Used 870 express dating

[870niceyblaster]

Just got a used 870 express. Wondering about when it was made.
The receiver says Remington 870 EXPRESS in fairly large lettering on the bottom toward shell carrier. The trigger guard is metal. The serial number starts with W and ends in M. The barrel is stamped EH and it is choked. Of course who knows if it is original.

The magazine tube does not have dimples and the retainer is the metal type.

Of course I submitted a inquiry to remington but they are quiet right now.

Can someone roughly date this gun from these vague details?

[Scorpion8]

Hello Newbie! Start here (https://www.rem870.com/gun-manufacture- ... er-lookup/) and see if that helps. Remington's gun-side status is up in the air right now.

[870niceyblaster]

Thank you. I looked at that webpage. It tells me the barrel on my 870 express was manufactured in 1987 or 2014. It has a metal trigger guard, machined extractor, no dimples on the magazine tube, and what appears to be an actual wood stock.

It just makes me more confused. If my express was manufactured in 1987, that makes it one of first 870 Express models produced since that's the year the Express model came out. For some reason, I don't think I got that lucky.

I have another 870 Express I bought brand new which is a 2015 model, confirmed by Remington via serial. That one has a plastic trigger guard, MIM extractor, seems the stock is a pressed particle wood type. There seems to be too many differences to be one year apart. Also, the Receiver has different font and doesn't have EXPRESS in caps.

I was hoping someone would know when abouts they changed the receiver font, metal trigger guard, etc.

[Scorpion8]

There used to be a guy online here that worked for Remington, but haven't seen him for awhile. I've seen many different receiver fonts, and barrel stampings. It is a true jumble.

[toddellis]

Hi - new to the board - but have the same question. I'm looking at my father's 870 express. There are no ID markings on the left side of the slug barrel. On the right side, near the top & the receiver is a "D", slightly closer to the receiver is an "I" in a triangle and "REP". I know "REP" means magnaflux ... other than that - i'm stumped.

The field barrel is stamped PH K

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Scorpion8]

There are no ID markings on the left side of the slug barrel.

Most likely an aftermarket slug barrel, as there used to be so many makers when slug guns were required in many areas and there were more hunters in the fields. The serial number on the receiver is what you will want to use to date the 870.

https://www.rem870.com/gun-manufacture- ... er-lookup/