Home Defense Barrel for a Remington 870?

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Guyon

New member
I can pick up a new Remington 870 Express for right at $200 at my local sporting goods store. However, it comes with the standard 28 inch barrel.

How much does a 18 or 20 inch barrel run for this gun, and what's the best place to get it? I've seen the Express Combo, but this comes with a rifled short barrel. Isn't a smooth barrel better for home defense?

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
Vote for your rights!!!
 
Yes, A smooth barrel is certainly better for HD. I learned that lesson the expensive way, after buying a new 870 with a rifled barrel. The Remington rifled barrel put such a tight spin on the shot cup that most of the shot was off the target at 5 yards. I got a smooth barrel from Cabela's.
 
Guyon, the Cabella's catalog lists a 12ga. Express 20" Imp.Cyl. with rifle sights for $104.99. I think this would be the logical way to go.

If you have a smith lop it off and replace the bead front, it'll still cost about $40 and then you have a staight cyl. barrel.

Regards! DaMan
 
Thanks to all for the comments.

Regarding the Cabelas Imp. Cyl. barrel (BTW what exactly is "improved cylinder"?)... Will this barrel interchange with the 28 inch barrel with relative ease?

I'm on a fairly limited budget right now, so the one shotgun-two barrels scenario seems the most economical way to go for a variety of tasks (home defense, trap shooting, hunting). I know this "jack of all trades, master of none" is not the best way to go. But it seems the most logical solution at the moment.

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
Vote for your rights!!!
 
Choke is the constriction of the last couple of inches in the bbl to control the spread of the shot. In order of least to most, the chokes run from cylinder(no contriction) to full or extra full, the most contriction. Improved Cylinder or IC is generally considered from .004-.015 inch, and produces open patterns at close range.

Swapping 870 bbls is a 2 minute job.
 
FWIW, the barrel that came on my Police Mag was an 18.5" with Modified choke, not IC.

I thought there was an Express package offered by Remington that came with a 26 or 28 inch barrel plus an 18.5 or 20 inch? Overall cost might be lower.
 
JNewell,

The Express Combo does have a short barrel, but it is rifled. See my original post.

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
Vote for your rights!!!
 
"Swapping 870 bbls is a 2 minute job." (- Dave McC.). It is also a quite easy-to-do 2 minute job - no experience necessary.
 
Ask the dealer about ordering the *smoothbore* Express combo. The MSRP is around $25 less than the rifled barrel, so you should be able to find one for less than the price of the rifled combo unless the dealer found he couldn't sell the rifled one you're looking at and priced it accordingly.
 
I just bought an 18.5 Mossberg Rem 870 replacement barrel for $75 new at Big 6 sports store.

It has dust on the package and had been in inventory too long. They will haggle. Just talk to the store manager and let him know he needs to move his inventory and cut the margin if needed.

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The Seattle SharpShooter - TFL/GT/UGW/PCT/KTOG
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>If you have a smith lop it off and replace the bead front, it'll still cost about $40 and then you have a staight cyl. barrel.[/quote]

If one has a barrel made for choke interchangability, can the smith thread the shorter barrel to maintain this feature, or are you simply stuck with a cylinder bore?
 
JNewell: Thanks for the correction. I checked out the Remington website and found the combo to which you refer. Sounds perfect. The only problem is that I called both stores (Academy and Sports Authority) that carry the Remington for a good price, and neither can get this combo. Big chains don't seem to be able to control their own inventory. I'll first try some gun shops. If the prices are too high, I'll go ahead and get the Remington and then shop around for a HD barrel. Maybe the next gun show will have a smooth, short barrel for the 870.

jtduncan: We don't have any Big 6 stores in this neck of the woods, but I'll keep in mind your tip about haggling. Sounds like a good deal you got on that barrel.

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
Vote for your rights!!!
 
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