Bought the WINGMASTER! Verdict please! Complete w/ serial number and bonus questions!

[AcceptableUserName]

http://jcnlx.com/f522fd04d32e484c95dedb2803332107173

[AcceptableUserName]

http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee117/sfbcd49ers1/


Sorry. dunno how to image link. there's 5 pics in there of the wingmaster. There seems to be MINUTE cracks starting on both sides of the stock where it meets the receiver. Hope this isnt a bad sign of bolt stripping under neath or anything. The chamber looks fine to me and the guns seems like a champ. Definitely nicer than any shotgun I've ever owned. Show one of these to a new guy who never owned a shotgun pre 1955 and watch the reaction!


serial no. is t037410v. Also, it seems to have the chrome elevator? Is this one of the prized pre-76's?


Input would be greatly appreciated.

[indoorsoccerfrea]

seems to me like some idiot was using the stock and butt-stroking someone/something with it, which put a lot of force on the part where the receiver meets the wood.

have you fired it? if everything seems to cycle fine and the recoil isn't excessive then i'm guessing it was just abused. take it apart and check it out

[Milkmaster]

Doesn't look like it was shot a whole lot. Give it some exercise and let us know how it performs! Good Luck!

[AcceptableUserName]

Getting ready to order my short barrel and extension. Looks like Remington's blued versions are all sold out and backordered for a month at least. However, Mossberg makes and 18.5 blued bead barrel which I'm sure is possibly thinner than the Remington but who knows. Here it is.http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=813264


Now on the barrel of my 1975 Wingmaster it says 2 3/4" or shorter shells. The Mossberg barrel says for 2 3/4" or 3" shells. Is this compatible with my receiver, and if so, will it then enable me to shoot 3" as well? Or will I still be limited to 23/4"? Thanks for all the help guys.

[Lee Lapin]

The serial number ending in V says it's for 2 3/4" shells. Magnum receivers that can handle 3" shells have serial numbers ending in M. The chamber and the receiver need to match to shoot 3" shells- chances are, the ejector is set so that fired 3" shells can't clear the ejection port.

Best advice I can offer re. 870 barrels, stick with Remington...

To establish born-on date, call Remington during business hours in NC at 1-800-243-9700 with your serial number. They can tell you what year it left the factory.

lpl

[Rshooter]

Remington will definitely be able to give you a date by serial number but by looking at the stock I would guess that the gun is somewhere in the seventies. Please let me know. I have a mixed bag of police stocks that I am working on. They are older and newer stocks and I would be curious to see what date is attached to that stock.

Gunbroker may be a good place to look for stocks. I picked up several sets that I am restoring for $5.00 a set. They usually go for more depending on condition but you usually find some good wood available.

[JImbothefiveth]

Might want to take out the last 2 numbers of the serial number.

[The Deer Hunter]

Looks like it was hardly shot.

Nice gun.

[AcceptableUserName]

LOVED Mossbergs...still like em...


but holy hell man this gun is blowing my mind. Ease of use, quality of parts (everything POLISHED smoothed steel), ease of disassembly and reassembly even on the first try.


this is ridiculous. From now on I buy used Wingmasters and set them up as I wish. nothing else. This is just absurd workmanship!!!!


by the way, i called Remington. It's a 1975. Keeping the Wood furniture but instelling a Hogue overmolded redcuded length of pull stock and forend set and adding a Mossberg brand 18.5" blued barrel (Remington brand on backorder for ages) and adding a blued Choate 2 round extension. I'll never buy another pump shotgun except good used Wingmasters, Don't get me wrong - I've owned 870 expresses, Benellia Noas, Mossberg 500as, 500 atp, 5090sp, and 590 mariners. Liked them all too...but this is just everything I ever wanted in a shotgun.

[Virginian]

You got one of the good ones all right. Knew that as soon as I saw the chrome follower. Now you know why a lot of Remington 870 fans look down on everything else. Yeah, they work, but....

[AcceptableUserName]

Tell me what you guys think of this final configuration -


1975 wingmaster w/ 18.5" Mossberg brand blued bead sight cylinder bore barrel
Choate +2 shot extension (7 total)
Hogue 12" LOP "youth" overmolded stock and foreend set
Allen nylon shell holder on buttstock
Mesa Tactical sidesaddle 6 rd shell holder (provided I dont have to drill and tap receiver, anyone know?)


Probably what I'm looking at right now. Maybe a Surefire forend down the road.

[jlv08]

Great choice and I will humbly suggest that you give some thought and study to what you have with your 870.:)

I,IMHO, would take some time with the gun and familiarize myself with it and prove it as reliable before adding any items or accessories.:)

You already have a most formidable shotgun in its present form right now.:D

The 870 Wingmaster should be compatible with Remington manufactured parts and not present any problems with fitting a shorter barrel or stocks.

I would steer clear of after market stuff.:)

With the 2 3/4 chambering AND reciever, 3 ' shell won't work.

It's nice like it is and good on ya for finding one.:):)

[Lee Lapin]

What would I do with it were it mine?

- find a Remington factory original blued Police gun barrel, 18- 18.5" bead or RS, choke doesn't matter

- install a set of new Police gun takeoff walnut furniture (available on GunBroker from time to time, $30/set)

- shorten the buttstock to 12.5" including a Decelerator, Limbsaver or KickEeze pad, or a grind-to-fit SuperCell

- install sling swivel studs in the magazine cap and butt

- give everything repeated coats of Johnson's paste wax, and buff it out

- install a 6-round Sidesaddle

- shoot it a bunch, and gloat...

But that's just me, I like blued steel and oil finished walnut sometimes...

[mgkdrgn]

http://www.havlinsales.com/

Left side of the page, Remington Accessories.

Your welcome!


Getting ready to order my short barrel and extension. Looks like Remington's blued versions are all sold out and backordered for a month at least. However, Mossberg makes and 18.5 blued bead barrel which I'm sure is possibly thinner than the Remington but who knows. Here it is.http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=813264


Now on the barrel of my 1975 Wingmaster it says 2 3/4" or shorter shells. The Mossberg barrel says for 2 3/4" or 3" shells. Is this compatible with my receiver, and if so, will it then enable me to shoot 3" as well? Or will I still be limited to 23/4"? Thanks for all the help guys.

[RandKL]

That's what all Express's want to grow up to become.

One bad thing, though....you've pulled aside the curtain and seen The All Powerful Oz. You'll never again be able to look at an Express in the same light.

Congrats on the purchase!

rich

[AcceptableUserName]

mgkdrgn,


you were too late my friend! I seriously skimmed over Havlin yesterday and didn't run across that....I really wish I did!!!!! Bummer. Thanks a lot anyway though I definitely appreciate it!

[AcceptableUserName]

here's what became of this. i'm pleased. non-magnum receiver, so i thought i;'d designate this my one and only pgo. hogue tamer pg, choate 2 rd extension, tacstar sidesaddle and choate forend.http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee117/sfbcd49ers1/dscf1711.jpg

[AcceptableUserName]

and another.http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee117/sfbcd49ers1/dscf1710.jpg



note the brenneke slugs. REALLY hope I never have to deliver one of them out of this baby, for my hand's sake!

[Deltaboy]

The 870 Wingmaster is the Gold Standard of Shotguns ever made other that the Winnie Mod 12 or an Ithaca 37.

[Gordon]

Should of listened to the exact science of Lee's post. Oh what the hey!

[AcceptableUserName]

I agree with a lot of what Lee said, however the main reason I chose to convert this gun in this way is because it has a non-,agnum receiver, meaning 2 3/4" only. If I'm going to have only one pgo shotgun, it may as well be a non-magnum one. all in all I'm satisfied. It satisfied the pgo desire, now I can start on the good, effective stuff :D

[pmbiker]

Thats the beauty of the whole thing. Have it your way, and if you don't like it that way change it back.

I lucked into a 1951 Wingmaster about five years ago. It was truly 98% and I wouldn't have dreamed of changing a thing, except the barrel. 30" fixed full choke is a bit much for pheasant and chukar partridge. I found a 28" fixed modified choke and the patterns opened up and thinned out a good bit. Nothin worse than watching a flushed bird turned to dust with too much shot on target.

My HD gun is an 870 Express magnum.