JUst bought my first 870 and have some questions. :)

[Ludvik4x4]

HI there! I just bought my first shotgun, and its a 12g 870 express synthetic with 18.5" barrel

I bought it with home defense as my number 1 concern, but I went with a model that could swap out barrels for hunting.

Should I strictly stick with remington barrels? I saw mossberg barrels made specifically for the 870 at the gun shop, but I have no clue about the quality.

Second question is what length barrel and rifled or not?

Im gonna do some skeet and/or trap shooting, and I hope to go deer hunting with a friend at some point.

If limited money was a factor what would you go with?

If money was no issue what would you choose?

Thanks in advance!

[gen2tegboi]

I would go with the 28 inch Remington Barrel with the Modified Rem Choke Part No. 24464 for Skeet or Trap. I am not much of hunter, yet, so cant recommend a barrel for that.

[Hntbambi]

For the things you mentioned, I would go with a vent rib 26" or 28" barrel that is threaded for Remchokes. It will allow you to shoot skeet with an improved cylinder or skeet choke, a modified or improved modified is grat for 16 yard trap, and you can install a super full for turkey (denser pattern) or a rifled tube for slug shooting. You can get adjustable open sights that clamp on the vent rib to make your slug shooting more accurate. I use them for my turkey gun.

[Ludvik4x4]

ok, thanks for the advice

Im probably gonna get the 26 or 28" vent rib you mentioned hntbambi....at least I'm gonna get that first, then maybe a rifled barrel for slugs later on.

Im loving the options my 870 has!

[Randomguns]

Perfect! And you don't need a rifled barrel for slugs either unless you get real serious, I shoot them in a smooth improved. If you're going to get real serious get a real rifle! Keep an eye out for used rifled barrels too or believe it or not look at Walmart online. And the optics options are limitless. Have Fun!

[Vitaly]

I shoot slugs out my smooth bore barrel and have no problems hitting the target on a maximum distance of a shotgun (about 100 meters). Just make sure that you use high quality slugs.

[Hntbambi]

Use Fostery type (rifled slugs) not saboted slugs in a smoothbore. The saboted slugs need rifling to stabilize. The Foster type slugs will fly ok out of a smoothbore. A rifled choke tube will stabilize the sabots but do not the best accuracy compared to a fully rifled barrel.

[Ludvik4x4]

Lots of good advice here...thanks to everyone!

I got my remington barrel yesterday. Its the 28" vent rib with modified Rem choke

Im going out with my buddy to do some skeet shooting this weekend, so I'm pretty excited

[gypsydan41]

My 1,700lb. elk was shot with my 870 at 75 yrds. with a standard slug, it took two horses and two snowmachines to get it out! Birds, yeah you will be very pleased with the barrel that you got. Alittle long for skeet "or do you mean trap"? Skeet is very close in and trap the clays are going out from you so your 28' barrel will be just great. I shoot straight 200's all day with my stock 870,28"barrel and a mod. choke. For skeet I use my 410. 870.

[Vitaly]

My 1,700lb. elk was shot with my 870 at 75 yrds. with a standard slug, it took two horses and two snowmachines to get it out!

Wow! That's what I call hunting!