Home Defense Remington - 870 or 887?

[minionman24]

I'm looking for a home defense shotgun and have narrowed my choices down to either the tactical Remington 870 or the 887.

I like the looks of the 887 and the idea that its "armored"/ruggedized, but can't seem to shake some less than stellar reviews on it. All that I've read seems to be mixed, although the 887 apparently uses some of the same mechanisms as the 870.

The price difference between the two is pretty negligible for me so its more for reliability, ruggedness and value. I also had the thought that I could get an 870 and duracoat it.

Thoughts?

[johnpsu]

I have a Remington Model 870™ Express® Synthetic 7-Round and it is great. The gun is primarily HD, so the shotgun is perfect. I bought this version because of the higher shell capacity over similar models. My version has a similar extended tactical Rem Choke to the 887 (shown on the Remington web site).

+1 for the auto-loader option.

If price is similar enough, read the reviews and then go with what you like better. I think either option would serve you well.

I am sure that some other folks will soon post "what about a Mossberg ___". In my opinion, Remington vs. Mossberg is somewhat like Ford vs. Chevy (minus the government bailout).

[BrowningBoy]

Get the 870 you won't be sorry.

[Wilson Guy]

I love my 870. Not to thread-jack but here is mine with shell carrier and Surefire. Posting these up to show you the armor-tuff finish. These things are bullet-proof.

[Dave49]

I have the 887 and have absolutely no regrets. It is my primary House gun and I also use it in 3 gn competitions. The short 18.5" barrel makes it less than ideal for traps or hunting but more maneuverable for home defense.

[minionman24]

Have you considered the 11/87? IIRC, you lose one round capacity, but as reliable as the 870 pump action is, having a semi-auto shotty for HD seems like a choice worth considering.

I'm not so worried about hunting or sporting with this gun. I've looked at the 11/87 and have considered it, but part of me wants to hold out for the new Browning A5 come-hell-or-high-water that is supposed to be released this spring.

How has your 11/87 shot though? Anything to think it might be less reliable than a pump?

I am sure that some other folks will soon post "what about a Mossberg ___". In my opinion, Remington vs. Mossberg is somewhat like Ford vs. Chevy (minus the government bailout).

A friend of mine has a basic Mossberg 500 with the convertible pistol grip/longer barrel kit and loves it. He's not too serious about HD but has had no complaints. If I'm not mistaken, a comparable Remington and Mossberg 12 gauge that I'd be interested in are similar in price and performance and probably wouldn't make a huge difference either way.

I love my 870. Not to thread-jack but here is mine with shell carrier and Surefire. Posting these up to show you the armor-tuff finish. These things are bullet-proof.

Very nice setup... I like that Surefire foregrip a lot too.

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. It seems like any weapon discussed here wouldn't be a terrible choice as a HD gun. I guess I have some decisions to make haha...

[crazywolf]

my vote is for the 870.the sky is the limit to how many add ons you can get for it. to make it into just what you want it to be.if you want it to be all it can be you can't beat VANG COMP.his shop can make your 870 into a top of the line HD gun.I had him do mine and it is great.well hope this helped.crazywolf

[IronButt]

I have an 870 Wingmaster that I bought 37 years ago. I've used it hard over the years & the only thing wrong with it is the bluing is worn off & the stock looks like it got into a cat fight.

I wanted a HD shotgun, but I didn't want to convert my "Old Faithful", so I added a 870 ATACs to the stable last year.

You can buy a new basic 870 Express for about $350, (Or a used one in a gun shop for less) & trick it out any way you want at your leisure. The supply of aftermarket parts is endless.

In case you're wondering, I vote 870. They're as dependable as gravity.

[str8shooter]

I'm not so worried about hunting or sporting with this gun. I've looked at the 11/87 and have considered it, but part of me wants to hold out for the new Browning A5 come-hell-or-high-water that is supposed to be released this spring.

How has your 11/87 shot though? Anything to think it might be less reliable than a pump?

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...

I've never had a problem with FTE/FTF, but I've always used 12 gauge magnum loads. It probably would be prudent to feed it some cheap bird shot and see if I have any issues. Thanks for the idea.

[Tomcat088]

I vote for the 870 as well. The Mossberg 500 isn't a bad choice either. I'm a little partial to Remington's, although there's really not much difference between the Mossberg or the Remington 870. They are different, but they're reliable, get the job done and have tons of aftermarket support. I will say that if you choose to upgrade an 870 express into a HD shotgun, MAKE SURE THAT YOU SHOOT IT A LOT. Some of the new express models are just a little rough on the chamber, or don't like certain shells. I've gotten a few boxes of shotshells that the hulls were a little long and the express shotguns would fight with them about ejecting. In the other lines of 870's, I've never seen it as a problem. After I got the shotgun broke in and some rounds through it, it wasn't a problem. It's very possible that it was the shells along with the new shotgun. Either way, it's something worth mentioning.

Now with regards to a Remington 1187 or 1100 for home defense. I am a HUGE fan of Remington 1187's and 1100's. They're one of my favorite shotguns to hunt with, and carry in the field. With that said, I'd still take the pump 870 over the 1187 for home defense. When shooting heavy loads (buckshot), you probably won't have any problems with the 1187. Still, with auto's, there's just always the chance. With birdshot, I've seen quite a few 1187's and 1100's choke in the field. Sometimes it's from improper maintenance, but sometimes the shotgun just didn't like light loads. Either way, it's definitely not what you want to hear from a home defense shotgun. Since the pump gun is a less complicated system, it just tends to be more reliable. As long as you don't short stroke the pump, it's probably going to keep running. It's your life, and you can trust it to whatever weapon you choose. I have the choice also, and I choose a pump gun. Just some things to think about.

P.S. Just for the record, I've seen just about every brand of auto loading shotgun fail in the field. Beretta's, Browning, Remington, Winchester, Franchi, and even Benelli's, etc., etc. It's not something that you only see with Remington's, it's just something that sometimes happens with autos.