Really early 870???

[moose]

I picked this up from a local gun shop.

The serial is 15xxV

Here is what I know about it.

Markings are VERY plain. Just says Remington 870

The long barrel is the original. It has the serial number of the receiver HAND STAMPED into the barrel. 28 inch Mod choke. Barrel date is December 1949!

The short barrel is from 1989.

I put the stock on, it is not original. The stock I got it with was a 1980s davis speedfeed stock in baby poop camo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Metal parts wise, the only non original part is the flexitab Carrier that I can see. The slide on the gun isn't original ether. But I have the original slide, you can see it by the flag, I could not get the other slide out of the fore end I bought.




Do I really have the 1500 ish 870 made?

[Synchronizor]

Neat find. Barrel date codes can be tricky sometimes, but that serial number is consistent with an early 1950s or 1960s non-magnum 12ga 870. If you email Remington with the full SN, they should be able to confirm the date.

You should check the bolt and slide assembly, since the gun has the updated flex-tab carrier. If the person who installed that knew what they were doing, they should have replaced the bolt & slide assembly along with the carrier.

[moose]

They didn't they are the originals.

Remington told me that the early 870 numbers from 1949 and 1950 are poorly to not documented. But they told me they would look in some paper records from 1949 and 1950 they had. But the fact that it had a hand stamped serial on the barrel is very telling it is from that age.

Operation on this gun is smoother then ANY pump I have ever seen. Standing the gun on end and pressing the slide release will result in the slide operating on its own. Not because it is loose, but because it is well fitted.

It has a part I have NEVER seen in any other 870, including 60s Wingmasters. It has a metal follower that is rather long that the spring goes up into. It is impossible to cant or jam it.

They are very interested in the gun, unusually interested.

The deep blue finish is almost mirror like.

I did find this on another forum. A very similar gun made only a couple months after mine. (25XX serial and Feb 1950 barrel date)
http://www.remingtonsociety.org/forums/ ... php?t=2791

[Synchronizor]

Operation on this gun is smoother then ANY pump I have ever seen. Standing the gun on end and pressing the slide release will result in the slide operating on its own. Not because it is loose, but because it is well fitted.

An action that's that easy to work might indicate your hammer & carrier dog follower springs are worn out.

Older 870s had metal followers for awhile. These were found to cause some wear issues in very heavily-used guns, which was likely a contributor toward the switch to plastic followers.

I'll be interested to hear if Remington can come up with any details, given how low the serial number is.

[moose]

Springs are in spec (I think someone replaced all the springs when someone did the lifter)

Remington says early 1950, but they can't pinpoint further.

Barrels were made early and stocked up for production ahead of time. (which explains the 1949 date)

Serials did not start at 1. There were a bunch of tool room prototypes and tests and then there is an indication they skipped up to an even number to start production. So it actually may be even lower then the 1500 ish made. They were not sure however.

[jstanfield103]

Just plain Beautiful.

[John A.]

Thanks for sharing the details. Being a history buff, I always enjoy reading stories of early production guns. Especially guns that have became very popular over the years like the 870.

I know that it's a totally unrelated note, but I personally despise plastic followers.

Any shotgun that I have that comes with a plastic follower, automatically gets set aside and one made from aluminum.

As for wear, aluminum is far softer than steel. If either part wears, the AL follower will wear at a much higher rate.

[moose]

I need to get the follower out and get a picture of it.

[moose]

Detail strip.

You can see the follower.