Reload and respond faster with the Remington 870 DM Magpul 12 Gauge shotgun.
The
detachable box magazine is constructed of polymer and steel, and
carries six shells. Shield-graphic texturing provides grip during
insertion or removal. G&A’s testing showed the magazines will not
drop from the receiver, but need to be pulled from the magazine well.
When Guns & Ammo first saw and fired the 870 DM, we asked Daniel Cox, Remington’s shotgun product manager, what type of testing they did to make sure the new feeding system was as reliable as the old.
Though
the 870 DM features a detachable box magazine, Remington has kept the
former magazine tube as a platform to mount the same slide action of the
870’s forend assembly. However, now it wears furniture made by Magpul.
The results of the testing are pretty impressive, but a closer look at the shotgun reveals how they achieved such an improvement.
Shooters
that prefer the Remington 870’s style of crossbolt safety and bolt
carrier release will feel right at home working the action on the new
870 DM.
A classic 870 utilizes an elevator to lift a shell from the tubular magazine and move it up in front of the bolt. Pushing the slide forward forces the bolt to scoop the shell into the chamber. If history is any indicator, this is a very effective and reliable way to feed a shotgun.
The 870 DM’s magazine presents the shotgun shells from a fixed position inside the receiver. The elevator is now gone and the static magazine replaces it. Anytime nonmoving parts replace moving parts, reliability stands a good chance of improving.
Besides
black, Magpul offers color versions of its SGA stocks and forends in
flat dark earth, gray and orange. Remington, however, will only be
offering this Magpul configuration of the 870 DM in black.
The bolt on a standard 870 features a flat bottom. When loading, the lifter comes up and the bolt comes forward. When the bolt face is approximately 11/2 inches from the chamber, the elevator drops down and leaves the shell unsupported. This hasn’t been a big issue for Remington given that the system has worked for a very long time.
The
durable all-steel upper assembly of the single-stack box magazine is
designed for quick insertion, reliable feeding and easy loading. No
rocking is required to secure the magazine in place. Shooters can pick
up additional three- and six-round mags for $35 at retailers.
Each 870 DM Magpul ships with one, six-round magazine. The top of the magazine positioned inside the receiver is steel, while the lower mag body is polymer. After testing, Remington concluded that variations in shotshell dimensions made putting any more than six in the box problematic. Development continues to see if a reliable 10-round magazine is possible.
The
reputation for strength of the 870 remains a priority in the 870 DM.
Behind the walls of this steel receiver are a steel bolt, carrier,
extractor and ejector. Remington proved its new model by feeding it
100,000 shells of 25 different loads.
The
aluminum, magazine-well assembly box was the most challenging aspect
for engineers. Not only will it accept mags loaded with 23/4- or 3-inch
shells, but the ambidextrous mag-release lever places the front hand in
an ideal position when it’s time to reload.
Besides the removable magazine, the two 870 DM samples G&A were sent for testing came with many features ideally suited for a defensive role. We especially liked the XS Ghost-Ring rear sight and base with a white bead up front. Traditional bead sights are difficult to use with slugs and become invisible in low light. The steel base is a Picatinny rail that runs the length of the receiver and is secured to the 870 receiver by four screws.
Remington
selected XS Sight Systems’ quick-acquistion Ghost-Ring sight system
designed for shotguns. It features a standard-dot, single-bead sight up
front that is drift adjustable for windage corrections. The rear ramp
on the sight wears glare-reducing serrations.
The Magpul stock and its adjustable comb height makes the shotgun shootable in a red dot configuration. Putting any type of sight on a shotgun pulls the shooter’s head off the comb because every shotgun stock is designed around a bead or vent-rib sight, which plants the shooter’s head firmly on the comb. Lifting the sights off the barrel not only pulls one’s head up off the comb, but it gives recoil a running start into the shooter’s face. Magpul’s 870 DM Magpul adjustable stock uses spacers to raise the comb enough that the shooter can still have a firm cheekweld even with an optic mounted.
Anchored
by four screws, XS’ Ghost-Ring sight system can accommodate an optic.
Without one, the rear aperture is hand-adjustable for zeroing windage
and elevation. Only a small, flat-head screwdriver is required to
loosen and tighten the sight’s locking screws.
The barrel’s muzzle is threaded for choke tubes and the 870 DM arrived with a tactical extended Cylinder choke. The “extended” Cylinder tube allows the choke tube to host a muzzlebrake and gives the muzzle some standoff should you want to use this shotgun for doing things like breaching doors. We can’t imagine that many will, but it can benefit everyone.
The muzzlebrake is a screw-in choke that functions as a stand-off breaching device.
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