Kimberkid Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I got a super deal on a new 870 a couple months ago and bought it for use as a house gun. It has a 26" barrel that I intended to have cut down to 20" and then re tapped for choke tubes. I am getting a little antsy to chop it, and hate to pay a gunsmith for what looks like a very simple cut with a bandsaw or abrasive cut off saw. If I cut the barrel myself, and shot it, would it still be possible to have it reamed for choke tubes down the road, or would I forever bugger up the end of the barrel? btw, when measuring shotgun barrels we measure from the rear edge of the chamber, where the case rim would be if it were loaded, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Right on the measure. Cut the barrel square, deburr and smooth. Shoot it, have it reamed and threaded at your convience. Wont hurt a thing.-------Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom D. Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 A little more to it than just cutting the barrel off (if it's done right). By the time you get the tools to do the job right, you could pay a gunsmith. But if you just want the experience, Brownell's can fix you up with the tools. While you are at it, have the forcing cone tapered. Of course, this is IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIIID Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Kimberkid, Sometimes the barrel can't be taped for choke tubes because the barrel wall is too thin. It's a chance one takes when doing this, I've had two out of about twenty that couldn't be done. Just alittle info on a possibility that can happen. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberkid Posted January 25, 2007 Author Share Posted January 25, 2007 Thanks Rich, thats what I was afraid of. Am I understanding properly that it may be possible that the barrel wall is thinner in the middle (at the 20" mark that I intend to cut to), than at the end where the choke tubes are now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgary Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Just a note... when I was thinkin' about doing the same thing, I found that finding and buying a used 20" barrel was less money and hassle than buying the tools. Brownells, for example, has 18-1/2" replacement barrels for an 870, starting at about $125 Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) Kimberkid,Sometimes the barrel can't be taped for choke tubes because the barrel wall is too thin. It's a chance one takes when doing this, I've had two out of about twenty that couldn't be done. Just alittle info on a possibility that can happen. Rich Anything is possible but I have never seen a remmy barrel too thin to install tubes. Even so, unless you intend to hunt or compete with this gun I,m not sure it would matter. A house gun with cyl bore is fine and lots of people shooting 3 gun with them. Come to think of it there are aftermarket 21 in barrles on the market and 870 barrels are cheap(compared to some), that way you would have the best of both.-------Larry Edited January 25, 2007 by lkytx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I think Brownell's has the minimum outside diameter needed for different brands of choke tubes in their catalog. Obviously a diameter that's larger is preferred in case the I.D. is not concentric with the O.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberkid Posted January 25, 2007 Author Share Posted January 25, 2007 It isnt super likely that I will ever use it for anything that "needs" choke tubes, but I wanted to have the versatility. I dont intend to ream it for choke tubes myself, a gunsmith can do that, but I didnt want to saw cut the end (which i would do myself) if it will bugger it up permanantly and never allow for choke tubes. I seem to gather that it is a small possibility that will happen. as an aside, for those that have actually seen it... if I drill a few small holes in the end of the barrel to act as ports, are those going to flash a lot in the dark of night like a comped pistol does? or will it stay dark enough not to blind me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCK Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I have a Mossberg 835 that has those ports in the barrel and I have not noticed too much flame through the ports in low light. I think you get it more from the open guns because the Comps have chambers that redirect the gases upwards whereas the porting of the shotgun barrel just act more as a relief. Also remember that open guns are running slow powders in order to generate more gases to intentianlay "work" the comps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 If you drill any holes make sure they are back a bit from the muzzle. You don't want to get into the area where the choke tube might one day be and with shotguns porting works better if it is further from the muzzle. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Mike, I've heard the same warnings about them getting too thin for putting chokes in later. But, if you want it shorter, go for it. I don't know what special tools you'd need. Around here we chop the barrels down with a sawzall. True it up with a file, if needed. De-burr. Just use a new blade (metal cutting), and lube/cool as you go (WD40 works). I made GM with a barrel cut in such a way. No biggie. Now, on the shotgun, we did have a local guy that wanted his Remmy cut way back (after banging it against walls/props in a match). His opened up so much that he had trouble taking distant steel down. I think it was great up close (inside the house distance). I don't recall, but knowing him...he likely went down to 16in. Leave it a bit long, you can always take more off. (I'd likely skip the ports.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscott Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Chop away for your purposes. There are plenty of 870 barrels in the world if you screw something up. Just don't go under 18". Flex, if you know the guy you are talking about that cut his barrel down you might check to see how short he cut it. Anything under 18" will get him a bunch of legal problems. If he did cut it to 16" then he better just finish cutting it into pieces very quietly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Flex, if you know the guy you are talking about that cut his barrel down you might check to see how short he cut it. Anything under 18" will get him a bunch of legal problems. If he did cut it to 16" then he better just finish cutting it into pieces very quietly. I can't say...it's been a couple years. I imagine he cut it down to whatever was legal. I know I wouldn't want to be the one to go knocking on his door to find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberkid Posted January 26, 2007 Author Share Posted January 26, 2007 Flex~ I read in the past about you cutting Glock barrels with a sawzall. I figure in that same spirit I would just use a hatchet, or maybe have my dog chew it to a certain length. I could maybe just bend it back and forth til it broke off at a shorter spot. Thanks for the help guys. I'll be cutting soon and Ill measure wall thickness then. If it is too thin, I'll worry about a new barrel when I need it down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 If the barrel has a rib make sure to cut to an attachment point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Mike, I can't say as I tried that. The dog chewed up my hatchet...chipping a tooth in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 If my dog could chew through a barrel or eat a hatchet I would leave the home defence to him and sell my guns... Use the money to buy dog biscuits to clean and strengthen his teeth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Sample Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I use a tubing cutter. Makes a pefect cut every time! The last one I did was my 1910 "97 from a trap gun to a cowboy shooter. I did 21 1/2" just to be safe. Then I had it full choked and a 3 1/2 " forcing cone done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCK Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I just picked up a cheap 870 as well but with a 28" barrel that I would like to cut down to 20-21 inches. Can someone tell me or PM me a cost of what it might run to cut the length, re-thread it for chokes, taper the forcing cone and backbore it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberkid Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share Posted January 31, 2007 Yea, if I did decide to send it to someone, what would that cost? Also, what is the highest capacity mag tube that you can install that wont reach too far past the muzzle on a 20" barrel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishlad Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I've seen that service advertised from $30-$50. Cheaper if you have choke tubes installed at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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