ANOTHER Rem 870 Question(s)

No. Shell latches, carrier, breech bolt, magazine follower, bolt carrier (forget the proper terminology) and ejectors at least are different. All 16s no matter when manufactured are on the 12 gauge sized receiver.
 
Virginian-in-LA

No. Shell latches, carrier, breech bolt, magazine follower, bolt carrier (forget the proper terminology) and ejectors at least are different. All 16s no matter when manufactured are on the 12 gauge sized receiver.
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Thanks for the response. This was just a mind exercise insofar as determining whether I could (long ago when parts were cheap and plentiful) convert a 12 gauge skeet gun to a 20 gauge skeet gun easily enough without owning two complete firearms: buttstock fit, forend, and trigger uniform from gauge to gauge.

I can't see where the magazine follower would be of any consequence, nor the extra breech bolt assembly parts required. The 20 gauge mag tube is the same dia as the 12 gauge tube.

From Choate Machine And Tool:

Some of the early 20 ga Remington 870 shotguns were made on the 12 ga frame. To determine if you gun is built on the 12ga frame remove your magazine cap and see if a 12 ga shell will fit into your magazine tube. If the rim of the 12 ga shell will fit your 870 is built on the 12 ga frame.
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http://www.riflestock.com/store/do/product/MXT/01-04-33

Shell latches and ejector could be a different story. I could imagine the 20 gauge ejector working with the 12 gauge shells; trial would tell. Same with the shell latches with a bit of tweaking.

What about barrels? Are there any alignment lugs/recesses that I don't remember? Haven't owned an 870 Wingmaster in 10 years (and I still kick my butt for that).

Wish I still had Kuhnhausen's 870 book...
 
No need to take anything apart. Serial number suffix is the key.
X is 12 gauge sized receiver 20 gauge
N is 12 gauge sized receiver 20 gauge Magnum
K is 20 gauge (actually 28) sized receiver 20 gauge
U is 20 gauge (actually 28) sized receiver 20 gauge Magnum

Don't worry about the ejector, because you won't need it without a 20 gauge bolt and extractor to pull the shell out of the barrel. Then you will need it, too. I have the book, but the 1963 parts list is even better.
 
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Remington (via email) says the ejector parts are the same from gun-to-gun, but the 20 gauge standard uses 28 gauge shell stops (latches).

Not the end result I was hoping for, but a good exercise nonetheless for me.

Thanks folks!
 
Whoever responded from Remington was NOT talking about the old guns built on the 12 gauge receiver. They probably don't have two people left who remember those, and they don't answer emails. I have a 1960s printed owner's pamphlet that came with the gun, with part names and numbers, and the 20 ejector is NOT the same as the 12.
 
This is the info I received from Remington yesterday:

Good morning,

The ejector on these two shotguns are the same, however the std wt 20ga uses shell latches from the 28ga. These parts are available from our consumer services parts department. The parts department can be reached at 1-800-243-9700 Mon-Fri, 9-5 EST. I have included the part numbers and prices below for your reference.


F99539 870 EJECTOR 12 GA MAG $10.30
F18646 870 EJECTOR RIVET FRONT 12 GA $4.12
F18647 870 EJECTOR RIVET REAR 12 GA (14721) $4.12
F18855 870 EJECTOR SPRING MAG 12-16-20 GA $4.12

F102310 870 SHELL LATCH 12 GA LEFT $14.42
F102315 870 SHELL LATCH 12 GA RIGHT $14.42
F30931 870 SHELL LATCH 16-28 GA LEFT $14.42
F31661 870 SHELL LATCH 16-28 GA RIGHT $14.42
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Any of these numbers match yours?

Any chance that you could send a copy of your literature to me as an attachment in an email? If so, I'll PM you my email addy.

Thanks! You have been a big help.
 
I am currently of of the state. Only have my laptop. Be home Tuesday. I will check part #s, but I will bet none those except the ejector spring are for a STANDARD 20. Before they quit listing them Remington labelled the Std. parts as such.
 
24447 Ejector, 20 Ga. (Std.)
18648 Ejector Spring Only lists one so I assume it is for all.
Rivets same all gauges

20042 Shell Latch, Left, 20 ga. (Std.)
20047 Shell Latch, right, 20 ga. (std.)

There may be some later parts lists with different numbers, but in checking the numbers they gave you against recent parts lists, nothing indicates any of those are for the old standard weight 20 gauge.
 
You are home early!

Looks like my idea of easily interchangeable parts was just a pipe dream.

Oh, well...

I think we are done here, but thanks so much for your input and assistance!
 
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