Theres a Remington 870 special purpose 12 gauge in a local shop. I remember them coming out in the mid to late 80s . I tried doing some research online only to get conflicting answers. Were they on a dull finish Wingmaster receiver or are they like the cheaper Express models. I don't need it but its in good condition and i can pick it up for around $200 out the door . Ive got about a dozen 870s in different configurations and gauges but not that one . Thanks in advance for any reply BTW its a 30" screw in choke

I think the conflicting answers are because there were multiple variations of the Special Purpose, dependent on what it’s purpose was. This is based entirely on my 5 minutes of googling it. Seems there were several metal variations (parkerized, bead blast, chrome lined), as well as everything from dull finished hand checkered walnut to standard issue synthetic stocks. Seems like each gun marked Special Field would be an entity of its own.

The Special Purpose field guns preceded the Express by a couple of years. They were basically a Wingmaster with an oil finished hardwood stock and a dull finish that was different than that of the Express. After the Express was introduced, the Special Purpose stock was changed to an oil finished walnut stock.

As I recall, the SP's demise was its resemblance to the Express but at a much higher cost. Few saw an advantage to spending more for a gun that would be facing severe conditions. For $200 it does not sound like a bad price if in good condition. I've paid considerably more for a gun that I was collecting but did not have.

Ok thanks for the replies. I'll probably go ahead and pick it up

https://www.remingtonsociety.org/collecting-870-shotguns/

Look at 85 and 89.

Thank you, I'll have to save that . Lot of good info there

I have a special purpose synthetic that's a dull finish but not as rough a finish as an Express. Although I've had the trigger assemblies out & compared to other 870's & cannot see a difference, the SP sees to be smoother than my Express models, maybe just the finish.

$200 for one? I have 5 870's, but would trip trying to get to a $200 SP.

Mine is one of my "keep come hell or high water" guns. Few qualify for that.

Also 91. I have a 870 SP Synthetic. Having owned an Express at one time, I can say that the SP is a much nicer gun and a great deal at $200.

Ok thanks for all the replies. Most of you sound like me, tough to beat a good 870.

Yes, for $200 OTD I think it is a real good deal!

Which 870 offering featured a shorter rifled slug barrel and iron sights for deer hunting....may have been a two barrel set.

They made a couple, ive got one from the early 90s Wingmaster receiver rifled slug barrel.

I have one of the originals made the 1st year or 2. Mine is parkerized with a dull finish walnut stock and real checkering and a 26" barrel threaded for tubes. The originals didn't cost any less than a Wingmaster. They made several versions, mine was the waterfowl gun. They made a turkey and deer hunting gun with an appropriate barrel on them. After a couple of years they changed to cheap wood with Remingtons nasty stamped checkering and matte blue finish on the metal. Some with synthetic stocks. They still "called" them "Special Purpose", but they are nothing but an Express, which they eventually changed the name to.

Original SP were just hardwood. It was later that they went to walnut.

Seems you're right. The 1st ones I recall seeing were walnut, and only for a year or 2 before going to back to hardwood. I don't recall ever seeing a SP with hardwood before walnut. I had one of the early 11-87 SP's and still have the 870. Both with walnut and real checkering. At any rate those are my favorite Remington shotguns.

What is the 870 with the strait stock?? I thought that was the special!

Upland

........... Before fully rifled slug guns became common I bought a new 870 "Special Purpose Deer" model in 1987. Had a smoothbore slug barrel with rifle sights,( not threaded for choke tubes), a dull parkerized-like finish, and has "Remington 870 Magnum" on the left side of the receiver and " Special Purpose Deer" on the right side. Still got it but it now has a fully rifled barrel and has been drilled & tapped for optics. Even back in the old "smoothbore / Foster style slug" era it was a great shooter.

Special Field was straight English style stock and a shorter barrel, I thought 23" but what I am seeing is it was 21".

IIRC the 870 Special Field also had a shorter 2 or maybe 3 round magazine tube. It helped with the proportions and didn't make the barrel look so short. The barrels would not interchange with other 870's. They also made an 1100 Special Field. And while I'm not 100% certain I think they had to retain the same mag tube to work with the gas system on the 1100.

Also made an 1100 Special Purpose. Have seen 2 of these in shops, both mint and kick myself in the ass for not snagging either of them.

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.,