Remington 887 Nitro Mag review

     Earlier this year, I wanted a shotgun that was durable, could handle all of the available load sizes, be able to endure the elements for long periods of time and it also had to have a mid bead. The Remington 887 Nitro Mag was the answer. The 887 is pump action and chambered in 12 gauge and can handle 2 3/4, 3, and  3 1/2 inch loads.

     The first unique thing I noticed about the 887 was the ArmorLokt design. This polymer coating encases the barrel and the receiver, making it highly rust resistant. The magazine cap, stock, fore end, and trigger housing are also polymer, as is the interior of the receiver (a pleasant surprise). It has a Hi-Viz front sight with interchangeable light tubes, the barrel comes with a modified Rem Choke and I bought it with the 28" solid rib barrel (also available in a 26").

      When I was at my FFL dealer, I noticed some things: the action release wasn't on the side of the trigger guard like my model 870. Located in front of the trigger guard, I found it to be easier to manipulate than the 870's design. The trigger group is easily removable.
The action is smooth, locked up tight and has a rotating lug, and the bolt assembly has a sliding shield on it.
Another great thing about the design is the extractor, which slides along the inside of the receiver and is spring loaded. The concept being that regardless of the shell length, it will eject as soon as the front end clears the breech.
The exterior design is molded for gripping the 887 well, even with heavy gloves on. The SuperCell recoil pad is a noticeable improvement over the standard hard rubber or polymer ones that are found on some other models. The molded swivel studs are a nice addition as well. The fore end has more side to side play than I'm use to, but doesn't affect the operation, and when I shouldered the 887 it pointed and swung well.

     So, how does it handle in the field? 
Excellent. My last hunting trip took place in a variety of environments, giving me a perfect testing ground. While I was out it was scraped against thorns, trees and rocks, dropped in the mud, and I cleaned it by sloshing it around in a stream. No problems occurred during the firing. The only thing missing that day was freezing weather and precipitation, which I look forward to.

     Overall, I'm pleased with the 887. It's rugged and reliable. The price wasn't bad either, starting at around $400. Remington has done a fine job with this model, but still lacks the availability of accessory barrels. To my knowledge, the only one available for purchase is a rifled deer barrel with open sights. Hopefully they will have others available soon.

     Thanks for reading,
     -Rhody