Turning an 870 Wingmaster hunting shotgun into a home defense weapon

[Critter4528]

Nicely done, it takes a little bit getting everything together, I've actually this
I took a fairly new finish older gun well made, 1st thing I called Remington, obtained and extender shell tube without shopping around, I had the rifled shotgun barrel cut down and crowned,
I was able to find some hard rubber Pachmayr Vindicator drips for the forearm and pistol grip

 

[cmshoot]

With Federal Personal Defense 00 buck, this open cylinder gun patterns surprisingly well. All 9 pellets inside a Copenhagen can at approximately 10 yards. The copper plating on the lead shot probably has something to do with it, by providing a hard “shell” on the outside of the pellets. When the shell is fired and the shot cup travels down the bore, some of the pellets can become deformed. Deformed pellets don’t fly straight, which open up patterns. Harder pellets don’t deform as easily.

Having the forcing cone lengthened helps ease the transition from chamber to bore, resulting in less shot deformation, which results in tighter patterns. Now that I’ve seen how tight she patterns, I don’t see me recommending having this done.

I also contribute this nice pattern to the smoothness and overall quality of the bore on these old Wingmasters.

 

[Grandmasta J]

Reviving this thread to ask - where tha hell do ya’ll get parts for an 870 anymore!? I’ve been looking and can’t find any of these parts in stock anywhere.

 

[cmshoot]

Reviving this thread to ask - where tha hell do ya’ll get parts for an 870 anymore!? I’ve been looking and can’t find any of these parts in stock anywhere.

What parts do you need?

 

[Grandmasta J]

Pretty much all the springs, besides the mag spring. I was gonna replace all the springs anyway (it’s an old wingmaster), figured I’d upgrade to the police springs.

 

[cmshoot]

Pretty much all the springs, besides the mag spring. I was gonna replace all the springs anyway (it’s an old wingmaster), figured I’d upgrade to the police springs.

I probably have all those in my shop.

Have you tried Apex Gun Parts? There’s also an outfit in Canada I get a lot of 870 bits from. I’ll try and find a receipt.

 

[GeauxLSU]

In general, the difference between a Wingmaster and the Police are:
-Wingmaster is high luster blue, while a Police is parkerized
-fancier wood on a Wingmaster, and the longer forend will not accommodate many “sidesaddle” shell holders or police in-car locking racks
-Police model has heavier magazine tube and carrier latch springs to ensure reliability with heavier loads. Most Wingmasters are used with birdshot while Police models are used with slugs and buckshot.
-Heavier sear spring on the Police model
-Wingmaster bolts are hard chromed

The differences between the Express and the Wingmaster/Police:
-Express has a bead blast blue finish
-Express models used a MIM extractor, the W/P models use a machined steel extractor
-W/P models have a vibrahoned finish on the inside of the receiver to smooth out burrs and the like
-Express models use a synthetic trigger housing while the W/P models use metal
-W/P models use the older ball detent system to hold the magazine cap in place, while the Express uses a cheaper, synthetic ratchet insert.
-Express model will not allow for the installation of a magazine extension tube without physical modification of the existing magazine tube.

Thanks for outlining that! Always wondered and could never find an extensive list. I have an as new Wingmaster from 1969. Beautiful but it was just collecting dust. Put a factory 18.5", changed furniture to OEM black plastic and had tapped out my customizing ability. It is now at the ready in the HD lineup.

 

[cmshoot]

was

Thanks for outlining that! Always wondered and could never find an extensive list. I have an as new Wingmaster from 1969. Beautiful but it was just collecting dust. Put a factory 18.5", changed furniture to OEM black plastic and had tapped out my customizing ability. It is now at the ready in the HD lineup.

Pics!

 

[Grandmasta J]

I probably have all those in my shop.

Have you tried Apex Gun Parts? There’s also an outfit in Canada I get a lot of 870 bits from. I’ll try and find a receipt.

Is that sjhardware?

 

[GeauxLSU]

was


Pics!

The before pics are better IMO. I thought I posted some here but can't find them...