Need Help Quickly: 870 Wingmaster Question *UPDATE*

[chuckdc]

Glad you went ahead and got that one. Wingmasters are a fine all-around clay and bird gun, and a 28" Mod choke will do just about everything you would want. I wouldn't stress over only having 2 3/4" chambers, either. I've hunted plenty of ducks with the "baby magnums" and they killed the ducks just as dead as the 3" ones. Most of my shotguns are "only" 2 3/4" chambered.
The only thing you might look into is eventually getting a spare barrel that is threaded for tubes, as you might want to have a wide-open (skeet, cylinder, or IC) for shooting birds in close in brush.

[WmWhitfield]

WTF? Anyone should know if their gun's choke is fixed or it is threaded for changeable chokes. I wouldn't trust him if he cannot explain how he doesn't know? Is he really old?

If you get it, look into the cost of having the barrel threaded for choke tubes before putting the money into a second barrel.

[maidendeth13]

It is a fixed choke. Received an email clarifying after I posted this thread and forgot to change it in my original post. I'm in no rush for a new barrel as Turkey Season will be over by the time I get this but when I do get around to it I'll look into that. Thanks.

[aippi]

Since all 870 pumps have the exact same forend tube assembly, slide, breech bolt and the channels these slide into inside the receiver are the same, I question anyone who claims one model is smoother then another. Please explain how that can be with the exact same parts sliding into the exact same receiver?

What they are expiriencing is that they are shooting these Wingmasters that have high round counts so are well broken in. That is all. The only 870 model that is not as smooth as the others is the Marine Magnum and that is because of the finish.

Any 870 other then the Marine is just as smooth as any other model with the same round count that was broken in correctly.

[AAShooter]

Since all 870 pumps have the exact same forend tube assembly, slide, breech bolt and the channels these slide into inside the receiver are the same, I question anyone who claims one model is smoother then another. Please explain how that can be with the exact same parts sliding into the exact same receiver?

What they are expiriencing is that they are shooting these Wingmasters that have high round counts so are well broken in. That is all. The only 870 model that is not as smooth as the others is the Marine Magnum and that is because of the finish.

Any 870 other then the Marine is just as smooth as any other model with the same round count that was broken in correctly.

My experience and belief is that the earlier 870 had better finishing than the current versions. My 30 year old Wingmaster seems to have more refined machining in the receiver than my recent Express. My Express seems to have more sharp edges, etc.

I understand that a current Wingmaster and Express will be similar but is it your experience that the machining on older 870s is the same as today?

[aippi]

They have not changed anything. Same factory, same machines and pretty much the same employees. If you only have 15 years in the factory at Ilion they still call you the New Guy.

[AAShooter]

Thanks.

[Munk]

I've got an old 870 that's pre-remchoke also. It's rock solid and i've even shot a couple perfect games of trap with it. (still working on those damn towers, so trap will have to do for now).

It should meet your needs just fine.

[pyromensch]

bought mine the same year, (for $217 at woolworth), the barrels are changeable, be sure to use only 2 3/4" in it.