Milkmaster
Member
I have been on the prowl through the local pawn shops for an old 870 to clean and polish on during the winter months. Today I came upon two possible candidates for my chosen Christmas gift from my wife. I can't seem to decide between the two. I don't want to make HD guns out of them. I just want to clean 'em up to be the best they can be which may or may not include refinishing the wood. Both bores are without problems I can see. Please help me decide after you read the descriptions of the two below.
1. The first is a circa 1980 model Wingmaster with a 30" full fixed choke barrel. The metal surface has no rust and the wear marks are where they are supposed to be etc. All surfaces inside the bolt action look and feel good with my finger with no rust I can see. This candidate DOES need a good cleaning. It has the chromed bolt and blued shell lifter. The wood is still glossy and looks good except for one bad place. Here's the rub...There's a chip out of the stock where the buttstock meets the receiver. The wood is a bit dark like there has been oil into it at one point or another. This chip out of the wood doesn't look repairable since it is missing etc. They are asking $250.
2. The second candidate is a circa 1975 Wingmaster with a 28" fixed modified choke. Here's the rub on this one...The receiver surface is without rust or blemish, but the barrel has a speckles of rust along the outside that I think can be took out with CLP and steel wool. All surfaces inside the bolt action look and feel good with my finger with no rust I can see. This candidate DOES need a good cleaning. It has the chromed bolt and blued shell lifter as well. The wood is still glossy on this gun and would require nothing really in the way of wood restoration. They are asking $300
I tried to get them to let me swap the barrels to get the best of both guns, but that was a no go. They did offer to sell me both of them for $600 out the door with all taxes and fees included. I don't think my wife would go for that much for my Christmas present.
So which do I choose? The freckled gun and just clean up the rust? Or do I choose the barrel with no rust and live with the darkened chipped buttstock? I am leaning towards the freckled model just so I don't have to deal with the wood restoration. Then again I am buying the gun to work on it anyways.
What is the opinion of you shotgun enthusiasts? Which would you choose?
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answers to questions so far...
Both choices have vent ribbed barrels.
The choke is not that important to me in this case. I will use them for trap shooting occasionally. Sometimes I give them to nephews as hand me downs. I have many shotguns already. I would buy one or the other of these to reduce the number of abused neglected guns and to make some kid happy one day. There are enough 870's out there to make old ones a bargain to find and polish on for a while. (Same idea and bargain goes for a 1300 these days.) Then you get to give an appreciative boy or man something he can use and will last his lifetime.
Something I noticed, should have mentioned, and has made me curious so far... The checkering design/pattern although similar is different on these two Wingmasters. Both look original and match their respective buttstocks, but the two designs have enough differences that the forearm and buttstock would both have to be changed in order for the designs to match appropriately.
The prices represent an already reduced negotiated price. Originally they were $349 and $279. Now they are $300 & $250 after dickering.
1. The first is a circa 1980 model Wingmaster with a 30" full fixed choke barrel. The metal surface has no rust and the wear marks are where they are supposed to be etc. All surfaces inside the bolt action look and feel good with my finger with no rust I can see. This candidate DOES need a good cleaning. It has the chromed bolt and blued shell lifter. The wood is still glossy and looks good except for one bad place. Here's the rub...There's a chip out of the stock where the buttstock meets the receiver. The wood is a bit dark like there has been oil into it at one point or another. This chip out of the wood doesn't look repairable since it is missing etc. They are asking $250.
2. The second candidate is a circa 1975 Wingmaster with a 28" fixed modified choke. Here's the rub on this one...The receiver surface is without rust or blemish, but the barrel has a speckles of rust along the outside that I think can be took out with CLP and steel wool. All surfaces inside the bolt action look and feel good with my finger with no rust I can see. This candidate DOES need a good cleaning. It has the chromed bolt and blued shell lifter as well. The wood is still glossy on this gun and would require nothing really in the way of wood restoration. They are asking $300
I tried to get them to let me swap the barrels to get the best of both guns, but that was a no go. They did offer to sell me both of them for $600 out the door with all taxes and fees included. I don't think my wife would go for that much for my Christmas present.
So which do I choose? The freckled gun and just clean up the rust? Or do I choose the barrel with no rust and live with the darkened chipped buttstock? I am leaning towards the freckled model just so I don't have to deal with the wood restoration. Then again I am buying the gun to work on it anyways.
What is the opinion of you shotgun enthusiasts? Which would you choose?
edit
answers to questions so far...
Both choices have vent ribbed barrels.
The choke is not that important to me in this case. I will use them for trap shooting occasionally. Sometimes I give them to nephews as hand me downs. I have many shotguns already. I would buy one or the other of these to reduce the number of abused neglected guns and to make some kid happy one day. There are enough 870's out there to make old ones a bargain to find and polish on for a while. (Same idea and bargain goes for a 1300 these days.) Then you get to give an appreciative boy or man something he can use and will last his lifetime.
Something I noticed, should have mentioned, and has made me curious so far... The checkering design/pattern although similar is different on these two Wingmasters. Both look original and match their respective buttstocks, but the two designs have enough differences that the forearm and buttstock would both have to be changed in order for the designs to match appropriately.
The prices represent an already reduced negotiated price. Originally they were $349 and $279. Now they are $300 & $250 after dickering.
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