Question for Early Wingmaster 870's Gurus

[HeWhoHunts]

The very early Wingmasters came in the following (other high grades too but these are of my interest).

1950 Remington introduced fifteen versions of the Model 870 shotgun, in 12, 16 and 20 gauges, including: Model 870 AP Standard Grade shotgun (for $69.95), the Model 870 BC Special Grade shotgun (for $81.45), the Model 870 ADL Deluxe Grade shotgun (for $79.95), the Model 870 BDL Deluxe Special Grade shotgun (for $91.45),

HOW does one tell the difference between a BC, an ADL and a BDL wingmaster of this era?

thanks for any help.

[The Rifleman]

Remington had a catalog and pictures of all the models back then and all you had to do was look at the stock and the forearm and the engraving on the sides of the receiver.

Back when I was a kid, it was still legal to sell shotguns without a background check.
A little old lady that lived in the next town up and did business with the elementary school that I attended had a little country store called Bessie's and she had a rack with new Remington and Winchester Shotguns and Rifles and had old calendars and posters of Remington Products on the walls of her store. Origional wooden crates of Remington Shotgun shells, all the neat stuff a person would collect today.

Her boys worked for the B & O Railroad, when their mother died, they inherited the store.
There was ten's of thousands of dollars of money hid throughout the store because she didn't believe in banks because of her experience with the depression.

The son's took the money to a bank and sold the asset's at auction and most of the rest of the stuff was thrown out for junk.

The property was sold to a local coal-mining operator and only the building remains today.

One of the sons died and I'm not sure where the other lives today.

Maybe at a gun show you could find some old literature about the 870's of that era.

What you have to remember is not a lot of those models were produced because they cost more than a plain model 870 and people didn't have a lot of money back then and people didn't spend a lot of money back then - because of their experiences with the depression.

It taught them to be frugal with their money and that was the reason why the plain old Model 870 Wingmaster was and is the most popular selling shotgun of all times.

The Winchester probably cost $20 - $40 more than the Remington at that time..

[Researcher]

I just looked at my October 1, 1950, Remington catalogue. The guns pictured were the 870AP and the 870ADL. The 870AP "Standard" grade had a plain stock and the ringed forearm. The 870ADL had a capped pistol grip, an extension "beavertail" forearm with finger grooves and the top surface of the barrel matted. The ADL had that first generation machine done checkering Remington used in the 1950s into early 60s. It appears from the text that the 870BDL would be the same specs as the ADL but with better wood. The text for the 870BC says "Special" Grade, selected figured American walnut stock and beavertail fore-end checkered.

[wiener]

Hi guys, I'm new here. I recently bought a 16 ga. early Wingmaster. I think it is a 6/52 production, it has YY P on barrel with mod stamped, and a serial number of #188467W. What I'm needing help on is; my forend has a chip of wood out of it, and I'd like another. Numerich has #1157350 listed as early cob style and sold out. I was told that the 12, 16, and 20 are the same except for the shaping to match the barrels (old M-31's I think). I'll probabally never find the 16 version. What do you think about using the 12ga #1157340 or a used one? Old timer said that there would just be a little more gap between forend and barrel, but should work.
I found one on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %26otn%3D2

Thanks in advance