The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 870 Mods to Make an All-rounder

Guyon · December 12, 2001, 01:58 AM

Welcome to TFL twix.

If clay sports and home defense are your intended purposes, then you might consider the combo I chose.

Keep your 28" barrel for clays. Most clay shooters will tell you to go with a longer barrel (up to 30") because, as PJR points out, it helps you follow through on shots more easily.

For the shorter home defense barrel, Cabela's sells a 20" barrel with rifle sights. It comes in an Express finish and in two versions: rifled barrel or fixed improved cylinder. I went with the latter option so I could shoot birdshot, buckshot, and rifled slugs out of the barrel. At Cabela's, the barrel runs $105 plus $10 for shipping.

As for mag extensions, a lot of people like the Tac-Star. I personally chose the Choate kit. The Choate has been around a while and has been used by the military and FBI. They sell a range of lengths. I bought the 8-shot extension that fits the 20 inch barrel perfectly. Comes with extension, a clamp, the spring, and a good hi-vis follower. Also, the parkerized version they sell matches the Express finish quite nicely.

If you insist on chokes in the shorter barrel, Remington does make one (21" I think) for their Express turkey guns. It's threaded for Remchokes, and has the Express finish. Don't know about cost on this one though.

Anyway, I totally agree with PJR. By the time you spend all that money at the gunsmith's, you could have two barrels for different applications.

December 12, 2001, 01:58 AM	#3
Guyon Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2000 Location: Over the Hills and Through the Woods, Tennessee Posts: 1,207	Welcome to TFL twix. If clay sports and home defense are your intended purposes, then you might consider the combo I chose. Keep your 28" barrel for clays. Most clay shooters will tell you to go with a longer barrel (up to 30") because, as PJR points out, it helps you follow through on shots more easily. For the shorter home defense barrel, Cabela's sells a 20" barrel with rifle sights. It comes in an Express finish and in two versions: rifled barrel or fixed improved cylinder. I went with the latter option so I could shoot birdshot, buckshot, and rifled slugs out of the barrel. At Cabela's, the barrel runs $105 plus $10 for shipping. As for mag extensions, a lot of people like the Tac-Star. I personally chose the Choate kit. The Choate has been around a while and has been used by the military and FBI. They sell a range of lengths. I bought the 8-shot extension that fits the 20 inch barrel perfectly. Comes with extension, a clamp, the spring, and a good hi-vis follower. Also, the parkerized version they sell matches the Express finish quite nicely. If you insist on chokes in the shorter barrel, Remington does make one (21" I think) for their Express turkey guns. It's threaded for Remchokes, and has the Express finish. Don't know about cost on this one though. Anyway, I totally agree with PJR. By the time you spend all that money at the gunsmith's, you could have two barrels for different applications. __________________ Gun control should just be about hitting your target.