My new/old Wingmaster

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9mmMike

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SE PA
Well,
I just got another 870. It is the Wingmaster that I've always wanted.
It is fairly old (I am guessing from the mid 50's) but I've not put a date to it yet. Serial no. 435xxxV. It has a plain 28" fixed mod-choke barrel and a really small corn-cob pump handle. I mean the handle is narrow as well as short, like an old riot gun. I've never seen one like this.
I run the short corn-cob handles on most of my 870's but this one is nothing like the rest. Did I mention it was real narrow?
The firing pin was broken so I put a spare (non-flextab MM) bolt in there until I can find a new firing pin as Brownell's is out.
I was going to replace the barrel with a nice twin-bead, VR Skeet barrel that would match the one on Mrs. 9mmMike's '56 16 ga. WM but it just looks so classic with that plain 28"er that I may just stay with that for a while.
The stock had a large chip missing at the wrist but I already had another stock refinished and ready to go with a Pachmayr pad fitted.
Other than being really dirty and the above little flaws, it's in good shape and exactly what I wanted.
These short days are killin' me. I've got to get out for a test run.
When I get the chrome bolt back in, I'll post a pic in this thread.
It will need to be re-blued eventually but it can wait while I "break it in".
Just braggin' a wee bit.

Mike
 
If you think the barrels are original to the gun, there should be a series of 3 letters which can date the shotgun.

There's a link with the letters and corresponding dates somewhere around here....

Congratulations. I just got a 1950 Wingmaster with a long tube and just picked up a nice older rifle sighted smooth bore barrel for short work as well.

Next project is to get sling points for it and I'm set for clay and social work. Not going to put an extension on it.
 
I think that the barrel is original. Underneath MOD there are three letters;

E B M

These are more or less evenly spaced.

Mike
 
Thanks. I sent a note to Big Green to get the date from the receiver. I am hoping that the extra M is just another indication of Mod.
Thanks again,
Mike
 
The markings on Rem barrels gets a little arcane and quite confusing. And, lots of original barrels are not on the original 870s.

For dating a particular 870, just call them at 800-243-9700 and give them the serial number.

Congrats on the new toy, Mike. If it turns out you can't use that coontail forend, let me know. I'm toying with an idea.

Old WMs do have some magic to them. Number 6 is turning into my favorite.
 
Thanks for the number Dave.
I just spoke to them and it's a '55.
The trigger was horrendous, very stiff even after a thorough cleaning so I took a spare trigger that was softer and swapped the sear spring.
It is much better now. Very little creep and a crispish pull much like my other "tuned" 870's. The bluing is very thin on this gun, non-existent in places, but it cleaned up well with no serious pitting and the action is smooth with little wear on the mag tube so I know it's straight.
I will make an effort to get out Thursday or Friday morning to test fire. I sure wish there was a pattern board nearby.....
 
As you no doubt have noted, Mike, 870s and their modular construction are easy to work on.

A cautionary note. Most drivers shouldn't work on their vehicle's brakes and most shotgunners shouldn't work on their triggers. Last time I looked, a local smith charged $45 or so for a trigger job on most rifles and shotguns.

In a day or two, look for a thread on an alternative to using a patterning board. Ed Clapper's method has possibilities and I intend to check it out. More later....
 
I like the smaller forearm.

That's the one thing I can't get used to on my Wingmaster. All my other SG's have small forearms. The 870 just feels funky.
 
I like the small forearm myself, though I've little trouble adapting. I believe Numrich carries replacement wood in that style.
 
Last edited:
I believe Numrich carries replacement woood in that style.
Click to expand...

Really?

That is interesting. Mrs. 9mmMike seems to be quite fond of that narrow fore-end as well and it would look spiffy on her '56 16 gauge. I will need to check Numrich. I just ordered a firing pin from them too.

Mike
 
Well Mrs. 9mmMike took me out to test this gun. It is only two days before PA deer season opens and we were figuring that the free range would be packed with hooligans who only fire their rifles once a year.
We were right.
Fortunately the shotgun range was not too crowded though parking was a treat.
The '55 busts clays nicely. I was worried that I'd not be able to hit much as I do not ever shoot a plain-barrel & bead combo. The nice machined flat-top on the Wingmaster made it easy to align the bead and the gun performed nicely. I would not want to shoot a single bead on an Express with its rounded-top though.
Anyway I was quite happy with the performance even without patterning.
I had a couple hiccups on feeding and I could not double-pump my way through as I have "discovered" (name it after me ;) ) that the ejector on the 2 3/4" guns is shorter than the magnums that I normally shoot.
What does this mean?
Well to me, it means that when I get a FTF in my Magnums I can partially re-pump and feed the shell without a problem but with this Wingmaster in 2 3/4" flavor, even a short backup of the pump causes the shell rim to contact the ejector and out comes the live shell and I end up with an empty chamber.
I did this about four times.
Obviously I need to correct the FTF and I'm pretty sure (unless it's a, gasp, user error) this is due to a rough feed area (not sure what the top of the barrel is called). The chamber is sort of rough as well and I will likely send this barrel out to have the cone lengthened anyway so I'll get the chamber professionally polished as well.
All in all, I am very happy with this gun.
I will take it out again next weekend and see if I can get somewhere to pattern.
That's it so far....
Mike

PS. Mrs. 9mmMike is a shade under the weather but she insisted that we go and she even took a little time to exercise her 20ga 1100 Special Field. I think she missed less than me.
 
Mike,4/0 steel wool on a dowel chucked into a variable speed drill can clean up that chamber a bit.

As for your FTF, why would you want a shell that didn't work back in the chamber?
 
OK, Mike, got it now. I had it wrong.

FTF sometimes means Failure To Fire.

4/0 = 0000.....
 
Well my firing pin and spring arrived from Numrich today. It fit a little weird but it is in and the original chrome bolt has been re-installed.
It's actually a little slicker than the pre flex-tab MM bolt I had in there.
Now I need to get out again (poor me) and do some "testing".
Can't believe it's only Monday. Egads!
Mike
 
I'd like to hear how it goes at the range, Mike.

Can't help you about the "wierd fit", like I keep saying, I'm no smith.
 
Thanks Dave. And regarding the 0000 wool, I did that a few hours after returning home (remembered it from some other old thread) from the first test. I did not see any appreciable difference but I have not fired it since.
When I get a chance to send the barrel out for the forcing cone, I will pay a pro to polish it for me.
Thanks again,
Mike
 
You're welcome, Mike. Good smiths are treasures. Polishing the chamber and cone are not all that hard, though.
 
I picked up the barrel from Allems. The forcing cone is done (40 clams) and they cleaned up the chamber and mic'd it for me.
.725 bore
.018 POC
Next up, another trip to the range and then, somewhere down the line, a tip to the baths for bluing.
Fun fun fun.....
Mike
 
.725". Mike, matches the bore on #6's original barrel. Marked Full and choked .040".

If we ever do get together, bring it. Bet it's a good'un.....
 
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