New 1955 870 Wingmaster

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KnightofCydonia

New member
Pre-Freedom Group (ha ha) Remington 870 Wingmaster AP manufactured in Nov 1955. Picked it up from the original owner who bought it new and shot around 10 rounds through it and back into the safe it went.

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After cleaning, oiling, and waxing:

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Original manual also in the box:

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K

KnightofCydonia

New member
Thanks! There was only 1 plastic part on it, the buttplate. I have swapped out the factory magazine follower with a hi-viz green follower just for safety. So I guess that makes 2 plastic parts!

One thing I've noticed is that the chamber on the old barrel is much tighter than in modern 870s and other shotguns like my Benelli Nova. I normally use fired shells with the crimp cut off as snap caps, and in this 870, only Federal shells will slip in. Remington, Kent, and Winchester will not fit easily or at all. Just an interesting observation on chamber tolerances then and now. In some twisted form of logic, I get "sticky chamber" with these 870s, but in a good way hah
 
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Rifletom

New member
That is a really nice find. A '55, nice. I have a '75 Wingmaster[20ga], no vented rib on mine either. Wonder when Rem started putting those on the WM's.
 
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bamaranger

New member
blast from the past

The way it used to be. Very nice indeed. That is the first 50's era box I have ever seen.

Looks like a 28", plain barrel, no doubt 2-3/4" chamber.....what choke?
 
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KnightofCydonia

New member
It's marked 28" on the box but crossed out with 30" in handwriting, and I think it's actually 30". Full choke.

Accordingly 26" was IC, 28" was Mod, 30" was Full based on my research of the early barrels.
 
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MTT TL

New member
I have that same gun except....

Somebody used it for decades, beat it all to hell and back, dinged up the stock, cut the barrel down by hand to 18.5" and got it all rusty outside, never replaced the front sight, removed the magazine blocker and lost it and wore the finish off the receiver.

On it I put a new finish, sight post and buffed out and then polished the stock.

Runs like a top after all these years.
 
P

Pahoo

New member
Great find

And how much did you pay the guy for it?
Click to expand...

Really immaterial as there are folks that would love to have this addition to their Remington collection. I believe that forend was called the corn-cob. Great find and it's gone to a better home. …… :)

Be Safe !!!
 
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KnightofCydonia

New member
I feel terrible planning to shoot and hunt with this eventually. It's in such mint shape. But there are 11 million out there, and I want to use this for upland, deer, and turkey.
 
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Rifletom

New member
Correct. My '75 I mentioned earlier came with a 28" Mod., and a 26" Imp/Cyl. No ribs on either. Clean as a whistle.
 
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bamaranger

New member
barrel length = choke

I never paid attention to Remingtons regards barrel length and choke on the fixed, plain barrels. Just assumed if one wanted a 28" full, choke, it could be had.

In 1981 I paid a premium to get a 3" chambered, vent rib, FULL choke barrel (only). They were new and very hard to come by in my neck of the woods. As soon as it came in, I traded the 30" vent number that came on the gun away, way to long for my purposes (gobbler hunting). I matched that 26" full, with a 26" IC, and hopped the IC barrel up to modified like performance by shooting 1-1/2 oz short mags from it (you could still shoot lead at ducks in some areas those days) and it worked great for mallards over decoys on small water.

In fact, I shot the IC barrel at everything except gobblers and never felt underchoked (is that a term?).

BAck on track, that is grand old shotgun. Note in the pics a machined extractor and not a MIM part.
 
L

lamarw

New member
Like going back in time. It is a beauty and oh so precious.

I have two wingmasters. One is a standard from September 1951. It was a police trade in from the Tallassee, Alabama Police Department.

The second is a 870 TB from the Ruleville, Mississippi Police Department. It was an ugly duckling until I cleaned it up. The wood is amazingly figured and beautiful. It is was manufactured May 1976.

The action is so smooth on both these fine old guns.
 
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