870 express vs wing master

[Bigmike1461]

Hello I have a 1989 870 Express Magnum what is the Difference between my gun and the Wingmaster? Are they the same gun ? Thanks

[hector.jacob]

http://www.rem870.com/2016/06/26/what-i ... n-express/
http://www.rem870.com/2017/02/24/differ ... ingmaster/

from another post in a forum from user Dfarishweel :

The Express Model has:
A plastic trigger group.
The dimples in the mag tube and the new style plastic magazine retention system, EXCEPT on the extended magazine versions, which do NOT have the dimples.
A rougher finish inside and outside, with machine marks and some burrs left.
A rougher, bead blasted blue job.
A less polished bore.
A two piece sleeved barrel. (possible, not 100% sure about this)
Hardwood or synthetic stock, with a sporting-length fore end and pressed-in checkering.
The Defense version has 18", Cylinder bore barrel, with a bead sight.
The Marine Magnum and Tactical models have plated or polymer finishes.
Some Metal Injection Molded (MIM) parts, like the extractor.

The Wingmaster has:
An aluminum trigger group.
The old style magazine retention system.
A much smoother finish inside and out, no machine marks or burrs.
The Wingmaster gun receives a higher level of inspection and finishing.
A fine, commercial polished blue finish.
A polished bore.
A chrome plated bolt.
A one piece barrel.
Walnut stocks with the famous "Bowling Pin" finish in gloss or satin. and better checkering.
Wide choices in barrel lengths and choke options.
No use of MIM parts, the extractor is milled.
The Wingmaster is the full top-of-the-line commercial Remington pump gun, and is priced accordingly.

[Bigmike1461]

Are you talking about the newer ones, my 870 is a 1989 version I had trigger assembly out and I did not notice any plastic, mine doesn't have dimples in magazine tube and it has a soild wood stock and wood forend.

[hector.jacob]

plastic as polymer trigguer guard ...

since yours is predates the use of plastic/polymer should have a aluminum trigger guard.

either way ...found this info in another forum.

In the mid-1980's Remington began making "budget" model's of the 870 and 1100.
These were sold under the "Sportsman" name.
These were just the standard guns only with hard wood stocks with pressed in checkering and a cheaper varnish type coating. They had the powdered compressed aluminum trigger unit and a lesser polished blue finish on the metal.

In 1987 Remington decided to make a newer budget gun series and they called this one the Express.
Again, the only real difference between an Express and Wingmaster AT THAT TIME was that the Express had hard wood with pressed checkering and a lesser polished blue job.

Later they made other modifications to make the gun cost even less, and that included the MIM extractor, plastic magazine spring retention system, bead blasted blued finish, and the plastic trigger unit.
These guns also had much less polishing to remove machine marks and burrs.

so basically , its the same just a difference in the wood and polish finished ...

[Bigmike1461]

Thanks it will kill what I aim it at. That's all that matters. I am more of a function kind of guy ,flashy shiny doesn't work for me...

[Synchronizor]

Wingmasters have fancy wood & high-quality glossy bluing. Expresses have plainer wood or plastic furniture and matte bluing (though some Express models may have Cerakote or a camo dip), and they may have some rougher edges since they don't see the same polishing steps. That's the bulk of the difference. Other details vary depending on the exact year you're looking at. Currently, Expresses have a plastic trigger plate while Wingmasters have the old-school powdered aluminum ones (many would say the plastic part is the better of the two). Both lines come with virtually identical internals, including MIM extractors and the newer internal-ratchet cap retention system with dimpled magazine tubes (except for models that come from the factory with a magazine extension).

The Express gets you a good, functional shotgun. The Wingmaster gets you an equally functional shotgun that's more dressed-up & more expensive. That's it in a nutshell.

[s.davis]

Bought an 86 Sportsman as a back-up waterfowling gun and am going to strip and restain the wood furniture a bit darker than the orangey look they have now. Any idea what kind of wood was used for Remington's "hardwood"?

[Synchronizor]

If it's not walnut, it could have been birch or mahogany. Probably not the latter on the Sportsman model, though.

[s.davis]

Thanks. Stripped naked it looked like birch.