Just picked up an 870 Wingmaster in decent shape. 26" barrel and modified choke. It has pretty good furniture on it with a ringed forearm. I'm thinking it's no collector's item, so I'm going to get my trusty gunsmith to lop it down to 18.5" length, and retap the barrel to accept a simple bead sight of some sort. My question is whether anyone here can give me an idea on date of manufacture. The serial # is 3001xxV. Any help would be appreciated; it's just more curiosity than anything else. I'm thinking it's going to make as good of a home defense piece as any other 870.

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MARK

Mark,

What are the code letters on the left side of the barrel where the barrel meets the frame?

Class III

As stated Remington dates their guns by a code on the left side of the barrel next to the reciever. You can google Remington serial numbers and get the imformation you need. It make make more sense finacially to simply buy a barrel you desire and save the original barrel for hunting.

Probably are better off getting a shorter replacement barrel. If you were to cut it you could get an after-market sight that attaches to the rib, if you have one. When you factor in gunsmith costs, you are halfway up to the cost of a replacement. I just ordered a Williams 'fire sight' for a short barreled Mossberg 500.

REMINGTON SHOTGUN SERIAL NUMBER STRUCTURE

M/870 LETTER PREFIX
1950 TO APPROX 1968: NO SERIAL NUMBER PREFIX

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Bekeart

The letters on the left of the barrel look like "buq".

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MARK

It actually may be cheaper to buy a replacement barrel, sometimes you can find them used too and sell the original than to go the gunsmith route. I would check into the pricing first.

About halfway down the page:
Remington Society of America - questions/barrelcodes

"BUQ" doesn't make sense. It should be a 2 or 3 letter code (if 3, the last 2 should be the same).
If it has a 2 or 3 letter code with a "3" at the end ( Example: BAA3) that is a repair date code.

You can pick up some barrels pretty cheap. Check Ebay, as they are selling barrels again. Also, Mossberg makes some Remington 870 barrels pretty cheap, too.

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War Eagle! '10 BCS & '13 SEC

LGS had some 18" cylinder police trade-ins for $75 last month.

You should be able to buy one from GB or Flea-Pay for less than $90 delivered within a couple of weeks. Just bid low and keep trying ...

Bekeart

$109.99 at midway usa , but they are out of stock im looking for one for my 1970 wingmaster magnum

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

If the present barrel is 26", it should be choked Improved Cylinder, not Modified. Modi. barrels are normally 28".

Is the barrel marked MOD, or why do you think it has that choke?

This is before the 870, but not much:

Remington catalogs TYPICALLY offered 26" Barrels in IC and Mod, 28" in Mod and Full, and 30" Barrels in Full only.

There were exceptions that have shown up, from time to time. I've seen SKEET and CYL choked barrel in 26" and 28" (CYL only).

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War Eagle! '10 BCS & '13 SEC

hard to beat a 870 !

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

I own a M-870 Wingmaster, but never "beat" on it. It's too nice a gun for that.

i have a 1970 wingmaster magnum and a sp turkey with 21 inch barrel mossey oak camo, i only beat mine when it needs it!

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

you know i have always thought the 870 is what put the mod 12 winchester out of prodution, that says alot if you think about it http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/...ns/barrelcodes

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

Turns out it IS a 28" barrel, not a 26. Took it to my gunsmith tonight, and he cut the barrel in a lathe, deburred it, filed a nice bevel on it, reblued the end, drilled and tapped it for my original bead sight, and fitted it into the cut barrel and Loctited it. Spent a fortune; $20.00 for the entire job, including hanging out with a pretty talented old gunsmith, and smelling his pipe while he worked. Barrel is marked "mod", so it was a modified choke. Other barrel markings are N and R.E.P. then A on the right side.

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MARK

My 20ga 870 Wingmaster is priceless! I rate it right up there with my sweet 16 A-5. Here is a site I found awhile back that I found interesting.

Remington Society of America - journals/870

Got the job done, some relaxing conversation no doubt and probably a front row seat to the operation. All for 20 bucks. How great is that.
Most guys won't even log the job for that anymore and you deffinetly can't wait for it to be done.
Congrats on a fine shotgun in a very handy configuration.