Marine Magnum question

[Dr. Marneaus]

Is the marine magnum the same as the police magnum only nickel plated?

Or is it an 870 express that is nickel plated?

Just curious.

[Synchronizor]

Police and Express 870s actually have a lot more in common with each other than either does with a Marine Magnum. When you get right down to it, there aren't that many differences between similarly-configured Police and Express guns; the finish is about the biggest thing that sets them apart, so that doesn't help when the Marine Magnum also has a special finish. And with regard to the other details that separate Police and Express 870s, the Marine Magnums also tend to be unique. Their extractors and carrier dog follower springs are different from those in both Police models and Expresses, for example. What really sets Marine Magnums apart is that the majority of their internals and action parts have special materials and/or finishes to make them more corrosion resistant than the common parts shared by Police & Express 870s. Marine Magnums also tend to have have 18" barrels and longer fore-ends rather than the 18.5" barrels and short SpeedFeed fore-ends common on current-production Police synthetic & HD/tactical Express guns.

I suppose if you really wanted to nail down which was closest to the Marine Magnum, it would probably be the Express since Marine Magnums have new-style polymer trigger plates, their barrels have the same close-range Cylinder choke as HD/tactical Express models, and their nickel-plated carrier dog follower springs have the same stiffness as standard heavy 870/1100/11-87 carrier dog follower springs. But again, this is all splitting hairs, especially since virtually all internal parts are interchangeable between these guns. Comparing Marine Magnums to similarly-built Police & Express 870s, by far the biggest element in play is nickel vs. phosphate vs. oxide finishes.

[Dr. Marneaus]

Sooooo....

Yes and no?


Okay, lets get down to this.

Overall, one would consider a police magnum to be of higher quality than an Express. I know that's dumming it down a bit, but there should be better fit and finish (assembled/inspected in their own area that is only 870P's), walnut vs. laminate (in the case of wood furniture), the metal trigger guard, so on and so forth. I have always heard the 870P's were essentially a more "utilitarian" (mostly only in finish and configuration) version of the Wingmasters, where as the express was created to be a less expensive option. That being said I have no issue or worries about the quality or durability of the Express, but one would say the above is true, yes?

Is the above true?

If so, are the marine magnums held to the same higher regard and quality standards than say the express's? Or no?

[Synchronizor]

The Express is less expensive primarily because of it's cheaper finish & furniture. A few extra dollars are shaved off here and there with minor things like the MIM extractor, simpler internal-ratchet magazine retainer, and polymer trigger plate; but those don't really affect function or reliability. In fact, they could be seen as improvements. The new-style polymer trigger plates are actually considered by many to be tougher than the old-style powdered aluminum trigger plates on Wingmasters & Police guns; and if magazine extensions aren't a concern, the internal-ratchet spring retainers are easier to use and less likely to cause problems compared to the press-in retainers in Police guns.

If you strip off the finish and furniture, an Express is the same gun as a Police, Wingmaster, Special Purpose, etc. The receivers, bolts, barrels, fore-end tube assemblies, and other major components are manufactured from the same materials using the same techniques, regardless of how the gun will eventually be finished and what it will eventually be sold as. All 870s are assembled using the same methods (there's no need for an 870's parts to be hand-fitted), and all 870s are inspected and test-fired at the factory, regardless of model. Wingmaster and Police models may run a little smoother when brand-new since they're finished differently, but no 870 is at its best until it's been broken in. Brand-new Wingmasters feel terrible compared to my well-used Express.

So no, I don't consider the Police to be a higher-quality 870. I consider the Police to be a higher-end 870 with tougher furniture, a more resilient finish, and a couple alternate parts that make it slightly better-suited for heavy combat applications right out of the box. The Marine Magnum is also a higher-end 870, with enhanced external & internal finishing that makes it better-suited for harsh environments right out of the box. If you strip & refinish an Express accordingly, and maybe change a part here and there, it would for all intents & purposes be the same thing as a Police or Marine Magnum.

[sven]

Remingtons does also make their 870 Police versions in nickel with "police" quality. They have other order numbers than the sporter 870 Marine Magnum. The sporter marine magnum however has a non-MIM extractor, while the express does not. It also features the same plastic trigger guard and stock/forend. So in my opinion is the ordinary 870 marine magnum a express with an marine non-MIM extractor.

870 Police Marine 18"
870 Police Marine 14"