Remington 870 Question?

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Para-Medic

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My old man gave me his Remington 870 Wingmaster recently. It was actually given to him as a gift, used by the prior owner. I called Remington and they told me it was made in 1978.

The action is smooth, and though I haven't shot it much, I think it works well. There are a couple of scratches and freckles here and there, and the blueing on the magazine tube where the pump rides is worn, but overall the gun seems to be in good to very good condition. The only issue I had with it was when I was a dumb teenager I shot 3" shells in it. It's a 2 3/4" gun. It wouldn't eject the shells fully because they were too long (presumably).

My question is: when were Remington's best years for the Wingmasters and 870's as a whole? Mine seems to be good to go, but with it having a few owners, do you think the service life is going to be too short for me to use? Is it going to start giving me problems? I'm not impressed with shotguns being made now, I was just going to use this as my hunting and self defense shotgun.
 
If you don't use it, its service life really WILL be short. If you don't USE IT UP, you'll never know how long it can be. It may outlast you, who knows... apparently, it and you both survived your teen stoopid years.
 
If you don't use it, its service life really WILL be short. If you don't USE IT UP, you'll never know how long it can be. It may outlast you, who knows... apparently, it and you both survived your teen stoopid years.
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Yeah, I don't think it's been shot a hell of a lot, it just doesn't look like it. The receiver's finish is nearly pristine.
 
I don't really know which years were best, but the 870 is one of the best low priced shotguns ever made. I grew up shooting an 870, then had a Winchester 1200, and graduated to an 1100, then Ruger O/U, Benellis and Browning O/U. Fact is, I have never shot any better with much more expensive guns than I did with that old 870. I was a pretty darn good shot when I was younger. I see them at gun shows and eventually nostalgia will get the best of me and I'll bring one home. Have fun with your 870.
 
I guess. I wish there was a way I could tell about how many rounds have been through it...
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Doesn't really matter! The gun is either worn out or it isn't. There are plenty replacement parts for it should you be one of the few shooters to actually need a part for it.

If you have doubts about your abilities to discern the wear on it, then take it to a gunsmith for the once over. The gunsmith can show you the disassembly steps and look it over during the process.

Don't be hesitant when it comes to using a gunsmith when you should. All of us had to learn at one point. It would be money well spent. Remember, you are handling a device close to your face that ignites explosives!
 
Para, buy a few boxes of standard 23/4 ammo and use it up at the range. You'll find out very quickly whether that old Wingmaster has any problems. I'd be willing to bet it will perform flawlessly. All that's needed is a shooter to use it. I much prefer an old Wingmaster to anything new in a standard pump shotgun. I'd guess that there's lots and lots of Wingmasters built from the early fifties onward that are still doing exactly what they were designed to do. Most that own one aren't very eager to part with them.....
 
Para, buy a few boxes of standard 23/4 ammo and use it up at the range. You'll find out very quickly whether that old Wingmaster has any problems. I'd be willing to bet it will perform flawlessly. All that's needed is a shooter to use it. I much prefer an old Wingmaster to anything new in a standard pump shotgun. I'd guess that there's lots and lots of Wingmasters built from the early fifties onward that are still doing exactly what they were designed to do. Most that own one aren't very eager to part with them.....
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Yeah, I think that's what I'll do.

Do yall think I caused any possible damage to the receiver or something that I can't see when I shot 3" shells out of it? Are 2 3/4" receivers not as strong as ones built for 3"? I know S&W revolvers have different strengths based on what caliber they are, I wonder if it's the same for remingtons...
 
The average service life of an 870 is something like 250,000 rounds... Don't worry about it, just shoot it.

Do yall think I caused any possible damage to the receiver or something that I can't see when I shot 3" shells out of it? Are 2 3/4" receivers not as strong as ones built for 3"? I know S&W revolvers have different strengths based on what caliber they are, I wonder if it's the same for remingtons...
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DON'T do that again. It causes a big pressure spike in the barrel and can lead to a kaboom, worst-case scenario. Receivers are the same, I think, but the ejection port on a 2 3/4" receiver is shorter and the 2 3/4" barrel's chamber isn't long enough for the 3" shell to open completely.
 
The 870 is one of the best ever made. Shooting them most often does not wear them out. Abuse and neglect are the problems most often. Have fun with it and SHOOT IT.
 
When I got back into hunting about 30 years ago, my first gun was a used 870 in 12 ga. It had some wear showing but no rust/cracks/damage. I had no idea how many owners it had before me. It shot so well for me when it came time to buy a 20 ga I bought an 870. The newer 870 Express isn't quite the gun the original was. I have a number of shotguns but those two 870s are still favorites of mine.
 
Shooting WMs for the last half century has left me in worse shape than the WMs.

That 250K use life is probably correct.

Shoot your 870 and exult in the fact your great grands may do so too.....
 
Your great-grandkids MIGHT have to do some work on it, but not too likely.

In the meantime, shoot like ya stole it... {GRIN!}
 
Thanks everyone! I'm gonna take it to my gunsmith and get him to give it a once over just to make sure, but after that this is going to be my most prized and used shotgun!
 
If you care for that gun properly, your GRANDCHILDREN will still be shooting it when you are long gone. This is a Wingmaster, not some Express Magnum.
 
I have a great appreciation for the 870 express... because I've been borderline poor my whole life, and because there's no sense in being worried about shootin possums an cats in style.
 
Geeze!
You claim to be a poor Texan, and waste 12 ga shotgun shells on possums and cats??

Only the well heeled in Kansas can afford stuff like that.

The rest of us can only afford to shoot'm with a .22, or tenderize'm with a shovel. :D

rc
 
if i could hit a running cat with a .22 in nothin but porchlight, i'd be crowing like a rooster... until then, there's shotguns... and sadly, not in this neighborhood, unless i wanted to spend the rest of the night in the courthouse basement.

ETA: i've been through kansas, nd was surprised to see your possums were no bigger than most folks' dogs... a proper texas possum, on the other hand, might take your shovel and hit you back. :D
 
I have an 870 that I bought in 1976 with a 28" vent rib barrel new in box for $150.00.
I used it for years on small game ,in the goose pit and with a scoped cantlever barrel for deer hunting.
I also have a 30" full choke with which I shoot an occassional round of trap.
My gun is only 2& 3/4" capable however.
As others have said, that shotgun will outlive you.
Have fun!
 
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