shortening barrels
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Black Snowman
Member
Unless you can do the machining yourself I'd recommend just buying a replacement barrel as it will be similar in cost and let you switch back if you like. 870 barrels can be commonly had and are relatively inexpensive. Don't forget you'll need to redo the sights as well.
Buying a barrel will also avoid any possible legal issues although there shouldn't be any with that length of barrel.
Buying a barrel will also avoid any possible legal issues although there shouldn't be any with that length of barrel.
I do not believe a barrel can be threaded for remchokes but they can be threaded to accept other readily available chokes. Any competent gunsmith can cut the barrel and thread it to accept chokes.
It should be cheaper than a new barrel and that old 30" will be more versatile.
It should be cheaper than a new barrel and that old 30" will be more versatile.
The problems with cutting back a barrel and then trying to thread it for chokes can be hard to overcome. The gunsmith should measure the wall of the barrel at the point where the new muzzle will be just to make sure there will be enough thickness to accept the threading. (Remember that the inside of a shotguns barrel tends to vary in diameter, and some of the older barrels are too thin to accept any screw in choke systems).
Another problem that can be encountered is the possibility of the bore being off center. This also negates the use of most screw in chokes, and can be detrimental to patterning also.
Last, if the barrel is ribbed, the change in the rib (cutting it short) will change the effective point of aim, to the point where it will rarely match the new barrel length.
Another problem that can be encountered is the possibility of the bore being off center. This also negates the use of most screw in chokes, and can be detrimental to patterning also.
Last, if the barrel is ribbed, the change in the rib (cutting it short) will change the effective point of aim, to the point where it will rarely match the new barrel length.
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Sunray
Member
Yep, 30" barrels make great fence posts. I do agree with ftw46 though. It'd be cheaper in the long run to buy another barrel. But only because of the rib. They're not all welded on or made of steel. Most are plastic or Al and not attached over the whole length. If it was a plain barrel a pipe cutter would fix it in a heart beat, but the rib needs to be done properly or the sight won't work right, if at all, and the rib will fall off at a bad time.
Clemson
Member
To answer your original question, yes it is possible to cut your 30 inch barrel and rethread for Remchokes. Contact Mike Orlen at [email protected]. He does great barrel work on shotguns. The cost should be a bit less than $100.
mattd
Member
Do you need a choke for HD? You could go gangsta style and just cut the barrel with a hacksaw reblue it to 18.5 to be safe. You can buy a new 18 inch barrel shotgun for 100 dollars.
I have a long (30")? ribbed barrel for my 870.
Is it possible to cut some of it away, and re-thread the end to accept the rem-choke? I plan to keep it around 20" for H/D purposes.
I tried this same thing awhile back. Ill tell you about it and give you my 2 cents on the subject.
I have a Remington 3" 1100 with a 30" vent rib. I decided that a 26" would be better. I cut the barrel at the rib and chucked it up, dialed it in and cut it. I soon found out that the barrel after threading would only be around .006-.007 thousanths thick in diameter...which is WAY too thin. So thin in fact, that when I threaded it, it split right at the muzzle. So I had to cut it back. Same thing happened again. The threads, (32TPI) are fine anyway, and you could see the out line of them on the outside of the barrel. Since the vent rib is interrupted, you need to cut it at the ends to make it look right. After some unsuccessful attemps I ended up cutting the barrel to 18" and leaving it at that...with no choke in itl.
I eventually bought a 26" with a Remchoke in it and now have it on the gun.
There are a few choke systems that you can use, one of them is called "TruChoke". I'm not too fond of them as I have seen two of them blow the choke right out the end of the barrel. Some gunsmiths will buy a kit which requires handtapping the barrel, a method that can easlily get the threads started of center. The choke itself is only around .015 thick and had very fine threads that are easily stripped and crossthreaded.
The older 870 and 1100 barrels are just too thin to accept a Remchoke. After making several dozen chokes in various configurations and making several different patterns, it has been my expeireince that the RemChokes are the best thing going due to their somewhat longer length than the others. The longer chokes do pattern better, thats why you see extensions on the turkey chokes.
Do yourself a favor...buy one.
Is it possible to cut some of it away, and re-thread the end to accept the rem-choke? I plan to keep it around 20" for H/D purposes.
I tried this same thing awhile back. Ill tell you about it and give you my 2 cents on the subject.
I have a Remington 3" 1100 with a 30" vent rib. I decided that a 26" would be better. I cut the barrel at the rib and chucked it up, dialed it in and cut it. I soon found out that the barrel after threading would only be around .006-.007 thousanths thick in diameter...which is WAY too thin. So thin in fact, that when I threaded it, it split right at the muzzle. So I had to cut it back. Same thing happened again. The threads, (32TPI) are fine anyway, and you could see the out line of them on the outside of the barrel. Since the vent rib is interrupted, you need to cut it at the ends to make it look right. After some unsuccessful attemps I ended up cutting the barrel to 18" and leaving it at that...with no choke in itl.
I eventually bought a 26" with a Remchoke in it and now have it on the gun.
There are a few choke systems that you can use, one of them is called "TruChoke". I'm not too fond of them as I have seen two of them blow the choke right out the end of the barrel. Some gunsmiths will buy a kit which requires handtapping the barrel, a method that can easlily get the threads started of center. The choke itself is only around .015 thick and had very fine threads that are easily stripped and crossthreaded.
The older 870 and 1100 barrels are just too thin to accept a Remchoke. After making several dozen chokes in various configurations and making several different patterns, it has been my expeireince that the RemChokes are the best thing going due to their somewhat longer length than the others. The longer chokes do pattern better, thats why you see extensions on the turkey chokes.
Do yourself a favor...buy one.
Master Blaster
Member
Also good for hunting ducks and other birds, and shooting skeet / trap.
Sell it on E-bay for the full retail price, and then buy the 18" smooth bore rifle sighted one from cabellas, for $120 delivered.
Or your could just keep the big one in case you decide to do skeet/trap or hunt birds!!!
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