New member with a question...

[Regulatori]

My name is Jeff and I live near Seattle. I've been googling for the past hour trying to get a question answered and came across this website. I was going to just PM a moderator with my question because I wasn't sure of the appropriate sub-section to ask but I guess PM access is turned off for new users.

I apologize if I'm breaking any rules...it's not my intention.


I have kind of an odd question concerning an 870.

I bought a synthetic Express with the 18" barrel back in the early 2000s. This model...
http://www.remington.com/products/firea ... 8inch.aspx

The only thing I added was a 3 shot extension tube and a Pachmyer pistol grip...which surprisingly ended up being the exact same grip offered on the later 870 Pistol Grip model.

I spend 4 years in the Marines and after getting out, I took a hiatus from shooting for a bit. I recently decided to dust off the 870 that's been sitting at my father's house to see if anyone was interested in buying it.

Instead I find the barrel is missing. After some questioning I find that my younger brother decided to lend the barrel to another friend that also owned an 870 (but with 28"+ turkey/bird barrel) so this friend could have a shorter shotgun for camping. He decided to do this while I was deployed/Iraq back in 2007 and this friend has been impossible to track down. My brother's words: "I know you would never allow someone to borrow your gun...I figured just one part would be okay." Yeah....

So now I have a barrel less 870 that I want to sell.

I've done a bunch of googling but it's been difficult to find the value of a gun without a barrel. I was going to call a few local pawn or gun shops asking what should be a reasonable asking price but would rather get an opinion from fellow enthusiasts/shooters. I found this place and figured an 870 forum would be the best place to ask.

So what is a fair asking price for a used (but in great condition) barrel-less Remington Express receiver with a 3 shot extension (still have the original magazine cap) and a pistol grip?

I figured it could be an inexpensive base for someone wanting to build a tactical shotgun since it's tacti-cool black. haha

Figured this would be the best place to ask. Sorry again if this is in an inappropriate question to ask in the new member section.

I appreciate it. -Jeff

[Synchronizor]

Unless you have a reason to keep a question private, it's best to go ahead and start a public thread. That way, multiple people can contribute, and it's there if someone else has a similar question in the future.

A missing barrel shouldn't be tough to account for. Barrels aren't restricted or serialized parts (at least in the US), and 870 barrels are easy to find, dead simple to install, and are freely interchangeable within the same gauge (apart from a few specialized barrels meant for receivers with nonstandard mag tubes). A simple 18.5" Police or Express barrel with a front bead and a fixed choke should be around $100 - $150 new.

You could always buy another basic barrel yourself if you think that would help the gun sell, but I'd personally be inclined to just subtract the cost of a basic barrel from what you think the complete gun would be worth, and sell it as-is. That way, your gun would also appeal to buyers who already have a spare 870 barrel lying around, or who want something with higher-end sights, interchangeable chokes, or a completely different length or barrel style for non-combat applications.