Nooby questions about the marine magnum.

[vg_sfxlink]

I've been into guns for a little over a year now and ever since i was a little kid, I always wanted the remington 870 marine magnum which is this baby right here. https://www.remington.com/sites/default ... k=KokAYgs8 but last year when I got to the local gun shop to pick it up, this was what I received. https://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/ ... 302030.jpg now don't get me wrong, I love this gun and it's treated me right since day one. But I confess that I'm a bit of an aesthetics guy. I always wanted the one in the first link and wanted to know if anyone had any info on these? I guess there is more than one variant? I've seen some with different sights and furniture and lengths factory new. Can someone give me as much info on this as possible given I can not find a single bit of info regarding this topic.

[Synchronizor]

Remington's website is really pretty terrible; clunky, inefficient, unhelpful, and - as concerns this conversation - not very up-to-date.

The Marine Magnum in the first image is an older configuration. It has the older-style checkered synthetic stock and an older-style mid-length synthetic fore-end. The barrel is 18" in length.

The Marine Magnum in the second image is more recent, if not current. The stock is the newer-style Express synthetic part, and comes with either a basic solid-rubber recoil pad or the higher-end SuperCell foam recoil pad, depending on the package. Based on pictures I've seen, I think it's the SuperCell for the Marine Magnum. That stock is pretty basic - hollow molded plastic - but it's functional, shoots well, and is very lightweight, which can be a plus depending on what you plan to do with your gun. The SuperCell pad is outstanding, very comfortable. If you decide to change the stock, try to keep that pad.

The fore-end that came on your gun is a SpeedFeed LE fore-end, the same part used on many Tactical and Police 870s. It's a very solid piece that provides good grip without soft materials that can hang up on clothing. As a short fore-end designed to clear police cruiser racks, it may be a bit of a reach if you have a smaller-than-average armspan. Otherwise, it's a very rugged fore-end that'll handle pretty much anything you throw at it.

The barrel in the second image is an 18.5" barrel, rather than the slightly shorter 18" barrel on the older gun. Note where the muzzle is relative to the end of the magazine extension under it. 18.5" is standard for minimum-length 870 barrels these days, though many are still labeled or referred to as 18" (again, Remington's not so great with keeping product information up-to-date). While the minimum legal length in the U.S. is 18" (at least without getting into special situations or NFA red tape), the extra half-inch provides a bit of a safety margin in the event of measurement disputes, and lines up better with many +2 magazine extensions, like the factory +2 that comes on the gun.





Other than the furniture and extra half-inch of barrel, these are essentially the same guns. Nickel plating, specially-treated internals, 3" chamber, rot-proof synthetic furniture, cylinder-bore barrel, front bead sight, front & rear QD sling points, 14" length of pull, and 6+1 capacity. If you don't like the furniture, you can always change it. The Marine Magnum will take any stocks or fore-ends meant for standard large-frame 870s. However, I have used that same fore-end and stock extensively, and I think they're good parts - especially with a SuperCell pad.

[Bourget117]

I've wanted a marine magnum for a long time as well and finally got one a few months ago. I too was surprised by some of the changes when my ordered model finally came in. So I've started making some upgrades after shooting in once or twice. I replaced the stock and forend with a Hogue set and find it much better in many ways. I replaced the extractor with a true marine magnum extractor that the older versions had. Nickel plated and machined. The ones found on new marines are non plated mim extractors. Also I swapped out the stock sling for a magpul one.

[Synchronizor]

I replaced the extractor with a true marine magnum extractor that the older versions had. Nickel plated and machined. The ones found on new marines are non plated mim extractors.

I had heard that the current Marine Magnum extractors were MIM parts, but were still nickel-plated like the rest of the gun's small parts.

[Bourget117]

I replaced the extractor with a true marine magnum extractor that the older versions had. Nickel plated and machined. The ones found on new marines are non plated mim extractors.

I had heard that the current Marine Magnum extractors were MIM parts, but were still nickel-plated like the rest of the gun's small parts.

Yes the current marine magnum special purpose model shotgun extractors are indeed mim but not nickel plated. You can clearly see the difference when you hold the nickel version next to a non plated one. And even against the othe plated parts of the MM. The police version marine magnum does come with a machined nickel extractor and that is the part I recently ordered and installed.
I confirmed all of this before ordering with a well known 870 armorer and with a parts sales rep at Remington.

[Synchronizor]

Hmm, I've heard the opposite from several other sources. Maybe something changed recently, or maybe the new MIM Marine Magnum extractors use a stainless composition rather than plating. Times like this I wish I still had access to metallurgical labs that could analyze this stuff.

Anyway, it's just an extractor. They all work, none seem to be particularly susceptible to corrosion, and they're cheap and easy to change if makes you feel better.

[Bourget117]

Hmm, I've heard the opposite from several other sources. Maybe something changed recently, or maybe the new MIM Marine Magnum extractors use a stainless composition rather than plating. Times like this I wish I still had access to metallurgical labs that could analyze this stuff.

Anyway, it's just an extractor. They all work, none seem to be particularly susceptible to corrosion, and they're cheap and easy to change if makes you feel better.

Yes it does make me feel better that it has the proper extractor. This is the way the marine magnums used to come and the way the police version still comes with. Nothing has changed recently and they never used any stainless parts in any of the marine models. To save money they simply just started installing the non plated mim extractor that's found on the express models.