[flav]

I have a fellow who wants to trade me his 870 wingmaster. He's not sure of the year it was manufacture. He said the gun was a 65 but the stock was updated in 70's. I have to get more info on this. I'm more concern with the value of the gun as it is old. I don't care if it's worth a lot of money, but just wonder if it's worth at least 300 bucks and if there are good guns. I know that the 870 of that time were only 2 3/4 barrel size. I have a new 870 Super Mag so that is no biggie. I plan to shoot clays and maybe some light deer hunting or targets. I'm not a big hunter. Any advice would be great...

[flav]

Ok, the serial number is T458237M...

[Virginian]

Prefix "T" ran from 1974 to 1978. I'd guess 1975 on this one. They were good guns, but there have been a lot of them made, and value is dependent on the condition and the buyer's desire for the gun. There was a 3" Magnum model available form the 1950s on.
I'd look at comparable guns on GunBroker. Figure face to face is worth $50 to $75 because there is no postage, FFL fee, or doubt as to condition. Just for a point of reference I got a cherry 1976 Magnum version for $245 delivered 19 months ago.
Oh, by the way, with that 'M' on the end of the serial number, that gun left the factory as a Magnum model, and it should say so on it, but you would need a 3" barrel to take advantage of that fact. The receivers were the same anyway, just the ejector and ejector spring were supposed to be different.

[UnderFire]

One way to date your Model 870 shotgun is to locate the code on the left side of the barrel, just forward of the receiver. The first letter indicates the month of production, and the second letter indicates the year of production. By advised, though, as many guns have had replacement barrels.

Model 870 barrels with 3" chambers will fit both magnum and 2-3/4" receivers and will handle both 2-3/4" and 3" shells with a magnum receiver. (The letter M at the end of the serial number = magnum receiver.) Use only 2-3/4" shells when barrels are used on 2-3/4" receivers.