a question of barrel length and hunting and skeet shooting

[BigBird73]

I have never owned a 18.5" barrelled shotgun till my new 870 tactical.. I realize it has interchangeable chokes.. can I purchase appropriate chokes and and hunt and shoot skeet with my tactical with out many problems?

[Synchronizor]

You could, but you'd be better off getting a hunting barrel, unless your gun is the type with the 6-round mag tube, in which case hunting barrels can't be installed without having custom work done.

Within legal lengths, the length of the barrel doesn't affect patterning and velocity very much, but a longer barrel with different sights will provide you with better accuracy, and a more stable swing for shooting at moving targets.

[BigBird73]

it does have the factory extension.. I may go try my hand at a local range at a few clay pigeons with the current sights and see how I do.. Thanks again for your thoughts and information.

[Kentactic]

it does have the factory extension.. I may go try my hand at a local range at a few clay pigeons with the current sights and see how I do.. Thanks again for your thoughts and information.

I believe the +2 extension setup means you CAN innerchange with hunting barrels. Its the fixed 6 round mag tube thats a problem. Synchronizer can confirm this.

[Synchronizor]

I believe the +2 extension setup means you CAN innerchange with hunting barrels. Its the fixed 6 round mag tube thats a problem. Synchronizer can confirm this.

There is one configuration of the 870 MCS, which has a nonstandard receiver with a 3-round magazine tube, but uses a +2 extension:


Otherwise, you are correct. All other 870s that come with a factory-installed +2 extension are based upon the standard 4+1 receivers, and can accept any other standard 870 barrels of the same gauge. BigBird73 has posted pictures of his shotgun in other threads that confirm it has the standard magazine tube.

[BigBird73]

so.. can I use a hunting barrel then or not? lol .. sorry I got confused

[Synchronizor]

The magazine tube is only the section of the magazine that is permanently attached to the receiver. Magazine tubes are described by the number of rounds they hold with just a cap on the magazine, no extension. Since the barrel mounting ring slips over the end of the mag tube, and the barrel is held on the gun by either a magazine cap or a magazine extension/extension coupling, the placement of the barrel guide ring determines which type of receiver that barrel can be installed on.

Almost all 870s are built on standard receivers with a 4-round magazine tube, so any of these barrels can be interchanged as long as the gauge and ejection direction (right-hand or left-hand) matches. Your gun is built on one of these receivers, it has a 4-round mag tube with a +2 extension on it.



Recently, Remington introduced a handful of 870 Express Tactical models that have 6-round mag tubes. Currently, Remington only offers a couple 18.5" HD barrels that will fit these longer mag tubes. This is no problem if the owner only wants a dedicated HD shotgun, but since these are sold at many big-box stores with less-than-knowledgeable employees, some people are buying these thinking they will be as versatile as other 870s, only to discover their error later when they try to buy a hunting or sporting barrel.


The 870 MCS uses a receiver with a 3-round mag tube, in order to allow for extra-short barrels in its breaching & CQB configurations. Remington also offered a Special Field hunting variant of the 870 during the late 80's and early 90's with a 3-round mag tube that I believe came with 21" or 23" barrels.


There are some 870s that have 2-round mag tubes, but these are custom guns from 3rd-party builders that modify existing 870 receivers.

[Kentactic]

so.. can I use a hunting barrel then or not? lol .. sorry I got confused

Yes you can

[cv0lv0g0]

TEHEHE I go hunting with my 870 as is .