2 old Rem 870 wingmaster **UPDATE 15-01-2014**

Dogzilla, out of the first two in your picture which do you prefer? I recently restored an old wingmaster complete with police wood. Debating whether or not to slap on an extension.

Also, how does one remedy shooting high with a shortened barrel? Taller bead?
 
You need a taller bead. My 8.5 norc shot almost 2ft high at 50 yds. Dlask barrels come with almost a blade sight on them rather than a bead, and my 8.5 dlask was spot on for elevation. I like the wood ones best, and to be honest, out of the wood ones (for sheer aesthetics) I like the bare bones one. It's blued, no extension, and the wood is immaculate. It just looks clean and tidy. I just picked up my project gun from Casey, and I think I am going to go full police on it. There is absolutely zero bluing left on it, and I'm not sure if the wood is even worth saving. The ejector had been replaced at some point and whoever at Brinks did the job screwed it up, both rivets are a little loose. I'm going to replace the ejector with a 3" one, give both sides of the receiver a quick touch on the surface grinder replace the sear spring and extractor with a police one, park and Teflon coat it, add a 14' original police barrel and new furniture. I'll probably drill and tap it for optics since it will be in the shop anyway. All in all it should be a fun project.
 
A few updates

I stripped the wood today. The stock is in very good shaped but the forend is in pour shape with a little crack that I'll repair. I'll refinish the wood with true oil.

The forend on the other 870 seem better, I'll probably mix the wood from the 2 shotguns.
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Here is the walnut stock after 6 tru oil applications. The forend seem to be beech wood on my 2 wingmasters, but the second one is a lot better vs the one in the picture.

Tomorow I'll buy walnut stain to finish one forend. i'll buy a plastic one for the other build. Next week I'll Armacoat one of the shotguns.

They'll be like this....
1-all wood, 12.5 barrel, armacoat.
2- mesa high tube stock, mesa side saddle, SJ +1extendion, 14 or 18 barrel and Armacoat.

Two very differents styles but two nices shotguns

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Hi guys, I'm still pretty new to shotguns, and I've been reading nothing but great things about Wingmasters and how crappy the new 870s are. I have an 870 Express, came with the mag tube extension and synthetic stock. What do they mean by crap? Will it break on me in a few years? As in catostrophic failure where the receiver cracks or something because of inferior metal in the manufacturing or something? Or is it just the finish?

Thanks.
 
The fit/finish on the Express models is poo compared to a wingmaster.

The Express will last you a lifetime as well - it's just rougher in general. Wingmaster actions rack like they are on ball bearings. Rack and Express and it feels gritty. It will break in and get better, but the rough exterior and interior finish will remain.
 
canucklehead said:
The fit/finish on the Express models is poo compared to a wingmaster.

The Express will last you a lifetime as well - it's just rougher in general. Wingmaster actions rack like they are on ball bearings. Rack and Express and it feels gritty. It will break in and get better, but the rough exterior and interior finish will remain.
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Ok, thanks for the info. I was starting to get concerned that the metalurgy in my Express would eventually fail. Crappy finish I can live with for now.
 
Mister Donut said:
Ok, thanks for the info. I was starting to get concerned that the metalurgy in my Express would eventually fail. Crappy finish I can live with for now.
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Your express is a good shotgun. I had problems with my express but no catastrophic failure. I had to polish te chambre for reliable extraction and I broke my ejector rail. I did the 2 jobs by myself.

The most important thing with your express it to oil the finish because they tend to rust very fast.
 
Mister Donut said:
Hi guys, I'm still pretty new to shotguns, and I've been reading nothing but great things about Wingmasters and how crappy the new 870s are. I have an 870 Express, came with the mag tube extension and synthetic stock. What do they mean by crap? Will it break on me in a few years? As in catostrophic failure where the receiver cracks or something because of inferior metal in the manufacturing or something? Or is it just the finish?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Not to worry , I have an 870 Supermag and a 870 Express Tactical.....both work perfect . I also have two win. defenders and a Smith and Wesson M - 3000 riot shotgun ( an OPP cruiser over run ); no problems with any of them.....they are all good.....ENJOY your 870 , I doubt if you will have any problems....
 
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GLOCK_PERFECTION said:
Here is the walnut stock after 6 tru oil applications. The forend seem to be beech wood on my 2 wingmasters, but the second one is a lot better vs the one in the picture.

Tomorow I'll buy walnut stain to finish one forend. i'll buy a plastic one for the other build. Next week I'll Armacoat one of the shotguns.

They'll be like this....
1-all wood, 12.5 barrel, armacoat.
2- mesa high tube stock, mesa side saddle, SJ +1extendion, 14 or 18 barrel and Armacoat.

Two very differents styles but two nices shotguns

fc5afe1febeeb4ce6737df780353f1dc.jpg


f5af505c4152f1df69a436a24f827194.jpg
Click to expand...

Interesting restoration , it is always nice to see an old 870 getting a new lease on life......keep us posted...
 
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