"restoring" a 870 wingmaster worth it? **Pics of work done**

[vartz04]

I don't own one nice looking gun. I have a black/synthetic pistol, a gray synthetic stocked .22 mag, a beat up old marlin 80 from my grandpa, a 20 gauge single shot ithica from him as well, and then I got this 870 wingmaster as a trade (got it $50 and a 308 H&R Single shot for a 4x8' trailer that I had about $250 into.)

The problem with the 870 is that the guy used it for goose hunting, krylon spray paint camo'd it (right over the wood on the forend). I can easily get a new set of wood for it on ebay for about $70-100. I can get it reblued (satin finish pits/scratches removed ect) for about $200. The gun costs $650ish new.

Is it worth it to sink $300ish into this gun to get it looking nice again? Realistically that will be the total cost of the gun. I sold the 308 for $200 so the 870 was pure profit. I plan to keep this gun long term. What would you guys do?

EDIT:

I took some time and stripped all of the paint off. Took about 4 hours to get everything cleaned up. The bluing is still in good enough shape for me and I won a stock/forearm that look nearly new on Ebay for $60 so I will switch those out and sell the old ones. I need to do some touchup bluing on the magazine tube but otherwise its a nice looking hunting gun now.

Here it is with the stupid paint job.



and here it is all cleaned up.

[Mountaineer]

If you need to ask, I would say no.

[vartz04]

I guess I am wondering if I could get the $300 back out of it if I decided to dump it? Yeah I could get a 870 express for around that price but the wingmaster is so much better of a gun.

[Mountaineer]

At one point you planned on keeping the gun "long term", not "dump it".
I guess I am a mite confused.
Essentially, I would look at prices and conditions of used 870s...that may help with your decision.
Wood stocks you get for $70 and the quality of the rebluing could also be a very real issue with your return on investment.

[vartz04]

I don't plan on dumping it. If it came down to needing to sell it for financial reasons at some point I would thats why I asked That.

The bluing would be done by a gunsmith.

I think I am going to strip the paint off it and see what it looks like underneath and go from there. If it is not bad I might just replace the wood and leave it.

[rkappes]

If you really like the gun I say go for it. If you’re looking to turn a profit I would check around before investing the $$$.

[Mountaineer]

... The bluing would be done by a gunsmith. ...

Not all "gunsmiths" are equal, ime.
fwiw

Used prices in your area, particulars of the scattergun as to choke, chamber, barrel, etc. along with condition will determine any future value remaining in the gun.

I'd sell the 870, add a few shekels if necessary and buy an Auto 5....then fix that one up.

[lvrgsp]

First off it's worth whatever your willing to put into it and what a prospective buyer is willing to pay......

Second it's a wingmaster.....What year that makes a big difference to me, choke tubes?

Third it's a wingmaster, not an express and I would not buy a newer express at all period..........older wingmasters I would pay
a crap load more for.....
Fourth it's a wingmaster argueably the greatest pump shotgun ever made IMO, is it worth the $300 to invest in it, heck YEA

Good luck man

[vartz04]

Its a 64 with choke tubes if I am decoding it right. Ill have to double check.

[lvrgsp]

Its a 64 with choke tubes if I am decoding it right. Ill have to double check.

I would defineately double check bud.....a 64 with choke tubes?....MMM not so sure on that one, could be wrong

Keep me posted on the year and how bad is the blueing? can you post any pics?

or text em to 309-2 eight 7-115 one

Thanks

[klewis]

not sure but i think it was mid to late eighties when rem. started using choke tubes.

[vartz04]

I lied its a 1990. Apparently the LK stands fora few different years.

[Remmag]

refinish the stock yourself--it's easy!!!! Then have a gunsmith do the bluing .

[nikegundog]

You could get one in excellent condition for probably less than $400, the way it sits now its worth maybe $150, now the time in effort along with the $300 to to make a $150 gun worth $400..........not worth it unless you enjoy that kind of thing.

[vartz04]

Check out the first post I put up pics.

I also just won the new stock/forened on ebay

[DonF]

It's a pump and it's not an Ithica featherweight! Refinish it to suit yourself and don't consider selling it. Even if you got $400 for it, figure out what you really have in it in dollars and in your time and you probably won't get that back out of it. Most guns worth investing in already cost to much, unless you are a collector I guess. When you buy a gun don't think about what you might be able to turn on it. Get it fixed up nice as you can and take it to a second hand store and ask for a price on it, you might get the shock of a life time. Your are a hunter; hunt!