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As far as pistol grip shotguns go this is the best pistol grip out there. That being said anytime you mix a shotgun with a pistol grip only design you know it’s going to be a mess. As far as how the Remington 870 is laid out it’s an easy to use gun. The controls are well placed and easy to reach, even in the TAC 14 format. As you can imagine, a pistol grip only 12 gauge has a lot of recoil, but luckily it’s pain-free.
The Marine Corps didn’t choose this shotgun because it was pretty. Reliability and functioning under the most adverse conditions are the necessary’s of a tool of war. I’d say 3 out of thousands is about as good as you’ll ever get, People like to raise a little sand over Mossberg’s appearance, and attach too much significance to it’s low price. …also, as others in the discussion have noted, I had some extraction problems with mine in the first hundred rounds or so.
Ruger American Rifle w/Magpul® Hunter Gray Stock – 20″ Heavy Barrel – 6.5 Creedmoor
Federal Low Recoil slugs produced a very respectable group at these longer distances, especially from a TAC-14. That being said this gun is much smaller and lighter. If size is an issue, a TAC-14 packs a significant punch.
This particular model doesn’t have much of a recoil pad on it, so I’ll probably use the slip on buttpad I bought for my 30/30 Marlin, my shoulder was sore after the 2 circuits. The 870 you bought looks very much like the 870P . We carry 870P’s loaded with 00 Tactical buckshot. The only issue I’ve ever seen with reliability is short-stroking. I’ve fired thousands of rounds and been on the range for more. There’s also been the occasional pinch between the fore end and the frame of the action.
Remington Model 870 Hardwood Home Defense – 12GA – Pump Action (R
As you’d imagine this is not a replacement for a real shotgun with a stock. It’s slower and harder to shoot in every way. The only thing that might have made it better is if Remington had used the 870 Wingmaster model rich blue finish over the 870 Express-style parkerized finish. I can attest my original Model 870 TAC-14 had some of the rust-when-exposed-to-air finish that some Remington budget guns have unfortunately become known for. This particular model doesn’t have that issue.
The challenge is why this is such a blast to shoot. It’s like trying to hold onto a bucking bull. When you figure out how handle it, you’ll get a ton of satisfaction out of it. Got my Mossberg in 1980 never had a problem with it. The tang safety is great now because of a cataract I have to shoot left handed much easier with Mossberg.
Remington 870 Home Defense
To be fair, we aren’t done testing this shotgun. Our 870 and a Mossberg 500 purchased at the same time, with the same round count on it, are currently lightly salted and sitting in a field somewhere in Texas. Probably being stepped on repeatedly by horses if I know the herd at the ranch as well as I think I do. In a few weeks we’ll transfer them to the bottom of a lake for a while, drop them from an airplane, and then blow them up. But until that testing is complete, I can say without a doubt that under “normal” conditions the gun runs just fine. Somehow, though, we here at TTAG have never reviewed the gun before.
The 870 hardwood is a reliable and effective home defense option that points well and provides the capacity you need without any "tacticool" gimmicks. This rock solid shotgun delivers outstanding quality, rugged good looks, and a reputation earned from over 10 million 870s sold since 1951. This is in reply to the post saying that mossbergs where better and that they were used by the Marines. Actually the Marines issue shotgun is the Bennelli M4. I’m sue they still have some Mossbergs in there armory but most units deployed over seas are carrying the Benelli. Also the military Mossberg has a steel reciever where the Mossberg Comercialy available shotguns are aluminum so durability wise they don’t compare to the civilian available version.
Most of what what you want to know will be in his article, but briefly. It was 1982 I was the Armorer for The Marshals Service at their training academy at Glynco, Ga. Winchoke tubes, and front bead re-installed, butt stock cut and re-shaped to the birds head shape with captured stock bolt and sling swivel.
I purchased a mossberg 590A1 and had nothing but problems with it. The finish looked good but the function and quality were horrible. When I first took the gun home I tried to sight the gun in with slugs at 50 yards. I checked the sights for damage but did not see any noticeable damage that would put it off that bad at 50 yards all I can figure is they put it on crooked or off center. This tells me that there quality control is not where it should be expecially when it comes to there defensive/combat shotguns.
A boar with ivory growing out of his jaw the size of your thumb can ruin your day. That’s why when I visit the farm I usually have a rifle and always a magnum revolver. Firing birdshot from the hip is an absolute blast though. At ten yards or so, I was surprised how easy it was to direct birdshot into clay pigeons sitting on a berm.
I’m no expert on shotguns, or home defense, but it’s sure nice to know you don’t have to spend a fortune for a good home defense shotgun. I’m not at the point where I “can’t stand” the finish but I’ve had the 870 Express/Tactical for 6mths +/-, bought NIB and installed the side saddle style shell holder. It was not a case of under-tightened pins that hold it on and movement making it wear. It was on there solid and still caused complete deterioration again, down to the raw metal.
The other Mossy 500s I’ve handled always felt a little rickety, had cheap feeling polymer and rattled a little too much for my liking. They also don’t really pass the eye test for me. My knock is that people gripe about the current non metal trigger guard/ housing. There’s no doubt that the Remington 870 is still the king of the pump action shotgun.
Now just passed the two year warranty but called Remington and they are going to replace my shotgun. I think I got the one gun off the production line that had an issue but the company is standing tall and making good on their commitment to customer satisfaction. However, my personal 12ga is an ’88 Mossy 500. I’ve never experienced a single problem with it. It is one of the most beat up, ugly, dirty old shotguns you’ll ever see, and I trust it for home protection every night. The slide operation may not be as slick as a top of the line Wingmaster, but neither is the price.
Gun Review – Remington Model 870 TAC-14 Hardwood
For an equivalent amount of bad-ass weapon, the Tac-14 is about $100 cheaper than the Shockwave. The 870DM is Remington’s newest take on home-defense and is one hell of a fast-loading shotgun. By offering a 6-round magazine, incredibly intuitive controls, and a Supercell recoil pad, the 870DM is not your run-of-the-mill scattergun. Like classic Rem firearms, this guy is built with a nice balance between steel and synthetics to keep reliability up and weight manageable.
The combination of wood and steel is irresistible. It is an old-school kind of shotgun by design, but it can prove to be real competition even for the more modern shotguns. A great shotgun with a pocket-friendly price , which can be used in a wide range of situations and scenarios. Two shotguns which are often compared, and for good reason. The Mossberg is a lot more defense-oriented than the Remington, which is more of a hunting shotgun.
