Ohio National Guard 870 Wingmaster Riot Shotguns with Bayonet mounts

[SmellsLikeHoppes]

Hi everyone ,

This is my first post here as I just found this forum by happenstance while trying to figure out the difference between an 870 Wingmaster and an M870.

I recently bought from Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore a neat shotgun. At first I was just buying it to be a knock about farm gun, but now I am wondering if it that would be a silly thing to do.

The shotgun is in great shape, is richly blued with a nice glossy finish, has ONG inside the outline of Ohio and Remington Wingmaster on the left side, a factory Remington "Law Enforcment Only" marked top folding, stock wtih a sling swivel on the left side, a M870 bayonet mount that is blued with the bead on top.

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst....cfm/ID/210182

Supposedly these were replaced with the M26 shotguns. I found a video of the 838th MP Co from 2018 of them in Serbia conducting training.

From what I can find online it seems the Ohio National Guard transferred these 870s to the Ohio Department of Corrections, who in turn offered them up for sale to officers for $190, then the rest went to the store above. Apparently there were 1286 transferred in total. With roughly 400 folding stock variants and 800 fixed stock variants. My serial number indicates 1972 date of manufacture.

Additional internet surfing shows pictures with ONG patrolling New Orleans with these shotguns after Hurricane Katrina, during the Lucasville prison riots in 1993.

My questions are;

Is this a M870 or just an 870?

Did any of these go to Kosovo/Bosnia, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom?

Are these a military collectible?

What would these be worth? Certainly they are nicer than $239. The action is buttery smooth, finish is 95%. I kind of don't want to mess it up with it bouncing around in my jeep, tractors, and 4wheeler.

Some people posted pictures with tape on there guns with 838 MP Co and some with sharpie painted rack numbers. Some has metallic Ohio Adjutant General inventory stickers if that makes a difference.

Anyway I look forward to hearing from those me experienced in these than I am.

Information

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[t.rob99]

Hi, my first post as well, I tried to get one of these, but was too late on the trigger.... If you would be interested in selling please let me know... Thanks, Todd

[browningautorifle]

Lots of guys here have combat shotguns, these would be nice too. I'd change the buttstock to walnut though. Those folders are a pig to shoot and handle. I think these usually had oil finish wood though. The price paid would be beat even by sum total of the cost of the parts.

[82Trooper]

Yesterday I didn’t even know these models existed… Not today I must have one! Very cool and thank you for posting.

[Al Diehl]

Heck, those bayonet mounts alone are going for around the same price as that whole gun. What a deal.
I was looking for a Model 870 bayonet mount that is why I know about the price of that particular one. I wound up finding a different way to do it.

Attachment 96831

Al

[SmellsLikeHoppes]

I will not be selling Todd, but good luck getting one, they are really cool and way too nice to beat on. Off to watch Dirty Harry movies and T2 Rise of the machines where these (folding stock models) are put to good use.

[t.rob99]

[AFJon]

Lots of guys here have combat shotguns, these would be nice too. I'd change the buttstock to walnut though. Those folders are a pig to shoot and handle. I think these usually had oil finish wood though. The price paid would be beat even by sum total of the cost of the parts.

Why "sporterize" a collectable military shotgun?

There's a guy on the CMP forum willing to trade an 870 riot gun plus $500 cash to get one of these shotguns.

[browningautorifle]

Why "sporterize" a collectable military shotgun?

I don't think those folding stocks are military issue nor do I believe the varnished front pump is...so I'd keep that money. These are police after prison and who knows what was done. They're what they are and OK except... I'd want the front brace only...

[SmellsLikeHoppes]

From what I have read the folding stocks are factory, as are the for-ends. They were immediately transferred to the distributor without being opened and within a day of receipt from the National Guard, so its not like the Department of Corrections was able to swap out stocks or would have, even if they found 400 folding stocks that are long discontinued.

So that leaves the question, are they are military shotguns? I am leaning yes. Bayonet mounts are for M7 military bayonets and martial use. I know Wikipedia is not the best source to cite, but what I am reading is pretty cool. The National Guard is State , title 10 and Title 32.

At the least they are bona fide organized militia weapons for sale. In the history of small arms that seems really interesting to me. They are also military arms depending on how you look at what makes a military arm. Is it; which funds paid for the items, only if a federal inspector put a stamp of approval on them, only if a federalized title 10 or 32 funded inspector took possession with just factory markings, or maybe based simply on theater of use which can be impossible to prove for most individual milsurp specimens?

That leads me to wonder, what is exactly a military surplus item? If the military owned it? Only if made to a military specification? I was in the military and saw all kinds of variety to the stuff owned and used in war that was not NSN labeled, but commercial
off the shelf stuff. Maybe the coolest example is Randall knives. Some were issued to ODA's. Are those from Vietnam milsurps?

What is the history of govenment sale of organized small arms sales to the public?

United States National Guard - Wikipedia