Dang 870's...

[PJR]

Last fall I related a tale about discovering a 15 year old, unfired 20 gauge, 28" Rem-choked, 870 Wingmaster, pre-J-lock in unfired condition. Resistance was futile and home it came. My 870 needs were complete with the 12 and 20.

Or so I thought until today when I dropped into the same gunshop and the counterman took my aside and opened a familiar box with green writing.

Inside was a 28 gauge Wingmaster, 25" barrel with choke tubes. The metal was perfect in all respects. The wood had a couple of minor handling marks but it did have a little figure and wasn't the glossy finish that I'd seen on another 28 gauge Wingmaster. The breech face was pristeen. Another unfired Wingmaster.

There was one fly in the ointment. It had the hated J-lock and despite vowing to never own one, the $450 price tag and the delightful way the gun came to the shoulder overcame my reluctance.

The gun was made in 2002 according to Remington. The accessories bag was unopened and I was surprised to find that the gun came from the factory with Briley thin-wall chokes. Another plus.

I don't understand why people buy guns and never fire them but I am again the beneficiary of such folks twice in one year. Lightning does strike twice sometimes.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Good for you, PJR- great deal. Glad you found it.

The j-lock is easy to get rid of, and the parts to do it are not expensive. That's been covered here often...

Enjoy it!

lpl/nc

 

[sm]

Congrats!

I would like more information in regard to the gun coming with Briley thin walled chokes please.

Does this gun have a gold trigger by chance?

Reason I ask, is I never knew these guns ever come with Briley chokes until it was shared at Tulsa a few years ago when Larry and I were shopping for him one.
IIRC this guy wanted $650, and he was not familiar with skeet, though he said he shot skeet and bought this gun to shoot skeet with. Something about all this, the way he replied to my skeet "questions" and all - turned me/us off this gun - instead Larry and I found another one.

I am learning something here...

Steve

 

[kudu]

I have an identical 870, I believe was made the same year as yours. Although I shoot mine. It has the J-lock safety as well and i have the parts to make it into the regular safety. Yes, I belive it has Brileys, they probably make them cheaper than Remington can tool up to make sub-gauge chokes. I believe that the 1100 Sporting .410's also have Briley chokes.

Good deal for $450, I paid dealer cost plus shipping on mine and IIRC it was $530 new.

 

[PJR]

sm, the gun does have a gold trigger. I didn't notice until you mentioned it. The other two 870s, a 12 and 20, have blued triggers. The chokes, IC, M and F, are marked "Briley" and came with a Briley choke wrench.

This gun's time of remaining unfired can be measured in days, two to be exact. It will get it's baptism of fire Wednesday night or earlier if the urge to pattern can't be restrained.

And as an added benefit I showed my wife the gun when she got home and she said "It feels GREAT!" She prefers riding her horses to shooting but given her response I may be getting her out at the range more often.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I like happy beginnings, Paul. Good luck with your new toy.