New pump: 870 Express vs. Wingmaster

[Dave]

I'm in the market for a new pump 12 gauge for hunting season and have pretty much decided on an 870 after shooting my uncles Express and shouldering a few at the gun shop.

The Wingmaster felt nice and seemed to cycle better off the rack, but there is a $400 up charge on the Wingmaster vs. the Express (closer to $500 when the current sales price of the Express is factored in...). I made the mistake of picking it up first. The real wood on the Wingmaster was nice, but this will be a gun that will see duck boats, blinds, and pickup beds. It won't see any magazine shoots, beauty contests, or anything remotely close to anything glamorous.

I've read that the Wingmaster's internals are polished and that is supposed to be the biggest difference that's not cosmetic.

So, if anyone has any first hand experience with both tiers of the 870, I would love to hear your opinions of the Express vs. Wingmaster.

 

[lowenbrau]

The differences are.


The Express:

A hardwood or synthetic stock.
Cheaper, impressed checkering.
A rougher, unpolished finish inside and out. More burrs.
A bead blasted finish, might be subject to faster rust problems
A black bolt.
A plastic trigger group.
The new style magazine assembly with plastic parts and the "dimples". Takes some modification to be used with and extended mag.
A rougher bore in the barrel.
Some internal parts are not machined but made with MIM (Metal injection moulded). This includes the extractor.


The Wingmaster:
Walnut or synthetic stocks with choice of gloss or satin finish.
Better quality checkering.A much smoother, polished finish inside and out. No burrs.
A polished blue finish.
A chrome plated bolt.
An aluminum trigger group.
The old style steel magazine assembly, no dimples.
A much smoother bore.
No MIM parts are used in any critical area. (like the extractor)

If you are buying new, the price difference is pretty large considering the guns (can) act very much the same. I'd have a hard time dropping the big bucks on a Wingmaster new. Used on the other hand is a completely different story. I just bought a 2002 Wingmaster receiver and plastic stock set for half the price of a new Express and dropped an 18" barrel on it for a truck/zombie gun. I have a nicer trap build that is based on a 1970s Wingmaster that cycles smoothly enough to make a grown man weep. With some patience, you might be able to do an action job on an Express and make it that good but I doubt it.

My recommendation is, unless you want a 3.5" gun, to look for a gently used Wingmaster.

 

[lowenbrau]

Just for reference, this post just came through my local outdoors forum...

Remington 870, 12 guage $200
- 2.75" only, Full choke, 28" barrel.
- Started as a Wingmaster but the gloss walnut was damaged.
- New synthetic stock from Speed Feed.
- Good condition, never a mechanical problem, patterns well, great upland gun.

 

[IggyB]

2 Express owner, both are 20 or so years old.

One does have the plastic trigger housing while the other is metal. No dimples on mag tubes.

I have heard that the quality on the new Remingtons is not as good as on the older models. Don't know if it's true.

Express is kind of like AK47. It's not pretty but it works.

Can't go wrong with either Express of Wingmaster :gunt:

 

[Ridgewalker]

I've owned both models at one time or another. My experience was the less costly model smoothed out after quite a few rounds (go to the range and shoot trap, skeet or sporting clays to break it in). Or just sit around in the basement shouldering, pointing and pumping (I wouldn't pull the trigger, just press the slide release).
You just cannot go wrong with an 870. They are quite reliable.
I wouldn't go with the 3.5" though unless you are primarily hunting geese. Although I usually use a 2 3/4" even though mine will handle 3".
For upland birds, you won't need more than a 26" barrel and open choke (IC). 2 3/4" field loads for everything except turkeys (the only thing I use a 3" shell for and just because I can). A 2 3/4" would probably do fine with the right load pattern.
Get what ever your budget allows, but remember you can get several trips out of the less costly Express.
Just my thoughts.
Enjoy!

 

[Dave]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'm certain the Express would hold up fine, the Wingmaster just felt better for some reason. I didn't have a lot of time to compare both guns back and forth, but I wonder if the Wingmaster felt noticeably better due to better balance? Maybe the real wood balances out the gun better?

I will only be getting a 3" chambered gun, no matter which one I end up with.

 

[Ridgewalker]

You are probably correct about the real wood balancing better, although you can always balance a gun by weighting different points. Wingmasters are great guns! The only one I have left will always be with me. I have a short barrel for home and upland birds, and a long barrel for ducks and geese. But more often than not I only use the short barrel.
Enjoy it.

 

[XL Bar]

Find an old Wingmaster, buy it, and be happy. Shoot it alot. Make memories. Re-finish it when necessary. Hand it down to your grandkid.

Brian

 

[ccm00tacoma]

I have a 870 express magnum (shoots 3" shells) and my little brother has an older Wingmaster. His gun does have a more "refined" feel to it, and, I agree, the weight of the wood does seem to balance it better. Aside from that though, they're both reliable and tough. Either would do the job.

....though now that I think about it....he does down alot more birds than me.....hmm, maybe I need a wingmaster....

Good luck!

-Adam

 

[Dave]

I ended up getting a great deal on the 870 waterfowl edition. It basically comes ready to hunt and had the add-ons that I would have had to do myself with a normal Express. It is the magnum version capable of handling 3.5" shells, but I doubt I'll ever run shells that big through it. I'm hoping to throw a few clays at it this evening and a few doves tomorrow.

 

[Haggis]

I ended up getting a great deal on the 870 waterfowl edition. It basically comes ready to hunt and had the add-ons that I would have had to do myself with a normal Express. It is the magnum version capable of handling 3.5" shells, but I doubt I'll ever run shells that big through it. I'm hoping to throw a few clays at it this evening and a few doves tomorrow.

Good for you, Dave. Any of the 870s are great guns. Since you've got the 3.5" chamber you need to come up here and help us thin these gobblers out.

 

[blueeyeddevil]

What about the Winchester 1300? Had mine for almost 20 yrs. Shoots just as smooth as the day I brought it home.

 

[Dave]

What about the Winchester 1300? Had mine for almost 20 yrs. Shoots just as smooth as the day I brought it home.

A 1300 has been my go to 12 gauge for the past three years. Overall, it's been fairly reliable. I did have a spot weld break on one of the slide arms the week before dove season two years ago. Otherwise, it's been a pretty good gun.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I've got the 870 Wingmaster with 30" barrel, full choke. Awesome gun. I've knocked down a few quail with it and plan on duck hunting this year. I just bought all my stamps and some steel shot. Quack quack.

I also have the Winchester 1300, but it's the Defender model. Not a very good bird gun, more of a "get out of my house" schlock schlock gun. I have used it for quail before, it's fine up close.

 

[FLYFISHEXPERT]

I really enjoy shooting my 870 Wingmaster. I have had it for 3 years now and have knocked down quite a few pheasants and grouse with it. I am taking it on a float (cast&blast) trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River here in October. The gun is very fun to shoot.