Remington 870 Wingmaster for home defense

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  • Rooze1986

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Jun 26, 2014
    81
    8
    NWI
    Does anyone have suggestions for converting an 870 Wingmaster with a 20" rifled barrel to a home defense shotgun? I am a definite noob when it comes to shotguns. It's rather difficult to find a smooth bore barrel around 18-20" for a reasonable price. Also, would anyone recommend a tube extension or is 4+1 sufficient. Thanks for your input.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    6,462
    113
    Madison county
    Mossburg makes rem 870 barrels and sells the cheap. Look at the 18 inch a smooth bore with whatever sight arrangement you like.

    i have always felt 4+1 was fine as you can top them off as you go.
     

    Indy_Guy_77

    Grandmaster
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    16   0   0
    Apr 30, 2008
    16,576
    48
    Wouldn't buckshot in a rifled barrel tear up the rifling essentially ruining the barrel?

    Maybe - but there's still probably a wad cup holding everything together. Plus - most of the buck shot is still lead - which is considerably softer than the steel. (Granted, the steel is thin...)

    But the main issue is fouling with the plastics from the wads.

    -J-
     

    singlesix

    Grandmaster
    Industry Partner
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    1   0   0
    May 13, 2008
    7,197
    27
    Indianapolis, In
    Same as using rat-shot in a pistol, I wouldn't make it a habit but in a HD situation how many times are you going to fire? Hopefully only twice.
     

    Zoub

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 8, 2008
    5,220
    48
    Northern Edge, WI
    Wouldn't buckshot in a rifled barrel tear up the rifling essentially ruining the barrel?

    No but there is excessive fouling with plastic and lead in the large rifling making it fun to clean. In general the WORST thing you can ever do to a column of shot is put a spin on it. So absolutely horrendous patterns coupled with the need to clean it better makes using the barrel for defense or even practice with it a bad idea.

    I tested this concept myself 30 years ago with my Hastings barrel and the holes in the pattern even at short distances was astounding.

    To the OP an 18-18.5 barrel with a +2 Nordic mag extension will get you up and running. You can even add a small section of rail to the Nordic mag clamp to hang a light on it. Not the best light configuration, not the worst. It is pretty slick with a light like a TLR.
     
    Last edited:

    billt

    Shooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 25, 2010
    1,504
    48
    Glendale, Arizona
    I have a 30" Hastings barrel for my Remington 870 Wingmaster I used to use for Trap. It has straight rifling. The concept is that it prevents the wad from spinning, thereby achieving more consistent patterns. Is it a marketing ploy? Perhaps, but it has been no trouble as far as cleaning any fouling from it. Be it plastic or lead. And that is shooting several rounds on a fast squad, where barrel temps were high enough to cause mirage problems on handicap targets. The barrel cleaned right up, just like any other.
     

    Zoub

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 8, 2008
    5,220
    48
    Northern Edge, WI
    When the only hole in the target is from the wad and not any shot, you have spin on the shot column.

    In HD or dangerous critter shooting that equals fail. A rifled barrel is basically a poormans 50 cal. If you use it for defense, load up on the sabots and be done with it. I keep one upstairs with a scope on it just in-case I am up there and see something that needs fixing.....................but 300-600lb black bears are not uncommon in my neighborhood. It is such a specialized barrel it serves very little purpose.

    As far as getting better patterns with shot, I prefer the voodoo of Angle Porting choke tubes.
     

    LtScott14

    Master
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    0   1   0
    Apr 13, 2008
    1,516
    83
    Porter County
    Plenty of shotguns around with 18-20 in bbl. I have always stoked mine for Home Defense with 00 buck, #4, slugs(Fosters-standard/hollow point deer hunting), and never an issue. My bbl on my Moss 500 is smoothbore. I owned a Rem 870 w/ rifled bbl, and use to use saboted slugs. Expensive, but worked. Longer bbls will have removable chokes, so always use the largest with slugs.

    As far as using 00 buck with a rifled bbl: Cleaning after use is recommended. If it's a HD gun, you won't have the buildup like a trap or bird hunting bbl, maybe find a factory model smoothbore. I bought a factory smoothbore for $85.00 shipped brand new in the box. The up side of the shotgun is availability of a broad range of shells to fit your need.

    My last range session saw 20 rds of assorted buckshot and a box of cheapie #7 to bust some clay birds. cleaned, lubed, rearmed, secured. I can't recall shooting over 50-75 rds per session in 20 yrs. Some of that was trap/practice with longer bbls-28 in w/ chokes. Handguns are different story.
     
    Last edited:

    LtScott14

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   1   0
    Apr 13, 2008
    1,516
    83
    Porter County
    Plenty of shotguns around with 18-20 in bbl. I have always stoked mine for Home Defense with 00 buck, #4, slugs(Fosters-standard/hollow point deer hunting), and never an issue. My bbl on my Moss 500 is smoothbore. I owned a Rem 870 w/ rifled bbl, and use to use saboted slugs. Expensive, but worked. Longer bbls will have removable chokes, so always use the largest with slugs. Sabots in a smoothbore seemed like a waste of expensive ammo.

    As far as using 00 buck with a rifled bbl: Cleaning after use is recommended. If it's a HD gun, you won't have the buildup like a trap or bird hunting bbl, maybe find a factory model smoothbore. I bought a factory smoothbore for $85.00 shipped brand new in the box. The up side of the shotgun is availability of a broad range of shells to fit your need.

    My last range session saw 20 rds of assorted buckshot and a box of cheapie #7 to bust some clay birds. cleaned, lubed, rearmed, secured. I can't recall shooting over 50-75 rds per session in 20 yrs. Some of that was trap/practice with longer bbls-28 in w/ chokes. Handguns are different story.
     
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