how hard to build a gun?

[youngun]

Used 870 receiver, barrel, stock....
Can you just drop the parts together, or does the barrel need fitting, for instance?

[labgrade]

870 barrels are designed to "drop in" However, there are different contours (the "featherweights" class) that don't interchange.

Too, if you have a 2-3/4" receiver, you can't do the "drop in" with a 3" barrel & shoot 3" shells. Bad juju. You can stick a 2-3/4" barrel on a 3" receiver w/o any problems AFAIK.

Post what receiver you have here before buying another barrel - only way to be sure. ;)

[Dave McC]

Frankenstein, my homebuilt and overpublicized for anything flying 870 is a parts gun.And I'm far from being a gunsmith. There's an old thread on it here in the Archives. It's called "Building a Kitchen Table 870" or something.

870s just go together w/o fitting. They're designed that way to reduce labor costs.

[Fatcat]

When I first got my 870, it bothered me that the only thing holding the barrel on was the little ratchety cap on the end of the mag tube.

But, I got over it. Beats all those pins and screws in other guns.