New vent rib 870 barrel

[jahwarrior1423]

I am wanting a new barrel for my 870. I am interested on the 21" vent rib barrel. Do they come threaded for chokes? Or if I decided to have a smith cut down the barrel, would the barrel be thick enough for threading? Is a barrel a plug n play or should it get head spaced?

[26 Inf]

I would just get another barrel, here's one for 189.00 ish, should be back in stock in a couple days:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/399781/remington-barrel-remington-870-12-gauge-3-21-rem-choke-with-extra-full-turkey-choke-tube-vent-rib-matte-black

It is threaded for a choke tube and comes with an extra-full choke.

For the most part they are plug and play.

They can be gaged, but if you think of all the aftermarket barrels that are sold from various sources (Cabella's, Midway, Brownells, WalMart, Local Sporting Goods Store, Internet, etc.) without the benefit of go/no go gaging, it really isn't a priority.

A gunsmith or police armorer should be able to gage it for you if you'd like, or you could spend about 90.00 and buy the gauges from Brownells.

[jahwarrior1423]

That's the barrel I was looking at. The added length of the barrel would be nice if I added a mag extension. Anybody know the average cost to have a smith cut down the barrel and rethread if I decided to go that route?

[jahwarrior1423]

If I was set on sending the barrel to a smith to have cut down, would the Carlson vented chrome lined barrel be a better option if I can find one?

[GH41]

I am wanting a new barrel for my 870. I am interested on the 21" vent rib barrel. Do they come threaded for chokes? Or if I decided to have a smith cut down the barrel, would the barrel be thick enough for threading? Is a barrel a plug n play or should it get head spaced?

I would buy the barrel from Midway. By the time you cut, thread, install another bead and refinish you will spend more than the new barrel cost. I have that 21" barrel on a do everything 870 I put together. GH

[fog0fwar]

I had a 26" Vent rib barrel. I had it cut down to 18.1", ported, and re-choked with a new bead attached to the front.. It came out great. Cost for everything $159.


Fogofwar

[jahwarrior1423]

Where did you get the work done at?...I ended up buying the 21" barrel from midway.

[GH41]

Where did you get the work done at?...I ended up buying the 21" barrel from midway.

You did the right thing. Don't waste you money porting a SG barrel! GH
r

[jahwarrior1423]

Got the barrel and it doesn't fit. I am assuming my 870 tactical is different. Anybody know which barrels would fit my 870 tactical with a vent rib?

[GH41]

Got the barrel and it doesn't fit. I am assuming my 870 tactical is different. Anybody know which barrels would fit my 870 tactical with a vent rib?

I doubt you will find a vent rib barrel for your gun. You could have a qualified smith relocate the barrel perch on the 21" barrel you bought. You might come out ahead selling the Tactical gun and starting over. I really wanted the 21" ribbed barrel for my do everything project so I bought the turkey gun with it installed. I was changing the furniture anyway. Probably not what you want to hear but one of the attractions of an 870 is your ability to have multiple barrels for different uses. The longer magazine tube on the Tactical gun takes the option away. GH

[jahwarrior1423]

Any barrels with rifle sights installed that can work with my tactical model?

[jahwarrior1423]

Or know where to buy the express tactical barrel that has the brake installed?

[GH41]

Any barrels with rifle sights installed that can work with my tactical model?

It would help if you told us exactly what you have. Some tactical models have sights. Sights suck on a SG unless all you do is slugs! GH

[GH41]

Or know where to buy the express tactical barrel that has the brake installed?

Brakes are worthless on a SG unless you just want to look cool. GH

[jahwarrior1423]

I have the 870 express tactical with the extended mag tube. I'm asking about the tactical barrel with the brake installed like on the magpul edition because the barrel is already threaded so I can use chokes. I'm not needing the brake but it looks like that barrel will fit my shotgun and has a rifle sight installed at the muzzle. I'd get my barrel threaded but I've heard that my express tactical barrel isn't thick enough at the muzzle to have threaded.

[GH41]

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?? You went from wanting a rib to a sight... What will you use the gun for? GH

[jahwarrior1423]

I was wanting a vent rib for a higher sight and wanted the barrel to be longer with a threaded muzzle for chokes. I would just get my barrel threaded for chokes but I've read that my barrel can't be threaded because it isn't thick enough at the muzzle to be properly threaded. So I am assuming that the barrel that is on the magpul edition will work on my tactical express and it'll already have the front sight installed and threaded for chokes...so all I would need to do is install a rear sight on my receiver. Or if a police model barrel would fit my model, that already has sights installed which would be the same sights on our department shotguns.

[GH41]

Why do you want screw in chokes? Screw in chokes make sense with a ribbed barrel but not with sights. I still say trading guns may be you best option. GH

[Dave Berryhill]

Some older Remmy barrels are a little thin but Remington was sued over barrels that ruptured so barrels made in the last 15 - 20 years are usually thick enough to install screw-in chokes if that is what you want. Take a look at a recent Remmy barrel, either ribbed or non-ribbed and you'll see how thick they are. Manson Reamers says that the minimum wall thickness for screw-in chokes is .015 but that's still a little thin for my my comfort.

If you are buying a used barrel, take a look at the wall thickness near the muzzle. Some older Remington barrels are not only thin but drilled off-center, leaving one side very thin. I'd avoid one of these and pay more for a recent production barrel if necessary.