Remington 870 Restoration Project

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  • DAVE_M

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    Apr 17, 2009
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    I'm once again in the market for another long gun. This time a shotgun. I have little to no use for a shotgun. I haven’t owned one for at least a decade. However, I want another one just for the sake of owning one and letting friends and family shoot it on the range to compare with other firearms. No, this will not be for home defense. That's a discussion I don't care to get into. However, it should be oriented with defensive use in mind, for fair comparison to other common home defense firearms.

    The only shotguns I'm interested in are the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590 with 18" barrels.

    The last 870's I've torn apart and shot with were all Pre-Freedom Group 870 Express examples. To my knowledge, there are more differences between the 870 Police and 870 Express than there are between Pre and Post-Freedom Group examples of the same model. If this is the case, then I'm not opposed to buying a newer model, so long as I can acquire replacement parts to enhance the reliability of said shotgun. In the past, I've had issues with 870 Express shotguns, one of which had to be sent back to Remington for ejector replacement.

    I'm essentially looking to pick one up to have a selection of items for friends and family to shoot, as well as give myself an opportunity to learn about them. I've never been a big shotgun fan, because I admit I don't understand enough about them. There seems to be a lot of noise to signal when it comes to shotguns, but I figured I would ask here in hopes someone knows something of value.

    Edit - I picked up an 870 from a friend and will begin tearing it down.

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    Last edited:

    DBMJR1

    Madame Mayor's Fiefdom
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    Jul 27, 2008
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    Academy sells Mossberg Mavericks for under two hundred dollars. They are essentially a cheap version of a Mossberg 500.

    For your purposes I would think it would be adaquate.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Academy sells Mossberg Mavericks for under two hundred dollars. They are essentially a cheap version of a Mossberg 500.

    For your purposes I would think it would be adaquate.

    Having owned one previously, it’s not something I’m interested in.
     

    kpm

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    Oct 5, 2008
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    I bought a beater 870 pump 2 3/4 - 3 1/2 from someone who use it as a swamp deer gun. I stripped it bare and used the brownells alumahyde coating. Purchased a second barrel and now I have a great all around loaner gun or back up gun for anything from field shooting to goose hunting. It is what I loan my dad when he goes hunting as nothing ever comes back the same. That was one of the first
    Guns I tinkered with to that depth and enjoyed it. It’s not a collectors price but If you saw a before and after it looks like a totally new gun. For that I really like the older 870 options than a newer one but that’s me.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    jsg34

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    Apr 3, 2011
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    I see 18" Wingmasters around from time to time, usually in the $350-400 range, depending upon condition. That's what I bought 36 years ago when I got out of the academy. Bulletproof. Has never failed me once.
     

    DAVE_M

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    I have acquired a good condition 870 Wingmaster that, if I’m reading correctly, dates back to February 1950.

    It appears to have been refinished at some point, so I can’t tell if it’s completely original.

    49949561503_27438b7802_o_d.jpg


    Probably gonna upset some people for what I’m gonna do to it.
     

    AustinBR

    Make your own luck
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    I have acquired a good condition 870 Wingmaster that, if I’m reading correctly, dates back to February 1950.

    It appears to have been refinished at some point, so I can’t tell if it’s completely original.

    49949561503_27438b7802_o_d.jpg


    Probably gonna upset some people for what I’m gonna do to it.

    I'm sure you'll upset people no matter what you do. Honestly, doing nothing would probably suffice too.
     

    Gator 45/70

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    I have acquired a good condition 870 Wingmaster that, if I’m reading correctly, dates back to February 1950.

    It appears to have been refinished at some point, so I can’t tell if it’s completely original.

    49949561503_27438b7802_o_d.jpg


    Probably gonna upset some people for what I’m gonna do to it.

    From what I'm reading,You da man !
     

    DAVE_M

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    Got it all pulled apart. Everything was in good condition except for the corncob forend. It was split under the barrel and slightly rotted. Not worth saving. It broke off very easily in two pieces. Then came the issue of removing the forend tube nut. It was rusted on pretty good, so I tried soaking it in Kroil for a few hours, but that failed. The only thing it did was melt the cup I was using. Washed it off, then soaked overnight in vinegar. That removed the rust, bluing, and allowed the nut to break free by hand. Waiting on a new barrel and +2 extension, then it goes off to get coated.

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    DAVE_M

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    Nice, what coating are you going with? You getting aftermarket synthetic furniture? If so which ones?

    I have a Magpul SGA stock and forend on the way.

    Originally, I was going to parkerize it, but I decided to have it cerakoted. It will be some form of OD green.

    Once I realized the forend wasn’t in such great shape, I ditched any ideas of refinishing the wood. I like the look of the original wood with a short barrel, but given the shape of this gun, it’s going to get a modern treatment.

    If I decide to later on, I will pick up a new forend tube assembly and Flexibar kit.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Soaked the small parts in Vinegar as well, but left out the springs and tiny parts. Then scrubbed everything down with degreaser/cleaner and dried all parts. Set them aside in a sealed bag with a few squirts of CLP to prevent any rusting while I wait for parts to get coated.

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    Abby Normal

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    Metry
    " so I tried soaking it in Kroil for a few hours, but that failed. The only thing it did was melt the cup I was using."
    I guess you won't be drinking Knoil out of a Solo cup anymore.
    Nice project.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Nice to see a metal factory trigger housing.

    I'm thankful that it's in good shape. The lifter has a few spots on, but after scrubbing it, it looks good for being 70 years old.

    I wish I took photos of the trigger and safety before cleaning them up, because I've never seen so much gunk in my life. I suppose I am the first person to pull it apart since 1950.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Magpul furniture arrived today along with the 18" Cylinder Bore barrel I found on clearance at Cabela's of all places.

    Waiting on the Wilson Combat +2 Extension then it can go to Cerakote.

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    jdindadell

    Not Banned!!!
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    Feb 14, 2010
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    Slidell

    Hmmm, ryobi batteries... Might want to step up to Milwaukee. While the same company in China makes both ryobi and Milwaukee, the ryobi stuff is not "just as good"...

    Taking a 870 apart is not as easy as a moss 500. I have multiples of both, and I prefer the Mossberg for the weight reduction. I'll never shoot either enough to wear them out.
     

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