Barrel Lenth

Rolkin · October 27, 2004, 11:12 AM

I'm planning on buying a Rem 870 soon to be used for hunting and HD...

Home Defense I'd assume you;d want the shortest barrel to get around corners easier, but I would also assume that it would make it harder to hit a moving target further away with a 18.5" barrel

28" seems pretty long
20" seems a bit short

What do you guys think?

mete · October 27, 2004, 12:47 PM

For a pump a 28" is way too long for anything.For general use 24 " is better.Typical slug guns are about 20".So 20-24" is the choice.

OutAtTheEdge · October 27, 2004, 07:52 PM

Remington offers the 870 Express in a combo package, with a 28" VR smoothbore barrel w/ Remchoke (Mod. tube only included), and a 20" barrel w/ rifle sights, either fully rifled or smoothbore w/ fixed I.C. choke. The long barrel will handle any bird hunting chores, from doves to turkeys, as well as claybusting sports. If you get the rifled slug barrel, you'll get superior accuracy with sabot slugs on big game, but the smooth I.C. barrel will generally throw acceptable groups w/ Foster-type slugs out to +/- 75 yds., and can double in the HD role, loaded w/ the shotshell of your choice. These Combos are a consumer's dream, as they are regularly whored out of the major chains as hunting season loss-leaders at about dealer cost. With the I.C. slug barrel, you should be able to pick one up for well under $400.

If I was forced to pick just one gun (perish the thought!) for all my shooting needs, this would be it. I'm...

OutAtTheEdge

Roman Knoll · October 28, 2004, 05:07 AM

Sorry, I posted in wrong thread

HSMITH · October 28, 2004, 06:39 AM

I've never met a shotgun with a barrel that was too long, 30" on a pump is nice but 32" would be better. I buy the longest barrels I can get.

Rolkin · October 28, 2004, 10:23 AM

well with a 32" I'd be a bit worried about the 2' of barrel going around the corner before me

Might knock something over even if he doesn't see the barrel coming

I don't think I've ever shot a slug from a shotgun before only shot ... well shot heh

I didn't know if a longer barrel would hold a tighter pattern or like in pistols if it helps the velocity...

But I probably won't be getting anything over 24" though

patent · November 1, 2004, 06:06 PM

I didn't know if a longer barrel would hold a tighter pattern or like in pistols if it helps the velocity...

I believe the longer barrel mostly helps with aiming at a moving bird. That depends on the shooter, but my trap scores tend to be better with a full length barrel than with my HD 18" barrel. If you can only do one barrel, 24" is probably a nice compromise. Put me down in the two barrel camp though.

For

bullfrog99 · November 1, 2004, 07:43 PM

why not buy an 870 ( or my preference the mossberg 500) with the two barrels. Wal-mart is always advertising specials with a 24-28" vent rib for birds and a 20 to 22 inch rifled sight for slugs or buck. seems perfect for you.

FirstFreedom · November 2, 2004, 09:11 AM

As the man said, get a combo, with 2 barrels - get one that's 28" +, and one that's 18-20". If you don't get a combo from the get-go, you can get an aftermarket short barrel for the rem870, made by mossberg, for around $70 or $80. Switching is easy - under 1 minute.

October 27, 2004, 11:12 AM	#1
Rolkin Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2002 Posts: 110	Barrel Lenth I'm planning on buying a Rem 870 soon to be used for hunting and HD... Home Defense I'd assume you;d want the shortest barrel to get around corners easier, but I would also assume that it would make it harder to hit a moving target further away with a 18.5" barrel 28" seems pretty long 20" seems a bit short What do you guys think? __________________ Thomas Jefferson: "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." -- Quoting 18th Century criminologist Cesare Beccaria in On Crimes and Punishment (1764.)

October 27, 2004, 07:52 PM	#3
OutAtTheEdge Member Join Date: September 21, 2004 Posts: 61	870 Express Combo Remington offers the 870 Express in a combo package, with a 28" VR smoothbore barrel w/ Remchoke (Mod. tube only included), and a 20" barrel w/ rifle sights, either fully rifled or smoothbore w/ fixed I.C. choke. The long barrel will handle any bird hunting chores, from doves to turkeys, as well as claybusting sports. If you get the rifled slug barrel, you'll get superior accuracy with sabot slugs on big game, but the smooth I.C. barrel will generally throw acceptable groups w/ Foster-type slugs out to +/- 75 yds., and can double in the HD role, loaded w/ the shotshell of your choice. These Combos are a consumer's dream, as they are regularly whored out of the major chains as hunting season loss-leaders at about dealer cost. With the I.C. slug barrel, you should be able to pick one up for well under $400. If I was forced to pick just one gun (perish the thought!) for all my shooting needs, this would be it. I'm... OutAtTheEdge

October 28, 2004, 05:07 AM	#4
Roman Knoll Member Join Date: December 28, 2001 Location: Lidingö, Sweden Posts: 95	Sorry, I posted in wrong thread Last edited by Roman Knoll; October 29, 2004 at 01:14 AM.

October 28, 2004, 10:23 AM	#6
Rolkin Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2002 Posts: 110	well with a 32" I'd be a bit worried about the 2' of barrel going around the corner before me Might knock something over even if he doesn't see the barrel coming I don't think I've ever shot a slug from a shotgun before only shot ... well shot heh I didn't know if a longer barrel would hold a tighter pattern or like in pistols if it helps the velocity... But I probably won't be getting anything over 24" though __________________ Thomas Jefferson: "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." -- Quoting 18th Century criminologist Cesare Beccaria in On Crimes and Punishment (1764.)

November 1, 2004, 07:43 PM	#8
bullfrog99 Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2000 Location: Southeast Michigan Posts: 811	why not buy an 870 ( or my preference the mossberg 500) with the two barrels. Wal-mart is always advertising specials with a 24-28" vent rib for birds and a 20 to 22 inch rifled sight for slugs or buck. seems perfect for you. __________________ Are you a gamer? Try Fortress Forever, It is a free HL2 Mod. http://www.fortress-forever.com/?a=media

October 27, 2004, 12:47 PM	#2
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	For a pump a 28" is way too long for anything.For general use 24 " is better.Typical slug guns are about 20".So 20-24" is the choice.

October 28, 2004, 06:39 AM	#5
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	I've never met a shotgun with a barrel that was too long, 30" on a pump is nice but 32" would be better. I buy the longest barrels I can get.

November 1, 2004, 06:06 PM	#7
patent Member Join Date: January 7, 2002 Location: MN Posts: 42	I didn't know if a longer barrel would hold a tighter pattern or like in pistols if it helps the velocity... I believe the longer barrel mostly helps with aiming at a moving bird. That depends on the shooter, but my trap scores tend to be better with a full length barrel than with my HD 18" barrel. If you can only do one barrel, 24" is probably a nice compromise. Put me down in the two barrel camp though. For

November 2, 2004, 09:11 AM	#9
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	As the man said, get a combo, with 2 barrels - get one that's 28" +, and one that's 18-20". If you don't get a combo from the get-go, you can get an aftermarket short barrel for the rem870, made by mossberg, for around $70 or $80. Switching is easy - under 1 minute.