new ammo with an old shotgun?

RichardK

RichardK

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Kingston Ont.
First off im gonna introduce my self as a new member. I should be spending alot of time here .
My first question is if it is ok to use newer ammunition on an older gun.
I just got an approximately fifty year old 12 Gauge from my grandfather.
its a Remington WingMaster Model 870. wooden stock.
I put some older skeet shots thru it the other day but am iffy about putting some brand new slugs in before I get some proper answers on it.
I was told that barrels have been torren apart by doing this and really dont want to wreck my gun.
Thanks in advance
 
Welcome to the site, enjoy your stay, your 870 should be safe with modern ammo including slugs, of course, if the gun has problems such as parts missing then all bets are off. Make sure you know whether it is 3" or 2 3/4" and purchase shells accordingly, slugs should be okay although your choke is probably full and less then optimal for slugs. Your gun is probably not steel shot compatible so avoid it until you square that away, as older guns with fixed full chokes would be damaged by it's use.
 
I have a 1957 870 I had the choke opened to modified for steel.

I haven't shot slugs in nor would I.
 
Take any old gun to a gunsmith for inspection, especially if you are yourself not confident. Safe to fire. The answer will be either, 'Yup' or 'Nope'. Which is better than, 'Ma'am, I am sorry to inform you there's been an accident.'
 
Just got back from the gunsmith who said because its a modified choke slugs are perfectly fine.
He said not to use a steel #2 or BB tho but anything else is fair game
 
Check out the "Blown up Cooey 12g" link in my signature if you want to see what happened to my grandfather's shotgun when I fired steel BB through it.

Granted, mine was a full choke, but I still wouldn't do it with yours!
 
"He said not to use a steel #2 or BB "

Strange. I had my 870 opened up to modified to do exactly that (shoot #2 and BB) and my 1964 Browning A5 too with no problems. My 'smith said he's done that to dozens of guns with no bring-backs or any "banana peeling" events.
 
MD said:
"He said not to use a steel #2 or BB "

Strange. I had my 870 opened up to modified to do exactly that (shoot #2 and BB) and my 1964 Browning A5 too with no problems. My 'smith said he's done that to dozens of guns with no bring-backs or any "banana peeling" events.
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maybe a "safe rather than sorry" for him.
He also said he had never seen a fifty year old gun in such good shape.
My grandfather had only put one box of #5 skeets thru it in its entire life
 
Hello again Richard.

Yes, better safe than sorry is good.

If you're waterfowling, #3 steel shot works good on ducks anyway.

An lead, well in the old days, we shot all variety of lead out of full chokes, so with a modified choke you can too.
 
Cavs42 said:
lol... I hope you aren't thinking that the bald guy in the video is my grandfather!!! If so, I'll have to call him, and call him an old fogey. I work with him. Grandad has been gone since my father was 12.
Click to expand...

oh sorry lol didnt see much of his face only the old man glasses.
but ya, I assumed so....
 
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