A new to me really old 870 20ga

SARuger · December 31, 2014, 04:07 PM

I just got this today. I bought it off the original owners grandson, he was in his late 40's! He did not know how old it was.

After a good cleaning today, I decided to install one of my newer barrels that take the RemChoke so I can make this gun more universal and store its original barrel.

The new 870 barrel will not fit!!! I have never ran into this.

Pics:

The new barrel will not slip over the mag tube?

The original barrel is a 20ga, mod choke, 2 3/4

I don't think I can get a gunsmith to bore the mag tube lug out on the new barrel to make it fit, not enough meat to work with. The business end at the receiver is identical.

Thoughts? I want to use this 870 for a multitude of things. I would like to have the RemChoke system on it

SARuger · December 31, 2014, 04:27 PM

The serial number ends in an X. After some research I found that I have a early 20ga Wingmaster that is based off a 12ga frame. Thus the new K frame barrels wont fit. I can get the original barrel moded to be used with screw in chokes from a couple of mfgrs. Not sure if i will bother. I can probably find some barrels with different chokes cheaper.

Dreaming100Straight · December 31, 2014, 04:31 PM

I believe the problem is because the older 20 ga 870 was built on a 12 ga frame, but the newer ones have a lighter frame. Machining the old barrel to accept chokes is a relatively simple job, as long as your barrel walls are thick enough. Just don't take it to Bubba.

Saw your second post after I posted the above. It may not be so easy to find barrels.

SARuger · December 31, 2014, 04:36 PM

Carlson's can do it for $150 shipped to/from and that includes 3 chokes of my choice. I wonder if it would be easier to change the lug that slips over the mag tube?

Barrels are impossible to find as I just found out

Dreaming100Straight · December 31, 2014, 06:14 PM

Sounds a little high. Take a look at this from Mike Orlen and $55 per barrel. http://www.randywakeman.com/shotgunMikeOrlen.htm

Check to see if the price is current.

There are some regular posters from Virginia here. I am thinking especially of Virginian-In-LA, who I believe was a gun dealer or perhaps a smith in another live. If he or someone more knowledgeable than myself don't show up here to help you. Send Virginian-in-LA (that's Louisiana and not Los Angeles) a PM. He seeks to know a ton about the 870.

Blindstitch · December 31, 2014, 07:24 PM

I think changing the lug would be a lot easier if you don't want to thread the original barrel. A tig welder could make nice work of it.

Virginian · December 31, 2014, 08:08 PM

Changing the barrel lug won't do squat. That barrel is for a smaller receiver as well as a smaller mag tube.
Dreaming100Straight gave you the best advice going. Mike Orlen is your answer. I would wholeheartedly recommend him, or Brileys, but where Mike has the tooling he is cheaper and faster. His quality of work is second to none. Standard receiver (12 gauge sized) 870 20 gauge barrels are expensive and they were not made for choke tubes. CALL him per the link above as he gets too much email.
A bad choke tube installation is worse than nothing. Do not trust just anyone or you could mess up a good gun.

Blindstitch · December 31, 2014, 08:48 PM

He said the receiver end is identical so welding a new mag tube lug on the barrel is a viable option if he doesn't call someone to thread the original for a choke.

eastbank · January 1, 2015, 05:55 AM

i can second mike orlens work, i have a early 1100 in 20ga built with the 12ga frame and i sent the barrel to him and had it threaded for choke tubes and could not be happier. eastbank.

SARuger · January 1, 2015, 08:32 AM

I will get the pro to fix it. Mike is getting a call on Monday. This 870 is really nice and much smoother than my 3 newer models

SARuger · January 1, 2015, 12:26 PM

Does anyone out there in TFL land have a 870 20ga "X" barrel they want to get rid of? I hate to cut the original numbers matching barrel. Its in new condition

Virginian · January 1, 2015, 12:40 PM

Quote:

He said the receiver end is identical so welding a new mag tube lug on the barrel is a viable option if he doesn't call someone to thread the original for a choke.

He's wrong.
Check www.Corsonsbarrels.com and www.Barrelexchange.com for barrels. You do realize that a proper choke tube installation does not "cut" the barrel length, and will not detract from the value I hope.

SARuger · January 1, 2015, 12:47 PM

Virginian, you're right I was wrong. My naked eye is out of calibration so I put the calipers on both barrels and there are a couple of dimensions that are too far off to make work safely.

I kind of want to cut the barrel shorter, thats why I want a different barrel to cut. Its ~29" now, 26" would be my preference in a 20ga.

SARuger · January 4, 2015, 11:57 AM

I talked with Mike Orlin on Friday. The barrel for this gun will be sent out on Monday along with the barrel for my single shot Pardner. Why not I save shipping

I figure if my kid will be using the single shot for trap and hunting it needs changeable chokes and although I will never recoup the money spent on the single shot if I have to sell it, it will be more useable so there for I won't want to sell it.

Thanks for the link to Mike, he is a very knowledgeable guy and I can tell I will be happy with his work.

Pics of the newly bored/tapped barrels with True Chokes to come......

Blindstitch · January 4, 2015, 07:57 PM

Can't wait to see what the work looks like done but it sounds like I might have to mail out a barrel myself.

Virginian · January 5, 2015, 07:01 PM

Every once in a great while someone actually takes good advice. Good on you. I am getting ready to send Mike another barrel too.

SARuger · January 6, 2015, 07:52 PM

The barrel(s) on its way to Mike! I can't wait to see his work and use this beautiful old 870 in the field and on the range. I do believe that my old SB1Pardner single shot will be a lot more fun and useful too.

SARuger · January 13, 2015, 06:17 PM

I got my barrels back from Mike Orlen today! Nice work! I will do a separate thread when I get some pics

Blindstitch · January 13, 2015, 07:56 PM

If possible pictures of what choke and pattern at a certain yardage might be nice too.

SARuger · January 13, 2015, 08:48 PM

It will be a while before i get to pattern either one. I'm not a winter person. There is a indoor range that will let me shoot a shotgun at. I think its 35yds deep. That should do it. I will check it out this weekend

December 31, 2014, 04:07 PM	#1
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	A new to me really old 870 20ga I just got this today. I bought it off the original owners grandson, he was in his late 40's! He did not know how old it was. After a good cleaning today, I decided to install one of my newer barrels that take the RemChoke so I can make this gun more universal and store its original barrel. The new 870 barrel will not fit!!! I have never ran into this. Pics: The new barrel will not slip over the mag tube? The original barrel is a 20ga, mod choke, 2 3/4 I don't think I can get a gunsmith to bore the mag tube lug out on the new barrel to make it fit, not enough meat to work with. The business end at the receiver is identical. Thoughts? I want to use this 870 for a multitude of things. I would like to have the RemChoke system on it

December 31, 2014, 06:14 PM	#5
Dreaming100Straight Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 1,235	Sounds a little high. Take a look at this from Mike Orlen and $55 per barrel. http://www.randywakeman.com/shotgunMikeOrlen.htm Check to see if the price is current. There are some regular posters from Virginia here. I am thinking especially of Virginian-In-LA, who I believe was a gun dealer or perhaps a smith in another live. If he or someone more knowledgeable than myself don't show up here to help you. Send Virginian-in-LA (that's Louisiana and not Los Angeles) a PM. He seeks to know a ton about the 870. Last edited by Dreaming100Straight; December 31, 2014 at 06:20 PM.

December 31, 2014, 08:08 PM	#7
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	Changing the barrel lug won't do squat. That barrel is for a smaller receiver as well as a smaller mag tube. Dreaming100Straight gave you the best advice going. Mike Orlen is your answer. I would wholeheartedly recommend him, or Brileys, but where Mike has the tooling he is cheaper and faster. His quality of work is second to none. Standard receiver (12 gauge sized) 870 20 gauge barrels are expensive and they were not made for choke tubes. CALL him per the link above as he gets too much email. A bad choke tube installation is worse than nothing. Do not trust just anyone or you could mess up a good gun. __________________ What could have happened... did.

January 5, 2015, 07:01 PM	#16
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	Every once in a great while someone actually takes good advice. Good on you. I am getting ready to send Mike another barrel too. __________________ What could have happened... did.

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December 31, 2014, 04:27 PM	#2
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	The serial number ends in an X. After some research I found that I have a early 20ga Wingmaster that is based off a 12ga frame. Thus the new K frame barrels wont fit. I can get the original barrel moded to be used with screw in chokes from a couple of mfgrs. Not sure if i will bother. I can probably find some barrels with different chokes cheaper.

December 31, 2014, 04:31 PM	#3
Dreaming100Straight Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 1,235	I believe the problem is because the older 20 ga 870 was built on a 12 ga frame, but the newer ones have a lighter frame. Machining the old barrel to accept chokes is a relatively simple job, as long as your barrel walls are thick enough. Just don't take it to Bubba. Saw your second post after I posted the above. It may not be so easy to find barrels.

December 31, 2014, 04:36 PM	#4
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	Carlson's can do it for $150 shipped to/from and that includes 3 chokes of my choice. I wonder if it would be easier to change the lug that slips over the mag tube? Barrels are impossible to find as I just found out

December 31, 2014, 07:24 PM	#6
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	I think changing the lug would be a lot easier if you don't want to thread the original barrel. A tig welder could make nice work of it.

December 31, 2014, 08:48 PM	#8
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	He said the receiver end is identical so welding a new mag tube lug on the barrel is a viable option if he doesn't call someone to thread the original for a choke.

January 1, 2015, 05:55 AM	#9
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,450	i can second mike orlens work, i have a early 1100 in 20ga built with the 12ga frame and i sent the barrel to him and had it threaded for choke tubes and could not be happier. eastbank.

January 1, 2015, 08:32 AM	#10
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	I will get the pro to fix it. Mike is getting a call on Monday. This 870 is really nice and much smoother than my 3 newer models

January 1, 2015, 12:26 PM	#11
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	Does anyone out there in TFL land have a 870 20ga "X" barrel they want to get rid of? I hate to cut the original numbers matching barrel. Its in new condition

January 1, 2015, 12:47 PM	#13
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	Virginian, you're right I was wrong. My naked eye is out of calibration so I put the calipers on both barrels and there are a couple of dimensions that are too far off to make work safely. I kind of want to cut the barrel shorter, thats why I want a different barrel to cut. Its ~29" now, 26" would be my preference in a 20ga.

January 4, 2015, 11:57 AM	#14
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	I talked with Mike Orlin on Friday. The barrel for this gun will be sent out on Monday along with the barrel for my single shot Pardner. Why not I save shipping I figure if my kid will be using the single shot for trap and hunting it needs changeable chokes and although I will never recoup the money spent on the single shot if I have to sell it, it will be more useable so there for I won't want to sell it. Thanks for the link to Mike, he is a very knowledgeable guy and I can tell I will be happy with his work. Pics of the newly bored/tapped barrels with True Chokes to come......

January 4, 2015, 07:57 PM	#15
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	Can't wait to see what the work looks like done but it sounds like I might have to mail out a barrel myself.

January 6, 2015, 07:52 PM	#17
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	The barrel(s) on its way to Mike! I can't wait to see his work and use this beautiful old 870 in the field and on the range. I do believe that my old SB1Pardner single shot will be a lot more fun and useful too.

January 13, 2015, 06:17 PM	#18
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	I got my barrels back from Mike Orlen today! Nice work! I will do a separate thread when I get some pics

January 13, 2015, 07:56 PM	#19
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	If possible pictures of what choke and pattern at a certain yardage might be nice too.

January 13, 2015, 08:48 PM	#20
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	It will be a while before i get to pattern either one. I'm not a winter person. There is a indoor range that will let me shoot a shotgun at. I think its 35yds deep. That should do it. I will check it out this weekend