Questions about Remington 870 7-round barrel change

Mfinken · August 27, 2012, 06:40 PM

I recently bought a Remington 870 Express synthetic 7-round 18.5" for home defense. I also wanted to shoot skeet and trap etc, so I bought a 28" vent rib barrel made by Remington from cabelas. When I talked to the guy from cabelas he said that it should fit all 870 models, but it seems to me that it should only fit the 5 round guns.

When I take off the old barrel and slide the new one on there's several inches between the thumb screw magazine cap and the barrel guide ring, whereas the original 18.5" barrel is held on only by that magazine cap meeting the guide ring flush without gaps.

Are there separate barrels for different sized magazines, or is this normal for a large gap to be there and the only thing holding the barrel on seems to me to be friction?

Dfariswheel · August 27, 2012, 07:03 PM

Recently Remington has started making an 870 with a longer magazine tube.
These new special guns require a special barrel with a support ring that's attached farther toward the muzzle.

I have no idea if Remington is offering longer barrels for these special models.
You can contact Remington and ask.
They also sell 870 barrels direct.

drail · August 27, 2012, 07:22 PM

For trap and skeet I would just remove the extended magazine and replace it with the factory magazine cap and spring and your long barrel. Unless they've completely changed something. Call Remington and ask.

TheKlawMan · August 27, 2012, 07:48 PM

drail, Like Dfariswheel said, the newer 7 shot 870's are different. Where the old ones had a magzine that held 4 shells and required a 2 round magazine extension to make it hold 6, the new ones have a magazine tube that holds 6 by itself. If you check aound the internet, you will find instructions on how to make a spacer tube that will take up the space between the Vent Rib barrel's lug and the magazine nut. (You can use a piece of PVC pipe.) This was talked about here on TFL not long ago. That or see if Remington makes a 28" VR barrel to fit the 6 round magazine model.

Mfinken · August 27, 2012, 10:43 PM

Yeah I'll have to call Remington tomorrow and see if they have those available. I'm hoping to have it by this weekend so the timing just sucks.

I've looked for a while on google now but haven't seen anything about making spacers. Seems pretty straight forward, but I'd like some reassurance when it comes to at-home firearm tinkering.

TheKlawMan · August 28, 2012, 04:46 AM

Virginian-in-LA talked about making a spacer here. http://thefiringline.com/forums/show....php?p=5141359

If they aren't on the market, they will be soon. Basically, you just need a length of pipe with an inner diameter that allow it to slide over the magazine tube. Cut it so that when you tighten the magazine cap down it holds the barrel in battery. I would use a wave washer that you can buy from Brownells to ensure that it is snug but not overly tight. You can make this our of pvc tubing or pipe. I think Virginian suggested electrical conduit.

(Barrel "seated", not in battery, is what I mean.)

Mfinken · August 28, 2012, 10:05 AM

Just called Remington and they basically told me I'm SOL. The guy I talked to sounded like he'd never heard of that problem before and just told me everything I already knew about the old magazine extensions and how the barrel would fit that.

I guess I'm back to the drawing board on whether I want to risk a homemade piece of pipe malfunctioning or just giving up and renting a long gun at the range.

TheKlawMan · August 28, 2012, 12:59 PM

You have other options if you don't want to risk a home made adapter. Have a gunsmith or machinist make the adapter or, and this will be expensive, have your magazine replaced with the 4 shot shell tube and the 2 shell extension. The second alternative would be expensive. The first will be a lot less costly than renting.

Mfinken · August 28, 2012, 03:15 PM

I already sent an email to a local gunsmith (I'm in Columbus Ohio), so we'll see how that goes. I bought this gun about 3 weeks ago and ditched the box already, so there's a chance I might just get a gun with the setup you're talking about if they'll let me exchange it.

For a gun that's this popular and the reputation Remington has I'm very disappointed with how little they seem to give a crap about this.

gyvel · August 28, 2012, 03:27 PM

Quote:

For a gun that's this popular and the reputation Remington has I'm very disappointed with how little they seem to give a crap about this.

As a rule, there is very little that Remington gives a crap about, other than their own behinds.

TheKlawMan · August 28, 2012, 06:01 PM

I would definitely give the gun store a piece of someting if it told me that I could use other barrels. Did you buy the gun and the barrel at the same time or from the same place?

Quote:

I recently bought a Remington 870 Express synthetic 7-round 18.5" for home defense. I also wanted to shoot skeet and trap etc, so I bought a 28" vent rib barrel made by Remington from cabelas. When I talked to the guy from cabelas he said that it should fit all 870 models, but it seems to me that it should only fit the 5 round guns.

You are learning the way most of us have, which is to buy your first gun. Many, if not the majority of people working in gun stores don't know as much as they think they do. That is probably true about most of us and myself, but they hold themselves out as being knowledgeable.

Mfinken · August 28, 2012, 09:48 PM

No, sadly I got the barrel on the internet from Cabelas. Got the gun from a local gun shop.

TheKlawMan · August 28, 2012, 11:42 PM

Don't worry about it. It is no big thing for a smith to make you a spacer. It is nothing buy a piece of pipe. He can even finish it to match your 870's finish pretty well.

Mfinken · August 29, 2012, 12:42 PM

Here's the official statement from Remington:

"Thank you for contacting Remington. Some of the new tactical models such as yours has the new one-piece magazine tube that does not accept the standard 870 barrel. The one piece design increases reliability in feeding and loading. There is no adapter to change to the standard barrel. I would recommend that you contact the Cabela's store in regard to incorrect information that you were given."

August 27, 2012, 06:40 PM	#1
Mfinken Junior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 6	Questions about Remington 870 7-round barrel change I recently bought a Remington 870 Express synthetic 7-round 18.5" for home defense. I also wanted to shoot skeet and trap etc, so I bought a 28" vent rib barrel made by Remington from cabelas. When I talked to the guy from cabelas he said that it should fit all 870 models, but it seems to me that it should only fit the 5 round guns. When I take off the old barrel and slide the new one on there's several inches between the thumb screw magazine cap and the barrel guide ring, whereas the original 18.5" barrel is held on only by that magazine cap meeting the guide ring flush without gaps. Are there separate barrels for different sized magazines, or is this normal for a large gap to be there and the only thing holding the barrel on seems to me to be friction?

August 28, 2012, 04:46 AM	#6
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,150	Virginian-in-LA talked about making a spacer here. http://thefiringline.com/forums/show....php?p=5141359 If they aren't on the market, they will be soon. Basically, you just need a length of pipe with an inner diameter that allow it to slide over the magazine tube. Cut it so that when you tighten the magazine cap down it holds the barrel in battery. I would use a wave washer that you can buy from Brownells to ensure that it is snug but not overly tight. You can make this our of pvc tubing or pipe. I think Virginian suggested electrical conduit. (Barrel "seated", not in battery, is what I mean.) Last edited by TheKlawMan; August 28, 2012 at 12:51 PM.

August 27, 2012, 07:03 PM	#2
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 6,574	Recently Remington has started making an 870 with a longer magazine tube. These new special guns require a special barrel with a support ring that's attached farther toward the muzzle. I have no idea if Remington is offering longer barrels for these special models. You can contact Remington and ask. They also sell 870 barrels direct.

August 27, 2012, 07:22 PM	#3
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	For trap and skeet I would just remove the extended magazine and replace it with the factory magazine cap and spring and your long barrel. Unless they've completely changed something. Call Remington and ask.

August 27, 2012, 07:48 PM	#4
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,150	drail, Like Dfariswheel said, the newer 7 shot 870's are different. Where the old ones had a magzine that held 4 shells and required a 2 round magazine extension to make it hold 6, the new ones have a magazine tube that holds 6 by itself. If you check aound the internet, you will find instructions on how to make a spacer tube that will take up the space between the Vent Rib barrel's lug and the magazine nut. (You can use a piece of PVC pipe.) This was talked about here on TFL not long ago. That or see if Remington makes a 28" VR barrel to fit the 6 round magazine model.

August 27, 2012, 10:43 PM	#5
Mfinken Junior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 6	Yeah I'll have to call Remington tomorrow and see if they have those available. I'm hoping to have it by this weekend so the timing just sucks. I've looked for a while on google now but haven't seen anything about making spacers. Seems pretty straight forward, but I'd like some reassurance when it comes to at-home firearm tinkering.

August 28, 2012, 10:05 AM	#7
Mfinken Junior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 6	Just called Remington and they basically told me I'm SOL. The guy I talked to sounded like he'd never heard of that problem before and just told me everything I already knew about the old magazine extensions and how the barrel would fit that. I guess I'm back to the drawing board on whether I want to risk a homemade piece of pipe malfunctioning or just giving up and renting a long gun at the range.

August 28, 2012, 12:59 PM	#8
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,150	You have other options if you don't want to risk a home made adapter. Have a gunsmith or machinist make the adapter or, and this will be expensive, have your magazine replaced with the 4 shot shell tube and the 2 shell extension. The second alternative would be expensive. The first will be a lot less costly than renting.

August 28, 2012, 03:15 PM	#9
Mfinken Junior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 6	I already sent an email to a local gunsmith (I'm in Columbus Ohio), so we'll see how that goes. I bought this gun about 3 weeks ago and ditched the box already, so there's a chance I might just get a gun with the setup you're talking about if they'll let me exchange it. For a gun that's this popular and the reputation Remington has I'm very disappointed with how little they seem to give a crap about this.

August 28, 2012, 09:48 PM	#12
Mfinken Junior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 6	No, sadly I got the barrel on the internet from Cabelas. Got the gun from a local gun shop.

August 28, 2012, 11:42 PM	#13
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,150	Don't worry about it. It is no big thing for a smith to make you a spacer. It is nothing buy a piece of pipe. He can even finish it to match your 870's finish pretty well.

August 29, 2012, 12:42 PM	#14
Mfinken Junior Member Join Date: August 27, 2012 Posts: 6	Here's the official statement from Remington: "Thank you for contacting Remington. Some of the new tactical models such as yours has the new one-piece magazine tube that does not accept the standard 870 barrel. The one piece design increases reliability in feeding and loading. There is no adapter to change to the standard barrel. I would recommend that you contact the Cabela's store in regard to incorrect information that you were given."