870 20 gage barrel

[dascoop]

I have a 20 gage 870 wingmaster mag serial#s031384x. The barrel has been changed. My question is when was it built, and if i can use barrels made for the express? I am looking to get a slug barrel for my son.

[Virginian]

Your shotgun was very probably made in 1968, that's where the 'S' prefix started, and the 'X' suffix means it was one of the 20 gauge shotguns built on the 12 gauge size receiver. You say it is a Magnum, but a Magnum standard weight should have had an 'N' suffix. Does it have "Magnum" rollmarked on the receiver, or are you going by the '3" or shorter shells' on the barrel? As you say, the barrel was changed, and a 3" barrel will fit perfectly well on a regular receiver, and I have also seen regular receivers with a "magnum" ejector so the 3" barrel would work with 3" shells, or perhaps they had the ejector changed as well. Either suffix though, makes it a standard weight, as opposed to a lightweight, and to the best of my knowledge, Remington quit making those about 28 years ago, well before the Express series was introduced. Therefore, you would need to find a used standard weight barrel, on places like GunBroker or GunsAmerica, or http://www.Corsonsbarrels.com or http://www.BarrelExchange.com. The old standard weight barrels demand somewhat of a premium because of their relative scaricity.
Many people prefer the old standard weight 870s and 1100s because with their heavier weight they deliver less felt recoil; important in long shooting sessions to many. There is certainly nothing wrong with the gun; it's just that the stampede to "lightweight" guns passed that era by.

[dascoop]

The reciever is roll marked MAGNUM in capitols and underlined, the barrel is marked imp/cyl 2 3/4 shells.There is also a odd marking of what apears to be heartshape followed by a xu on the barrel.They do not seem to have come as a set.She shoots fine though, and is in extremely good shape if its from 68.I thank you very much for all the info, it was exactly what i was looking for.

[Wulfman]

Your shotgun was very probably made in 1968, that's where the 'S' prefix started, and the 'X' suffix means it was one of the 20 gauge shotguns built on the 12 gauge size receiver. You say it is a Magnum, but a Magnum standard weight should have had an 'N' suffix. Does it have "Magnum" rollmarked on the receiver, or are you going by the '3" or shorter shells' on the barrel? As you say, the barrel was changed, and a 3" barrel will fit perfectly well on a regular receiver, and I have also seen regular receivers with a "magnum" ejector so the 3" barrel would work with 3" shells, or perhaps they had the ejector changed as well. Either suffix though, makes it a standard weight, as opposed to a lightweight, and to the best of my knowledge, Remington quit making those about 38 years ago, well before the Express series was introduced. Therefore, you would need to find a used standard weight barrel, on places like GunBroker or GunsAmerica, or http://www.Corsonsbarrels.com or http://www.BarrelExchange.com. The old standard weight barrels demand somewhat of a premium because of their relative scaricity.
Many people prefer the old standard weight 870s and 1100s because with their heavier weight they deliver less felt recoil; important in long shooting sessions to many. There is certainly nothing wrong with the gun; it's just that the stampede to "lightweight" guns passed that era by.

As far as the "standard" weight 20 ga. 870s (guns) go, Remington was still listing them in their catalogs in 1982.....and the standard weight extra barrels in their 1985 catalog (at least).

Den