Unthreaded Remington 870 Barrel?

[PhoenixRookie]

Hello all,

So I picked up a 12 gauge Remington 870 at auction that came without a choke tube. It has the Blackhawk adjustable stock, pistol grip and foregrip along with what they claim is an 8 round extended tube, all of which is in near mint condition.

I bought a Remington brand 12g tactical choke tube but quickly found it didn't fit inside the barrel. At that point I stuck in my pinky and didn't feel any threads. Further inspection with a flashlight revealed the same, no threads.

I thought it was standard that these came with threads? The barrel indeed says it is a 12 gauge Remington 870 that handles 2 3/4 and 3" shells. So what gives? Is this a special barrel?

Thanks and bear with me as this is my first shotgun.

 

[Steve C]

Riot and "so called security" barrels are usually cylinder bore for shooting slugs and buckshot and do not have threads for choke tubes. Interchangeable chokes are used primarily for shotguns intended for bird hunting and to some extent in clay target shooting.

Interchangeable chokes didn't become common in shotguns until sometime in the mid to late 80's. If the gun or barrel was manufactured earlier or with fixed choke then it usually has it stamped on the right side of the barrel with the gauge and maximum shell length as in the picture below. The abbreviations for the chokes are: FUL. (full), MOD (modified), IMP (improved cylinder) or CYL (cylinder).

It is also possible that the barrel was shortened and the threads for the interchangeable chokes where cut off.

 

[mnrivrat]

The non threaded Remington barrels have been around a lot longer than the threaded for choke tube ones.

If you realy want interchangable choke tubes you will have to buy a different barrel ,or have yours threaded by a gunsmith. Generaly having yours threaded is a bit cheaper than replacing the barrel .

 

[AI&P Tactical]

Your barrel is not threaded for choke tube nor are many 870 barrels. No police barrels offered on the 870 Police are threaded and only one for the civilian Express Tacticla Model and that one comes with what we call the Remington Tactical Joke tube. You have lost nothing and are better off as that Extended Tactical Joke is a horrible tube. It throws lousey patterns and slugs wobble out of it. It does nothing but adds length to the gun. Your barrel is what should be on a fighting shotgun so you did good. Sell that Joke tube and buy ammo and go have a blast (pun intended).

 

[horsemen61]

what is the barrel length

 

[cfullgraf]

I bought a new 870 last summer to be used as a barn critter gun. I got a 24" hunting model for expedience and it came with a threaded barrel. Some or all of the tactical models came with fixed choke barrels as I remember.

In researching what shorter barrels that were availble to make the shotgun handier for my 5'-2" wife, both threaded and fixed choke barrels are available.

So, as already said, a fixed choke barrel is a real possibility.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Not special - actually, pretty common. They don't all come threaded.

What's the barrel length and how's it marked for choke?

 

[Arizona_Mike]

BOTACH Tactical would be a good place to start price wise for an 18" cylinder barrel. They also sell 14" (NFA length) but didn't have them in stock last time I checked.

Mike