Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How Old is Your Model 870

Dang. kind of makes me want one now,
lol

I won mine in 98' or 99', an 870 Turkey Express 12 ga. About 10 years ago I changed out the plain wood stock for an after market thumbhole camo stock. The gun is a turkey killing machine, I can't tell you how many birds I've shot with it.

I also have an 870 new in the box laying around somewhere, black synthetic... one of the Walmart specials from a few years ago.... $150 bucks I think.

They were Remington's matte finish version of the Wingmaster just before the Express hit the market. Not many on the used market.

Which one..... I have two first year production ones with matching serial numbered barrels to the receiver, a 1953 and a 1955. One full choke, one modified and two improved cylinders. All are corn cob models and all are 16 gauge.

I just picked up a pristine 1957 870 16 gauge from an old friend. Corn Cob for-end with a 28” modified barrel.
Not a scratch on it and just a tiny bit of blueing missing on the slide rails. Smooth as glass. They don’t make em like this one anymore. 🤠

Got mine in about 1977..I ran thousands of rds through it shooting doves..still give it a few hundred rds in the spring when the starlings move in..

Have a 20 gauge Wingmaster from the mid-50’s with a 30” full choke barrel. Hiked a lot of Hills after prairie chickens and pheasants with it. Shot it in a corporate trap shoot one time. There were 25-30 shooters and three of us tied at 100 straight. We had a 25 rock shoot off - I came in second with 24.

Have a Wingmaster 12 gauge with 30” full choke barrel from the late ‘70’s. Considering it is roughly the size of a power pole it is surprisingly light and handles really well. Shot a lot of trap and a truck load of pheasants with it....back when Nebraska had pheasants.

Bought my nephew one of the 870 Express - the matte finished type - for his first shotgun. Only shotgun he owns and he just loves the thing.

I got mine for Christmas 1971. I was 11. 12 gauge 30" full choke barrel. It's one of the last guns that I'd ever part with for sure.

Ron

that is pretty mu ch what i bought at age 11. along with a west german f.i.e. .22lr single action revolver. 35bcks if i remember right.

Never owned one.

Do have a damn nice M31 tho. Don't necessarily know if an 870 is an upgrade over that.

Last one I had was a TD grade with a spare Anton butt stock. Pretty enough wood but wasn't sad to see it go. They aren't bad, they aren't great, they're just "Meh".

I don't know how old . Bought it used back in '91

With a new CEO at the helm, do you suppose a bunch a guys with stimulus checks in hand could talk the guy into a special "Corona Virus" Commemorative Lwt 20 ga. 870's with Remchokes, VR, 3" and premium Hard wood stocks, well polished with bright blue jobs? No hokey emblems or engraving saying something trick like thank you chinks. What say? MB

Same for me.

Got that right! I’ll never turn mine loose.

Mine barely has any black left on it from carry.

If you want to google a bunch about pump shotguns, test & opinions abound.

The Rem 31 is said to be fine piece of machinery. The Winchester 12 is for sure, another piece of fine work. The Ithaca 37 design was grabbed from the Rem 17 when Remington moved on to greener pastures.(or cheaper manufacturing cost)

Yes, the 870 has stamped parts as opposed to fully machined of earlier models including the model 12, but the stamped parts have held up just fine. Nearly 70 years of manufacturing of the 870 has proved the fact & the vote that it is the best engineered pump shotgun ever devised.

Not my words or opinion. Before flaming, read up.

I got a clip on fiber optic mid barrel bead for the fence. It makes me feel better after the Model 37 loss.

agree, I also have one each in 20 ga. (870 and M31)

having 2 action bars vs. one, I can't tell any difference. As do almost all of the 31s, when you point it vertical and touch the slide release, it opens up fully on it's own. very smooth

Ball bearing action I believe they call them.