Originally Posted By: JHZR2
That is pretty. Finding all the 870 options requires you to go to a few remington websites... I dont think I ever actually found this specific model on an official remington website, though I didnt look hard. I did find the beautiful "standard" Remington Police Magnum (with wood), and perhaps even more pretty, the version of yours with the wood furniture (on gunbroker). Not sure of the practicality of the marine magnum with oiled wood stock, but it sure looks nice!
Curious how you find the balance of the extended magazine version. I know you dont have a standard length magazine to compare with, but it seems to me its like having a 6" full underlug revolver... Its nose-heavy and so while its heavy and stable, its harder to point (and to some extent, swing) for long periods. I know my 20" 590A1 is that way. Granted, an 18" shotgun like this is not intended for shooting clays or birds, and most wont be clearing homes, but rather having it from a holed up position notionally. Especially if you want to leave the chamber empty and mag tube not 100% full to stress the spring, not having the extended tube leaves you pretty short handed with only 3 rounds... Then is it worth it to have? Anyway, curious about your perceptions/thoughts.
I finally got the new Police Marine Magnum out to the range for a bit yesterday after it warmed up. I started off by running a box of Trap loads I had through it. 1-1/8th ounce of #8 shot in a Claybuster blue wad, over 17.5 Gr. of Clays powder. Just to test functioning. The gun ate all 25 rounds flawlessly. As expected recoil was very light. Then I started in with some 3" 1 ounce rifled slugs, (Winchester "Value Packs"). I shot these off a rest at 25 yards to check the factory rifle sights. They were printing just a bit low, so I made an adjustment, and after that the gun was shooting dead center.
I moved the target out to 50 yards, and it was the same result. I was getting 4" to 5" groups with a few going a bit tighter than that. Not bad for a smooth bore 12 gauge with Foster Slugs and iron sights. The recoil was stout with the 3" loads, especially off the bench. But nothing unmanageable. The recoil pad Remington provides on this Police Marine Magnum is excellent. It's similar to the "Kick Ezz" Sorbathane recoil pads that are so popular with Trap shooters. The action on this new Remington is every bit as slick and smooth as my circa 1976 870 Wingmaster. I don't know if it's because of all the Electroless Nickel plating of all the parts, or what. But it runs quite a bit slicker than my Mossberg 590 A-1 does.
I also ran some 3" Magnum 00 and 000 Buckshot though it as well. Some Remington, and some Winchester, with a few Federal rounds thrown into the mix for good measure. All cycled without an issue. Moving back up to 25 yards with the cylinder bore, they printed what I would call a nice, uniform pattern. I didn't notice much, if any "nose heaviness" as far as pointing and shooing ability of this gun when shooting it from a standing position. Even with the magazine filled to capacity. My 590 A-1 has a 20" barrel, along with a full length magazine tube and a 8 + 1 capacity. And it is a bit more noticeable. Especially with the lighter Aluminum receiver which doesn't counter balance as well as the heavier all steel Remington 870 receiver. But neither one is objectionable. Then again I'm probably the wrong guy to ask, because I'm used to shooting 30" and 32" barreled O/U Trap shotguns most of the time. And there is a whole lot more barrel and weight out front shooting those.
I called it a day after about 150 rounds total. With the exception of the first 25 Trap loads I ran through it, all were 3" Magnum loads. I wasn't "sore", just a bit tired. Which is a sign of the gun fitting properly. My only "gripe" with the gun is minimal. I don't like having to screw around removing that barrel clamp in order to break the gun down to clean it. My 590 A-1, as you can see in the photograph I posted above, (page 2), has nice brazed on attachment points, with machined steel rings for the barrel. With a nice one piece magazine tube, and no extensions. The entire magazine, along with the way it attaches to the barrel itself is, "designed into" the gun, so to speak. Where as this Remington is more or less, "pieced together" with extension tubes, and a stamped sheet metal barrel clamp to hold it all together. It's something Remington has had trouble getting away from with all of their 870 riot guns since day one. As I said it's not a big deal, but the Mossberg 590 A-1 wins out in that department. Disassembly is as quick and easy with it, as it is with any of their lower capacity field models.
So overall I'm a happy camper with this new Remington Police Marine Magnum. It looks, feels, and shoots good. And I don't know if it's due to the "slickness" of the Electroless Nickel finish or what, but the gun sure cleaned up easy, that's for sure. Carbon and powder fouling wiped right off. I had zero plastic wad fouling in the barrel when I got it home. A quick pass with a wet nylon brush, followed by a couple of wet and dry patches, and it was bright and shiny. I did have a bit of a rough time removing the magazine extension, as it was too tight from the factory. But once I got it off and put a dab of grease on the threads and the face of the nut where it's secured by the ball detent, it was fine. So overall it was a good day with a good gun.
