Changing Remington 870 barrels for skeet/trap shooting?

Question

I have a Remington 870 shotgun with an 18 inch cylinder bore barrel. It can be used for skeet and trap shooting, but it is hardly ideal as the pattern generated is too wide to hit the birds at long range. Also, my nearest range won't permit barrels under 26 inches for their trap/skeet range.

Is it as simple as buying a new barrel online and installing it via the normal fieldstripping/cleaning method? That seems like it would work. Can anyone recommend what kind of chokes I should be looking at, or know good suppliers online?

I have an Express Magnum with a 6 shot shell capacity (I think two shot extension tube) if that makes a difference.

Answer 1

26" for skeet.
30" for trap.

Or, if you only want one, split the difference for a 28". Make sure whatever you buy has a VENT RIB!

For skeet, use Remington's RemChoke Skeet chokes, or an Improved Cylinder. For trap, either Full (if you're a slower shooter) or Modified (if you hit them fast).

Installing the new barrel should be 100% easy - field strip the gun, put the new barrel on, put it back together and voila.

By the way, please don't listen to the guy telling you to use #4 or #6 shot for trap! The maximum legal shot size for trap and skeet is # 7 1/2 shot. #8 are ideal. #9 gives you some more pellets but thats it. Smaller shot doesn't "give you more spread" it just patterns denser because there are more pellets. The choke is mainly what controls the density of the pattern. All you need is whats called a "target load" - 2 3/4 dr eq (Dram or Dram Equivilent) or 3 Dram. Also, he is incorrect in saying in trap you are shooting "level". With ideally set targets (50 yard distance, 9 foot height at 10 yards from the trap house) you are shooting at a RISING target, before it briefly peaks and starts to fall.

Answer 2

Remington 870 Barrel

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Changing Remington 870 barrels for skeet/trap shooting?
I have a Remington 870 shotgun with an 18 inch cylinder bore barrel. It can be used for skeet and trap shooting, but it is hardly ideal as the pattern generated is too wide to hit the birds at long range. Also, my nearest range won't permit barrels under 26 inches for their trap/skeet...

Answer 4

Im not quite sure what you are getting at here, and as i read it, it says when you swing onto the target your shot swings too. I think you mean 28 inch barrel not 18. I would try buying a new choke instead of a barrel. 870 barrels are cashy, most are over $100. Go to your gun store and buy a Improved cylinder or a modified, which shood be stock in the gun. they might hold the pattern tighter and give you a better hit. If that doesnt work, try a smaller shot #, like 7 1/2 if you are shooting 8 or 9. If that doesnt solve it, i guess you can get a new barrel. Here is Remington's stock barrel page where you can order one if you are set on getting a barrel. All you have to do is put in the model (Express or Wingmaster) and it will give you every barrel made for it.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/original_factory_barrel_selector.asp

Answer 5

One thing to know: you can use barrels that have shorter chambers than the one your gun is designed for! I have a Remington 870 Super Magnum Express, with 3 1/2" chamber. I wanted a short cylinder barrel to use at a tactical shotgun class, but Remington doesn't make one for that action. I called them, and they said I can mount ANY Remington 870 barrel on that action, but I'd only be able to load shells that matched the new chamber size. I found a barrel on eBay for about $80. It was an 18" straight pipe with rifle sights. Perfect! It was only a 3" chamber, but since I was only shooting 2 3/4" shells anyway, that didn't bother me.

Answer 6

Barrels for the Remington 870 are available and reasonably priced. Installing one is as simple as taking off the old barrel as part of the cleaning procedure and simply putting the new one on.

Check out www.midwayusa.com

When you get to the home screen you will see a selection of tabs across the screen.
Click the one marked "Gun Parts";
That will give you another list of options, click on "Shop by gun make and model";
That will take you to another list; click on "Remington"
Yet another list, click on "Remington 870"
And finally the last list, click on "barrels"

This will give you a selection of about 45 barrels.

You are probably going to need a vent rib barrel with screw in chokes. They run about $200.

Their sales people are usually pretty knowledgeable and you can check with them if you get confused.

Be aware that your 870 Express Magnum is a bit different than my 870 Wingmaster; I do not believe the barrels are compatible. Make sure the barrel you select fits your Express.

If you are going to get into the Skeet & Trap game, you might want to talk to some of the more expreienced shooters. They can tell you the best combination for your gun.

Good shooting!!

Answer 7

You can purchase and use any length and choke barrel you want on the 870. Simple as a run over rabbit to turn the screw and slip the new barrel on. If you are looking a variable use barrel consider this; get a 26" barrel with the 3 removable/interchangable chokes, Full,Modified & Cylinder bore. That way you don't need a closet full of barrels for the different chokes; I wish they had such a setup years ago as I have a lineup of barrels from years ago when you had to buy a barrel for each choke setting. The 26" barrel is a dream to shoot and you can change the choke by just screwing it out screwing the next one in.

Answer 8

Buying a new barrel is a lot more expensive than trying different loads(shells). Skeet is normally a # 9 shot,which gives you a Wide spread; especially working with 18". Since the main difference between skeet and trap shoting is horizontal and over-head(skeet), the more BB's, the better the spread.Whereas with Trap, a #4 shot or maybe #6 shot should,(as both need proper leading and follow-through)still hold a tight pattern because your aim will be concentrated in more of a vertical [level] shot,not being dependant on the higher amount of pellets with the hope of that magic One pellet to hit it's mark as with skeet..trapping is more of a chase and not of chance. Shells are cheaper to experiment with vs. going modified to full choke in a trial-and error hit to your wallet..

Answer 9

I have an old Browning light 12 with a 26" bbl and Improved Cylinder choke skeet.

I have a Remington 1100 12ga with a 28" bbl and a modified choke for trap.

You can buy guns specifically for each but I am a poor boy who uses both for target and hunting. These are good all around guns, field guns if you will. I never could see owning a $2000 or $3000 gun for target shooting unless I was good enough to be in competitive shooting. My "arsenal" produced much fun in both hunting and target shooting including a 25 patch or two. Know your weapon. This expands what you can do with it. Each weapon shots different

Answer 10

Try a modified choke, an improved cylinder will probably produce a pattern that is too wide at the distance your looking for, and a full choke will do wonders, but it is harder to hit your target. If you still can't get the distance you want, try a shell with a higher dram equivalent ( that's the powder measurement ) your range may have limits on that too. Just remember when it comes to shotguns the length of your barrel does not affect your range.