870 Wingmaster

When I was 24, 33 years ago, I lived in Wichita, KS. I was single and spent a lot of time hunting quail and pheasant. I was deadly with a Browning BPS 12 Gauge and the factory Modified choke. Perhaps I should clarify. I AM not as fast anymore! Bought that shotgun on the payment plan at the old Rusty’s Outdoor Sports. Should have kept it.
 
I have a couple newish (2016-2017) production Wingmasters---12 and 20 both with 26in barrels and also have the polished blue rifle sighted slug barrels for each of them too --the 12 barrel is set up for Remchokes and the 20 is just fixed IC---slug barrels that is.

While not as nice as the Wingmaster's from the heyday, still pretty nice in their own right--still kind of miss the 1974 Wingmaster that I grew up with--but it is what it is.
 
look up rudy etchen, shot 100 straight doubles useing a remington 870 and years later done it again with the same 870. i have shot many sporting clay events with my 870 12 wingmaster and i have not missed any because i was not fast enough, i missed because i was not on them.
 
If you know what you're doing, you can work a pump shotgun as fast, or faster than you can aim it.

Its possible the difference in felt recoil with a semi auto might allow a slightly faster time, but I never noticed that to be the case, for me.

Long time ago I loaned an 870 to the son of a friend. Told him that if anything happened to the gun I expected him to replace it, and not with money, but with that same make & model gun.

I made one small mistake, being a generous fellow, I told him he could use the gun as long as he needed to. I expected him to get his own in a year or two...
That was over 30 years ago, and he's still using my 870...:rolleyes::D
 
No that's not the reason! A loaner is usually thought of as a utility
gun from way back in the safe.
I would not loan some of my Ithaca Model 37's, one or two just maybe to the right person.
 
there's no "brake" on my Model12

and for parts? no worse than any long discontinued gun that they made a few million of...

and speaking of that, Remington doesn't exist anymore. SO the 870 is now in the same boat. Its discontinued, in fact its maker is GONE. So a parts availability argument is foolish. Both guns are going to have parts available long after we're both dust in the wind.

And for that matter, in my experience, neither one is prone to breaking.

its a personal matter, but for me, my model 12 is special, my 870 is just a good gun.
 
And for that matter, in my experience, neither one is prone to breaking.
Click to expand...

I had a firing pin snap in half on a Wingmaster that was made in the early 70's (this was 2013-2014 wish). Cheap and easy fix and I think that's the only problem I've ever had with it, and I have no clue what kind of use the original owner put it through (I acquired it in the mid 90s).

Definitely not prone to breaking, just that one issue and I'll take an issue like that once every forty years or so.
 
I bought a new 870 WingMaster in 1966. Never did like it after I got it. I was more of a “keep up with the Jones “ purchase, everybody was buying them. M12 Wins were on the rise.
Just last week I sold my 2 M12 Wins for $550 each and got $650 for the WingMaster. I found that to be repulsive. M12 is about 4 times the gun a 870 is. I’ve only got 4 repeating shotguns left. Two Browning A5 12G, Win 1897 12G and a Rem 1100LT 20G. I never liked it either. Hasn’t had 50 shots through it.
When about 12, I bought my first deer rifle a Rem #8 in 35cal. All the adults had Rem 742 or 760s. I busted my butt to save for a 742. 2 years later got my 742 in 30/06. I can tell you I’m glad I kept my #8 too. Bought my Jam O Magic in summer of 1964, and sold right after deer season.
Milled Guns. vs Remlin Stampings ? I was agin them years ago before they started to slide because of over extension
 
I have never worshipped at the altar of machined parts, and I sold the only Model 12 I ever had almost as soon as I got it. Definitely prefer the feel of a Wingmaster. I had a friend who collected 3" Model 12s. Loved to waterfowl hunt with them. I know he spent more on gunsmiths than I did on guns.
 
i own three model 12 ,s, a 20-16-12 ga,s and a 97 in 12 ga all in very good condition. however there are more options for the 870 and the prices will not be high. a new-used barrel -stocks and action parts are very easy to get with no fitting needed for the 870,s.
 
My favorite shotgun is a 1975 870 Wingmaster 20 ga biult on a 12 ga frame, ni vent rib and chambered in 2.75" only. It's the only one I take dove and quail shooting with. No other shotgun seems to fit me as good as that one.
 
I love my 870s and 1100s. Never a problem.
Win12 is a fine shotgun, but I prefer the safety BEHIND the trigger. Mossy tang safety is preferred over the Win, too.

I guess it is mostly what you get used to.
 
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