Xssights   Kahr Shop   Tommy Gun Shop   Crimsontrace
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: 870 defense barrel

  1. #1

    Post 870 defense barrel

    Im looking to get a shorter barrel for my Remington 870 Express and don't have a lot of extra funds as usual.

    I was looking at the 18.5 Mossberg barrel for around $115

    then i found a 20 inch barrel made by Target Sports Tactical for around $70
    I couldn't find anything about them and i an skeptical of the price.

    Has anyone ever used one or at least seen one in real life?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    deeply embedded in Florida swampland
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    For a defense barrel - it doesn't matter. This akin to wondering about the upholstery on a car to be used in the "Demolition Derby"......

    Go with cheap! What, you're worried about the "pattern" at 15 feet?

    Barrels on shotguns are measured from the breech face (front of the closed bolt) to the end of the muzzle. You may even want to shorten the 20 inch barrel to 18-1/2 or so. Re-mounting a front bead is not hard, _if_ you absolutely need to have one there. Most use a 3-48 tap, & Brownells has a few kits with drill, tap, and bead to make it easy.

  3. #3

    Default

    thanks CJB.

    So I don't think i would want to cut the 20 inch down to 18.5 myself and would have to pay a gunsmith to cut it and replace the bead?

    Approximately how much do you guys think that would cost? I don't want to buy the longer barrel because it is cheaper and end up paying more overall to have it cut

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    1,130

    Default

    Midway has this one in the flyer for July:
    http://www.midwayusa.com/product/242...ght-parkerized

    Kind of splits the differance on price but a better front sight.
    I was once asked if I was "a paranoid for carrying my Kahr".
    "Nope" I said, "just prepared".
    " prepared for what" he asked?
    "more stuff than you are"
    God Bless our Troups!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    deeply embedded in Florida swampland
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    Cutting a shotgun barrel is about like cutting a section of pipe.... just need to keep it square, and smooth the rough edge with a bit of fine sandpaper (like 400/600 grit).

    The bead... if you want one... is more tricky, only because the placement is the key to making it look right when you're done. There is a jig for that from B-Square (and others) or if the smithy has a XY table on his drill press (or Bridgeport), then he can just indicate the barrel to get it centered (with his Interapid dial indicator). He'll still need to keep it "square" with things - which I'd do by assembling the barrel on the action, barrel in the vice and square against the action - which is doable with the long table on a mill, not on a drill press.

    I cant see that costing more than $50, and probably much less. Its an easy thing to do really, and takes almost as much time to describe as do.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    The Free Zone
    Posts
    5,985

    Default

    I don't know that going from a 20" to 18" barrel will make much difference at all in a SD shotgun?
    Switching to a pistol grip on my Mossy 500 was the game changer for me.
    Federal make some Tactical low recoil 12 gauge rounds for LE that work great.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    11,459

    Default

    Dang! if you want to save money, just buy the 20". if you buy that and have a gunsmith cut and re-install the bead, you will spend more money than buying a cheap 18.5" barrel and the choke may not be uniform... the shot pattern, which is no biggie for a close-defense shotgun, but could give you a pattern that will have large holes in it and miss game.

    JMHO

    Wynn
    USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
    Avatar: Wynn re-enlists his wife Desiree, circa 1988 Loring AFB, ME. 42nd BMW, Heavy (SAC) B-52G's
    Frédéric Bastiat’s essay, The Law: http://mises.org/books/thelaw.pdf

    Thomas Jefferson said

    “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
    and

    "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    deeply embedded in Florida swampland
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    Maybe I read too much into the original post - for self defense - home defense - the shorter barrel is an aid to maneuverability, not having two more inches to bang on door frames, furniture, staircase railing, etc etc.

    If you wanna hunt with it.... totally different setup. Not sure if thats what was needed/desired.

    Any 20 inch barrel will have cylinder, or improved cylinder choke, and if so, the latter will be lost if shortened. Makes zero - absolutely zero - difference at any range you'll encounter in a house smaller than Graceland.

    At fifteen feet - my cylinder bore barrels "pattern" under 3 inches or so, with a very few fliers. Thats with #8's, which I suggest for inside the house shooting. At room distances, a well placed shot of #8 in a hunting load.... will be devastating to any BG.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    11,459

    Default

    What I was trying to say was just buy a cheap 18.5" barrel. You'll save money and it will look good.

    Wynn
    USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
    Avatar: Wynn re-enlists his wife Desiree, circa 1988 Loring AFB, ME. 42nd BMW, Heavy (SAC) B-52G's
    Frédéric Bastiat’s essay, The Law: http://mises.org/books/thelaw.pdf

    Thomas Jefferson said

    “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
    and

    "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    deeply embedded in Florida swampland
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    well yah, that too!

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Tommy Gun   Mitch Rosen   Magnum Research new   CrossBreed Holsters