[John_Deer]

If you purchased the gun with a credit card you can always use your buyers protection. I had problems with Kel Tec jerking me around. After a conference call with a consumer advocate from my credit card company Kel Tec had my pistol back to me in two weeks, after jerking me around for five months.

Anytime I purchase a gun NIB or a used gun with a warranty I use my credit card. If you pay cash you have no advocate. You are on your own!

[gmaster456]

You could look at buying a used barrel off of someone or checking your local sporting goods stores such as Dicks, Dunhams, Cabelas, Bass Pro etc. They usually carry them.

[Gonzilla]

I looked at 870s a few years ago and the fit n finish were terrible for the express models. They are rough models. Went back second time and the matte finish was uniform, fit was good, it was night/day comparison.

I prefer 28" barrels or longer. (swings smoother) For Remington Express 20 ga - if you want 28" you get synthetic stocks. My first shotgun w/o wood stocks. Jury still out on syn stocks but I did notice more face slap.
Put kick eez on stock - will see if it helps.

Insides were very rough and completely dry. If you want a super smooth pump w good wood n high gloss finish buy a WingMaster and pay the extra $$$. Express is a NO frills, bare bones hunting or SD gun.

[cmj685]

Guys,
One final update--and thanks again for the good feedback. I got the new barrel about a week ago, at the same time unfortunately that winter moved in. I shot it four times and it extracted three--so that is alot better than zero out of four with the original barrel! I bought the gun for SD, but until I get better performance I obviously can't use it for that. Hoping that winter will break and I can shoot it again. But I will be very careful about buying any sort of Freedom Group product again. Heard from a reliable source that Remington now has a new army contract so it may be more reason for them to cheapen up quality control for their civilian products. It is a shame with such a good name!

[Werminator]

I have a Remington 870 that was bought in the late 90's (express model) that works like a top but my buddy has one bought around 2002 that seems to jam all the time. I assume is has to do with the barrel and the chamber but I also find he racks his slide like my sister... I put some Hoppe's Elite Oil on the dual action rails and it helped smooth it out a lot. I then put a drop of Remoil on my finger tip and rubbed it around in the chamber area of his barrel with great results... Shells slide in and out quite a bit more smoothly and it jams much much less often... Still.. no good for self defense... Mine, thankfully, hasn't missed a beat...

[HockaLouis]

I'm proud of the last two posters!

Despite owning 870's you aren't pretending they are "good enough" for self defense. A particular defense gun must be proven reliable. Function flawlessly. Period. Not work most of the time. Not almost never fail. If it isn't 100% it isn't a defense gun. And if that's why you have it, and you can't trust it without any doubt, get rid of the 870...

[lbwar15]

Never had a problem with mine.

A buddy of mine has 1,000 of rounds through his. He has never cleaned it and it stays in his truck tool box. He has also never had a problem.

[mountainskytop]

Rather than knocking the 870 why not post knowledgeable and constructive remedies to the problem instead of just posting a sort of what appears to be a snob elitist rush saying to to just dump it?

[Gonzilla]

I did take mine apart and it was bone dry when I bought it. I took Flitz to the slide rails and oiled them. I also used flitz to polish bolt group n chamber. I was trying to smooth it out but to be brutally honest, it didn't help much that I could tell - smoothness wise. PIA to reassemble 20 ga.

The roughness of the interior was something you could feel w your fingers. I asked my gunsmith if I should try to stone it but he advised against it. He confirmed 20s were PIA to reassemble which made me feel a wee bit better...

He also told me to oil it and then kick back n watch TV and cycle it like a teenager w first gun. This will wear it in & that's about as good as it will get & safer than stoning.

Note: Not classic Wingmaster smooth but it will cycle anything I feed it. Have no issue w calling it a SD gun. Was actually looking for an 18" tube for SD w sights or rifled slug barrel but budget limited. Is it luck of the draw ? Cleaning ? Flitz? Cycling ? Or all of the above. No idea - it just my .02

[John_Deer]

I have issues with any 870 express. I am used to shooting a Mossberg that I don't have to pull back on the forestock. Recoil ejects the shell and pops the new shell on the loader. I only have to push the forestock forwards. With an 870 I have to pull the forestock back to make the gun cycle. Not adequate! Not to mention the dustcover/loader that gets in my way when topping off. One should not have to take their eyes off the target to top off the magazine.