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Ben Jordan

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I was just wondering what was the difference between a wingmaster and express besides finish. Are all of the internals the same? Or do people just claim that because they spent twice as much on a wingmaster than express? :?:
 
Why not go to the local gun store and ask to hold both, and try working the action. I'll bet you can feel the difference. Several years ago I bought an 870 special purpose. It looks just like an express, but you can feel the difference when you work the action. My bro-in-law has one of the first special purpose models they made. I believe it has a stainless steel barrel, but am usure. It may just be chrome lined.
Anyway, the wingmaster is most definitely smoother than an express.
JBJ
 
`In actual fact a brand new wingmaster cost about 3 times the price of a new express. Heck there are 30 year old wingmasters that sell for double the price. Also you will probably never run across a 30 year old express. At least not one that has had constant use. They just arent built to last that long. Just do a side by side comparison, not with pictures ,but in person. You will quickly see the difference. Also the new wingmasters they are building are the finest looking and feeling pumps I've ever seen. Just my opinion
 
Bought my first 870 express in about 1983 or 1984. I believe I paid $189 for it. First one I had ever seen.
 
OK. I was way off.. 23 years

1987

Remington introduced the lower cost Model 870 Express, which differs from the standard Model 870 line only in exterior matte finish and low luster hardwood stock and forend. RemChoke was now expanded to additional Model 870 12 gauge and 20 gauge shotguns. The Special Purpose line was expanded to include the Model 870 SP with 3-inch chamber, ventilated rib barrel and RemChoke. In this year, the Model 870 Deer Gun was made available in right-hand and left-hand versions in "Wingmaster" style.
 
I bought a Wingmaster brand new semi recently, and It was money well spent. I also have an express. Aside from the richly blued steel and nice walnut, the wingmaster comes with a Light Contour Barrel. Pick one up and you will see about what I'm talking. Also, It has a different bolt mechanism, maybe its forged or milled or something whereas the express is done with some sort of stamping process. Both are solid guns, but I can't put my wingmaster down sometimes which turns out ok because I converted my express to a slug gun.
The wingmaster is out of the box smooth and keeps getting smoother.

UMH
 
Express has some MIM parts that the Wingmaster uses forgings for, walnut versus whatever, and quality of finish, outside and in. It has been interesting watching the Express get cheaper as the years have rolled by.
 
I'm not sure on that 1987 date. Unless my memory is gone, I had to have gotten my 870 Express in 1986 or before. I was in the Army and was transferred to Germany in 1986. I bought the Express a year or two prior to that and was hunting geese in Kansas with it before I got transferred. Either that or someone slipped a pre-production model in on me. It was definitely rougher than a Wingmaster; cheap wooden stock and the receiver was missing the machined groove along the top that leads to the rib.
 
i dont think its fair to compare the wingmaster and the express their basically the same gun but there hitting 2 diffrent price points the express is competing with the mossberg and some foriegn pump guns (imo the express is better than all them) while the wingmaster is in a diffrent realm mossberg doesnt make a higher grade version of the 500 (i dont know anything about ithacas never seen one or held one and probably wont) so is largely in a class of its own and yes i do have an express and i love it would i like to get a wingmaster yes but probably isnt going to happen in awhile. as to the mim parts dont the wingmaster parts fit on the express if it was a problem?
 
If you've ever had or used a Wingmaster you'd know the difference in a heartbeat. But then if you've ever had or used a Model 12 Winchester, you'd know in a heartbeat which one was the better of them too. I've only got one Wingmaster but 5 Model 12s and I'd be hard pressed to ever own an Express.

They look like, well I just don't know how to describe them and be polite, and they feel like a mouth full of gravel!

BP
 
The express was originally built to compete with mossberg as they were selling a lot of 500's in the 80's and cutting into Remingtons wingmaster market. The cheapened up the gun by:

plastic trigger guard
rougher park finish
wood or synthetic stock with less checkering
less polishing done on the bore and barrel
parkerized bolt, with less quality control checks
molded metal parts to include the extractor
new style magazine with the dimples (Cheaper to make)

Wingmaster
aluminum trigger guard
smooth blued finish
wood or sythetic stock with more checkering avaiable in a couple difference finishes
more polishing of the bore and barrel (more quality control checks in general)
Chrome bolt
No molded metal parts
old style steel magazine with no dimples

The wingmaster is a better but more expensive gun meant to compete with higher end pumps like the BPS. The problem I got is trying to get your hands on a new wingmaster these days.
 
Virginian,

What on earth would he spend a fortune at a gunsmith for with a Model 12?

You may indeed know one guy that is hell on rats, but for every situation like that there would be thousands upon thousands of Model 12 owners out there that have never ever done so much as anything but clean and oil them.

I only have one 870 Wingmaster and I can't say I'm overly enamored with it. It was far better than the Winchester 1200 that was available at the time a got a deal at a local K-mart closing out the gun counter back in about '80. Indeed I am a Model 12 kind of guy and the 870 just doesn't cut it for me.

I don't like the safety, and mostly I don't like how the magazine elevator works. If you don't get the shell pushed way up in the tube, it will pop out above the elevator and that is a great time out in the field. I don't like how you unload one either. A Model 12 is just a way more user friendly shotgun with unparalleled reliability, fit, finish, and handling characteristics. Your mileage may vary.

If you are 50 or younger you probably wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

BP
 
Burnt Powder said:
Virginian,

What on earth would he spend a fortune at a gunsmith for with a Model 12?

You may indeed know one guy that is hell on rats, but for every situation like that there would be thousands upon thousands of Model 12 owners out there that have never ever done so much as anything but clean and oil them.

If you are 50 or younger you probably wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

BP
there may be thousands upon thousands of model 12 owners but there millions of remington 870 owners
 
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