No i assumed everybody knew that the nut stayed on. I was referring to the markings. I'm sure trees some people out there that is obsessed with every little marking/stamp like i am
Remington 870 wing master in 16guage?
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No i assumed everybody knew that the nut stayed on. I was referring to the markings. I'm sure trees some people out there that is obsessed with every little marking/stamp like i am
Virginian
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To the best of my knowledge those are assembly and QC marks. You can date them pretty close by serial number, and the barrel date stamp (if it has one) may pin it down to a month the barrel was made. Sometimes lots of time difference between the receiver and the barrel dates, even on a factory gun. Your serial # should be around 2*****W if my calculations are correct.
Virginian
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If you prefer bottom feeders maybe. I could never warm up to the Ithacas. I have shot a bunch, but never caught the bug. I actually prefer the BPS. I had 3 of those that always worked perfectly, but I could never grow to love the all bottom loading so they left.
Remington really missed the boat when they developed the 16 gauge 870. They adapted the 12 gauge frame to accept 16 gauge ammo, so you wound up with a gun that weighs just about as much as a 12 gauge gun, but in a smaller gauge. It carries like a 12 gauge but has the ammo availability of a 16 gauge.
I'm not a pump guy, but the Winchester Model 12 is probably one of the best executions of a 16 gauge gun. They use the 20 gauge frame so the old saying "carries like a 20 and hits like a 12" is appropriate.
Funny thing is, Winchester also made 28 gauge Model 12s on the 20 gauge frame, so you could have very similar weight guns in 28, 20, or 16 gauge.
I believe the Ithaca Model 37s had their own 16 ga frame, but I could be wrong on this. I've handled a couple and they were light guns.
I'm not a pump guy, but the Winchester Model 12 is probably one of the best executions of a 16 gauge gun. They use the 20 gauge frame so the old saying "carries like a 20 and hits like a 12" is appropriate.
Funny thing is, Winchester also made 28 gauge Model 12s on the 20 gauge frame, so you could have very similar weight guns in 28, 20, or 16 gauge.
I believe the Ithaca Model 37s had their own 16 ga frame, but I could be wrong on this. I've handled a couple and they were light guns.
Yea its heavy.. Its actually heavier than my 12gauge 500. My dads 20gauge 870 from 1969 with a long barrel is still heavier then my 16gauge, still though for squrriel i belive 12 is a tad overkill, so hopefully i can did some load for the 16 and hope they work well out if a modified barrel. Otherwise il be forced to use my 12 since its threaded for chokes and the 20 has a full one it so
Virginian
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The 20 gauge LW and LT models in 870 and 1100 models are actually built on what originally was the 28 gauge sized receiver, so it won't work for a 16. Not enough market demand to justify tooling up for a scaled receiver just for the 16.
Deltaboy1984
Member
Yep Whinny did a better job with the 16 gauge.
Virginian
Member
Actually the 16 gauge started falling by the wayside over 50 years ago. Remington made a conscious decision to only make limited numbers to supply demand on existing platforms - no scaled receivers. They missed the boat so bad they still managed to sell the most popular shotgun in the history of the world AND the most popular semi auto shotgun of all time anyway. The Ithaca and the company have gone out of business twice and the Model 12 has gone extinct over the same time period.
If you like the 16, more power to you. It can work well in the right circumstances, but it is hardly the second coming. There are an awful lot of people who have never and will never own a 16 who don't feel in the least underprivileged.
If you like the 16, more power to you. It can work well in the right circumstances, but it is hardly the second coming. There are an awful lot of people who have never and will never own a 16 who don't feel in the least underprivileged.
Best selling dont make it better quality or ergonomics just saying, keeping in mind every company that mass produces somthing lets some bad ones slip, i would actually say mossberg makes a better pump action shotgun, and benneli by far makes a better semi auto shotgun than remington. I'm just going off on a limb here but i would assume that most police departments that use the 870 got then at a good price, again not saying theyre bad but there are far Better choices out there in the same price range. Mossberg500/590 for example. You dont have to take your finger off the trigger for anything however with the remington you do unless you dont use the index finger. Again I'm not saying your wrong, just stating not always do numbers matter
Virginian
Member
I don't buy into the Benelli hype. And I don't paddle my boat or beat snakes with my gun. Numbers may not be the whole story, but neither is price and marketing. Benelli undoubtedly have the best marketing group anywhere. The fact that they can charge what they do for such a simple mass produced design and sell them is proof of that. Best thing they ever had was Tom Knapp as a spokesman. I don't like inertia action guns. But, if I did I would certainly opt for a Franchi Affinity over a Benelli. Lots less money and it even looks like a gun. Of course, Beretta group doesn't care because they own them both, and if you prefer gas they have an array of those too. I have owned a truckload of semis, and shot I don't know how many more, and I still prefer Remington 1100s. There are lighter guns, and newer designs that will go longer between cleanings, but I don't think there are any that shoot better. Mine have never failed me from Canada to the Gulf to the Chesapeake, and I shoot them best. Fortunately there are plenty of different makes so everyone can get what they prefer, - heck the selection these days is amazing, but there is no "best" for everyone.
In pump guns, some people prefer a Mossberg and some prefer the Remington, and plenty of people like to wax poetic about the machined hand fitted Ithacas and Winchester 12s, but truth be told none of them work better than a good 500 or an 870. Keep in mind the 870 became hugely popular way before the current plastic and cheap as humanly possible craze ever appeared, and Mossberg wasn't too far behind them with blue looking and walnut guns too. Where a safety or action release is matters not one whit to me. I've had plenty of SxSs too, and I never had any trouble remembering where the safety or the lever was. For those who do care, there are choices.
In pump guns, some people prefer a Mossberg and some prefer the Remington, and plenty of people like to wax poetic about the machined hand fitted Ithacas and Winchester 12s, but truth be told none of them work better than a good 500 or an 870. Keep in mind the 870 became hugely popular way before the current plastic and cheap as humanly possible craze ever appeared, and Mossberg wasn't too far behind them with blue looking and walnut guns too. Where a safety or action release is matters not one whit to me. I've had plenty of SxSs too, and I never had any trouble remembering where the safety or the lever was. For those who do care, there are choices.
rbernie
Contributing Member
In fairness - I can adjust the comb height and LOP on my Benelli M2 without tools, using factory supplied bits. I can also adjust the M2's cast and drop using a simple socket wrench and the factory supplied shim kit that ships with the gun. Can't do that with any Remmie that I know of, which means that if they don't fit you as sold then you're pretty much SOL.
But that's a thread veer, because Benelli doesn't make a 16ga.
But that's a thread veer, because Benelli doesn't make a 16ga.
I forgot about franchi and FN. Fn makes a great semi auto shotgun. And yes i know 870 came out before the polymer craze and the mossberg came out right before it, I'm stating that overall i belive benneli makes a better semi auto shotgun. You may not like them but thats just opinion to opinion. Kind of like the ak and ar debate. But as for ergonomics and when its needed i honestl cant see how the 870 would be better than the 500, you can take safty off with a thumb while keeping your finger on the trigger and use the slide release without really moving your hand from normal firing posistion, however with the 870 you may be able to use the safty without taking your finger off but i couldn't see it being all that easy for left shooters or people with small hands. Same goes for the slide release except for the lefty part. I physically have to do that process seperate since i have such small hands for my size. But i got to admit the 870 is a lot easier to take apart
Virginian
Member
Well, I like to take the safety off before I put my finger on the trigger, so no problem for me. I only use the action release to unload the gun, so no hurry and I have done it so long I don't even think about it.
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