Brand new gift from amazing GF... Now time to modify

[teckheat]

I received a 870 express 26" barrel. Now I want to get a shorter barrel for home defense I have read on the Remington 18" and as well as the Carlson 18.5". I don't know much about which barrel is best or about the threaded choke since I want the tactical aggressive look. That being said I like functionality as well so what works best is good with me. Also wanted inout on magazine extenders and sights any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
V/R
Teckheat

[Zebra62]

A shorter barrel for home defense is definately a good place to start and there are too many choices to list here. I recommend looking into the genuine Remington barrels. Much wider selection than anyone else and competitively priced. You can get on the Remington webite and find links to thier parts lists, phone numbers and email address for customer service. They are always glad to help.

A magazine extension is a nice second mod after you know how long your barrel is going to be. Best option is to get an extension to match the length of the barrel as close as possible. Even though a longer extension will not interfere with most types of shot, it may get in the way of door frames and things like that in a home defense scenario and having one the length of the barrel may help protect it.

Let us know what route you take and post some pics when you can.

Happy shooting.

[Synchronizor]

I've heard good things about Carlson's barrels, and Remington sells a wide variety of factory 18", 18.5", or 20" barrels through their customer service department. You can also save some money buying used barrels online.

As for the "tacti-cool" chokes, they're really just for looks. If that look is worth the extra money to you, go for it, but don't feel like it'll make your shotgun a better weapon. I think most HD roles would be better met by a fixed-choke barrel over one with interchangeable chokes unless you want the same barrel to serve double-duty for hunting or competing. A fixed-choke barrel is less expensive, more durable, and easier to take care of. That's not to say interchangeable chokes are a bad choice for HD; they shoot just as well, but don't offer much benefit in that application to justify the added expense and maintenance. There's a reason you don't see them on most military and LE combat shotguns. Just my two cents there.

For sights, people have different preferences, but it's hard to go wrong with a simple front bead. Cheap, tough, simple, fast, and more accurate than you might think. Rifle and ghost-ring sights are popular as well for longer-range shooting with slugs, or for folks who just don't like a bead. Since it sounds like this is going to be a multi-role gun, I'd suggest sticking with sight setups that are integral to the barrel. Some configurations put just the front sight on the barrel, and mount the rear sight on the receiver, which would be a pain when you switch back to your 26" barrel.