#6 has arrived....

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Dave McCracken

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New toy time here. After quite a few calls, I ran into a very nice old Wingmaster at Guns R Us. It was a trade in and had been in the store for just a few hours. Thank Heaven for Layaway.

Picked it up today. Out the door cost was $178.

If I read the barrel codes right, it's a 1955 model, with the "ADL" deluxe wood and gloss finish.Old red pad's still in good shape. The serial number's in the 399XXX range, V receiver.

30" Full marked, unribbed barrel, the dime test shows me constriction's more like 25 POC, or Improved Modified if the bore's a standard .729".

And while the exterior's got a few honorable scars, there's no rust and little bluing wear, even on the mag tube. Inside is like new. The shop owner, who I've known for 30 years, says he doubts there's been a case of ammo through it. No buildup of grunge anywhere, and the action bars show little use.

Trigger breaks at a clean 4 lbs even. After deep cleaning, that may lighten a tad.

Tomorrow I'm off in the AM, so it's off to PGC. A little time at the patterning board,then I may shoot a round of trap with it or even some skeet, Full choke or not.

I'm tickled, and not least so because it's very much like the 870 a certain big farm kid got for Xmas in 1958.

I have come full circle....
 
Congratulations, Dave. I hope it shoots as well as your 1958 model did.

When I read the subject, I didn't think it was gonna be a Benelli or a Mossy. ;)
 
Thanks, diverse Daves(G)....

BTW, that first 870 is a 1950 model.

Took it to PGC, since I didn't have to work today and I JUST COULDN'T STAND NOT TRYING IT OUT. I'm sure you understand.

At the patterning board, my standard trap load hit a perfect 50/50. Dead on!

Tried my first round of skeet in 20 years, scored badly of course, but had a good time. Then I went to the trap range and tried a round of singles. Hit 20 or 21. The much lighter weight meant I had to work harder at keeping the swing going instead of depending on the inertia of my TB with all its extra weight.

By happy chance, Bill Gillette, the traveling gunsmith, had set up shop right behind Range 8. He kindly stopped work long enough to measure bore and choke for me. I was wrong, the bore's .725" and the choke's .685", an Extra Full choke. Good alibi for my poor showing at the skeet field.

Anyway,I'm happy about this one, It's a keeper.
 
Still grinnin' here...

Of course, there's going to be a few mods. After shooting some patterns today and a round of skeet or so, the stock gets shimmed to raise POI a tad.
The toe of the pad gets sanded down a mite to better fit my "Cup" and a spacer gets added to make it just a hair longer. I may also spring for a trigger shoe, since this will be a recreational shotgun.

I've also worked up a variant of my 7/8 oz load with a spreader to open up that pattern for skeet.

BTW, I weighed the barrel. It comes in at 2 lbs, 3 oz, about 2 oz lighter than the one on the TB. The difference is the rib.
 
Thanks, most of the ones I hit just went away. Bad score, but I sure didn't mind.
 
Is it any wonder that good used 870s are hard to find with guys like Dave around who snap them up at every turn. ;)

Congratulations Dave. Well done.

Paul
 
Every turn,Paul? I looked for a year before finding this one. And it's glad I am that I did, before some misguided sort turned it into a "Serious" shotgun. That's what beaters are for.

(Picture large dignified middle aged man doing a Snoopy dance)....

This is probably the last one, unless I really get a bad case of subguage itch. Unlikely...
 
Yup, they had a 28 gauge Express there too. Didn't even ask to see it closer. I know my weaknesses....
 
Thanks for the chuckle. Still manfully resisting the little ones....

A couple things...

First, I called Remington and confirmed the age. It's a 1955 model indeed.

Second, even with that 30" barrel, it still runs just an oz or two over 7 lbs. That's certainly no ultralight, but workable for me as a field gun.

Third, it's obvious that the supply of classic 870s is thinning, but there are some good'uns still out there at decent prices.

Next project is a longer, tube choked barrel for Frankenstein. I may get in some duck and goose hunting this fall. Frank's bunty little barrel is a bit loud in a blind. Still great for uplands though.
 
Dave, Now I know we are great friends and all, but if you didn't tell lovely wife then I must charge you a $25 Top Secret Fee.:p
 
Dave Mc C wrote:
"Anyway,I'm happy about this one, It's a keeper."

Hey Dave, have you ever had an 870 that is not a keeper?
 
Ol' Buddy,this was bought with WW's full consent.
It's a combination Father's Day and Anniversary present. Let's get out to the range sometime soon and you can play with it some.

44, not yet, some are more so than others. This qualifies as more....
 
Dave:

I think of you as one of many who wouldn't let a good 870 gather dust on the rack. I'd like to join that contingent but I'm always a day late. Eventually, I'll find what I'm after until then the search continues. :D

I was about to take the subgauge plunge on a very nice 28 gauge Wingmaster but when I returned to the store....

You can guess the rest of the story.... :(

Paul
 
I know, Ol'Buddy, just remember that paybacks are heck(G)...

Keep looking, Paul. I've been looking for a good used old 870 like this for a year at least.

Back to the subject...

I shimmed the stock a hair and added a spacer, then sanded down the toe of the pad a bit to adjust the pitch.It should pattern about 60/40, meaning center of the pattern will be about 3" above POA. That's a good compromise height on an all around shotgun. I'll shoot it some more and see if further tweaking is needed.

Sometime soon, I'll conscript Son to take some pics and show me how to post them here....
 
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LMAO@ the "top secret fee":D :D

I have some cases where I could invoke that on a couple guys, but I don't feel like moving right now:what: :what:

Got a little change rattling in my pocket too these days with "new to me gun" written all over it. Maybe a K22 with a 6" barrel and another 870 that I can chop the barrel off, or a K38 and an 835 to chop up, or another 870 and an 835 to chop off, or the snubby that feels like it is missing from my pocket X2 and ........... Who knows what I will end up with, my tastes and wants in guns run the gamut of what is available.
 
BTDT, H. Get a gun, play a while, trade it off and move on. These days I tend to keep them.

Actually, I only own 10 guns. The rest here belong to the kids. WW likes to conduct an inventory periodically.

Next project, a long choke tubed barrel for Frank.
 
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