18" Barrel or New Shotgun


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nachosgrande
December 1, 2008, 11:05 PM
I've got a Remington 870 with a 28" barrel. I'd like to get an 18" barrel for it, but the cheapest I could find one was $120 from Cabela's. I can go right up the street and get a brand new Mossberg with an 18" barrel for under $200. Anyone know of any cheaper sources for shorter barrels? Otherwise the Mossberg sounds like much more for my money.

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blutarsky
December 1, 2008, 11:13 PM
tough call ... although i can only speak as to what i did. personally, i had an 870 with a 26" barrel, and i decided to buy an additional barrel for it instead of a whole other gun. i've since gotten another barrel so now i have three barrels (standard 26", 18" cyl, and 20" w/ rifle sites) for the same gun. in any case, stick with the factory remington barrels since the fit and finish is great, perfect match.

granted, you said "...brand new Mossberg with an 18" barrel for under $200..." so that kinda puts it in perspective, if the difference is really only ~$75 and you get a whole extra gun, and it's of good quality, then that could be good ... but my only dealings are with the 870 and i'm super pleased.

BP44
December 1, 2008, 11:16 PM
Sounds like a good excuse to buy a new shotgun:D
I would!!!

bgeddes
December 1, 2008, 11:26 PM
For the back up factor, I say buy the Mossy in the same gauge.

GRIZ22
December 1, 2008, 11:32 PM
Having 2 shotguns would be better.

Geneseo1911
December 1, 2008, 11:37 PM
Buy the cheapest barrel you can find (used on gunbroker) and a hacksaw. Hacksaws are handy to have anyway. Just make sure to measure carefully...

fireman 9731
December 1, 2008, 11:40 PM
I would try to find a nice used barrel.

monkyboy1975
December 1, 2008, 11:47 PM
I think Mossberg makes a shorter barrel for the 870, last time I checked it was under 100 dollars. was thinking of getting one myself.
Mossberg 91335 Cylinder Bore Barrel w/Front Bead Sight, 12 Gauge, 18 1/2", Rem 870


Click to enlarge Stock # [SS46586]
Our Low Price: $100.76





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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Product Details & Specifications
MOSSBERG & SONS INC Model 535 and Rem 870 Barrels
Mossberg Cylinder Bore Barrel w/Front Bead Sight

Mossberg replacement shotgun barrels let you replace and customize your Mossberg 500, 835, 935, and Remington 870 shotguns barrels, and are the best deal going on replacement slug barrels for the 870 shotguns.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Mfg Item Num: 91335
Category: FIREARMS - EXTRA BARRELS
Gauge/Caliber :12 GA
Length :18 1/2"
Model :Rem 870
Chokes :Cylinder Bore
Sights :Front Bead
Bore-Rifled :
Finish :Matte Blue



Found it at ableammo.com

zoom6zoom
December 2, 2008, 12:00 AM
Is the Cabelas price for an OEM barrel? The Brownells price with FFL discount is 130 or 144 depending on which sites it has.

texnutah
December 2, 2008, 02:47 AM
My Mossberg came with two barrels, one being the 18". Got it for $220 at Big 5 Sporting Goods. Great gun. I would go for the gun, not the barrel. Can you have too many shotguns?

RT

ugaarguy
December 2, 2008, 03:27 AM
I assume you desire an 18" bbl shotgun for home defense. If so, get the 18" 870 bbl. Otherwise, save up for another 870, or sell your 870 and get two Mossbergs if you want to have two shotguns around. The reason I say this is that the controls on Remingtons and Mossbergs are entirely different. Under stress you'll revert to what's been reenforced by repetition, so it would be best to have hunting and defensive shotguns with the same controls.

mgkdrgn
December 2, 2008, 08:06 AM
I've got a Remington 870 with a 28" barrel. I'd like to get an 18" barrel for it, but the cheapest I could find one was $120 from Cabela's. I can go right up the street and get a brand new Mossberg with an 18" barrel for under $200. Anyone know of any cheaper sources for shorter barrels? Otherwise the Mossberg sounds like much more for my money.

Multiple shotguns ain't a bad thing. However ... if you want to save $100+

http://www.havlinsales.com/

Click on "close out barrels" on the left, go down about 1/2 of the page for 870 barrels made by Mossberg.

marklbucla
December 2, 2008, 01:07 PM
I faced that same question years ago and opted to go with the Mossberg Persuader extended tube model. It's a good excuse to get familiar with a different shotgun.

Eventually, I sold it and went with the 18" barrel for the 870. I didn't like the idea of different styles of shotguns, so I kept the one I liked best.

PJR
December 2, 2008, 02:31 PM
I assume you desire an 18" bbl shotgun for home defense. If so, get the 18" 870 bbl. Otherwise, save up for another 870, or sell your 870 and get two Mossbergs if you want to have two shotguns around. The reason I say this is that the controls on Remingtons and Mossbergs are entirely different. Under stress you'll revert to what's been reenforced by repetition, so it would be best to have hunting and defensive shotguns with the same controls.
Best advice yet. And one of the reasons I don't own a pump gun other than an 870.

Rupestris
December 2, 2008, 02:48 PM
Order a 18.5" barrel directly from Remington.

Part No. 242243
Price - $96.40 USD
18.5"
Parkerized
I/C fixed choke
Bead sight

Its listed about 1/2 way down page 30 on the following parts list:
http://www.remington.com/pdfs/rempartslist.pdf

Gord
December 2, 2008, 03:01 PM
+1 Rupestris, or go with a Mossberg-made 870 barrel (finish may not match as they're blued, but hey, they're cheap).

I was in the same boat as you - my pawnshop rescue Express came with a 26" vent rib barrel. I debated on whether to buy a barrel or a whole 'nother gun, but with 870s only occasionally showing up on used racks around here (invariably with a 28" barrel, and around $200+) it made more sense to just buy a barrel from Remington. Now I've got the 18.5" screwed on and ready to go in the corner, and a 26" in the gunsafe for jackrabbits and clays. Doesn't get much better... :D

earlthegoat2
December 2, 2008, 09:55 PM
You could either have a Remington 870 with an 18" barrel for 150 or a Mossberg 500 with an 18" barrel for 200.

I think I know the answer most would choose. The obvious one.

ktd
December 2, 2008, 11:01 PM
I assume you desire an 18" bbl shotgun for home defense. If so, get the 18" 870 bbl. Otherwise, save up for another 870, or sell your 870 and get two Mossbergs if you want to have two shotguns around. The reason I say this is that the controls on Remingtons and Mossbergs are entirely different. Under stress you'll revert to what's been reenforced by repetition, so it would be best to have hunting and defensive shotguns with the same controls.

Yeah, but if you keep a housegun chamber empty like a lot of people they all handle pretty much the same. Most people hunt chamber loaded safety on, so that wil probably be a different mode of operation from the house gun anyway.

Myself I have both, and generally use the Mossberg for a housegun (I shoot left handed so I like the safety better).

Go with whichever one makes you feel better.

ugaarguy
December 3, 2008, 02:16 AM
Yeah, but if you keep a housegun chamber empty like a lot of people they all handle pretty much the same.
Except that the slide release on a Mossberg is where the safety is on a Remington. It would be a shame to sit there squeezing the front of the trigger guard on the mossy, trying to rack the slide and chamber a round, all the while nothing happening.
Most people hunt chamber loaded safety on, so that wil probably be a different mode of operation from the house gun anyway.
You still need to use the slide release to check for a clear chamber when taking the hunting shotgun out for use, and you'll use the slide release to safely unload the hunting shotgun.

jakemccoy
December 3, 2008, 02:23 AM
I agree with ugaarguy.

I faced the same dilemma as the OP. I ended up buying a short barrel for my Wingmaster. Later, I bought another 870. Now, I have 3 barrels and all types of options for two 870s. Plus, a second 870 is instant replacement parts of all parts. The same goes with any two identical guns in your collection.

Dave McCracken
December 3, 2008, 08:38 AM
That's why, even though I like the Ithaca 37, Winchester Model 12 and other pumps, Casa McC has only 870s for pump guns.

Same controls, feel and "Chops".

Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
December 3, 2008, 08:44 AM
New shotgun.

Shotguns are cheap and changing barrels is a hassle.

esq_stu
December 3, 2008, 08:45 AM
I think Mossberg makes a shorter barrel for the 870They do, and I found one used for about $50 a few years ago. Keep looking. Keep checking Gunbroker and Auctionarms. And if you live near Cabelas, try their Bargain Cave - that's where I got the Mossberg barrel.

Also, I found an old rusty plain barrel for my 1100 for around $35, which I cut down to the legal limit. I got that on gunbroker.com.

Now both my 870 and 1100 can do dual duty.

mgkdrgn
December 3, 2008, 02:48 PM
But here's a problem. I just called Remington. They don't have any short barrels in stock. They have been backorderd for over a month. And they don't know when they will get any more. All they said was it will be a long time.

Anybody want to buy an 870? This just sucks. At this point I'd say buy the Mossberg.

Well, you can sell your 870 to me (like I need a 3rd!), or you can get your barrel from here http://www.havlinsales.com/ and save some $ over a direct Remington buy to boot.

* left side of page, close out barrels, about 1/2 way down that page. Mossberg made for the 870.

Gord
December 3, 2008, 04:10 PM
Shotguns are cheap and changing barrels is a hassle.

Uh...

It takes about a minute to change a barrel on an 870.

And that's if you're blind and trying to do it in the midst of a Siberian winter without gloves. It takes maybe twenty seconds to unscrew the mag tube cap, pop the barrel off, put the new one on and rescrew the cap. I'm not seeing the hassle...

jakemccoy
December 3, 2008, 05:03 PM
yeah, no hassle on 870

kmrcstintn
December 3, 2008, 08:58 PM
four options:

1) go for the Mossberg manufactured barrel that fits the Remington 870 (if you don't mind that the finish on the barrel & receiver will NOT match)

2) pay the higher price for the remington manufactured barrel just to have an aethetically matching combo

3) shop online or in various shops for a used barrel that fits (or take a longer used field barrel & cut it to 18.5" and mount a bead sight on it)

4) buy a separate shotgun that is specially equipped for defense or comes as a combo with a defender barrel

what I will do: I have a Mossy 500 field/deer combo & I plan to equip it with a Mossy defender barrel & an inline muzzleloader barrel

NCgunny
December 3, 2008, 09:04 PM
New England makes a home defense pump shotgun with an 18 1/2'' barrel for $200. controls are identical to the 870 and most 870 stocks and accessories work well with it.

ds92
December 3, 2008, 09:29 PM
My father has a mossberg-manufactured 870 barrel on his 870 for home defense, and everything else, and it does quite well for whatever we ask of it. however, i personally, in your situation would buy the 18" barrel. Personally, i like only having as many guns as i currently need. Keeps it simple, allows for more practice time on each gun, etc.

shotgunjoel
December 3, 2008, 11:36 PM
Just use this as an oportunity to acquire one more shotgun for the collection. Remember 2 is better than 1, if there is something wrong with one, you always have a backup. If they are both the same model then you can even swap barrels if need be.

Gord
December 4, 2008, 02:17 PM
New England makes a home defense pump shotgun with an 18 1/2'' barrel for $200. controls are identical to the 870 and most 870 stocks and accessories work well with it.

For thirty bucks more, you can get the real deal - albeit with a 28" vent rib, but you can just as easily sell that, put the funds towards an 18.5" and possibly even make a little money on the sale. Why bother with Chinese?

I started to say 30 seconds but I didn't want to seem cocky. :)

I don't mean to come off as cocky either, but seriously - it's a screw cap and a barrel that yanks straight out. It's about as complicated as making a PB&J.

kurik
December 4, 2008, 03:42 PM
I got a 18.5 inch Mossberg made bbl for my 870 Express and the finish on the bbl is matte, not blue. Matches up quite nicely. Barely used bbl and got it for $90.

alde
December 5, 2008, 12:43 PM
Midway has Mossberg 500 12 Ga 18.5" barrels on sale for $79 right now. They are on backorder but that's a good deal. They are pretty hard to find right now.

50caliber123
December 9, 2008, 04:12 AM
Anyone know where I can get a 18.5" barrel with rifle sights for my Remington 870 express? I also want the barrel to be threaded for remchokes. Thanks

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