IIRC.............
The 870 Special Purpose was hardwood stock the first year or two, press checkered?, then went walnut and cut checkering.
Both the SP and Express have matte finish.
The Express has a flat milled on top of the receiver, unlike the Sportsman 12 Pump (round top).
The Sportsman12 auto was round top too, and Sportsmans were not matte finish blue.
The Special Purpose had a flat machined and countersunk in the top of the receiver.....like a regular 870 WM.....cept no anti glare grooves in the trough.
Think they came w camo sling and choketube set too.
Express got you one choketube.
The 1100 Special Purpose was in fact parkerized. I have one but it was stained funky, so I Gunkoted it. Added a 26" Remington Steel shot Remchoke bbl.
Runs like a champ.
The English stocked 870 Special Field.............does say "Special" on the side.
Special Purpose 870's say "Special Purpose".....maybe later ones just SP?
The Special Fields have a shorter mag tube, so on 870s their bbls will not interchange w regular 870's- since the mag cap bears on the bbl ring.
1100 Special Fields also shorter mag tube, but the wood retains the bbl so can swap bbls.
Walmart did a run of English stock 1100's or 1187's with full length mag tube.They aint "Special Fields".
Special Fields first were 21" fixed choke, then went 21" Remchoke and finally 23" Remchoke.
I've had two Special Purpose 12 ga, one a 21" Remchoke vent rib turkey model (hardwood) and the other a walnut deer model.
Have had two 870 Special Field 20's. Shoulda kept the first one, 21" mod. The other was shortened (professionally) and I bought it for my wife, who promptly said she hated the stock.
Sold for a decent profit.
Have run a 20 and 12 Special Field a bud had and slapped a Special Field bbl on a Sportsman 12 auto.
Think I've had a dozen 1100's and maybe a few more than that in 870s.
Currently running the 1100 SP bastardized, and an 870 Express Supermag Turkey model (23" Remchoke).
The latter will limit out on doves w no cherry picking at about 50%.
Not great, not bad. I shoot once a year.
Pisses my hunting bud off.,
