# barrel swap on 12ga shotgun



## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

I have a Remington 870 that needs a barrel replacement. The old barrel is chambered for 
2 3/4 inch. Can I replace it with a 3 in barrel? I know the unfired rounds will cycle but I don't know if a fired round would eject or hang up in the ejection port.


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## flewism (Apr 2, 2007)

No matter what barrel you put on it you are stuck at 2 3/4.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

A fired 3 inch shell will hang up trying to eject. 

Why does the barrell need to be replaced?

New barrells cost almost as much as an 870 express on sale. They will come with the Remchoke system which makes the gun more versitle. 

My 870 came with a 30 inch, full choke, plain barrell when I bought it in 1970. There was no such thing as interchangeable chokes. I blew up more than a few grouse that were too close when I shot. I replaced it later with a 28 inch, vent rib, and Remchokes barrell. It was less than $100.

I still have the old barrell. I may cut it down to barely legal size and use it for home defense.


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

Nimrod - many years ago I had the barrel cut down and tapped for choke tubes. The gunsmith tried doing me a favor by cutting what he "thought" was the bare minimum. Turned out that he didn't shorten it enough and as a result the barrel was to thin (after tapping) to hold the choke tube tight. On a crow/dove hunt you had to stop every few shots because the barrel would heat up and the choke tube would loosen......During one particularly good crow hunt in snow I forgot to check it.....The loosened choke allowed gases to get behind the choke tube and "crimp" it. The next shot split the barrel darn near to the foreend. I luckily caught that something didn't look right and didn't fire another shot. If I had, I might have suffered a serious injury. At the time I was a hunter safety instructor so I just cut the barrel down and used it as a teaching aid for what can happen with an obstructed barrel.

I've had the action/receiver stored in the closet for years and was thinking about fixing it up for the kid.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If it's a "magnum" receiver you can use a 3" barrel
It can also depend on *when* it was made:



> There are hundreds of variations of the Remington 870 in 12, 16, 20, 28 gauges and .410 bore. From the original fifteen models offered, Remington currently produces dozens of models for civilian, law enforcement, and military sales. 870 variants can be grouped into:


*





Wingmaster &#8211; Blued steel with high gloss or satin walnut stocks. They have been offered in Skeet, Trap, and field configurations. Originally the basic Wingmaster was chambered for 2 3/4" rounds and came with a fixed choke, and the 3" chambered versions were designated Magnum models.

 Models built after 1986 offer the RemChoke Interchangeable choke tube system, and the 12 and 20 gauge versions are chambered in 3" for either 2 3/4" or 3" shells. Prior to the introduction of the "Police" model 870, altered Wingmasters were popular among law enforcement.

Police &#8211; Blued or Parkerized steel with satin walnut, stained hardwood, or synthetic stocks. These models feature a stronger sear spring and magazine spring, and they receive extra care and inspections during assembly. The Police models also often have an extended tube magazine.

Marine &#8211; Nickel plated with synthetic stocks.

Express &#8211; Matte blue/black bead-blasted with laminated hardwood or synthetic stocks and chambered for 2 3/4" and 3" 12 or 20 gauge shotshells. All Expresses have been chambered in 3" in 12 and 20 gauge, but markings have varied.



Click to expand...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_870*


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

if the ser no begins w m it is a magnum receiver and you can use 3" bbl if not 23/4 only


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## braggscowboy (Jan 6, 2004)

David, at one time there was a problem with the barrels on 870's and a class action lawsuit was settled. Several years ago, one could get compensation or barrel I think. I bought my 870 in 66 or 67 in the PX in Panama and it cost me a whole 64.00. It is vent rib and 12 23/4". I think the best shotgun made or at least ranked with them. I have a 20, same way tha I have had for about 20 years, bought like new and have never fired it.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

The payout on the lawsuit was less than $20 per gun owned for those that joined.


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Magnum receivers can handle the 3s, but all others are limited to 2.75. To be honest...I shoot both out of my 870. I'm sure if I measured with a chronograph etc. I would see discernible differences, but from a less complicated standpoint, I really don't see, hear, feel much difference between the 3" and the 2 & 3/4".


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Just go to Remingtons web site and click on support. You will get the real deal there.


 Al


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

Al, I tried that route. The form letter/email I received basically instructed me to take it to a licensed gunsmith for assistance. I may not be a rocket scientist but I think I'm perfectly capable of removing/replacing a barrel. As it turns out, the swap won't work. The receiver might be able to handle it but when I tried to cycle a spent round I discovered that the 3 inch shells will not eject as the ejection port is too short. Looks like it will go back into the closet for a while since as was said earlier - a new barrel costs more than I paid for the gun back in the late 70's.


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