870 Wingmaster as a combat shotgun

[USMC1775]

I have 2 Mossberg 590A1s all decked out in combat regalia, it's just that the action and reliability of an 870 Wingmaster is so much smoother and it never hesitates.

I would like opinions on converting a Wingmaster into a combat shotgun, there are plenty of after market doo dads to accomplish the mission, your thoughts please.

 

[Dunross]

18-20" rifle sighted barrel with choke tubes.
Lace-on or elastic butt cuff cartridge holder.
A light on the front end as I live in the country and want to be sure it's a possum I'm about to shoot and not the neighbor's cat.
Perhaps a sling.

That's it for me. I kept the wood stock. Not much for dressing mine up in "combat regalia."

 

[Armored farmer]

I didn't do anything to mine except find a short I/C barrel.
No extensions
No optics
No new furniture
I did add a sling and a ammo sleeve.

 

[horsemen61]

I didn't do anything to mine except find a short I/C barrel.
No extensions
No optics
No new furniture
I did add a sling and a ammo sleeve.

What he said!

 

[John Joseph]

I had an old Wing Master for HD
I gave it to my nephew who had none.
I do miss it.

 

[USMC1775]

I didn't do anything to mine except find a short I/C barrel.
No extensions
No optics
No new furniture
I did add a sling and a ammo sleeve.

Got the 18.5" barrel, it's even threaded for chokes. I gotta do something with the stock, it's too pretty and way too long to maneuver, thinking M16A3 style pistol grip and 6 position stock with recoil pad.

 

[Random 8]

It was essentially the standard police shotgun for several decades, and is still in use by many departments. A fine choice IMHO.

There will be a secondary market for your stock parts if they are in good condition and you wish to sell them.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

LOTS of *Wingmaster* Riot-Guns.

There's your model.

Todd.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I like this configuration.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/895112554

I like that configuration. I don’t like the price. Just using it as an example.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

NO.

Do not destroy a collectible Wingmaster when so many other alternatives exist. They were meant as fine hunting guns, not some kind of hot rodded trench sweeper. Good grief!

 

[John Joseph]

NO.

Do not destroy a collectible Wingmaster when so many other alternatives exist. They were meant as fine hunting guns, not some kind of hot rodded trench sweeper. Good grief!

Mine had been an abused duck gun in a former life, but the action sounded like a bank vault---too rough to be a collectible, too good not to use.

 

[jmr40]

Do not destroy a collectible Wingmaster

I've never seen a Wingmaster I'd call collectible. I suppose they made a few special trap guns that might bring a small premium. The 870 was and is still a working gun and was the 1st shotgun made with cheaply made stamped parts instead of the more expensive forged and machined parts on previous pump guns. And most of them use that God awful reverse stamped checkering. Even on walnut that is an abomination. On the used market an Express sells for exactly the same as a Wingmaster. In fact I prefer the Express.

That said, I prefer the 870 design over Mossberg any day. Although the 590 does address many of the shortcomings of the 500. If I were buying a Mossberg it would be the 590.

It doesn't take anything special. I picked up a 21" turkey barrel threaded for choke tubes to use as my HD shotgun. I like versatility to change tubes. I didn't do anything else to the gun other than use a more compact barrel. The long extended mag tubes hold a few more rounds, but I don't like the added weight and more importantly the balance. Four in the mag+1 in the chamber are enough for me.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Lots of go-fast parts out there for the 870 but I'm not sure you're going to exceed the reliability of the 590s you already have. Why reinvent the wheel? Obviously if you want it go for it and if you didn't already have a shotgun the 870 is a great option. I just don't see switching platforms if you have a pair of Mossbergs already set up how you want 'em.

 

[cdb1]

A light on the front end as I live in the country and want to be sure it's a possum I'm about to shoot and not the neighbor's cat.

I don’t like cats, you just gave me a great idea.

 

[giggitygiggity]

You can keep your eyes open for 870 Wingmaster Police variants. I have a couple. They feature 20” barrels with rifle sights, wood furniture, and the same slick action we like. Mine are only in 2 3/4” which is fine since I normally only shoot 2 3/4” unless I’m turkey hunting and then I use 3.5” loads in my Benelli Nova.

 

[entropy]

Remington made (can't believe it's past tense) 870 Police and Tactical magnum versions of the 870, I've owned both over the years, but currently those are unobtanium, and even a field 870, especially Wingmaster (as opposed to Express) is hard to find; my LGS has one, usually he'd have half a dozen in the rack, and the tag says $499. It's well used also.

 

[Ru4real]

I have 2 Mossberg 590A1s all decked out ....your thoughts please.

My thought is you have pumps covered. Get a Mossberg 930, or a 940 JM version if you can afford it, and don’t look back.

 

[Boattale]

My HD Wingmaster has a 26" IC vent rib barrel. To convert it to HD configuration I removed the magazine stop so it now holds four 2 3/4" 00 buck rounds and put on an elastic butt cuff that holds five more rounds of buckshot. I know, over the top.

 

[MAKster]

The early 870 police guns were just Wingmasters with short barrels. You can make it tactical by installing a 18.5 barrel, longer mag tube, polymer stock without doing anything permanent to the gun. You can convert it back to its original form in minutes.

 

[Random 8]

I think in post 6 the OP is indicating he already has the short barreled 870. Agree with MAKster, the mods can be done non-permanent to put you collector types at ease. As for collecting 870s, really??!! They're the most produced shotgun ever I think. Is there anything you people won't squirrel away into your safes to collect dust? That sector of the gun buying market costs me a lot of money for the vintage guns I like to take out into the field and use. Use them. They're the "Kimber" of pump action shotguns, especially the earlier production ones. There is no comparison with a Mossberg, other than they both go bang pretty reliably...then there's the Ithaca 37, which is a piece of functional art that shall be put on a pedestal and worshipped by shooting it a lot.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Sling with ammo loops, ammo sleeve, tube extension, and flashlight is what I added to my 870 with synthetic stock. 10 rds of GTF away from here + 5 more on sleeve and three on the sling.

 

[Wildbillz]

Jan or Feb a year ago a local shop had racks of Police Magnum turn-in 870s. $210. ea. I wish I have bought several of them now.

WB

 

[Broccolis]

I've got an 870 12 gauge... All Advantage Camo, double bead sight, Super Full choke. Taylor Your loads to the game, and that 870 is a Do-All....

Like most Shotguns can be....

 

[.455_Hunter]

I picked-up an early 70's Wingmaster Riot for $199 in July 2019. The Scheels in Sioux Falls had a whole rack of them just surplused from the South Dakota State Penitentiary across town. Some of them still had cool state property stickers on them. I went through all of them and picked the "best one" according to my checkouts with a tight, but smooth action. I had my local gunsmith here in CO install sling studs and a Kickezz pad. It serves as my primary HD shotgun now- loaded with four shells of Federal full-power 000 Buck.

 

[cdb1]

I believe a Wingmaster makes an excellent Combat, HD and SD shotgun BUT, to do it right I believe one should wear a double bandolier and go commando when carrying/using a Wingmaster for the three purposes stated above. I’ve been told this by a number of THR members so it must be true.