Another Remington 870 thread.

[Richard Simmons]

Got an 870 question but didn't want to barge in on the other 870 thread. Looking at Wingmaster locally. It has the "corncob" forend and no checkering. If I'm reading the article linked below correctly, this would put the time frame for this shotgun from the initial introduction in 1950 to 1963 when Remington introduced the "deluxe grade" checkering and stock finish acrossall field models?

A Guide To Collecting Remington Model 870 Shotguns – Remington Society of America

The gun is in good condition with most of the finish intact but it does have some light freckling on at least on side of the receiver. Mechanics, function, bore seem fine. I'm partial to the 870 in general and have been looking for one of these older versions as that's one of the firearms I hunted with at a young age. The tag price is a little north of 4 bills which I'm thinking is a tad high but it's the first one like this I've run across locally.

Opinions on price would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Drm50]

Everything you say is true and the price is a little high, by$100.
As many pump and auto loading shotguns on the used market
I would look somemore. I have a 66 Wingmaster with fancy
stock that looks like new. I doubt it would be a easy sell at $400.
Seems like I paid $129 for it new.

 

[C J]

$400 is cheap for any Wingmaster where I live. I've seen them sell for $600 here but where I live hunting deer is done with slugs. Or at least it was. I think prices have dropped on shotguns since they allowed smooth bore rifles for hunting deer.

 

[alwslate]

I have an 870 with the "corncob" forend and no checkering on the stock.
It came with a slug barrel and I bought it new in 1980. You don't say
what barrel the one you are looking at has, vent rib barrels increase the
value over plain barreled guns. Remington barrels have a letter date
code stamped on them near the receiver. If the barrel is original to
the gun it will indicate month and year of manufacture. A plain field
model with the common 28" modified barrel in the condition you
describe is worth more like $300 than $400. You can buy a brand new
870 Express with a vent rib barrel that takes choke tubes for less than
$300. Despite the "common wisdom" that older is always better the
new Express is a better gun and a better buy.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Thanks for the replies. It has a standard, no rib barrel. I acquired my current Wingmaster 30 years ago and was just looking to acquire an earlier version because that's what I started hunting with.

I've read quite a few negative posts and articles about current Remington production but as I said, not looking for a new shotgun but rather another shotgun.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Nothing wrong with a bargain, but those don't happen every day. I've been around long enough that I've come to understand that it's also OK to pay a little more to have what you really want, rather than accepting something that is just 'good enough'.

If the gun you are looking at is what you want put in an offer, see if the guy takes it, or listen to his counter-offer. Maybe worth a try anyway.

 

[JH1951]

I like 870's and have owned a few. The price and condition don't match up for me in my area. 'Some freckling on one side and most of the finish intact' would not command $400.00 in my neck of the woods, perhaps $250 ~ $300 in 12ga, and a bit less in 16ga.
As popular as 870's have been, I would think you will find another with a more attractive price tag. I like the idea offered to you above to make an offer and see where things go from there.
Check the 'past sales' on several of the large auction sites to get a real feel for what options are out there and what the costs will be. Knowledge can save you a wad of money.

 

[hillbillydruggist]

I have an 870 with the "corncob" forend and no checkering on the stock.
It came with a slug barrel and I bought it new in 1980. You don't say
what barrel the one you are looking at has, vent rib barrels increase the
value over plain barreled guns. Remington barrels have a letter date
code stamped on them near the receiver. If the barrel is original to
the gun it will indicate month and year of manufacture. A plain field
model with the common 28" modified barrel in the condition you
describe is worth more like $300 than $400. You can buy a brand new
870 Express with a vent rib barrel that takes choke tubes for less than
$300. Despite the "common wisdom" that older is always better the
new Express is a better gun and a better buy.

if you liked it I would buy it, life is too short


and I don't mean to hijack your thread, but does anyone know where I could get a new "corncob" forend?

 

[Drm50]

I have a 870 & 1100 but Im not a Remington freak. In fact I don't
like anything they have made in shotguns since the 31. But I'm the Lone Ranger, everyone else are big on 870/1100s. I do know
the Rem nuts all want the older barrels before Rem Chokes. They
claim they are lighter and hold better patterns. About the only threaded barrels they want are Turkey barrels so they can play with all the new chokes on the market. I only own one of each but have had many on trades and sold a lot of new ones when I
was in business and I don't think the Express are near as well made as the older Wingmaster.

 

[SC_Mike]

It would be hard to say without looking at it, or knowing what barrel length and chokes comes with it if any. I have three used Wingmasters and all have performed well without problems.

If you like it and you have the $400, then I'd say buy it.

An old Wingmaster SCHP cruiser weapon re-barreled and put out to pasture:

 

[Texas Star]

Everything you say is true and the price is a little high, by$100.
As many pump and auto loading shotguns on the used market
I would look somemore. I have a 66 Wingmaster with fancy
stock that looks like new. I doubt it would be a easy sell at $400.
Seems like I paid $129 for it new.

Any hope of good, sharp photos? I'd like to see an M-870 as a hunting gun. So many pictured today are "tactical" guns.

Mine is mainly a hunter. Has some nice engraving and good checkering.

I wouldn't buy a gun with any freckling. Some do. Well, I might if the gun was confirmed as Sam Walker's own pre-Dragoon Colt...But it'd sell for a little north of $500!

Seriously, I'd expect to pay from $275-400 for a used M-870, depending on location and condition. Of course, a Peerless or higher grade will demand more like $1,000-2,000, or more.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Thanks for the replies. It's at a LGS and has been for some time. I too was thinking the tag price was a good bit high. Pretty sure the barrel 28"or 30" and of course this is was too early for removable chokes.

The one I grew up shooting as a kid had a 30", FC plain barrel. My newer Wingmaster does as well but with the VR barrel.

 

[Bekeart]

Thanks for the replies. It's at a LGS and has been for some time. I too was thinking the tag price was a good bit high.

This shows that the price is too high for the local area.

I would not sell any CLEAN Wingmaster for less than $400 at my table.
(asking price would be $475 - final negotiated price ? ? ? )
If a customer wants to pay $275 of less I have some Express models that can be negotiated.

Bekeart

 

[alwslate]

I currently have five 870s all 12 ga, yeah, more than I need. Three are
Express models and two are Wingmasters so I have a good basis for
comparison. Realize one thing about 870s folks, Wingmaster is a name
the clever Remington marketing people came up with. It has zero to do
with superior quality. Anyone really interested in Remington shotguns
should absolutely have a copy of the Kuhnhausen shop manual on the
870 and 1100 Read it and learn about the improvements made to the
870 over the years. The heavier barrels of the Express models is due to
the fact that steel shot which is often used these days is not kind to
thin barrels made of relatively soft steel.

 

[Drm50]

Here is my 870 Wingmaster from 60s. It was bought as a slug gun and has had very little use.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[spad124]

I currently have five 870s all 12 ga, yeah, more than I need. Three are
Express models and two are Wingmasters so I have a good basis for
comparison. Realize one thing about 870s folks, Wingmaster is a name
the clever Remington marketing people came up with. It has zero to do
with superior quality. Anyone really interested in Remington shotguns
should absolutely have a copy of the Kuhnhausen shop manual on the
870 and 1100 Read it and learn about the improvements made to the
870 over the years. The heavier barrels of the Express models is due to
the fact that steel shot which is often used these days is not kind to
thin barrels made of relatively soft steel.

I also have five 870s: two 1970s Wingmasters-12 and 20, a 1960 TC, a 1988 Express and a 1990 Special Purpose. I kinda like them. All were bought used except the Express, which was the first shotgun I bought-and absolutely no problems ever with that Express.

A few years ago I looked at a first or second year Wingmaster configured as you described, corn cob forend, plain 28” mod barrel. It was in very good condition and on consignment at a LGS for $425. The seller was firm on the price. I would have bought it at $400. The action was very slick, but not worn. In hindsight, I probably should have just bought it.

I wouldn’t worry much about the freckling. If it’s minimal it’s probably from being stored in a gun sleeve. You might be able to reduce it with some brass wool and oil. If the action is still tight and slick, I’d really consider buying it. It seems that a bit more hand fitting went into the earlier ones. And I think the fixed choke barrels balance much better than the Remchoke barrels. However, the Light Contour barrels are the best of both worlds, the balance of the fixed choke and threaded for Remchokes. I have a LC that I mount on my 70s Wingmaster for pheseant hunting.