I was browsing the topic of the 870 being the gold standard of pump guns and read that the express and wingmaster are more similar than I originally thought. My question is... if you replace the extractor, extractor spring, and mag spring w/ higher quality parts and smooth out all the burs, and also remove the parkerized finish on the express and reblue (how?) do you have a wingmaster (minus the wood of couse)? If so is it worth my time and money ?
870 express conversion?
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MAX100
Member
The Express will hold up with no problems. None of the parts need to be changed. You hardly ever hear about an extractor or ejector breaking on an Express. The only spring I would change maybe is the mag spring, smooth it out some and keep the blued finish oiled well.
The Express finish is not parkerizing it is a bead blasted blue finish.
GC
The Express finish is not parkerizing it is a bead blasted blue finish.
GC
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rbernie
Contributing Member
The Wingmasters have a 'glow' about them that the Express models do not, and yet the Express models seemingly hold up well and kill 'em just as dead.
Frankly, the ONLY thing that I miss in my Express 870s is the lack of the milled groove in the receiver top; I prefer the asthetics of the milled groove of the Wingmaster to the flat top of the Express.
Frankly, the ONLY thing that I miss in my Express 870s is the lack of the milled groove in the receiver top; I prefer the asthetics of the milled groove of the Wingmaster to the flat top of the Express.
Virginian
Member
Remington makes the Express to sell for a lower price, hence they have to build it with less costs. To set up and build all different small parts would hardly be conducive to that end. Look at the parts list, the magazine spring, just as an example, is the same for the Express as for the others. The extractors are not all the same - MIM versus milled. What they do mainly is less finishing and polishing and woodwork on the Expresses.
I would not buy an Express and try to make it into a Wingmaster. Unless you own a machine shop and have gunsmithing facilities (hot blue, etc.), you cannot substitute your labor for dollars. Makes no sense unless you just want to see if you can do it. With enough money, you can do anything. Well, almost. You can't be 25 but once.
I do not think you can beat a used Wingmaster for value. There are just sooooo many of them out there it keeps the prices down. I recently bought a used '76 vintage 3" Wingmaster in 95% plus condition for $240 delivered, and then got a LC RemChoke barrel for it for another $150. The wood was actually about 99% with no chips or cracks. I did have to hunt for awhile to find just what I wanted, and I would have gone another $75 or so, if I'd had to. I could sell the old barrel for probably $100, but I like that old fixed choke for trap.
I would not buy an Express and try to make it into a Wingmaster. Unless you own a machine shop and have gunsmithing facilities (hot blue, etc.), you cannot substitute your labor for dollars. Makes no sense unless you just want to see if you can do it. With enough money, you can do anything. Well, almost. You can't be 25 but once.
I do not think you can beat a used Wingmaster for value. There are just sooooo many of them out there it keeps the prices down. I recently bought a used '76 vintage 3" Wingmaster in 95% plus condition for $240 delivered, and then got a LC RemChoke barrel for it for another $150. The wood was actually about 99% with no chips or cracks. I did have to hunt for awhile to find just what I wanted, and I would have gone another $75 or so, if I'd had to. I could sell the old barrel for probably $100, but I like that old fixed choke for trap.
jakemccoy
Member
PRIMED said:
If that's possible, that would definitely not be worth my time and money. I value my free time at $100/hr or more. In other words, if I'm doing something on my free time that I don't want to do, then it should save me $100/hr or more. You may be different.
Milkmaster
Member
I just bought a used Wingmaster at a pawn shop over Christmas. I chose this one over a couple of others. I little love, a little elbow grease, and a little patience made for a deal on a nice looking gun without breaking the bank. I paid $300. That may be too high for some and a deal for others. I am happy and that is what counts. I plan to put a couple of boxes of shells through it this weekend.
Here is a link to the pictures. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures to show what it looked like before I cleaned it up.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=415687
Here is a link to the pictures. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures to show what it looked like before I cleaned it up.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=415687
rbernie
Contributing Member
I'm not discounting this experience, but I have several Express models that have well in excess of 2000 rounds thru each of them with nary an issue with the extractor.
Perhaps you just got one that was not properly made.
AndyJ
Member
I see more wear on the shell latches of a 'mature' gun than I do the extractors. But that is just my observation.
alaskanativeson
Member
Does it have to be new? I got a Wingmaster for $140 on Gunbroker not long ago. Go here to see pictures of it:PRIMED said:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=413476
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