# Remington 870 ???



## sowbelly101 (Apr 5, 2004)

I got a 20ga 870 Wingmaster from my dad and wanted to give deer hunting a shot this year. It has a smooth bore vented barrel and Im lookin for some advice on what slug barrel would work best on it. I think he bought it in the early 80's. The barrel that is on it now states its for 2 3/4" shells, does this mean that it will only shoot 2 3/4 shells or does it depend on the barrel. Not sure if there were different models of the Wingmaster back then, looks to be a plain jane. Any suggestions?

Thanks 
Sowbelly


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## Hoss5355 (Apr 9, 2004)

If the barrel says 2 3/4 that's all that it will shoot. The receiver should also be stamped for 2 3/4. I believe on wingmasters it will specify on the side of the magazine whether or not it is a magnum, meaning the magnum will shoot the 3 inch shells. 

Most older guns that I have seen weren't designed for the 3 inch shell. It seems to me more common in the new guns on the market. 

If you are shooting slugs out of that barrel you will need a foster type slug, not a sabot, and it should be an Improved Cylinder choke tube if you have the option to change them. Positive, it is cheap to shoot, negative, it won't be real accurate at farther ranges.

If you want to buy a new barrel for the gun, you can buy one from Hastings. I believe they have one that would fit. Also check Cabelas. Sometimes they have deals in the bargain cave. I found a rifled slug barrel for an old 870 wingmaster for $110 in Michigan awhile back. That was a steal for what it would have cost for a Hastings. 

It all depends on how much money you want to spend, and what kind of results you are looking for. Sometimes for the money, you are better off buying another gun rather than buying a barrel. Barrel prices can get way up there.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i'm with hoss all the way.if the receiver isn't marked "M" or "magnum",it's only rated for 2 3/4 shells,and going with a 3 inch chambered barrel(if they make one for the older wm) would be a waste.
stick with what you have if it's choked open or I/C,or shake the mold off some of that money and get a slug gun


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Sowbelly, 

sometimes we all fit into that mold of wanting to get something bigger & better, shoot I'm guility. (.454 Ruger vs my .44 Mag) But I tell you what there have been tons & tons of deer harvested w/ a 20 ga smooth bore gun shotting the basic Remmington Slugger 20 ga slugs (the ones for $2 a box for 5 sugs; AKA the Green Box) That gun shoudl be fine out to what prob 80 yards or so. There may be a couple inches drop past 60 yards or so.

PS-Dont forget to get a plug for it, I'm 99% sure it is capable of holding more than 3.


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## crankus_maximus (Apr 14, 2004)

It won't be a tack driver, but it will kill deer. Practice, practice, practice.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I have a late 80's 12ga 870 wingmaster magnum with a Hasting's barrel and it shoots really good. It seems like I paid around $225 for the barrel in '89. Not sure what they cost today.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I have an old Winchester smooth bore 12 guage that I have killed many deer with, a few of which were beyond 100 yards. I can't say that the gun you have will necessarily shoot that accurate with Foster type but the point is like Mellon says a lot of folks have done fine with them. If you are looking to not spend much money I would hunt that gun and limit shots to 60-70 yards. As was mentioned if you start looking for a slug barrel you are pretty much looking at the price of a gun at times.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

same with me i got a rem 1100 that my dad gave me 1st deer i ever shot was at 100 yards with the cheep 1.99 a box rem slugs that gun patterns best with with the cheep slugs you get it sighted in good and i can hit a quarter at 50 yards with it and open sights but i dont really like shooting 100 yards try to limit my shots to 50 or 60 i just feel the best around that range


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## sowbelly101 (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks for all the feedback. I wasnt sure if you could shoot slugs outta that barrel or not, more concerned from the safety side of things. I guess if that is the case i should probally start out with some of them sluggers and see what kinda shot group i can come up with. 

Thanks again,
Sowbelly


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

i missed the origional question my gun has a shot and a slug barrel but its a smooth bore (not rifled) not sure if you can shoot slugs out a shot barrel or not if thats what your question is


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Like we said, you may be pleasantly surprised at the results. I used my Winchester for several years with open sights (actually only the beads on the vent rib) and I could really shoot that thing pretty darn good. Last year I decided to upgrade and stick a scope on it. I got it sighted in and then went out to shoot a few before season to check it again. I had shot at a piece of cardboard on the fence from about 75 yards. We walked up and looked at it and my boy was amazed that I had taken out the center of a printed "0" on the cardboard that. The number was maybe 2" tall at the most. We went back and I shot once more. He walked up and tried to tell me I missed. I walked up and checked it and corrected him. I had hit the same hole and dropped about half a hole below the other one. At that point I decided I was done sighting it in.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I bought a fully rifled barrel for my express 20 gauge last year at Gander Mountain I think it ran around $175...a friend of mine is flat plain deadly with a Mossberg 20 gauge..I second the mention of a plug it was the ODNRs top fine issued last season..its my understanding they were not giving any warnings..if you dont have a plug they say you can use a #2 pencil...I talked to a game warden after I read about this being the #1 fine(because I thought it was a bit chincy) and he said that they discovered through interviews after accidents that it was the 4th and 5th shots that ended up in peoples houses, accross roads, etc etc.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Brian

In the days before rifled slug barrels most slug contests were won by shooters with a wingmaster. These guns with an improved cylinder shot more accurately than other slug guns.

Now any shotgun that Hastings makes a barrel for will be *very* accurate. Rifled slug barrels perform best with sabot slugs but each barrel should be tested with many different loads just as you would do with a rifle.

I have a Rem 1100 (12 ga) with Magnum reciever and the original vented rib barrel was Modified choke. It threw all brands of foster slugs inconsistently even at moderate ranges. After several years of attempting to gain accuracy I bought a Hastings barrel and presto.

After years of testing many brands of sabots both 2 3/4 and 3 inch I get the flattest trajectory and accuracy from Remington copper solids in 2 3/4 inch.
With a 4 power scope and a bench rest I often cloverleaf bullseyes at 100 yds. I can hold the 2 3/4 slug dead on from 0 to 110 yards and be in the 3 inch zone of a deers heart.

Since adding the Hasting barrel I have become a 1 shot hunter. 9 shots and 9 dead bucks.

I cannot say how well the 20 ga will perform and if it will run out of power at extended range, but I will tell you that a Hastings barrel will make it even more accurate.

Maybe you should let me check the little pump gun out for a few years


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## DarbyMan (Dec 11, 2005)

I've been killing deer for years with a smoothbore. As stated before get the "sluggers" from Remington. That is the only slug I've shot and I have 0 complaints about the gun or the ammo.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I bought my 870 without a slug barrel. I picked one up at Dicks(was Galyans then)18" fully rifled for $119. I got the Remington barrel. I shoot Remington Copper Solid Core Loked sabots and it is so accurate. I shoot the open rifle sights that came on the barrel and it impresses me everytime I take it to the range. I'm sure with a scope I could tighten the group up a bit but I havn't left deer camp without a deer yet.


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

Whatever you end up with, look for the spec on the slug/power capability for the shells. Remington's web has good info on this for some barrels, and their tech support will help. Slug power has increased over time, and the popularity of "more power" has run in cycles. Suppliers are marketing increased slug power in recent years. Past cycles of that have resulted in finding the limits of the older barrels....

I think it is a big challenge for most to be dependably accurate much beyond 50-60 yds.


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## Fishin' Coach (May 19, 2004)

I have a mossberg made 870 smoothbore barrel I got for $50 on e-bay, I has the mossberg style flip up sights which I'm not crazy about but for the price I can get a 3-4" group at 60yds with remington slugs.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Speaking of 870s Dicks here in Columbus and I imagine all over have a great deal on the 870 Express $219 after the rebate from Remington..if I already didnt have a Express in 12 and 20 gauge I would be hard pressed to not get one...in the meantime Im just stocking up on the Remington game loads that are 2.98 a box.


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## sowbelly101 (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. After weighing my options I decided to just buy another gun. Went out today and bought the 870 express combo 12ga dealio at Dicks. I had a 100.00 debit card from work that was burning a hole in my pocket , sale price was 359.00 plus 30.00 Remington rebate so when it was all said an done I will have paid 254.00 out the door for the new set up. 

FYI, The Dicks in Grove City is the only one Place in Columbus where you can buy a gun on the spot besides Vance's and Gander on the East side. Since they are located outside C-town city limits you can bypass the hassle of going down and filling out the permit request, waiting 7 working days and save you 20.00 on the 30 day permit.

Thanks again,
Sowbelly


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Good deal Sow! Does that mean you have an old 870 you are looking to unload? I am just kidding. My wife may shoot me with it if I went and bought another gun right now.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I was at the Grove City Dicks on Saturday night and looked at the Stoeger double barrels they have on sale they are nice...wife might not like it though if I dropped that kind of cash this close to Christmas...maybe after the first of the year...still picked up some shells though


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