Help dating a 870 and shell question

General discussion about Remington 870 shotgun.
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Angry_Mammoth
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Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by Angry_Mammoth » Tue Oct 01, 2019 2:00 am

Hello all, I could use some help dating my shotgun. I have a wingmaster 870 Magnum 12 gauge. I tried using the online date codes but can't seem to match them up. Mine has 3 letters on the barrel. It's stamped "ULG" and the serial number is 1076229M. Anyone have any idea what year it might be? It was my grandfather's so I know it's older, around the 60's.

Also it's stamped that it's chambered for 3" shells. Can I use 2 3/4 also or just 3 inch?

Lastly, would this be a good shotgun to use for trap? I know it has a full choke.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.ImageImage

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Germansheperd
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Re: Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by Germansheperd » Tue Oct 01, 2019 11:29 am

Those are the wrong letters on the barrel. You want the letters close to the receiver on the barrel and yes you can run 2 3/4” shells through it.

Angry_Mammoth
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Re: Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by Angry_Mammoth » Tue Oct 01, 2019 11:42 am

Germansheperd wrote:Those are the wrong letters on the barrel. You want the letters close to the receiver on the barrel and yes you can run 2 3/4” shells through it.
They are close to the receiver. I tried to show in this pic that they are right at the flair. And I don't see any other letters stamped on the barrel. Image

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Germansheperd
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Re: Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by Germansheperd » Wed Oct 02, 2019 11:07 am

February of 1971 on the barrel. What’s odd is there is no letter prefix on the serial number which would indicate a pre-68. Maybe gramps put a different barrel on sometime?

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Scorpion8
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Re: Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by Scorpion8 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 3:15 pm

Also to expand on what was posted above, yes your 3" receiver can handle either 2-3/4" or 3" shells, but not the 3-1/2" magnums. I have a similar receiver and it is designed to work with either shell in the 2-3/4 or 3 inch size. Enjoy!
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DGMUSNA76
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Re: Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by DGMUSNA76 » Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:34 pm

I'm new to this forum, and I was searching for something else when I found your inquiry. The "M" in the S/N means the receiver can eject properly a 3" shell; a "V" would have indicated 2 3/4" only unless the ejector was modified by a gunsmith. Ignore the "U" in the date code as I think that is some kind of proof or inspector's mark. I just today saw an older 870 today with a "U" before the date code. The remaining two letters "LG" mean the barrel was made in February of 1986.

DGMUSNA76
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Re: Help dating a 870 and shell question

Post by DGMUSNA76 » Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:35 pm

I'm new to this forum, and I was searching for something else when I found your inquiry. The "M" in the S/N means the receiver can eject properly a 3" shell; a "V" would have indicated 2 3/4" only unless the ejector was modified by a gunsmith. Ignore the "U" in the date code as I think that is some kind of proof or inspector's mark. I just today saw an older 870 today with a "U" before the date code. The remaining two letters "LG" mean the barrel was made in February of 1986.

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