The Remington 870 Wingmaster

[GravyPersists]

My Mossberg 500 has essentially destroyed itself from within after 500 rounds and I have found it quite impossible to contact mossberg over the phone to get a little warranty action. Anyways I have been considering buying a friends Remington 870 Wingmaster for a good price. I like Remington 870's and I understand the wingmaster is the premium model. I believe its 80's or 90's production, in great shape with a pretty wood stock, it feels solid as a rock and shoot like a dream, incredibly tight action.

The point is that I am a little disturbed about reliability after getting 500 rounds, mostly birdshot, out of a 300 dollar shotgun. I shoot skeet avidly and will put buckshot and slugs downrange occasionally just for ****s and giggles.

My question is, does anyone have long term experience with the 870 Wingmaster in terms of reliability and funtionality? These are the only two major needs I have for a shotgun, I dont need any fancy self loading Benelli nonsense, I just want something that will not quit on me in the long run and I want to know if that is the Remington 870 Wingmaster.

[Barbarossa]

My dad's shot the same Wingmaster since the late 60's.

Hasn't needed to replace a single thing in ~ 40 years.

[BayAreaShooter]

I do not own one but have a few friends that do. They have never had a problem with the Wingmaster and I would suggest buying one if you can get it for a fair price. IMHO a Wingmaster is a far superior gun compared to a mossy 500.

[GravyPersists]

My dad's shot the same Wingmaster since the late 60's.

Hasn't needed to replace a single thing in ~ 40 years.

That is very impressive, did he shoot it often?

[Barbarossa]

That is very impressive, did he shoot it often?

12 weeks of duck season every year.

I've had my 870 express for 16 years, under the same conditions.

Someone thinks my gun is missing a part, doesn't operate any differently though.

[PatriotnMore]

The Wingmaster is a nicer model than the express, and fetch a higher price.

I owned an Express, it was my first shotgun, bought it in the late 80's. I just handed it down to my oldest Son, and I can tell you I have easily a ran couple of thousand rounds thru it bird hunting and at the range.

Just last year I had to replace some of the internals, so it would not hang up when racking it, but that was a minor fix, and pretty cheap. The wood is worn from where my hands sit on the furniture, but it's been a fantastic shotgun, you really can't go wrong with a Remington.

[GravyPersists]

12 weeks of duck season every year.

I've had my 870 express for 16 years, under the same conditions.

Someone thinks my gun is missing a part, doesn't operate any differently though.

I think you just sold me. Out of curiosity did you or your father fire heavy rounds like buckshot or skeet through your shotguns?

[Barbarossa]

I think you just sold me. Out of curiosity did you or your father fire heavy rounds like buckshot or skeet through your shotguns?

Skeet rounds are typically low base #7, or #8's.

Duck loads are typically High-base Steel #4's.

No cause for buckshot duck hunting.

Call JD @ http://www.aiptactical.com he'd be able to walk you through the heavy stuff.

[Kanoodler]

I have shot the beejeebers out of the same Rem 870 for the past 15 years with birdshot, buckshot and slugs. The only time it ever went to the shop was to get it Vang Comp-ed and refinished. Not because it needed, but because I wanted to get it done.

I have a ribbed skeet bbl and an 18" HD bbl, so that I can switch when the mood hits. (The 18" is the one that had the Vang treatment)

[BigDogatPlay]

Millions of 870's have been made, and I've never seen one that was "shot out" to the point of being inoperable. They are rugged, versatile, reliable and durable. I've owned a couple over the years, my current is an early 1990's vintage police model that was an agency turn in. Other than a bit of honest wear here and there indicative of having been deployed into the brutish hands of LEOs, you'd not know it. The gun shoots as good as the day it left the factory.

In short, it's very, very hard to go wrong with just about any 870.

My Mossberg 500 has essentially destroyed itself from within after 500 rounds

That statement just about merits a thread of it's own. I'd be curious to know more about a 500 that is destroyed in 500 rounds, since mine is 30 years old and shoots/functions flawlessly.

FWIW, my experience with Mossberg's customer care has been positive although my interactions were over small things like parts.

[aippi]

I know as much about the 870 as anyone and assure you the round count on any 870 will be in the tens of thousands. Replacing a mag tube spring, carrier dog follower spring and maybe some smaller springs over the years will be all that is required. After heavy use for 15 to 20 years it could require a new hammer spring but I have received 40+ year old 870's with the same hammer spring in them and it did not need replaceing. Storing the weapon with the hammer down ensures this in long term storage.

As for the comment about contacting me about shot, I can simply tell you that regular shot rounds, slugs and buck shot will have no bearing on the wear of an 870. Getting into to gimick rounds that are out there could damage the weapon so avoid all that "Ninja Delta Tactical Killer Clown" mess ammo.

Just yell is you have other questions about the Remington shotgun. Contact info is on the below web site.

PS: don't have Mossbergs, don't want Mossbergs, however, I have never heard of one wearing out much less from such a low round count. Has to be some kind of parts issue and this can happen to any model of weapon no matter what the manufacturer. Hope their Customer Service gets their act together and helps you.

[1911su16b870]

My first 870 was a CHP recycled unit in phosphate green and restamped OHB prior to being sold out of their armory. It's action is soooo silky smooth and last month I completed another of many training sessions with it all rounds fired where aimed 100% of the time! I really love that gun, so much so, it is in my calguns screen name!

[Argonaut]

I shot on the USAF USAFE trap team, We shot over 1000 rounds many weeks. Several of my buddies shot 870's. Never saw a failure of any kind. We would shoot loose Beretta over under and some other shotguns, but never a problem with a 870. I shot a 1100 for several years before I bought my Krieghoff. The only trouble I ever had with the 1100 was if it got dirty or sometimes in needed a new gas 0 ring. Remington had always built great guns from Steel.....never an alloy receiver like the Mossberg or some Winchesters.

[Katana]

... I just want something that will not quit on me in the long run and I want to know if that is the Remington 870 Wingmaster.

Grab that Wingmaster and don't look back...you won't be disappointed.

[Thefeeder]

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20 years worth of 3" mags on the duck ponds in the worst weather along with many rounds at the clays.......never needed nada.

Its the 870 to own.