870 Super Mag questions

Leadbelly

Leadbelly

New member
I'm in the market for a new pump gun. I was really leaning towards a browning bps upland just for it's compact size. I've looked around at some other pumps just to compare.

Today I was at Wally World, and picked up a 870 super mag and really liked it. It seemed much lighter than the shorter bps and only slightly longer. I also compared the super mag to the other express 870's on the rack. The super mag seemed to be far superior in quality to my eye and in the hand.

My big question is for 870 fans. Is the super mag a higher quality gun? Does it compare well to the wing master's?
Thanks LB
 
Do you guys think it would hold up to daily use from October to March with proper maintenance ? If it work out of the box.......
 
I wouldn't know why it wouldn't. It should work everyday anytime you use it if it's kept up. But its not made to the same quality as the actual 870 that costs twice as much.
 
I have the base 870 but never looked into that one.From all I've read here and elsewhere theres no comparison between an Express vs Wingmaster.
 
Originally Posted By: LeadbellyDo you guys think it would hold up to daily use from October to March with proper maintenance ? If it work out of the box.......

It'll hold up just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Ky Fur BusterOriginally Posted By: LeadbellyDo you guys think it would hold up to daily use from October to March with proper maintenance ? If it work out of the box.......

It'll hold up just fine.


How you been Jamie ?
 
The 870 Super-mag is a heavier gun than the standard 2 3/4" or 3" chambered guns. It has a little thicker barrel and I believe a little longer receiver. All the 870's are basically the same gun...the highest grade, the "Wingmaster" has walnut stocks and a high polish blue but mechanically they are the same gun. The Wingmaster is "prettier" but that is all. Unless you intend to mostly shoot 3 1/2 inch steel shotshells for waterfowl I would not suggest you buy it. The 3 1/2" magnum was designed to allow more payload weight with steel...that is all. I know there are some lead and "Hevi-shot" shells available but they are real expensive and do not pattern as well for the recoil {more than most 10 gauges}, so in my experience it is not a good trade. I like the 3" Express for a hunting gun with a Carlson's extended choke. It's not expensive so you can have fun, it holds it's value and it shoots great. Good hunting!!!
 
Originally Posted By: msinc... but mechanically they are the same gun. The Wingmaster is "prettier" but that is all...

I don't want to call you out and that is not my objective, but that isn't correct. The 870 supermag express,or any express model for that matter is not made with the same quality components as the higher grade 870s. The metal in the action is a cheaper metal, the trigger assembly contains a lot of plastic, the chambers are rougher, the stocks are made cheaper, the finsishes are rougher, and the tolerances are not as tight. That is why they are half the price.

They are still solid shotguns, but they are in a lower class mechanically and astetically when compared to an "870".
 
Wait till you shoot the 3 1/2 inch 2 1/4 ounce loads the have some ouch factor.I do like the gun it will last two lifetimes.
 
If your in the market for a pump gun I would take a long look at the Winchester SXP. I picked one up last spring and have since sold off most of my shotguns, I like it that much. To me it handles and balances just perfect, it has a shorter LOP than most shotguns at 13.75 which really suits me well. The inertia assisted action takes some time to get really good with it, but once you master it you can really blaze.

Sorry to hijack the thread I just fell head over heals for the new Winchester shotguns.

To your original question in my honest opinion the Super Mags are fine shotguns but they certainly give up some to the Wingmasters. Mostly just in the overall finish and the smoothness of the moving parts. To be fair though my experience with Wingmasters is with older ones.
 
I have had one ever since they hit the shelves. I drug it through the salt marsh until I got my SBE. If I wanted another pump gun it would be a Supermag or a Nova. It may not be as smooth as a wingmaster when new but they break in quick. And yes I do have a couple of the early fixed full choke Wingmasters to judge it against.
 
Originally Posted By: mbaysinger89Originally Posted By: msinc... but mechanically they are the same gun. The Wingmaster is "prettier" but that is all...

I don't want to call you out and that is not my objective, but that isn't correct. The 870 supermag express,or any express model for that matter is not made with the same quality components as the higher grade 870s. The metal in the action is a cheaper metal, the trigger assembly contains a lot of plastic, the chambers are rougher, the stocks are made cheaper, the finsishes are rougher, and the tolerances are not as tight. That is why they are half the price.

They are still solid shotguns, but they are in a lower class mechanically and astetically when compared to an "870".

You are correct, you don't want to call me out..."MECHANICALLY" the Wingmaster and Express {and you can throw in the Police Magnum} are the same gun and all the parts interchange, period, end of story...otherwise tell us what is different about the design or the way they work. Even the Supermag has many parts that interchange. "Mechanical" is a design thing, not a material. Speaking of which...what exactly is "cheaper metal"???? You are incorrect, the steel used on both the Wingmaster and the Express for quite some time now is in fact the exact same alloy. There were some years ago when the Wingmaster barrels were made with what was advertised as a stronger alloy steel but Remington made the barrels thinner and some ruptured so they dropped that idea quick. So much for better steel...still, that was 20 years ago or more. Some small internal parts on the new guns, both Wingmaster's as well as Express' are MIM {no MIM on the Police Magnum.} It is debatable whether or not this is an inferior process. Metal wise only the polish applied to it is different and polishing metal does not make it superior.
Kind of like graded double barrel shotguns...the A-1 Special Parker is mechanically identical to a VHE, only the wood, checkering and engraving was different. An FE grade Fox was an upgraded Sterlingworth {with ejectors.}
 
My son painted my supermag for me when he was 5 after I got tired of scrubbing the rust off of it when I left the salt marshes. He is 20 now and the supermag stays home because I upgraded to a Benelli left hand SBE. It has killed many ducks, geese, crows, and skeet to get ready for duck season. I have more shotguns than I need or will ever wear out. I will say this again, if I needed or wanted another pump shothun it would be a supermag or a benelli nova.
 
I have an EXPRESS magnum which only takes up to 3" but the gun is rock solid. Took me to trap championships and has thousands of rounds through it. It cleans easy and parts are cheap.Its also much less cumbersome than a BPS.
 
I have personally owned three Express models over the years and ALL THREE had functioning problems. Three strikes and the Express is OUT! They’ll rust in a heartbeat and dang near wear a callus on your hand from that nasty rough finish on them. Conversely, I have never had a single issue with a Wingmaster and have two stacked in the safe right now. One of those Wingmasters is worn silver from being packed in rough country for so many years. I couldn’t tell you how much game that old gun has taken, a lot. I’ve also ran herd over a whole bunch of Wingmaster Police editions that have been great duty guns. The Express just doesn’t cut it for me, ya'll can have my share.
 


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