Alsatian

I have a Remington 870 Super Express Magnum in black synthetic stock. Pretty much your gun with 3 1/2" shell capability. I don't think I've ever shot a 3 1/2" shell out of it. I use 2 3/4" hevishot #6 for duck, and the ducks go down if I do my part (often I do NOT carry my part). I've been using this shotgun my whole waterfowl life -- starting in December 2005. The shotgun looks and handles like new. I have gone skeet shooting a few times. I go duck hunting about 10-16 times per season.

I bought this gun because it was very cheap -- I paid about $280 -- and had a synthetic stock. I reasoned that I could not ruin this gun by exposing it to water and if I did . . . I was only going to be out $280.

I try to take very good care of this gun. I clean it after every weekend's use. I take the barrel off and scrub the barrel; I remove the firing pin block and rub it with a lightly oiled cloth; I rub all metal parts I can reach with a lightly oiled cloth. I rub down the external black finished metal parts (parkerized?) with plenty of oil -- excess oil -- and then remove the excess oil with a relatively dry cloth. I rub down the black synthetic stock with a dry cloth to remove any oil smears I may have imparted to the stock. When I transport the shotgun, I put it in a quilted cloth case. When not transporting the shotgun, it is not in a cloth case, which may hold moisture and induce rusting. When stored at home, I have the shotgun stashed in a silocone impregnated sock (purchased from Cabela's, wicks away moisture supposedly). When stored between hunting outings at my hunting lodge (my sister-in-law's house where I stay when I'm duck hunting -- and not a "hunting lodge" at all, just a small suburban ranch house built in the 1970s) the shotgun is sitting in the open air in a corner, away from trouble. When I won't be using the shotgun for several weeks or months I run an oiled cloth through the barrel and leave the oil film on the barrel; I then remove the oil film just before shooting the shotgun again. This tender loving care helps keep the gun in good condition.

Note that I have read that the Remington 870 Black Synthetic stocked shotgun with parkerized finish is very susceptible and prone to developing rust. I bear this in mind and try to keep it as dry as possible and to keep a light film of oil on everything. Be forewarned. Beyond this, my thinking is still that I don't have a lot of money invested in this shotgun (my Cabela's Magnum waders cost about $180 -- so my gun costs less than twice my waders), so if in fact it does fall victim to rust, in spite of my prudent and diligent care, no big deal. I'll just buy another. I'm not disposed to spend big money on a shotgun, especially for a pretty walnut stocked gun even though I admire such articles, becasue I'm likely to spoil my duck hunting pleasure by fretting about marring the beautiful finish on the shotgun. Stumbling through flooded timber in the dark while wearing waders, trying to avoid plunging into the drink when your foot catches on a submerged log, is not the place for a shotgun you are paranoid about.