Been looking for a clean old wingmaster to grouse hunt with for quite a while now. I have a 20 O/U and my personal favorite an al48. Both
20s. Which I would have preferred the wingmaster to be. But for some reason I wanted a pump gun to add to the rotation too.


I went to the gun-shop to pick up a scope for a 22magnum.......I didn’t make it to the scope counter when I saw these two old shotguns leaned up in the rack. One was an Ithaca 37 and one a wingmaster. Both in 16s......of course I went to the wingmaster. Gun was in excellent shape for its age, and the action was tighter than 2 coats of paint. 359$ on the sticker price.......I was not leaving without that gun. After all was said and done I walked out with the gun and a box of 7 1/2s for $300 even.

There isn’t much made today for 300$ that I would much look at. The metal to wood fit is very good on this particular one. And the action....slick as a ribbon. It has been well used as it has plenty of marks, bluing is rubbed off on most places as well.....but it has been well taken care of. It will make one fine bird gun.

Oh yea...a quick call to Remington and a serial number lookup makes this one a 1953 model. I was thinking 60s myself, not knowing too much about wingmasters myself. I was a little surprised when she gave me the year. I wonder what stories this gun would have if it could talk?

How many guns today will look this good after 64 years of service I wonder? Far as I can tell this one is just now getting broken in. I had to try it out on something. Pigeons hanging around the barn make nice aerial targets. It has a modified choke that is pretty tight at 21 yards. Probably look into some some spreader loads, if that doesn’t work I’ll have it opened up a bit.

Nice old shotgun! I have a 1957 12 gauge Wingmaster that I have worn nearly silver from use.

Congratulations on your purchase! Great guns.
I just returned from the Snake River shooting chukars. Took my 1950 Wingmaster 16 and a 1934 Model 31, also in 16ga.

Nice!

Cool old gun

Nice! I love the old models with the corn cobb forends. Would love to find one in a 16 ga.

Not really! They were built on a 12 gauge frame and are just not what you are looking for in a 16.

YMMV

Just a quick point... cut one of those Winchester Super X shells open and look at the pellets. Do not listen to me, just look at the pellets.

If you do not see the point go buy any other brand/box of shells and do the same thing. The pellets will be anything except round and the patterns will be horrible!!!!!!!!

Rick Bin, a better than ordinary wing shooter, could not figure out why AK sea ducks were bullet-proof... then we cut open a shell and looked...

Still handier than a 410 BPS

Sitka deer- don’t worry. I won’t .......
a wingmaster 16 May not be as handy as a 16 built on a 20 frame or a 16 on a 16 frame.....but for what I do and that’s beating the brush for grouse. It’s fine. Yea it’s heavier than my franchi. Woopty doo. I was on the look for a wingmaster that was already well used and that’s exactly what I found.....not asking you to pack it. I realize 300$ isn’t a “deal” and is really all it’s worth....however shotguns aren’t all too common around here. Not a lot of upland hunting or rabbit hunting goes on round here. Wingmaster actually aren’t that common in the shops here


FWIW- these shells pattern fine.....for a pheasant hunter. Idk what shape they are but at 21 yards I got a nice even pattern with no holes in it....

I like the old 870 and the old Ford!

The Ithaca 16 was built on a small/light frame. That's the one that I would have bought. They are truly a "sweet" upland gun.

Had an Ithaca 37 in a 12.......I love them Probably more than the 870. But I never could shoot one very well. Ya know how it is. All about fit....and it had a polychoke lol.

Have a 16 Ga just like that. Would not give it up. I am 47 and have had it since I was 14

Some evil genius created butt-ugly Poly-Chokes just to ruin the lines and the balance of every nice old shotgun!

That evil genius was the inventor of the plastic wad. Our modifieds started shooting full and fulls started shooting like rifles. Thus the contraptions that go on the barrel ends.

Jack

I have a polychoke on my M12 16ga. I have shot it better the last two years of dove hunting then any other shotgun I can remember ever shooting. They may not be the most pleasing to the eye to some, but they are very functional. I personally don't shy away from them when found on a well made shotgun.

Front one is my 1957 Model 870 in 16 gauge. I've had it 25 years or so. Put a new stock on it about 20 years ago.

Nice wingmasters!!! You guys have excellent taste!!!!!

I paid a $125 for it. Did a fair amount of duck hunting with it back in the day. Fact is, till steel came along, I pretty much used a 16 gauge for everything. My first shotgun was a 16 gauge Lefever.

I had a buddy back in the day that did all his deer hunting with a Browning Auto 5 in 16 gauge with a slug barrel. His FIL hunted all over the southern LA with a 16 gauge Auto 5 with a 24" tube for quail. That was back in the days when quail were everywhere and deer were seen occasionally.

The designer of the 870 action was a genius.
Even I am able to take it apart and put it back together.

Love an "old school" Cutts!



Even my millennials occasionally favor an 870. Corncobs too!




DMc

I would have bought both. My name is Brett and I have a problem with 16 gauges...

Just sold my solid rib M12 16..... it was to nice to modify the stock to fit, but I still have my 37R with a solid rib in 16 ga and 2 A-5 Belgian Sweets as well as a Jap one with Invectors. Do I like 16's well duh! MB

Nice old Wingmaster , i've got that style in 12 ,16 and 20 gauge. Those and the model 12 Winchesters are my favorites

Awesome buy!!! I bought a Model 12 in 16-gauge last year and am starting to really appreciate the 16! I always prefer an 870 to a Model 12, but would hate to live on the difference of whichever one is actually "better!"