short barrel for an old 20 gauge

[garum]

I just tried to buy a short barrel for a 20 ga. 870 Wingmaster, from Midway, and though I think I followed the complex instructions, it did not fit and I returned it. The hole in the receiver is too large for the barrel as is the magazine tube.

Is there hope to find such a barrel? I did not know they made different receivers in the same caliber!

[USMA-1982]

You might be able to find an older 20 gauge barrel that fits your receiver on eBay or GunBroker. You'd have to ask the seller for the date code stamped on the barrel to make sure of its age. Here's one listed on eBay for example (not me - don't know the seller). I can help you with the date codes as well as a number of other sites. Good luck!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FACTORY-VINTAG ... ition=3000


ETA: the lightweight receiver was introduced on the 870 in 1972 and the standard or heavy receiver was discontinued in 1984. So any pre-72 barrel should fit and any 84 or later barrel will not. For barrels manufactured from 72 - 83 you'll have to ask the seller for the inside diameter of the barrel ring to make sure it fits your standard 20 gauge magazine tube. Probably easier to get the ID of the barrel tube than the date codes for any barrel you're considering.