I don't know the history of the express so I dont' know if it always had import parts. But it has always substituted non-forged parts for parts that are forged in the wingmaster and police. It's a fine sport gun. And you can substitute a forged extractor, and get a smith to polish the chamber and forcing cone. But then you're probably into used wingmaster prices.
I LOVE my Wingmaster, so it's not that I'm against Remington. I spent a couple months shooting every tactical shotgun out there for under $600 before getting my mossberg. And I didn't go for the most "tacticool" gun out there. The 590a1 is the only gun that passed the mil-spec test. My mossberg 590a1 is the one that looks like a field gun (5 shell magazine) with an 18 inch barrel. No bayonette lug or anything! :laugh: New price was right at $400 and it's top of the line (metal trigger group, metal safety, heavy weight barrel (easily tapped for choke tubes if you want)).
A police 870 is sweet as all get-out! But it's $200 more. If you can afford an 870 police, it's awesome. If you can only afford $400 and it's for protection get the best $400 gun you can.
The express isn't even the best pump-gun Remington makes. Why bet your life on a "budget" gun, when for about the same you can have a great gun? Benelli or Mossberg wins in my opinion. And it's only my opinion so I hope nobody gets offended.