You’re staring at a rack of Remington 870s and Mossberg 590s that look like they’ve been dragged behind a squad car through a gravel pit. The finish is gone. There’s a rack number stenciled in neon paint on the synthetic stock. It’s ugly. It’s gritty. Honestly, it’s beautiful.
That’s the reality of police trade in shotguns.
Most people walk into a gun shop and want the shiny, factory-new piece in the box. I get it. But if you’re looking for a tool rather than a safe queen, you’re looking at the wrong shelf. These department turn-ins are often mechanically superior to what’s coming off the assembly lines today, simply because they were built during an era when "QC" wasn’t just a buzzword. You're getting a professional-grade firearm for roughly the price of a budget-bin Turkish import.
The Myth of the "Abused" Duty Gun
People worry. They see the scratches and assume the gun is trashed.
It’s a common misconception that police guns are shot to pieces. In reality, most duty shotguns spend 99% of their lives locked in a vertical rack or bouncing around in a cruiser trunk. They get "patrol car rash"—the finish wears off from the vibration against the metal mount. They get dusty. They get banged into door frames during training. But the round count? It’s usually hilariously low.
Most officers might fire their shotgun once a year for qualification. Maybe fifty rounds of buckshot and a handful of slugs. That’s it. A Remington 870 Police Magnum is rated for a service life that would take a literal century to reach at that pace. When you buy one of these, you aren't buying a "used" gun in the traditional sense; you're buying a seasoned one. The action is usually slicker than glass because it’s been cycled thousands of times by bored officers or during dry-fire drills, even if it hasn't seen much live lead.
Remington 870 vs. Mossberg 500: The Trade-In Giants
Usually, when a big batch of police trade in shotguns hits the market from distributors like GT Distributors or AimSurplus, they fall into two camps.
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The Remington 870 Police Magnum is the gold standard. Don't confuse these with the "Express" models you find at big-box retailers. The Police Magnum has a forged steel receiver, a heavier sear spring, and a non-mim (metal injection molded) extractor. It's built to a different spec. If you find one with the old-school walnut furniture and the "Parkerized" finish, buy it. Don't even think about it. Just buy it.
Then there’s the Mossberg 500 and 590 series. These are the favorites of the military and many West Coast agencies. They have an aluminum receiver, which makes them lighter to carry on a twelve-hour shift. The real draw here is the tang safety. It’s ambidextrous. If you’re a lefty, or if you just prefer a thumb-operated safety, the Mossberg trade-ins are your best friend.
Sometimes you’ll see the Benelli Nova or even the M1 Super 90 pop up. These are rarer. They usually come from specialized units or smaller departments with bigger budgets. If you see an M1 Super 90 trade-in for under $700, you’ve essentially found a unicorn in the wild.
What to Look for Before You Tap Your Credit Card
Check the bore. It’s almost always fine, but look for pitting just in case an officer forgot to clean it after a rainy shift three years ago.
Look at the magazine tube spring. This is the one part that actually wears out because it stays compressed in a cruiser rack for months at a time. It’s a five-dollar fix. Replace it immediately. While you're at it, check the followers. The old orange plastic ones can get brittle. A high-visibility aluminum follower is a cheap upgrade that makes the gun feel brand new.
Furniture is a toss-up. You’ll see Speedfeed stocks that hold extra shells, or maybe the classic ribbed "corncob" forend. If the plastic is gouged, who cares? It doesn't affect the pattern of the buckshot.
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The Real Reason Departments are Dumping These
You might wonder why a department would get rid of a perfectly functional 870. Is there something wrong with it?
No. It’s usually about optics and "standardization." Many departments are moving away from shotguns entirely in favor of patrol rifles (AR-15s). Rifles are easier to shoot accurately at distance and have less recoil. As agencies transition to the .223/5.56 platform, the old 12-gauges get traded in to a distributor to offset the cost of the new carbines.
Another factor is liability. If a department has had a fleet of shotguns for 20 years, their armorer might suggest a refresh just to avoid the paperwork of maintaining "legacy" systems. Their loss is your massive gain. You’re reaping the benefits of taxpayer-funded maintenance schedules and high-end hardware.
Parts, Reliability, and the "Broken In" Factor
There is something deeply satisfying about the way a trade-in shotgun cycles. New guns are often stiff. They have burrs on the rails. They "short-stroke" easily because the tolerances are too tight and the surfaces are too rough.
A police trade-in has been worked.
The metal-on-metal surfaces have polished each other over two decades. It’s smooth. It’s reliable. It’s the difference between a new pair of stiff work boots and the ones you’ve worn for five years that fit like a second skin.
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You also have the benefit of an endless aftermarket. Since these are almost always 870s or 500s, you can find parts at any gun store in America. Want a Magpul SGA stock? It’ll bolt right on. Want a side-saddle to carry more ammo? Easy. You can customize a trade-in to your heart's content without feeling guilty about "ruining" a pristine collector’s item.
Why You Shouldn't Wait
These batches are getting smaller. As more departments complete their move to rifles, the supply of police trade in shotguns is slowly drying up. Ten years ago, you could find them for $200 all day long. Now, you’re looking at $300 to $450 depending on the model and condition.
Prices are only going up. Collectors are starting to realize that these "surplus" guns are actually the peak of pump-action manufacturing.
Actionable Steps for the Smart Buyer
If you’re ready to hunt one down, don't just wait for them to appear at your local shop. They usually sell out the day they arrive.
- Follow the Big Distributors: Sign up for email alerts from places like Kings Firearms and More, AimSurplus, and Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore. These are the hubs where most department contracts land.
- Inspect the "Police" Stamp: On Remington 870s, look for "Police Magnum" on the receiver. If it just says "Magnum" or "Express," it might be a civilian gun that was used by a security firm rather than a true heavy-duty LE model.
- The "Deep Clean" Ritual: When you get it home, strip it down. Police guns are notoriously full of "trunk lint" and old, gummy oil. A soak in some CLP and a good scrubbing with a nylon brush will usually reveal a gun that looks 50% better than it did in the dealer's photos.
- Function Test the Safeties: Ensure the cross-bolt or tang safety clicks firmly. If it’s mushy, there’s likely just gunk in the trigger group.
- Ignore the Cosmetics: Do not let a scratched stock scare you away. Focus on the steel. If the receiver and barrel are solid, the rest is just character.
You’re buying a piece of history that still has 95% of its life left. Whether for home defense, the range, or just as a "truck gun" you don't have to baby, a police trade-in is the smartest way to spend your money in the current firearms market.
Go find a distributor, check their "Used" or "LE Trade-in" section daily, and be ready to jump when a batch of Remingtons or Mossbergs hits the site. They don't make them like they used to—but you can still buy the ones they made back then.