How easy is it to replace a Remington 870 stock?

[Grey_Mana]

Howdy,
I'm a newbie to owning my own shotgun. I got the chance to try out several today, and really enjoyed the feel of the stock of the Remington 870 SPS-T camo.

I don't want to pay that much, and I don't want a barrel that long.

My questions include:
1) is this gun more expensive than other 870s just because of the stock, or does the magnum make that big a difference? Is it better made than, say, the 870 Express?
2) is it safe to shoot magnum shells in regular shotguns, and regular loads in magnum shotguns?
3) It is feasible and easy to switch the stock on a cheaper 870 with an aftermarket stock?

Thanks for the advice!

 

[dfariswheel]

1. The SPS is more expensive because of the stock, the camo finish, and the rifle sights.

2. All newer 870's are Magnum guns.
This simply means they can shoot 3 inch shells. There are also Magnum 2 3/4" shells. The 3" just have more shot in them, they aren't more "powerful".
You can shoot any standard shells 3 inches or shorter in newer 870's.

3. Stock switches are easy:
Grease or soap a Phillips screwdriver shank. This prevents tearing the tiny holes in the butt pad.

Insert the screwdriver into the tiny holes on the butt pad and unscrew the screws, remove the pad.

Inside the stock is a large head bolt. Use a BIG screwdriver to unscrew the bolt, remove the stock.

Replace with the new stock.

 

[Fred Fuller]

870s are the Lego sets of the shotgun world- they are easy to modify and accessorize to your hearts' desire. Unfortunately, far too many 870 owners seem to think that accessories are a substitute for training and practice...

870s that come with wooden stocks have a stock bearing plate (See Part #60 in the drawing at http://www.urban-armory.com/diagrams/rem870.htm ) which acts as a spacer inside the rear of the receiver. Many synthetic stocks don't need this plate. If you switch from synthetic to wood, or to one of the synthetic stocks which does require it, and do not install the stock bearing plate, the rear of the receiver will damage the stock.

Make sure your stock fits correctly before tightening the stock bolt.

lpl

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Remington 870 Guns with serial number ending with M are rated for magnum loads.

Dont let the word Magnum pull on your wallet. Regular 2.75 inch 12 guage or 20 gauges will do just fine depending on situation. My gun happens to be a magnum. Eh, it's a nice feature but was not as important as the other things it offered to me at the time for HD.