I purchased a used 870 magnum "deer" model with a smooth bore barrel & rifle sights, my plan is to modify it for home defense use.
Is there any way to tell date of manufacture?
Home Defense Build
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85V65Sabre
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Home Defense Build
Hello all, I'm new to the Remington 870 but not new to firearms.
I purchased a used 870 magnum "deer" model with a smooth bore barrel & rifle sights, my plan is to modify it for home defense use.
Is there any way to tell date of manufacture?
I purchased a used 870 magnum "deer" model with a smooth bore barrel & rifle sights, my plan is to modify it for home defense use.
Is there any way to tell date of manufacture?
Last edited by 85V65Sabre on Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Synchronizor
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Re: Home Defense Build
What letter or letters are at the beginning and (if present) end of the serial number? And if you look at the side of the barrel near where it meets the receiver, can you find a 2- or 3-letter stamp in the metal?
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85V65Sabre
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Re: Home Defense Build
The serial # is W625526MSynchronizor wrote:What letter or letters are at the beginning and (if present) end of the serial number? And if you look at the side of the barrel near where it meets the receiver, can you find a 2- or 3-letter stamp in the metal?
The letters on the barrel look like REP, but could be PEP.
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85V65Sabre
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Re: Home Defense Build
Before 
After installation of a Remington 3" 18-1/2" Rem breaching choke & Bead Sight barrel and BLACKHAWK! Knoxx SpecOps Gen 2 stock kit.
I'm not impressed with the Blackhawk stocks fit & ergonomics.
After installation of a Remington 3" 18-1/2" Rem breaching choke & Bead Sight barrel and BLACKHAWK! Knoxx SpecOps Gen 2 stock kit.
I'm not impressed with the Blackhawk stocks fit & ergonomics.
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Synchronizor
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Re: Home Defense Build
A "W" serial number prefix points to a manufacture date in the mid-to-late eighties, somewhere in the 1984 - 1990 range. That means it probably has updated flex-tab internals, which is a good thing for a HD gun.
The REP in a circle is a proof mark, not the date stamp. You should be able to find two letters (sometimes three, but not on guns from the 1980s) somewhere around the breech end of the barrel. This gives the month and year that the barrel was made, which can help date the rest of the gun so long as the barrel is original.
I'm not a fan of the ergonomics of Blackhawk's shotgun furniture, either. I have a Knoxx BreachersGrip from them that does a great job of soaking up recoil, but it's just too heavy, chunky, and unwieldy to be really good for serious defensive use. For having fun at the range though, it's great.
Honestly, if it were my gun, I would keep the original wood on it, and probably just get a good, comfortable recoil pad put on. Virtually nothing to go wrong with that stock, and it's hard to argue with a solid chunk of walnut to the face or groin if it comes to that. I also think the breacher choke is pretty pointless, but I assume you added it just to have the look.
The REP in a circle is a proof mark, not the date stamp. You should be able to find two letters (sometimes three, but not on guns from the 1980s) somewhere around the breech end of the barrel. This gives the month and year that the barrel was made, which can help date the rest of the gun so long as the barrel is original.
I'm not a fan of the ergonomics of Blackhawk's shotgun furniture, either. I have a Knoxx BreachersGrip from them that does a great job of soaking up recoil, but it's just too heavy, chunky, and unwieldy to be really good for serious defensive use. For having fun at the range though, it's great.
Honestly, if it were my gun, I would keep the original wood on it, and probably just get a good, comfortable recoil pad put on. Virtually nothing to go wrong with that stock, and it's hard to argue with a solid chunk of walnut to the face or groin if it comes to that. I also think the breacher choke is pretty pointless, but I assume you added it just to have the look.
Re: Home Defense Build
The original looks so much better. Chunk that Blackhawk stuff and muzzle brake. Just add some decent sights.85V65Sabre wrote:Before
After installation of a Remington 3" 18-1/2" Rem breaching choke & Bead Sight barrel and BLACKHAWK! Knoxx SpecOps Gen 2 stock kit.
I'm not impressed with the Blackhawk stocks fit & ergonomics.
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