck in the chamber.
the ergonomics loading gate ejector of the 870 are deal breaker for me and as for plastic trigger guard i could care less but i did see 1 break from being dropped when sling broke
There are actually many people who include a ballistic vest in their home defense load-out. There are several vests (such as the US PALM Defender) designed to be quickly pulled over and strapped on for drop-of-the-hat situations.
And yes, they could be fake, but after watching MANY of his videos, Nut'n isn't really the type to just "play army" because its cool. He also is retired military.
The Saiga blows all the pump action shotguns away!!! But those other shotguns are nice for the price!
Nice 870 vid series nutn! Very insightful, and helpful. Thanks.
I have a wingmaster with a metal trigger guard, But The polymer trigger guards on the Express are known to be more durable than the pressed metal guards of the Police. Remington is beginning to transition Police guns to the same polymer guards as used on the Express.
good videos, what do you suggest as an ideal barrel length for general pest hunting ie rabbits, possums (yup NZ calling here) ? I hear everything from 22 inch to 28 inch? Some in the bush and some in the open to make it harder to choose too.
What's your take on the 870 express super magnum??
It was just my opinion but I think my reasons are sound. Thanks, Redmule!!!!! I'd love to have a Benelli, too!
Interesting how you brought up the confusion with the hex nut and the safety. The original m1 carbine had a button for the safety and a button for the mag drop and soldiers kept pressing the wrong ones so they switched the next version so that there was one button and one paddle.
@ChromeArty I told you. That was the big seller for me, the way the bolt/slide broke loose for that fast follow up shot. Cut the work in half. That shotgun was made for fighting, plain and simple. It just feels good all the way around. If you want to have fun with it, and get in some good practice, try some clays with it. You'll be amazed at what it can do, providing you do your part of course. Congrats and most of all...ENJOY!!! =)
Nutnfancy is a Class Act!
i use a waist band kinda thing that clips on to my belt loops to hold extra shells and it holds alot more than a side sadel. i like it alot.
@MrRedeyedJedi
If I understand you correctly, you are referring to snap caps. They are dummy shells and are used for function testing and drills.
As a left handed dude I've found that the slide relicese works great for me.
there are two more parts to this series where he talks in the same depth about the Mossberg 590 shotguns. he also has reviews on the KelTec KSG and the FN SLP, and has shooting videos on the Winchester 1300 and Saiga 12 too. click through his shotgun video playlist and shooting video playlist and you'll find them.
Nutnfancy's the absolute best! Keep it up man, TNP's the best thing on UA-cam!
Nice Boba Fett reference. I love the 870 but agree that the safety position is a bit awkward.
One thing that some people are not aware of, but those of us who have used M590's in combat critically aware of is the entire Mossberg 500 series shotguns are not particularly friendly with HIGH BRASS shells. The M590 is a little better than the M500's but having a shell jam on you when are in a life and death situation can be a real game ender.........FOR YOU. My 870 will EAT ANYTHING I FEED IT without so much as a hiccup, A failure to feed in the field or the skeet range it is no bid deal
Great post Nutn'
I love the safety check 54 minutes into the series. :D