Nice old Wingmaster

R

reinert

New member
There's a very nice old 12 ga. 870 Wingmaster offered for sale at a LSGS that I might be interested in, the starting price being 500 bucks. It's vent. rib barrel is for 2 and 3/4th" shells, and doesn't have choke tubes. I believe a new, updated 3" mag. chambered, vent rib barrel with choke tubes could be installed without any modifications, no? Just off the cuff, what would a new vent rib, 3" barrel with tubes roughly go for regarding this shotgun?

This shotgun I'm looking at reminded me of the very one I had back in the 70's when I duck hunted back in MN. The nostalgia bug bit me real bad when I saw this one the other day. I loved that old Wingmaster I had back then. Wouldn't mind maybe having another one. BTW, it's got the black loading gate, not the chrome one; might date it a bit.

Thanks for any info.
 
From the parts list
F240651 V-3 870 BBL 12/28 RC VT LC BL (MOD CHOKE TUBE .709) $300.76
I found one used without a mark on it for $160. You will still likely not be able to shoot 3" shells without modifying your ejector and ejector spring. That price is a bit high for the gun as described IMHO.
 
I remember my old 870 had the magnum receiver, as it was for 3" shells. I just looked on Midway for a barrel price, and I'm quite certain the one I was looking at recently was the standard 2 and 3/4" chamber. Midway says not to use a 3" chambered barrel on a non-mag receiver. Would the ejector (modified as you mention) and ejector spring bring a standard receiver up to mag strength? Still, and even so, a new barrel with choke tubes and all the bells and whistles is around 250 bucks (28"). I think I'd have too much into the gun to go that route. Still, it's a nice one to handle, and I can see Mallards in my Grandad's slough...from a long time ago, and when we used nothing but the 2 and 3/4" shells filled with lead shot. We liked #4s for ducks.
 
You might want to forget about the three inch barrel. Most of the time you are shooting 2 3/4 shells, and very few times you will want to use a three inch magnum round.

Use that gun as it was built and enjoy it.
 
Ahhhh, nostalgia. Old Remington 870's (or in my case, Browning A-5's) clouds of ducks...and LEAD shot. I quit duck hunting when steel came to be the law and you needed a lawyer in the boat for all the complicated regulations. $500.00 for even a nice old Wingmaster with a fixed choke seems mighty high IMO.
 
sbelk,

I was 13 or 14 when my oldest bro went to Nam (mid-60s). He gave me his Belgian made A-5 to take care of while he was in the Army. It was a fine shotgun, and I took good care of it for my bro. But, I dang sure used it, too. It was chambered for 2 and 3/4" shells, and we could buy paper Alcans (#4 shot, lead) for a buck and a half a box. They were great shells, cycled through the A-5 flawlessly (don't get them TOO wet, though), and were a whole lot cheaper than Rems or Winchester Super X's. My bro got home just fine, thank God, and he relieved me of his Browning. Like every youngster back then, you never had enough shells, nor money to buy them. My Dad helped out there, along with odd jobs that came along. Those days were priceless.

Until I got my Wingmaster a number of years later, I had a Winchester Model 37, 20 ga. I shot ducks with it, but I missed a lot, too. I learned a lot using that little 20. My dad had an old Marlin 12 ga. pump with an external hammer I used quite a bit, too. Though it was hard to pump to cycle a shell, I shot quite a few ducks with that one, too (as did both my older bros). I don't remember the model number on that Marlin. My middle bro has it now.

Thinking on that Belgian A-5 again, it just came up so well, and it seemed you couldn't miss a fast passing teal with the thing. Please excuse me if I'm waxing a bit nostalgic here, but that old Wingmaster I just looked at brought up a lot of old memories, and that one I used to own accounted for a lot of ducks, too (sold it a long time ago). Living in Wyoming now, my hunting pretty much involves big game exclusively. But, being retired now, another scattergun might be something in the future. I do have my Dad's Mossy M500 20 ga. and a Beretta 686 in 20, also. There's just something about a Wingmaster though...
 
FITASC,

It would be for most anything I might like to use it for. And, pretty much wherever I would hunt around my area, steel shot would have to be used for either waterfowl, or upland game birds. Pretty much the norm these days, as I see it.

I believe the 12 ga. Wingmaster I looked at had a full choke, but already having a couple of 20 gauge guns (both with choke tubes, both in 3" mag), I thought an upgraded barrel with the choke tubes, and in 3" mag would be better suited if I decided to do some goose hunting down the road (my thoughts on the old Wingmaster for sale). The upgrades might make that 500 dollar asking price on the gun I was looking at a bit steep for my wallet. I never did ask to find out if they'd deal on it or not. Next time I'm in that store, and if it's still available, I just might see if they'll deal on a price.

I haven't looked yet, but I believe a new Wingmaster would cost about the same as the old one with the upgrades. Just speculation at this point, but I'm really not interested in a new Wingmaster. The vintage one seemed like a possible upgrade project. Possibly might be yet.
 
I grew up using a Wingmaster too----sort of what led me to purchase a new one a few days ago.

I went in thinking I wanted a 20ga Wingmaster---but the 12ga with the LC barrel felt more lively ---so that's what I went with---NIB for $679
 
A new Wingmaster cost's $730.00 to $900.00, depending on the exact model.

Remember you are looking at a Wingmaster not a Express model, there is a great difference between the two. Even though both use the same parts.
 
There was an 870 express super mag on the wall near the old Wingmaster I'm curious about. What a clunker, but I do get it what they're about; totally plain Jane utilitarian Goose/Turkey cannon. Don't need that one...
 
You can have choke tubes fitted to your existing barrel for under $100. I have had 8 or 10 barrels done now. Love choke tubes. Just make sure you use a reputable gunsmith. (Everyone with a sign and a reamer is not a gunsmith)
 
All the Wingmaster's had/have better wood and metal finish. The extra cost is in the materials and labor building the Wingmaster.

And as Virginian has said choke tubes can be fitted, check out Mike Orlen.
 
good used rem 870 shotguns come up for sale from time to time and i would look for one in the privite sector, i bought a early light weight 20ga magnum with two barrels(a mod choked plain and a full choke vent rib) for 275.00. eastbank.
 
That is very good info and food for thought on the original barrel being fitted with choke tubes, but my whole idea when I saw and handled the old Wing was getting a new barrel chambered for 3" shells and having something more adequate for some possible goose hunting in the future. And, of course, steel shot would have to used; first thought, new barrel on the old gun. And, cost for all this "upgrade" stuff would certainly have to be considered along with the purchase of the 870. That's why I'm here asking you guys for suggestions, options and ideas without breaking the bank (and I do appreciate the comments). Had that old 870 not been in such nice shape, I wouldn't even be here right now.

BTW, and to go along with this, I was told that GENERALLY, with store bought shells, a 20 ga. shotgun using 3" shells is pretty much on par with a 12 ga. using 2 and 3/4" shells. Do you guys agree on that comparison? It's just something I heard a long time ago, and still stick with that concept. Comments on this general theory I'd appreciate. I've always loved the 20 for upland birds, and use 3" shells in them when I go for pheasants, though it's been a few years since I've busted any cock birds. I Just haven't gone lately. But there's lots of geese in my area, and I've thought more and more about tying for a honker or two, and a 3" chambered 12, geared for steel shot use, would be a better choice, especially in a nice vintage 870 (IMO).
 
The ammo and gun company's have been selling the concept of a 20 doing 12 gauge work for over 50 years. By the way they will give you a great deal on a bridge too.

Let a 20 gauge do what it does best, and use the 12 gauge where needed.

Remember geese have been taken with the 12's long before the super magnums came out.
 
Ha! Don't need no steenkin' bridge, just Maayybbee a great deal on the nice old vintage 12 ga. Wingmaster I was looking at.

I'm still wondering, though, would a modified ejector and ejector spring bring that standard old Wingmaster up to magnum receiver strength? If so, would that modification be a significant cost issue? I have wondered if the magnum action had a little more "beef" to the receiver than the standard one. (?)

So, for me, it comes to this: Nice old Wingmaster at the LSGS; 500 bucks (maybe negotiable).

New 28" vent rib 3" mag barrel with choke tubes; 250 bucks (Midway's price, could shop some for that one).

If possible, to bring the standard receiver up to mag strength (cost?). Probably have close to 800 hundred bucks on the project. Probably wouldn't do it; all speculation here on a possible worthwhile project.
 
The ONLY difference between a 3" Magnum 870 receiver and a 2-3/4" one is the ejector and ejector spring. In fact on some of those even that is not different because some 2-3/4" guns shipped with the 3" parts installed.
That bit about a 3" 20 gauge equalling a 2-3/4" 12 is NOT correct when you go to non-toxic shot, especially steel. I cannot find equivalent weight of shot shells loaded in 2-3/4" - 12 and 3" - 20, and the larger pellets needed will pattern better out of a larger bore as well.
 
Thanks, Virginain, for that info; appreciate it, and it may help me reconsider that nice old 870 if it's still available and negotiable on the price. The 12/20 comparisons have been ingrained in me long before the advent of non-toxic shot. I've only used the steel stuff a couple of times since it's come on the hunting scene big-time, and that usage was when I was on my last bird hunts some years ago now (on public land). I believe waterfowl hunting is steel shot usage no matter where one hunts now. This whole thread started with the thought of maybe goose hunting using a nice old Wingmaster with a steel shot barreled upgrade. Could still happen...

Remington's dating system? It might be worse to end up with Christine than with Nancy these days.



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"History is the sum total of things that could have been avoided." Konrad Adenauer
 
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