Older Wingmaster 870 questions

Indeed.
Very good.
Perhaps the very best imho.
The 18,5" barrel is very good for a sd/hd gun....not very good for trap. Luckily barrels are easily swapped.
For a wingmaster as described,,,,$350+ would be a fair deal depending upon condition. That is on the low end. A excellent condition gun will bring $550+
I have been out of the loop for a while, but those numbers will get you started, then average them.

Usually, the short barreled 870s were "riot guns" or police issue. If so, they have very plain wood (but the same smooth actions). Locally, guns with riot wood sell for less - maybe 150 or so less than field grade wood.

I have an old 12 ga 870. 2 3/4. I put a short skeet barrel on it. Took the plug out and added a side saddle for 4.
All 00. Strictly a home protector. #4 shot would be a second choice for such use.
All kinds of accessories available for the 870.
Totally reliable for me these past 40+ years.

I have one made in 1969 +/-. Purchased it new. The barrel won't tell you anything about the receiver. 18.5" cyl barrel is GTG for home defense, not much else. Lots of full choke 30" barrels out there if you want to make it a trap gun. The newer 3" barrels will also mate up but you won't be able to shoot 3'' because of the 2.75" receiver. Matters little as far as the barrel. The older guns are better, no doubt about it.

I would go up to $500 for one in excellent condition.

$250-$500 seems to be the ballpark; It wasn't too long ago you could find them for under $150.....

A LOT depends on where you live as prices in these crazy, uncertain times are all over the map. I have seen 870s running upwards of $650, and I seriously doubt an older one from the "good old days" of Remington quality will go for much below $4-500. Expect to drop another $200 or so for a target barrel from a pawn shop

Those older Wingmasters are great guns... depending on how they've been used (and if it's been modified...). Yes, there are plenty of different barrels around for them (and each shotgun is a different proposition - solely dependent on barrel length and the choke that it comes with..). Many, many of those old shotguns, particularly ones with short barrels (between 18 1/2 and 20") actually never saw much use - but a lot of them, if ex-police guns, did get beaten up a lot rattling around in one cruiser or other...

If you're looking at a Wingmaster with a nice looking well finished stock with good checkering at grip points the odds are that it didn't come with that short barrel when new... If the barrel is a factory short barrel no problem - but many have been cut down by someone to a shorter length - and those I'd want a gunsmith to look at closely before making a purchase if possible. Remember that it's not legal to have a shotgun with a barrel that's shorter than 18" (that's why most only cut them to 18 1/2" to be on the safe side...) unless you've paid an extra $200 for a federal ticket (go to ATF for all you ever wanted to know about that topic, unfortunately). Remember as well that the measurement is from the bolt face to the muzzle (stick a dowel down the barrel until it stops at the bolt face then mark the dowel at the muzzle, withdraw and measure carefully..).

If the shotgun has a plain jane stock with an oil finish and no checkering it might be a police model (older Wingmasters never had a single marking indicating that, but the cheaper stock is a dead giveaway...). Make a point of going to Gunbroker.com and searching for "Remington Wingmaster 12" as part of your efforts.... There you will find more than a few short barreled Wingmasters - both cut-down guns and former police models... You'll also see a pretty good range of prices (this past year they've gotten much more expensive than they were just two years ago... ).

Good luck and let us know what you purchase. That old Wingmaster was in my hands on every hot call for years in police work.. Today I have it's modern equivalent an Express model with synthetic stock... It's still my first choice for close quarters work...

Here's an example on Gunbroker right now of an ex-police Wingmaster if I'm not mistaken... It has everything I'd be looking for (although I prefer an improved cylinder barrel.. but that's just me...)
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/903564633
If you call up that auction item please note that it does not have the trigger group or the pins to install it... That might have something to do with zero bids at present. If it were me I'd price out the needed items elsewhere, make sure they're available - before making that first bid...
Here's an outfit that will either have the needed items or know where to get them....
https://tacticalgunslings.com/

Older 870s are out there in great numbers---good deals on things like barrels and even wood stocks of various types easy to find---I've somehow ended up with three older 870s---all polished blue---one marked "Police Magnum" and the other two "Wingmaster". All three wear short, defense style barrels---two are 18 1/2" bead sights---one is 21" rifle sights with choke tubes---I have several extra barrels of various configurations if I feel the need for trap, skeet or hunting---certainly the most versatile of shotguns...

A 70s era Wingmaster is rapidly becoming a colector's item.

For a property gun, something cheaper and less valuable would be superior.

JCooperfan1911 said:

A 70s era Wingmaster is rapidly becoming a colector's item.

For a property gun, something cheaper and less valuable would be superior.

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When my life is on the line, I'd want a Wingmaster or Police Model no newer than the mid 80's, and with the tab follower. The actions came out of Ilion smooth until then, and have just got smoother over the years. Every Express I've bought (several) I had to work the action with lapping compound to get that same smoothness. I will say at least they came with the tab follower.

I bypassed this by trading my 870 Tactical Magnum and using the Ithaca 37 I already had for HD. I do have an 870 TB that I am looking for a 20" Cyl. barrel for as a backup HD, and for grouse.

entropy said:

When my life is on the line, I'd want a Wingmaster or Police Model no newer than the mid 80's, and with the tab follower. The actions came out of Ilion smooth until then, and have just got smoother over the years. Every Express I've bought (several) I had to work the action with lapping compound to get that same smoothness. I will say at least they came with the tab follower.

I bypassed this by trading my 870 Tactical Magnum and using the Ithaca 37 I already had for HD. I do have an 870 TB that I am looking for a 20" Cyl. barrel for as a backup HD, and for grouse.

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Interesting. The tab follower is a mandatory upgrade IMHO if one wishes to use an older 870 for defensive action. While a shell being caught in front of the latches and atop the carrier can be largely mitigated with proper reloading technique, such a stoppage will render the gun completely useless with the old style follower.

Back when I managed gun stores, the "behind the door" gun leading into the backroom was an 870, "Speedfeed" stock in matte finish with factory mag extension---6 rd on board + 4 more in the stock! Tried and tested by me---smoothed-up with use---only grabbed it once when the store was about to be robbed by 5 local gang guys! My carry gun at the time was my slicked-up Browning Hi Power 9mm, but I felt much better armed with the 870 in hand and a very large, all steel gunsafe to hide behind! No shots were fired, 3 of the bad guys were arrested---the best possible outcome...

That gun should work very, very well for your purposes. Only thing that MAY be of interest is that before 1986 you had to specifically buy an upgraded model to shoot 3" shells, and most of those out there are 2 3/4" only. Granted, for self defense uses 3" shells are rarely used, and even for hunting they are a nice to have but certainly not required.

As one example I bought just last Sunday from a buddy at my club an old, not much used, 870 Wingmaster. Corncob fore end, stock faded on the front due to wearing a slip on pad for many years. Blueing faded but unmarred. 28" plain barrel, also faded and a perfect color match with the receiver. Solid old gun which will become either my backup trap ( with one of my trap barrels or an Add a Rib) or backup skeet gun with my skeet barrel. Price, $300. I would have gone to four. First thing is going through my stock collection to decide which way to go. Had not had much use. I'll fix that.

One other thing. If you find a decent one, don't spend too much time debating the dollars and cents. Where there used to be one of two on every gun store used rack, they have pretty much disappeared. It took me a year of watching, waiting and asking to find the one in my previous post. I didn't want another Express as I already have one. This one joins my TB and my Classic Trap.

There are "Wingmasters" and there are wingmasters. From those sans roll engraving with a plain stock, to nicely "engraved" samples with uplevel wood and everything in between. I haven't seen a decent Wingmaster for less than $500 in a long time.

I have one from the 80s that I bought in a pawn shop in Central Arkansas about a year ago for $325 plus tax.

I paid $400 for this 870 TB in May:

Private sale from the original owner.

entropy said:

I paid $400 for this 870 TB in May:
View attachment 1011905
Private sale from the original owner.

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You keep putting that up there to make me jealous. Nah, my old '75 is just fine with all its transplanted parts. Got me a 46 last night at 24 yards in the rain.

Last year, I sold a very good 870 Wingmaster with a 30" full choke barrel for $500. Within just a few months, prices went up significantly. I've seen a number of them sell at auction and notice that short barrels go lower. So if your item is in very good condition, with a short barrel, I would pay no more than $400, but offer $300. The 870 Wingmaster is one of the best and most popular pump guns ever invented. It has been wildly popular for decades. Wish I had kept mine.

JCooperfan1911 said:

A 70s era Wingmaster is rapidly becoming a colector's item.

For a property gun, something cheaper and less valuable would be superior.

Click to expand...

JCooperfan1911 said:

A 70s era Wingmaster is rapidly becoming a colector's item.

For a property gun, something cheaper and less valuable would be superior.

Click to expand...

A bit like my 1980 Wingmaster for example ?

>>For a property gun, something cheaper and less valuable would be superior<<

Which is why I have both!

i have a eary 870 light weight 20 ga 2-3/4 chamber in ex condition with two barrels, one a 28" plain mod and the other a 28" vent rib mod choke. i bought it for 200.00 from a privite party(non hunter) several years ago. it is one of my favorite hunting shotgun for roaming the fields for small game. here,s a very early 870 in 12ga that i added a vent ribbed barrel with choke tubes and a short barrel with rifle sights.

Update on $300 Wingmaster. Put late wood on it, bought an aluminum rib from Numrich, taped it on temporarily and shot a 23/25 from 18 yards trap today. Chamber needs polished but I'll epoxy the rib on and have a great bird, 16-20 trap, or loaner gun. Total outlay, $325. They are still out there