I now have a Remington Model 870 Express 12 ga shotgun to compliment my Win Model 1400 that I've had since 1967. I've shot lots of edible critters with the 1400 but have yet to fire a shell through the 870. I got it because I've taken-up goose hunting and feel a need to own a light antiaircraft artillery field piece. It's chambered for 2 3/4" and 3" shells.

My 1400, being a 2 3/4" gas-operated semi and with an expanded rubber butt pad has a hardly noticeable recoil, even with magnum shells. It's a two-hander for sure, but it isn't too much, really. In contrast, this 870 in my lap has a solid rubber butt pad. I'm thinking that with a 3" shell that suckers gonna wallop my shoulder.

Any of you guys have experience with this shotgun? I like the stock fit, but I'm thinking about changing the butt pad. Advice?

B

Get the butt brake, its a weighted recoil pad.

Or toughen up it's not that bad.

yep suck it up.go try it with the 2 3/4 then step up to the 3's.i used to have an old sears single shot that my brother and a buddy sawed off the barrel.yes it was legal length.man would that thing put the hurt on ya.if you could take more then 3 shots you were THEE MAN.

I have an 870 and have only shot 2 3/4 shells (1 1/8 oz shot, 1200 fps). It doesn't hurt too badly to shoot fifty rounds in a setting without an extra pad.

I'd think that you would have to cut down the stock to fit a substantial pad. I don't know that I would want to cut down the stock, but it's "only an 870."

Suck it up dude. I have a Remington 1187 Semi. It is nothing compared to my Mossberg. I use 3 1/2" shells in the Mossberg for Turkey. Now that is a kick!

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I have an 1187 as well. I'm not sure that it kicks any less than the 870. The rearward motion of the bolt should take up a bit of the kick, but it's not noticeable.

Prior to getting my Benelli SBE, my 870 was my standby duck/goose gun.

I've shot many a 3" through it, and it's certainly more stout than the SBE...but that's not saying much. I can shoot 3 1/2's through the SBE all day long.

Were I dopey enough to be using an 870 for clays, the recoil might be a bit much...but duck huntin' adrenaline has a way of making such things irrelevant.

I'll go with the crowd here, and suggest you not be so quick to jump on the pansy wagon.

Ah, the 870. If you're going to own just one shotgun, it should be an 870. Plentiful, and competitively priced, it's a time tested design.

The wood stock ones I've seen could definitely benefit from something to take the oomph away from the shoulder, but one a whole are not bad. The composite stock versions I've experienced, (All from Wal-Mart, incidentally,) all seemed to have a more than adequate cushioning.

Being an 870, you should be able to find more info about various recoil pads online than you can shake a stick at. If you decide to perform an upgrade, there must be a ton of Internet sources that could help you pick out the best product. The aftermarket support for those things must be comparable to the range of crap available to bolt on to Hondas.

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My dad shot competitively. He said "if you want to be a really good shot with a heavy caliber pistol, practice with an identically weighted 22 cal. The kick on a big gun will make you flinch instinctively and you will not be able to hit anything. The 22 will not, so your aiming instincts will be honed. Then when you are using the heavy caliber gun in the heat of battle you won't flinch out of habit."

With that in mind, I bet dad would say to practice with a gun that operates the same way as the 870 and hunt with the 870. Or since it is a shotgun I suppose you can practice with light loads and hunt with the cannon shells!

My uncle used to hunt geese. His goose gun was a 10 ga. and it was longer than he was tall (it seemed). He was a small man but I imagine when he shot geese it didn't hurt because he most likely was well numbed with some type of alcohol.

Tom W

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First the 870 is a very good gun. I'm not a Remington fan, but they do have good 'modern' designs. The trigger unit is simple compared to other makes. You could always try a few shots at the range. I wouldn't punish yourself. Put on a recoil pad if you feel the need.
I always troed to fit the length so that there was 1 to 1-1/2 inches from where the thumb 'Y's into the hand to the tip of your nose. I usually did 1 inch so that some amount of clothing would take up the other 1/2 inch. If cold weather was expected, then taht amount of clothing was compensated for.
I only had one customer who had problems with it. He must have learned from someone or with one of the old, old double barrels with what was know as a crooked stock. His head rest near the butt of the stock. With black power shells the recoil wasn't as much as with modern shells. So this worked well back then. I had him try drifferent guns in the store to see what fit him.

Tom

Before I remove my manhood and jump on the pansy wagon by getting some sort of recoil dampener, I intend to shoot the dang gun. Most of all, to pattern it.

Looking down the barrel I noticed a choke sleeve of some sort. The PO mentioned it when I was considering buying the gun but he didn't know anything about it. It looks like some sort of tool fits into notches of the sleeve at the muzzle. There is no indication on the receiver as to the barrel,s choke so I assume it is a stock attachment? I've never used a gun with a variable choke of any sort.

Comments?

B

Most new shotguns have removable chokes, you should be able to identify the choke by notches and remove it with a quarter if you are lucky. At least a good recoil pad is a must Limbsaver is a good one right now YMMV. My friends use the Mercury Recoil Reducer and seem to like it but it makes the gun too heavy imo. http://www.98.net/chr/intro2.htm.

The thing about guns is everyone has an opinion so YMMV.

http://www.remington.com/products/accessories/gun_parts/remChoke_tubes.asp

The Rem chokes are OK. They are a good design. There should be a choke tube wrench. A quarter should work. Winchester and others have simular choke tubes. I have very few problems (like 5 or so at most), considering the amount of guns I worked on in about two years. Just don't shoot it without them and keep one in there unless changing the choke tube.
Tom

Do not use a quarter. The tube might be really tight and you will wind up damaging the barrel and the choke tube notches. Go to your favorite gun store (or order online) and buy a choke wrench and 3 choke tubes, improved cylinder, modified and full. Or first remove your tube and determine what it is and buy the other two. You should also find the chart that shows the choke equivalent for lead vs. steel shot since the different shots pattern differently with the same choke. IIRC you step one tighter size for steel to get the same pattern as from lead but I might be way off here.
And, X2 on the 870 being the ONE shotgun to have if it has to be only one. Above all, shoot the crap out of it and you will find that it gets sweeter and smoother with time and rounds expended.

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OK, start patterning with a set of Briley chokes from G&H in Gueydan and begin placing spacers between the buttpad and adding onto the comb if you are low......


C'mon guys--its an 870! What Med said. Unless you are going to shoot 3 1/2 BBBs (which it sounds like you have the express not the magnum), shoot it first before you spend $65 (Limbsaver is the best one, imo, btw) on a recoil pad for a $300 shotgun. I don't think you will notice much if any difference going to 3". Glad you are into it now you will go when Med comes in Jan.

The important question is are you going to get an Olt coyote call from the '50s off ebay and learn how to call specks with it? THAT would be impressive

Also, knowing where and how you are hunting, if you are using 3" you may want to buy at least one box of Hevi Shot BBs. I don't buy it for ducks but hunting specks over rice the extra range cuts down on cripples.