Remington 870 Express Magnum

Maxamillion_16 · July 29, 2012, 04:06 PM

Hey Guys, i just purchased a used Remington 870 express 20 gauge. My shotgun says express magnum on the side of the receiver, and it shoots 2 34" and 3" shells, that is what all 20 gauges shoot! why does it say Magnum on the side?The new 870 Express 20 gauge shoots the same shells but it doesn't say Magnum on the receiver magnum. Any body know why??

Pahoo · July 29, 2012, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Any body know why??

Yes, as that is how they were made, lets say, back in the 80's or so. The magnums came with 3" barrels. ....

As an example, I owned an 1100 Magnum that was owned by an old duck hunter. At that time, you could also get a non-magnum with a 2-3/4" chamber.

Be Safe !!!

Maxamillion_16 · July 29, 2012, 04:41 PM

Hey Pahoo, mine came only with a Hastings paradox slug barrel that shoots 2 34" and 3" shells. Do you know where i could purchase a vented rib barrel for my 20 gauge 870 express? and do you have to get a specific magnum barrel or will any 2o gauge barrel work?

Pahoo · July 29, 2012, 04:55 PM

My Express, is and older one, in 12ga. and the last barrel I bought, was a slug barrel from Cabelas, in Prairie du Chien, WI. You might start there for new but know that there are tons of used ones and perhaps one of this crew can come up with one. ...

Bought it with my points !! ....

Be Safe !!!

Maxamillion_16 · July 29, 2012, 06:18 PM

thanks i might check there! but if i have the 20 gauge magnum, will the barrel have to be different from that of a regular 20 gauge vented rib barrel?

Maxamillion_16 · July 29, 2012, 06:23 PM

Im hoping that i can just use a regular 20 gauge 2 34" and 3" barrel, not have to get something fancy for the Magnum

Virginian · July 29, 2012, 07:38 PM

Look on Gunbroker, Gunsamerica, corsonsbarrels, barrelexchange, and eBay. You need an LW 20 sized barrel - all Expresses are built on that size receiver - and the description should say what it is. Expresses have a matte finish, so get one of those if you want it to match. If you want to pay new prices - Remington, Cabelas, Midway and others also sell them.

Maxamillion_16 · July 29, 2012, 08:55 PM

Hey Viryinan, so i dont need to get a 20 gauge "Magnum" barrel i can just get the standard size 870 express barrel?

drail · July 30, 2012, 12:01 PM

I think that if the reciever is marked as Magnum the ejector is located in a different place for the longer shell. Barrels marked 2 3/4 & 3 will chamber and fire them but a non Mag reciever may not extract and eject them properly because the ejector setup is different.

BigJimP · July 30, 2012, 12:36 PM

There are still a lot of 20ga guns being made today that will not shoot 3" shells ...chambers on these guns are marked 2 3/4" .../ probably more common on O/U's than pumps or semi-autos...

In guns today - the word "magnum" is used in marketing ...and can mean all kinds of things...so its dangerous to assume it always means one thing...../ while it is common for it in a 20ga to mean that the gun is chambered in 3" shells ...and that refers to the chamber in the barrel - not just the receiver / that needs to be a llittle longer or with a bigger port to cycle spent 3" shells.

Remember the length of a shell - is the "fired length" ...not the "pre-fired length".

Virginian · July 30, 2012, 06:34 PM

All Expresses will shoot 2-3/4" or 3" Magnum shells. Remington had quit making 2-3/4" only 870s before they introduced the Expresses.
All 3" chambered barrels are Magnums whether they say Magnum or not. By definition, a 3" shell in 20 or 12 gauge is a magnum.

BigJimP · July 30, 2012, 07:04 PM

I understand your point Virginian....

but here is an example of how this term Magnum has been used by marketing ...at least in a 12ga shell...to refer it to as a Magnum / even though its 2 3/4" long...

http://www.sportsmanmart.com/gns-472...hannelid=NEXTA
------------------
In a 12ga --- you have to be careful that you aren't trying to fire a 3 1/2" Magnum shell in a barrel that is only chambered for 3" magnums or field loads...

Shooters like you and I have a lot of experience ...and understand how shell boxes are marked....but litterally every time I go to my gun club...someone asks about their shells, are they ok to shoot -- and they often, and with newbies almost all the time ...mix up the DR EQ with the length - and unfortunately have little to no idea of what they mean .....they just think any old 20ga shell will fit and fire in any 20ga gun .... / and the different shell companies mark their boxes differently ...and sometimes it takes a minute to really study what you have in the box..
----------------
But back to this OP's point on 20ga shells...I don't think there are any
3 1/2" chambers out there ...or 3 1/2" shells in a 20ga...but it doesn't mean someone won't develop one sometime soon.

TheKlawMan · July 31, 2012, 03:35 AM

Virginian-in-LA says you need a 20 gauge light weight (lw) magnum barrel. IF THAT IS TRUE, there is a 28" vent rib barrel marked Magnum 3" on Ebay with a set to close bidding @ 11:40 PDT today. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Remington-Mo...item43b2082c17

That may be a fixed choke barrel.

Virginian · July 31, 2012, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Shooters like you and I have a lot of experience ...and understand how shell boxes are marked....but litterally every time I go to my gun club...someone asks about their shells, are they ok to shoot -- and they often, and with newbies almost all the time ...mix up the DR EQ with the length - and unfortunately have little to no idea of what they mean .....they just think any old 20ga shell will fit and fire in any 20ga gun .... / and the different shell companies mark their boxes differently ...and sometimes it takes a minute to really study what you have in the box..

True. And you SHOULD adjust the mirrors and find the controls in your rental car before launching, but following people out of the airports it is apparent that DON'T happen.
The problem as I see it today is that shotguns are not like video games. The instant gratification is fraught with risk. If you screw up you can't just reboot, but people are unwilling to spend any time reading and learning before jumping in with both feet. I knew a LOT about shotguns and rifles, and a little bit about handguns, before I got my own very first gun - a single shot .22 - selling Christmas cards 54 years ago at age ten. I am not an education expert, but I have seen the attention span of new shooters I have been teaching going down over the years like a rock in the pond. I don't have an answer, but I think disabusing people of the idea that every single part of everything in life must be fun would be a good start. That and making them learn how to read.

BigJimP · July 31, 2012, 11:49 AM

The good thing - is the internet / this forum - and other places is a good place to get info ....../aking it way easier to get info than it was 30 yrs ago...

The bad thing about weapons platforms in general ...not just shotguns...is a lot of new shooters tend to belive everything they hear.../ even on this forum ....you have to take everything in ...and make whatever adjustments you need to do to fit your own needs - and understand the weapon platform - especially when it comes to safety issues like shell length / chamber sizes.

If I had a nickel for every time I hear someone say at a gun club or in a gun shop ....:

a "well gee, I ran these 3" shells into the magazine of my gun ...and they cycled in and out of the barrel as a test just fine...." or

b. " I tested the length of the chamber in this old 20ga by just dropping
a 3" shell in there ..and the gun closed fine...so it must be good to go
with 3" shells...

and sometimes - someone who ought to know better agrees with them ..

....I'd be at least a millionaire.....

------------
Info is good ....but mis-information is dangerous !!

jmr40 · July 31, 2012, 01:40 PM

Many 20's will only shoot 2 3/4" shells. Yours is labeled as a magnum because it will also shoot 3" shells.

Maxamillion_16 · July 31, 2012, 04:52 PM

So i can just get a standard 20 gauge vent rib barrel that shoots 2 34" and 3" shells right?

birdshot · July 31, 2012, 07:18 PM

Max, as I posted on one of your other threads: Any barrel with a small ring will fit your gun, except for a special field barrel. Look for barrels which a quarter will not pass through the magazine ring. Since your gun is an express you should be able to find many barrels. Look at ebay.

The term "standard barrel" is used to designate a large ring barrel. Which is for the twenty gauge guns built on the twelve gauge receiver. So don't ask for standard barrel.

The Special Field was a short barrel english stocked gun and it has a magazine ring which is closer to the chamber. This barrel only fits the special field gun. IT was 20 inches if I recall correctly.

July 29, 2012, 04:06 PM	#1
Maxamillion_16 Member Join Date: July 25, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Remington 870 Express Magnum Hey Guys, i just purchased a used Remington 870 express 20 gauge. My shotgun says express magnum on the side of the receiver, and it shoots 2 34" and 3" shells, that is what all 20 gauges shoot! why does it say Magnum on the side?The new 870 Express 20 gauge shoots the same shells but it doesn't say Magnum on the receiver magnum. Any body know why??

July 29, 2012, 04:55 PM	#4
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	There are many places to get one !! My Express, is and older one, in 12ga. and the last barrel I bought, was a slug barrel from Cabelas, in Prairie du Chien, WI. You might start there for new but know that there are tons of used ones and perhaps one of this crew can come up with one. ... Bought it with my points !! .... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

July 29, 2012, 06:23 PM	#6
Maxamillion_16 Member Join Date: July 25, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Im hoping that i can just use a regular 20 gauge 2 34" and 3" barrel, not have to get something fancy for the Magnum Last edited by Maxamillion_16; July 29, 2012 at 06:37 PM.

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July 29, 2012, 04:41 PM	#3
Maxamillion_16 Member Join Date: July 25, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Hey Pahoo, mine came only with a Hastings paradox slug barrel that shoots 2 34" and 3" shells. Do you know where i could purchase a vented rib barrel for my 20 gauge 870 express? and do you have to get a specific magnum barrel or will any 2o gauge barrel work?

July 29, 2012, 06:18 PM	#5
Maxamillion_16 Member Join Date: July 25, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	thanks i might check there! but if i have the 20 gauge magnum, will the barrel have to be different from that of a regular 20 gauge vented rib barrel?

July 29, 2012, 07:38 PM	#7
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	Look on Gunbroker, Gunsamerica, corsonsbarrels, barrelexchange, and eBay. You need an LW 20 sized barrel - all Expresses are built on that size receiver - and the description should say what it is. Expresses have a matte finish, so get one of those if you want it to match. If you want to pay new prices - Remington, Cabelas, Midway and others also sell them.

July 29, 2012, 08:55 PM	#8
Maxamillion_16 Member Join Date: July 25, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	Hey Viryinan, so i dont need to get a 20 gauge "Magnum" barrel i can just get the standard size 870 express barrel?

July 30, 2012, 12:01 PM	#9
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	I think that if the reciever is marked as Magnum the ejector is located in a different place for the longer shell. Barrels marked 2 3/4 & 3 will chamber and fire them but a non Mag reciever may not extract and eject them properly because the ejector setup is different.

July 30, 2012, 12:36 PM	#10
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	There are still a lot of 20ga guns being made today that will not shoot 3" shells ...chambers on these guns are marked 2 3/4" .../ probably more common on O/U's than pumps or semi-autos... In guns today - the word "magnum" is used in marketing ...and can mean all kinds of things...so its dangerous to assume it always means one thing...../ while it is common for it in a 20ga to mean that the gun is chambered in 3" shells ...and that refers to the chamber in the barrel - not just the receiver / that needs to be a llittle longer or with a bigger port to cycle spent 3" shells. Remember the length of a shell - is the "fired length" ...not the "pre-fired length".

July 30, 2012, 06:34 PM	#11
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	All Expresses will shoot 2-3/4" or 3" Magnum shells. Remington had quit making 2-3/4" only 870s before they introduced the Expresses. All 3" chambered barrels are Magnums whether they say Magnum or not. By definition, a 3" shell in 20 or 12 gauge is a magnum.

July 30, 2012, 07:04 PM	#12
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I understand your point Virginian.... but here is an example of how this term Magnum has been used by marketing ...at least in a 12ga shell...to refer it to as a Magnum / even though its 2 3/4" long... http://www.sportsmanmart.com/gns-472...hannelid=NEXTA ------------------ In a 12ga --- you have to be careful that you aren't trying to fire a 3 1/2" Magnum shell in a barrel that is only chambered for 3" magnums or field loads... Shooters like you and I have a lot of experience ...and understand how shell boxes are marked....but litterally every time I go to my gun club...someone asks about their shells, are they ok to shoot -- and they often, and with newbies almost all the time ...mix up the DR EQ with the length - and unfortunately have little to no idea of what they mean .....they just think any old 20ga shell will fit and fire in any 20ga gun .... / and the different shell companies mark their boxes differently ...and sometimes it takes a minute to really study what you have in the box.. ---------------- But back to this OP's point on 20ga shells...I don't think there are any 3 1/2" chambers out there ...or 3 1/2" shells in a 20ga...but it doesn't mean someone won't develop one sometime soon.

July 31, 2012, 03:35 AM	#13
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Virginian-in-LA says you need a 20 gauge light weight (lw) magnum barrel. IF THAT IS TRUE, there is a 28" vent rib barrel marked Magnum 3" on Ebay with a set to close bidding @ 11:40 PDT today. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Remington-Mo...item43b2082c17 That may be a fixed choke barrel.

July 31, 2012, 11:49 AM	#15
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	The good thing - is the internet / this forum - and other places is a good place to get info ....../aking it way easier to get info than it was 30 yrs ago... The bad thing about weapons platforms in general ...not just shotguns...is a lot of new shooters tend to belive everything they hear.../ even on this forum ....you have to take everything in ...and make whatever adjustments you need to do to fit your own needs - and understand the weapon platform - especially when it comes to safety issues like shell length / chamber sizes. If I had a nickel for every time I hear someone say at a gun club or in a gun shop ....: a "well gee, I ran these 3" shells into the magazine of my gun ...and they cycled in and out of the barrel as a test just fine...." or b. " I tested the length of the chamber in this old 20ga by just dropping a 3" shell in there ..and the gun closed fine...so it must be good to go with 3" shells... and sometimes - someone who ought to know better agrees with them .. ....I'd be at least a millionaire..... ------------ Info is good ....but mis-information is dangerous !!

July 31, 2012, 01:40 PM	#16
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	Many 20's will only shoot 2 3/4" shells. Yours is labeled as a magnum because it will also shoot 3" shells.

July 31, 2012, 04:52 PM	#17
Maxamillion_16 Member Join Date: July 25, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 38	So i can just get a standard 20 gauge vent rib barrel that shoots 2 34" and 3" shells right?

July 31, 2012, 07:18 PM	#18
birdshot Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2008 Location: north platte nebraska Posts: 344	Max, as I posted on one of your other threads: Any barrel with a small ring will fit your gun, except for a special field barrel. Look for barrels which a quarter will not pass through the magazine ring. Since your gun is an express you should be able to find many barrels. Look at ebay. The term "standard barrel" is used to designate a large ring barrel. Which is for the twenty gauge guns built on the twelve gauge receiver. So don't ask for standard barrel. The Special Field was a short barrel english stocked gun and it has a magazine ring which is closer to the chamber. This barrel only fits the special field gun. IT was 20 inches if I recall correctly.