I have an 870 express super magnum (3.5" chamber) and would like to upgrade it to tactical, ie extend the tube / capacity and get a different barrel than the 26" hunting one. What are your suggestions? Is there a link to a thread on how to do this / maybe even a video?
Also, it would be neat to upgrade this same gun for trap / skeet by replacing the bbl. Is there a "trap" or "skeet" bbl ie to beads on the bbl, etc?
Here is my current set up - just a plain jane factory Remington 870 express "Super Magnum" 3.5" chamber with a 26" bbl and variable chokes. I would like to get a 20" bbl with sights and adjustable chokes. Can one get a longer magazine extension tube for a 20" bbl?
The longer your barrel the more extension tube you can fit.
If its for home defense, I wouldnt suggest going longer than 20" barrel. You wont want adjustable choke, you want an improved cylinder (open choke).
Working on a shotty is easy. You wont have any trouble at all. Only the bolt assembly can be a little tricky but its pretty self explanatory. Bolt group sits on the slide rails of the forend assembly.
Remove the forend grip. The magazine tube has a cap on it that screws off. Remove the cap, mag spring, follower and tube. Remove barrel. Install new barrel and new mag extension tube, new spring and follower. Install barrel clamp between new mag tube and new barrel for stability.
Follow the instructions with your new tactical forend grip and install it. Put it back on the shotty. Replace your buttstock as per instructions (one long bolt hidden by recoil pad).
Heres one I converted, to an HD gun. Got the gun on gun broker for $160.00, picked the barrel up on ebay, its smoothbore with screw in chokes and rifle sights.
This is what I want to do. Now if I would quit buying guns, I can finish this project. Good luck on yours, hope to see some pics and notes when you're done.
Buy a stock and fore end and you should be good to go. Depending on what you are hunting and where you live, you may need a magazine plug but those are only $4.00. Remington has come out with a new stock that's not too expensive, pretty slick and come's in black or camo. Here's a link.
The only thing that sucks about the super mag setup is that fact that the 18" barrels will only accept up to 3" shells. Since your action and ejection port are 3.5" you need to work the action more than the traditional "magnum" action. But its only 0.75" each direction more. That is what makes the 870 is sweet in my book. I owned a nova 26" and the 18" barrel was the same price as a whole new 18" nova.... go figure that marketing out. When I get home Ill post pictures of my 26 870 to 18" 870 that can be redone in minutes.
Anything you can buy for an 870 you shouldn't have trouble installing. I've heard of people having trouble getting their fore-ends off but if you're worried about it buy the special wrench. I just let some wd-40 soak into the threads for about 20 seconds and then used needle-nosed pliars. No fuss-no muss. If you have a newer 870 it will have obnoxious indents in the end of the factory magazine-tube that will most likely need to be drilled out / sanded away/ etc in order to accept a mag-tube extension.
The 18.5" barrel was $125, the mag extension was about $40 and the gunsmith work to get rid of the dimples was $30 if I remember correctly.
Changing the stock is easy and anyone with basic tools and half a brain can modify the hell out of this gun.
I don't see the need for a different stock or any other gizmos. A short barrel shotgun with 7 rounds and a pocket full of ammo will cover any home defense situation I can dream up.
I am not sure if remington makes a kit like mine. I bought my kit from Tac-Star ($55). As well as the tube extension ($30). I cut my current choat down and smoothed out dimples with a dremel. All in all, it took me couple of hours to complete. very simple!
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