Deciphering Remington Magnum Wingmaster 870 Serial Numbers: A Guide to Dating Your Shotgun

When it comes to owning a vintage shotgun, understanding its history and manufacturing date is essential. For many enthusiasts, deciphering serial numbers can be a daunting task, especially when it involves decoding complex codes. In this article, we'll explore the Remington Magnum Wingmaster 870's serial number system and provide guidance on how to determine the manufacturing year and month.

The first letter of the serial number represents the month, with L standing for February, A for January, C for March, K for May, P for April, O for October, W for September, D for December, E for August, R for November, X for July, and so on. The subsequent numbers denote the year, making it seem straightforward to determine the manufacturing date.

However, things get a bit more complicated when considering that Remington stopped stamping dates on barrel serial numbers in 1999. Instead, they continued marking the date code on the end flap of the shipping box. This change occurred on October 1, 2001. Therefore, it's crucial to verify whether the barrel is original to the gun before relying on the Barrel Code listing.

It's also important to note that using barrel codes to date a shotgun can be somewhat unreliable due to the common practice of interchanging barrels at random. This is particularly true for shotguns, as they are often swapped out for different configurations or upgrades. In contrast, Remington rifles rarely had their barrels changed by customers, making it more reliable to use Barrel Codes to determine the manufacturing date.

For those with a Remington Magnum Wingmaster 870 serial number that appears to have been manufactured after 1921, here's what you can learn from your serial number:

* The first letter represents the month of the year.

* The subsequent numbers denote the year of manufacture.

* After 1999, dates are marked on the shipping box end flap.

By understanding these guidelines and codes, shotgun enthusiasts can better appreciate their firearms' history and origins. Whether you're a seasoned collector or an avid hunter, deciphering your Remington Magnum Wingmaster 870 serial number is essential to unlocking the story behind your trusty sidekick.

Remington magnum wingmaster 870 serial number