14" 870 barrels?

[Wes Peart]

Is there anywhere to buy the 14in rifle sighted 870 barrels anymore? Looks like OOS everywhere.

[BobM]

I got one at Aim Surplus buts it’s been at least a year ago

[Borderland]

I think 18'' is the legal minimum unless SBS. Probably why not any being manufactured these days. Many 18'' barrels out there though. That's a pretty short barrel considering 26-30'' is standard.

[WobblyPossum]

I think 14'' is the legal minimum. Probably why not any being manufactured these days. lot of 18'' barrels out there though. That's a pretty short barrel considering 26-30'' is standard.

18” is the minimum barrel length for a shotgun without getting into NFA territory.

[Borderland]

18” is the minimum barrel length for a shotgun without getting into NFA territory.

I just checked that and modified my post. Thanks.

[fatdog]

14" is the standard length for all the Tac14 guns and the factory SBS guns, but nobody seems to ever put the rifle sight version on a Tac14. They go in and out of stock over time at some of the new barrel sources, but the rifle sight version has become rarer. Used ones (https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1051609076) are on gunbroker often. Search for DEA barrels, that is what AIM had used a few years back. I got one of the AIM DEA barrels BobM is referring to and sent it to Vang and it turned out great.

[Dorsai]

14" is the standard length for all the Tac14 guns and the factory SBS guns, but nobody seems to ever put the rifle sight version on a Tac14. They go in and out of stock over time at some of the new barrel sources, but the rifle sight version has become rarer. Used ones (https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1051609076) are on gunbroker often. Search for DEA barrels, that is what AIM had used a few years back. I got one of the AIM DEA barrels BobM is referring to and sent it to Vang and it turned out great.

Same. I got two and had Vang do their magic on it for an SBS.

[167]

Way expensive, and fixed modified, but available.

https://gunrepaircenter.com/shotguns/remington/remington-870/barrels/?_bc_fsnf=1&Barrel+Length=14%22

[Wes Peart]

Managed to find one thanks to a member here. Much appreciated!

Anyone here been using one regularly? Curious if it is too tight for Flitecontrol.

[Brian T]

Managed to find one thanks to a member here. Much appreciated!

Anyone here been using one regularly? Curious if it is too tight for Flitecontrol.

A lot of people have sent their fixed MOD choked barrels out to get opened up to IC or even CYL. I would/will because I believe MOD is too tight for FFC and I dont want to shoot the Tru Ball Deep Penetrator slugs through it.

[mmc45414]

A lot of people have sent their fixed MOD choked barrels out to get opened up to IC or even CYL. I would/will because I believe MOD is too tight for FFC and I dont want to shoot the Tru Ball Deep Penetrator slugs through it.

Disclaimer: I aint never done this myself, but....
One day at the gun club clubhouse we had a fun chat with one of the friendly old dudes (why do the old dudes always seem to be grumpy OR friendly?...) who was telling us about doing their own barrel work back when the Grand American Trapshoot was still here in Vandalia. They started experimenting with their own guns by simply running a hone like was then common for refreshing slave cylinders on drum brakes, running a certain number of strokes down in the middle of the barrel, and then a certain number of strokes at the end of the barrel. Probably back then most all of the guns were fixed choke, and back then most trap barrels were fixed full, and probably a main benefit was opening up the choke a little. And after their group started having success they started having people pay them to modify their barrels, and they would take turns staying up all night and doing their barrel magic for $50 each. And the people were happy, probably because full choke is probably too much for almost everybody.

So I have never done it, but I have a Ithaca 37 that is fixed modified and really doesn't need to be, so I have been contemplating/planning to do the same thing. I am talking about a simple tool like this, a brief look makes it seem like the tricky part would be finding a small one (many are min 3/4"):

119053

[jandbj]

https://www.brownells.com/search/?page=1&search=Flexhone

[mmc45414]

Here is one I found that goes down to 1/2". (https://www.amazon.com/Cal-Van-Tools-762-Compact-Cylinder/dp/B003V5IEV8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DK3KDOR548JJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M7nmbzJASpZ2iHMXUeJTGjVxygwcUNFhA YBxQRtu5tzsYha84_MireqBenbs5-QqC4lq2QeklF6s-IOfk-mmjkseQNTNd9eMKRS63o8LXIxXCOVk743AzOD2JQ7ZrebS9C1b AOWLHGWbXmA3nGDvq_61q2s8u5uq1VFL8m3WFvHfrdfeZpetGO t8OZHdnC5wVFvTY_-1YRI9fVJMImmeLiPfawYXvI72q0RY0eSxJmIGVcK5cjWWaE-PMFjWxXHALdX0YLlcvwHMrj328YU0NZUTpiX5VvHLkakrslVMd Zg.VtOhUbSucyhGYEhM1s3D1okD3rDXRpzum0Un7-qIneE&dib_tag=se&keywords=small+cylinder+hone+1%2F2+inch&qid=1716981574&s=automotive&sprefix=small+cylinder+hone+1%2F2%2Cautomotive%2C1 49&sr=1-1)

[SHOOT]

You might have some luck checking out places like Vang Comp, AimSurplus, GunBroker, or Midwest Gun Works. But it's possible you'll have to be patient and keep an eye out for new stock or used barrels popping up.
If you're not dead set on the XS big dot sights, you could consider some of the other options available, like the Remington replacement barrels or Mossberg extra barrels.

[TCinVA]

Way expensive, and fixed modified, but available.

https://gunrepaircenter.com/shotguns/remington/remington-870/barrels/?_bc_fsnf=1&Barrel+Length=14%22

I appreciate that link. They have some barrels with winged front sights that are compatible with the LPA rear sights on my Phoenix SAU shotguns. I ordered one and tried it today for a few rounds and it seems to shoot 8 pellet FFC well and hits dead to the same aim with Tru-Ball slugs. I just ordered a second.

[GJM]

I can’t recall if I still have one with rifle sights, but I have a few extra 14 inch barrels. They were done by Vang with his magic, including porting, NP3 and front sights to work with a ghost ring rear. I had non ported barrels made because I got tired of ported barrels that close to my face, as i used them without hearing pro.

[JR1572]

I can’t recall if I still have one with rifle sights, but I have a few extra 14 inch barrels. They were done by Vang with his magic, including porting, NP3 and front sights to work with a ghost ring rear. I had non ported barrels made because I got tired of ported barrels that close to my face, as i used them without hearing pro.

How are the 14 inch ported Vang barrels? I’m considering sending mine in for the treatment. Is there a significant reduction in recoil?

[GJM]

How are the 14 inch ported Vang barrels? I’m considering sending mine in for the treatment. Is there a significant reduction in recoil?

The ones with ports shoot softer for sure.

[kwb377]

I appreciate that link. They have some barrels with winged front sights that are compatible with the LPA rear sights on my Phoenix SAU shotguns. I ordered one and tried it today for a few rounds and it seems to shoot 8 pellet FFC well and hits dead to the same aim with Tru-Ball slugs. I just ordered a second.

Do you have a pic of the front sight? I have an early-90's 870P with the factory Iron Sight Gun Works ghost ring sights (front has a gold bead) and these barrels look to have the same front sight. If so, I'm going to grab one.


Thanks!

870/ISGW sights
https://a4.pbase.com/o12/07/240307/1/173398977.QfSYisE4.R870PWilson.jpg

[JR1572]

Do you have a pic of the front sight? I have an early-90's 870P with the factory Iron Sight Gun Works ghost ring sights (front has a gold bead) and these barrels look to have the same front sight. If so, I'm going to grab one.


Thanks!

870/ISGW sights
https://a4.pbase.com/o12/07/240307/1/173398977.QfSYisE4.R870PWilson.jpg

I had an 11-87P with those sights back in early/mid 2002 before I upgraded to a M1S90.

[TCinVA]

How are the 14 inch ported Vang barrels? I’m considering sending mine in for the treatment. Is there a significant reduction in recoil?

The porting does make a difference in felt recoil, but that comes at a price.

The porting tends to accumulate fouling more readily than the rest of the barrel which can impact how the gun patterns. It's more difficult to get rid of leading and fouling around the ports than the rest of the bore.

It also makes the gun incredibly loud.

Now, when I say "incredibly loud" I mean that if you use one indoors without hearing protection for a few shots it's not a "My ears rang for a day or two" situation, it's a "Now I need hearing aids for the rest of my life" sort of situation.

I also find that the porting on a 14" barrel ends up right about where my left thumb likes to sit on an 870...which I learned the hard way doing a demo in private instruction. I ran two quick rounds through the gun and after the second looked to see if the tip of my left thumb was still there.

[Wes Peart]

5000 psi gas jets be like that. Never was quite sure why porting was a popular thing, especially on 14" guns.

[TCinVA]

Do you have a pic of the front sight?

I was on the road teaching this weekend, first chance I've had to snap one:

119360 119361

It's a modified fixed choke. Some buckshot is a freakshow through it. FFC 9 pellet shoots very well at 15. Should shoot beautifully at 25. It also shoots some ordinary Federal 9 pellet buck very well at 15 yards. Tru-Ball hits dead to point of aim with no adjustment.

It's never seen oil.

And it looks like the sight is actually on the barrel slightly crooked...which, well...Remington.

[kwb377]

It's a modified fixed choke. Some buckshot is a freakshow through it. FFC 9 pellet shoots very well at 15. Should shoot beautifully at 25. It also shoots some ordinary Federal 9 pellet buck very well at 15 yards. Tru-Ball hits dead to point of aim with no adjustment.


Thanks for the info. I'd also sent Gun Repair Center an email on Saturday night with the same question as to compatibility, didn't expect to hear back until at least business hours today (Monday)...suprisingly, I got an email at 5am Sunday confirming that it would work. So I've got that and a Wilson/SGT +1 extension enroute, and a Form 1 pending.

[Wes Peart]

Did a quick and dirty range session today with the 14" fixed Modified barrel now that my Form 1 came in.

With LE132 9 pellet OO buck I got maximum spreads of

-10 yards: 2 3/4"
https://i.ibb.co/wSPjZzP/IMG-20240621-134559951.jpg (https://ibb.co/dPVxs5V)
album photo original (https://imgbb.com/)


-15 yards: 3 7/8"
https://i.ibb.co/71nhJ8D/IMG-20240621-134607183.jpg (https://ibb.co/rwx9GTh)

-20 yards: 7" with the typical way left 9 pellet flyer, all on a standard sheet of printer paper though

https://i.ibb.co/7JS5Sr2/IMG-20240621-134612316.jpg (https://ibb.co/xS202zJ)


-25 yards, fired one shot at 25 and only got 5 holes in the 8.5x11 sheet of paper, backer too chewed up to see where the others went.

As you can see, she opens up *quick* past 15. Which is honestly fine in my particular case because the longest shot possible in my house is 14 yards..

It shot Winchester Ranger segmented slugs, Brenneke KO's and the el cheapo Troy slugs all roughly to the same POI at 25 yards which is about 3" high if I place the dot directly over the bullseye in typical express sight fashion which isn't ideal but it is workable.

I noticed when I got the barrel the rear sight was drifted noticeably off center to the left in the dovetail. I was still hitting to the right with slugs and drifted the rear blade even with the left side of the base and that got my slug windage perfect. I've seen pictures of a few of these barrel with the rear blade drifted all the way over like that, seems to be a common affliction.