18" Barrel or New Shotgun

[nachosgrande]

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.

 

[blutarsky]

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]

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a new shotgun
I would!!!

 

[bgeddes]

For the back up factor, I say buy the Mossy in the same gauge.

 

[GRIZ22]

Having 2 shotguns would be better.

 

[Geneseo1911]

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]

I would try to find a nice used barrel.

 

[monkyboy1975]

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]

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]

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]

Barrel

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

+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...

 

[earlthegoat2]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

New shotgun.

Shotguns are cheap and changing barrels is a hassle.

 

[esq_stu]

I think Mossberg makes a shorter barrel for the 870

They 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]

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]

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...