Full choked 870 Wingmaster for clays

[Ford4x4]

I have a desire to pick up a decent condition Remington 870 Wingmaster, with checkered wood furniture, a vent rib barrel, and 3" magnum would be a bonus. I walked into a shop yesterday, and one with all these criteria was sitting on the shelf, with a decent price tag in my opinion ($299, its got some honest wear but no rust and action looks great). I would be using this thing for clays and home defense. Maybe hunting if I ever get invited, but if I wanted to really get into hunting I'd be willing to get another. Only thing about this one is its got a full fixed choke barrel. I figure that is going to be harder to hit clays with, I have shot some full choked shotguns at clays and had a hard time hitting anything. Modified or improved cylinder and I can hold my own. Am I right on this? And in order to get a different choke, I could have it modified to take screw in chokes (is that possible?) or swap barrels, right?

 

[Virginian]

Sounds like a fair deal. Mike Orlen can fit screw in chokes to that barrel for less than $100. I like a 30" barrel on a 12 gauge Wimngmaster, but prefer a 28" on most anything else. You can always buy another barrel if you prefer that as well.

 

[The-Reaver]

It's the only clay buster I've ever used. With the full choke you can really let them get out there before engaging. A plus for taking accurate longer range shots.

 

[frankenstein406]

I talked to a guy who used a 33 inch barrel and full choke on a 870 for clays. He really liked it but he was on a shooting team.

 

[toivo]

A full choke would be good for trap, so-so for sporting clays, and lousy for skeet.

I think if you price out having it converted to take chokes, you'll find out that you're better off just getting a second barrel that takes chokes or a fixed modified barrel. You can get some decent deals if you shop around. Barrels for an 870 shouldn't be hard to find.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Barrels on 870s are easier to change than your socks, and extra barrels are widely available and not overly expensive.

 

[rcmodel]

and 3" magnum would be a bonus

No, it actually wouldn't.

(Unless you hunt migratory waterfowl with steel shot.)

If you can't do it with a 2 3/4 Magnum lead shot shell?

You probably shouldn't consider shooting it with a shotgun in the first place.

rc

 

[MAKster]

Folks who are experienced at Trap do well with a full choke, but if you are new to the game you will miss most shots and find it frustrating. If you are new you should use M. You can buy a used barrel with screw in chokes for about the same cost as having chokes added to the old barrel.

 

[Hunterdad]

Most people shoot a full choke for trap.

 

[Kymasabe]

I used a nicely used Wingmaster for trap, put over 60,000 rounds thru that gun in 6 years of trap shooting. Had a 30 inch vent-rib barrel with fixed full choke. And, I used it for hunting as well. Loved that gun, sorry I sold it.
Go back and plunk down your $300 and be happy with it. Worse case, you could always pick up a spare barrel someplace, they're everywhere.

I bought a used Mossberg 500 a few years ago, came with an 18 inch barrel, which I leave on it for home defense. But I bought my 28 inch trap/hunting barrel a couple of weeks later for $50 and I bought a slug barrel a few years later for $60. Barrels are out there, especially for the 870/Wingmaster guns.

 

[hovercat]

If you reload, you can use a 'spreader' wad.
Or polish out the choke a bit, it is only in the last few inches of the barrel.
If the gun fits you, you will be fine with any choke, with practice.

 

[browningguy]

A full choke would be about the worst possible choke for the two uses you state for the gun. I shoot about 90% of my sporting clays shots with IC, with a modified taking up the balance. I can only think of one or two events where I even considered pulling out the full choke.

In my HD shotgun I shoot an 18" barrel with an IC choke. Using low recoil buckshot I get a nice 6-8" pattern at 25 yards, at 25 feet it's much tighter of course.

 

[btg3]

Barrel length? If 30", consider taking down to 28" and opening the choke to Mod.
Or go with screw in chokes as mentioned above.

Then pattern with a few different loads to see what you've got.

 

[AnthonyRSS]

Vent rib 30" barrel? I have a 28" VR rem choke NIB that I would trade for a 30". I would need a little cash though. Shoot me a PM if you care.

 

[oneounceload]

Yes, you can get the barrel altered to accept choke tubes
Modified is the proverbial choke tube for trap from the 16 yard line, so getting choke tubes installed would be a good idea - should cost less than $100