[..]

Where can I get one in matte/park finish? Can't seem to locate one.

[Dave McCracken]

Check with whatever gun shop gets most of the LE business in your area. Or, contact DML who postes here. Back on TFL, he had a messa short barrels he was selling off.

[DML]

Don't check with me right now. The shop is in the process of moving to AZ and I'm still in the People's RepubliK of Kalifornia. We should be setup in about a month.

We have new parkerized 18" barrels, but they have all been Vang Comped. I may have a nice Express barrel that hasn't been done. I'll take a look as soon as I can. I'll keep you posted.

[Preacherman]

Mossberg makes an 18½" barrel for the 870 that should suit you - and it's MUCH cheaper than the Remington product! See here (http://www.mossberg.com/acatalog/pricebarrels.htm) for details - scroll down to the bottom of the page for their 870 barrels. You can order direct from them.

[Denny Hansen]

Preacherman has a good idea. And since Mossberg makes the barrels for Remington in the first place, why pay more?

An alternative is to buy a can of baking laquer from Brownells and refinish the piece yourself. Available in several colors including two shades of "parkerizing" its simple to apply. I finished my 11-87P in OD (bored with black guns) about 18 months ago and the stuff wears like iron.

Denny

[Preacherman]

Denny, you've just given me a naughty idea. I have a friend who shoots with the Pink Pistols. I wonder how he'd like a pink shotgun?

:D :evil: :D :evil: :D

[W.Va.Glassman]

Are the Mossy-Remington barrels made in Mexico?

[Dave McCracken]

Preach, you beat me to it. Maybe a nice shade of lavender.....

[Denny Hansen]

Pink? Lavender? Both would be perfectly acceptable as "tactical" colors in one Northern California city that comes to mind:neener:

Denny

[Dave McCracken]

Denny, a specialized kind of "Urban Camo"? It'd work for Tac Ops near Dupont Circle in DC, I'm sure....

More seriously, I may check out that stuff from Brownell's. Mght be time to refurb Frankenstein.

Was it hard to do?

[Kharn]

Do the Mossberg 870 barrels have the Wingmaster/Police detent built in, or are they only for Express models?

Kharn

[Denny Hansen]

Dave-
It's really pretty easy. Bead blast the parts and degrease, spray on three coats of baking lacquer, and bake in the oven at 300 for 15-20 minutes. Great results. My 11-87 wears OD, and I just traded a S&W Model 10 for an Express that I will probably do in either "parkerizing" or "Earth brown."

Kharn-
As far as I know, Mossberg still furnishes Remington with all their shotgun barrels so yes, they have the detent.

Denny

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks! That's what I love about this BB, good info and helpful, knowledgeable folks.

Of two minds about this, come to think of it, I kinda like Frankestein's, uh, distinctive, mongrel look. It's easy to find at the range in the rack, too...

[Bix]

On Mossberg Barrels:

I purchased a Mossberg replacement barrel for my 870. I can offer a couple things:

1. The barrel has a detent ball, Kharn.

2. When compared to a factory police barrel of equal length, the Mossberg barrel is noticeably thinner and lighter.

3. The bore finish is NOT mirror. The barrel came this way and no amount of cleaning has changed it.

4. The barrel patterns acceptably with a variety of buck and bird loads at HD ranges. Slugs - not so much. They run about a foot high just outside of 30 yards; although I'm happy to attribute that to the shooter.:)

If any of the the above gives you pause (as it did me), you might want to consider shopping around for a used 18" wingmaster or police barrel (as I did).

Used remington "riot" barrels regularly sell on Ebay for $90-$120. In fact, there's one running right now that you can grab for $109:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3617155342&category=310

Given that the Mossy barrels retail for around $100 (closer to $90 at cheaperthandirt), the used factory barrel struck me as a good choice.

HTH

[..]

Thanks for the info.

[Mannlicher]

the riflesight 20 inch barrel I put on my Wingmaster is matte finished, more like Parkerized. Cabela's for $119

[dustind]

How does the Mossberg 18.5 pattern at 30 yards or so? I imagine I can not hunt or skeet shoot with it without modification?