870 SuperMag Barrel on 870 Mag

[TheKlawMan]

I got a PM from someone, who is welcome to post about it here if he wishes, but he called Remington and was told, which some suspected, that Remington is putting the 3.5 inch chambered barrel on everything but the Wingmaster and the Police models. He couldn't get them to say why and they repeated the safety instructions stamped on the barrel.

Meanwhile my used 28" Express barrel is due in the next 2 hours.

 

[bowace]

supermags

I have both 870 mag and 870 supermag. I interchange the barrels on both 3.5 to 3 or 3 to 3.5. The only difference in the 2 receivers is that the supermag receiver is longer to allow the use of the 3.5" shells. The shot pressure is a barrel and chamber thing, the receiver is nothing but a device to hold it all together. While excessive chamber pressure could cause some receiver damage most likely the damage would be to the barrel. I have shot 3.5" shells in my 3" barrel several times with no damage to the gun at all. The shorter chamber in the 3" will result in more recoil however. It also can cause higher pressures which could damage the barrel. Usually by a bulge and crack in the barrel (if it doesnt' blow up) just ahead of the chamber. So it's not a bad move by Remington to put the 3.5 barrels on their shotguns, since the 3.5 shells won't function in the shorter receivers. If you can get the shell into the barrel it will shoot fine, you will just have a single shot shotgun. Just saying