870 barrel question

[taylorb]

Hello guys and gals,

I recently purchased a Remington 870 Express with the 28" ribbed barrel and the 4 count mag tube. I would like to pick up an 18.5" barrel for home defense use only in an attempt to eliminate the need for a dedicated hd shotgun and a dedicated trap shotgun.

Will any 870/wingmaster barrel fit the 870 express with the 4 count tube? (with the exception of the tacticool 6+1 fixed tube.)

Also, do any of you guys have any suggestions as to a decent yet cheap 18.5" barrel that will fit the 870's? I plan to use it only as an HD barrel and don't plan to take it to the range, not even to pattern it so quality really isn't a great concern, so long as it fits.

Thank you in advance guys,
Taylor

[awiner]

Yes any barrel made for an 870 will work. You can find new18.5" Remington barrels for approx $125.00

eBay has used ones for a bit less.

[304tmt]

Want to trade my 18 inch barrel for yours?

[taylorb]

Yes any barrel made for an 870 will work. You can find new 18.5" Remington barrels for approx $125.00

eBay has used ones for a bit less.

Sweet, thats what I was hoping for. I was also looking into the extended tube for the HD set up, but after looking at what it takes to swap barrels once you have that in, it just isn't worth the hassle. I think I'll just stick with the 4+1 and throw a side saddle on there.

As for the barrel, I know I can pick some up for around $100, I think even ones from Remington were around $109, just have to remember where I saw them.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

[taylorb]

Want to trade my 18 inch barrel for yours?

Thank you for the offer, but like I mentioned, I want to keep both barrels. The 18.5 for HD and the 28" for the range.

[awiner]

Putting on an extension is simple. If you have one of the dimpled mag tubes you just need to drill the dimples out and deburr.

[Parker2020]

I saw a tutorial online a few years ago where the author used a deep socket
13/16 or 15/16 " ? and drove it into the end the magazine tube to flatten out the factory dimples to conform to the ID if the tube . This allowed for changing out the spring and follower and installing a mag extension on an 870 express .
looked pretty simple .

[taylorb]

I know installing the tube isnt hard to do, but I dont like the idea of having to remove the tube just to get the barrel out. I don't know, maybe im over thinking it. Ill wait until I get the shorter barrel in and play around with it until I upgrade the tube.

[awiner]

I saw a tutorial online a few years ago where the author used a deep socket
13/16 or 15/16 " ? and drove it into the end the magazine tube to flatten out the factory dimples to conform to the ID if the tube . This allowed for changing out the spring and follower and installing a mag extension on an 870 express .
looked pretty simple .

I have attempted that. The steel mag tube is pretty rigid. I ended up preforming the drill the dimple method.

The other issue is the mag tube is braised into the receiver, so if you were to bend or damage the mag tube you have a real big problem.

Drilling works and the holes are covered by the barrel ring. A little cold blue and all is good.

[awiner]

I know installing the tube isnt hard to do, but I dont like the idea of having to remove the tube just to get the barrel out. I don't know, maybe im over thinking it. Ill wait until I get the shorter barrel in and play around with it until I upgrade the tube.

You have to remove the factory 4+1 tube cap to take the barrel off as well. So removing a tube isn't much more work other than making sure the spring doesn't poke your eye out :-)

[taylorb]

You bring up a very good point, the cap has to come off either way. Well, I still have to wait for DROS to finish (5th) and then I have to wait a few pay checks before I can pick up a barrel or extended tube anyways.

Thanks for the info guys, it's much appreciated.

[Barbarossa]

This is how to remove the dimples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IG5yt-5KlJE

You can buy a barrel from Remington directly. Or midwayusa etc...

[USM0083]

I saw a tutorial online a few years ago where the author used a deep socket
13/16 or 15/16 " ? and drove it into the end the magazine tube to flatten out the factory dimples to conform to the ID if the tube . This allowed for changing out the spring and follower and installing a mag extension on an 870 express .
looked pretty simple .

I tried this method and it only partially flattened out the dimples while also swelling the end of the mag tube. I ended up drilling it out.

[aippi]

Please ignor my video and use the socket method as this can often create work for my friends at Ilion and replacing an 870 mag tube is a factory repair job. Things are slow up there right now and they need the work.

[taylorb]

Please ignor my video and use the socket method as this can often create work for my friends at Ilion and replacing an 870 mag tube is a factory repair job. Things are slow up there right now and they need the work.

That's a good sign for them though. Nothing wrong with side saddling the extra couple of shots for now.