Found out something interesting today. A few years ago I found out that I would inherit my father's 12ga 870 Wingmaster. It wasn't my first choice of guns because I already have three 870s of my own but figured I'd take it for the memories of hunting with my dad. His 870 is the only gun he hunted with when I was with him. Tonight, I asked him when he bought his 870. Turns out his father took him to a sporting goods store when he was a senior in high school and bought it. That's really interesting for two reasons.....

1) When I was a senior in high school, I went with my dad and his dad, my grandfather, to the store when I bought my first 12ga Wingmaster.

2) WAIT FOR IT!!!!! He bought his brand new in 1951! From what I can see, 1951 was the first year of manufacture! A sweet gun awaits me!

Congrats...hope your father is around for a long time.

Yep great to have such a treasured heirloom. Planning to pass my 1100 to my son down the road. Still hoping to find a 870 Special Field which will suit my need for Upland.

Remington says it's a 1952. My dad was/is still certain he bought it in 1951 but either way, I still have a nice gun.

I have my dad's 870AP Wingmaster 12 gauge shotgun. He purchased it for Christmas 1950. It has a barrel code of PWW indicating it was built in June 1950. 1950 was the first year of production for the 12 gauge 870AP Wingmaster. It was given to me in August 1959 for my 10th birthday. I'm still shooting it. It has a 28 inch barrel with Modified choke. One year at a gun show I came across a 12 gauge 870AP Wingmaster with the barrel code of BWW. That indicates it was made in January 1950. That was the first month of the first year of production. I passed on it as someone had sawed the barrel off to 18 inches. That was the only January 1950 produced 870AP Wingmaster I've ever seen.

Rod