I always just figured it was aesthetics or features, but from what I've been reading recently, the express is pure crap compared to the wingmaster. What's the difference?

Basically just fit an finnish. Where have you been reading the Express is pure crap? I bet they sell 3 times the amount of field grade 870's as they do wingmasters. I do think the wingmasters have a smoother action, however they are the same action.

Paul

The express has a plastic trigger housing while the wingmaster has a steel trigger housing.

Briman wrote this on the BPS post, but I've also read similar posts from several other members saying how great the Wingmaster is compared to the express.

Its all kinds of little things too. Like beads on the express are pressed in, so you can't replace em. Of course the finish, trigger housing, wood, and barrel quality. I believe they make more reamer runs with 870's. I have one now with chamber out of wack.

But I perfer them over a nice wingmaster.

Where I hunt, is real hunting. Its nasty, its muddy, its cold, its brackish water, its a freaken swamp. Sometimes in a boat. I took out my gold hunter this year, and all I did was worry about messin up this gun.

People get thier guns in the water all the time. If it happens to my 870 express, oh well.

I believe I read years ago that some of the internal parts on the express are stamped rather than forged/machined like the wingmaster.
Also, the finish on the wingmaster is a highly polished blue whereas the express is a matte finish.
I've been using a express super magnum for years without any trouble in the muddy waterfowl fields. The only 'trouble' I had was extraction problems on extremely cold days which was my fault and caused by a gummed up extractor. I took it apart and cleaned it up - now no worries.

NOT CRAP: i shoot both the wingmaster (20 ga.) wich happens to be 20+ yrs old and an express (12 ga. 2 3/4 & 3 in.) the wingmaster is smooth as butter, fun, easy to use etc.

my express has never given me a problem. its all of the above. i shoot steel ALOT! as well as lead at the range and in the field.

its just looks. like "bronko22000" i use my gun and i'm not afraid to get it dirty. when i pull up something goes down.

Stubblejumper, My 870 express mag has a steel trigger housing, is it an earlier one and now are made of plastic? Zeak

I actually never noticed that my own 870express had a plastic trigger housing until a friend pointed it out.After checking closely,I discovered that he was right.