I have a 870 in 3" mag that currently sports a 30" full choke barrel. I was considering another barrel with interchangable choke tubes. I have a few questions.

Is there a big difference in velocity between a 30 and a 28 incher or even a 26" barrel?

Does the choke tubes do a good job for patterning and keeping the shot string together?

Would I be better just getting a different barrel with a different bore and forgetting the choke tubes?

90% of my shotgunning is on upland birds using 2 3/4 reloads with 1 1/8 oz of #4 shot. When shooting waterfoul I do use the 3".

Thanks for any info!

It depends on what your hunting as far as length goes. I like a short barrel for a turkey gun. Most wingshooters like a longer barrel and I see lots of guys now shooting the sporting clays that are going to the 30 inch tubes.

The choke tubes work exceptionally well, that's why they are standard on any shotgun you buy anymore except for the inexpensive single shots. The day when you had to buy a different barrel for different chokes is over.

I like an open choke for upland birds and anything tighter than improved cylinder is harder for me to hit close jumped birds with. For quail hunting I use a skeet choke. You can get many older barrels drilled and tapped for screw in chokes or check at Midway or Cabela's for barrels that come with the screw in chokes.

With screw in chokes long barrel,s can be unnecessary especially for upland bird hunting. Go take a look at the Remington Special Field's or the Browning BPS Upland. Both have about 21 or 22 inch barrels. Lots of guy like the longer barrels for the sighting plane but I have been primarily using a 870 Special Field for pheasants and quail about 20 years now and like the shorter barrel and the straight grip English style stock.

As said, in a way, barrel length has little to do with velocity or how "hard" a shotgun shoots. Barrel length has more to do with application and personal preference. I have always liked 26" barrels in repeaters, even for ducks over decoys. 28" in doubles suits me better, for quail, doves and ducks. A longer barrel gives a longer, more stable sight plain for pass or wing shooting where long swing-thru is involved. If you're snap shooting, point and pull, shorter is better.

Screw in choke tubes are the way to go and I've never seen any adverse effect to patterns. I would buy a new 26" barrel for the 870, which should be 3", and feel well equiped.

Several years ago I switched from a 30 inch full choke to a 26 inch screw in choke barrel for duck hunting and have not noticed any difference in the distance I can shoot. The 26 is much handier to use and point though. I would never go back to a long barrel.

I'm a wingshooter by heart, over big game. The 30'' full will be great for waterfowl such as geese or high flying ducks.
When hunting upland, my barrels vary from 28", all the way down to a 23" on the 11-87 upland special.
Ideally, a 26" barrel is great when chasing grouse, woodcock, and deep wooded pheasant. Bunnies and squirrel won't stand a chance either.
I employ a 23" 11-87, a 26" 20ga O/U, or a 16 ga. SxS 26" for these.
When walking fields with the dogs, I usually go for the 28" SxS [12ga], but have hunted just as well with a 25" Briley choked Winnie model 12 pump gun.

Chokes are really more important than the length of the barrel.
Dense upland woods, I find I/C, I/M or skeet chokes work well, no matter the gun.
The open field usually get I/M in one tube for the first shot, and Modified for the long fly-away miss.
Turkey in NJ usually consists of a 16 gauge 1148, full choke, 26" barrel.
And finally back to waterfowl, the 28" SxS or 28" 1100 get full chokes.

Your mileage may vary, so please remember that shot size also will play a part, as important as the choke.
Lastly, pattern your gun. What Briley sees as an improved cylinder, may differ from in density of pattern with other factory chokes. As important as your pattern is, is the point of impact to the point of aim. All of these need to come together in the blink of an eye, when the bird rises.

hope this helped.

I bought a Super-X #1 back in the early 80's for a pheasant gun. Is a real purdy field grade. I got good with it and still do well. There has been several occasions hunting with friends, when a bird would flush and amigos would start missing. I'd wait and track the bird until they were done. BOOM! Bird down. 2 3/4" with 1 3/8 oz. of #5 lead.

I decided to retire it about six years ago just because part are kinda rare(haven't needed any yet). Bought a Remington 1100 with 27" tube and screw in chokes. It seems to shoot the same load just fine.

Only trouble is that I can't bring myself to go pheasant hunting without my #1. The 1100 may get passed to my son (or daughter if she wants it).

30 inch full works well if you take your time. No need to bust them on the second wing flap.

Cheezywan

No need to bust them on the second wing flap.


true so true.

words of wisdom

I bought a Super-X #1 back in the early 80's for a pheasant gun. Is a real purdy field grade. I got good with it and still do well. There has been several occasions hunting with friends, when a bird would flush and amigos would start missing. I'd wait and track the bird until they were done. BOOM! Bird down. 2 3/4" with 1 3/8 oz. of #5 lead.

I decided to retire it about six years ago just because part are kinda rare(haven't needed any yet). Bought a Remington 1100 with 27" tube and screw in chokes. It seems to shoot the same load just fine.

Only trouble is that I can't bring myself to go pheasant hunting without my #1. The 1100 may get passed to my son (or daughter if she wants it).

30 inch full works well if you take your time. No need to bust them on the second wing flap.

Cheezywan

Pheasants and grouse come apart if I get on 'em right away. It's hard to hold off when everyone opens up, but with restraint it can be done. After 25 yards the birds come down with minimal damage... at least they don't rattle when you shake 'em.

I haven't patterned the gun with the loads. I know the reloads are way tighter than factory magnums just from the results of shooting.

Is there barrel brands and type of choke inserts that you'd recommend as a purchase for the 870?

Is there barrel brands and type of choke inserts that you'd recommend as a purchase for the 870?

Short answer is "NO" I do not prefer one over another. I do prefer a heavy load of shot in a 2 3/4 inch hull. Seems to work well even late in the season here in Iowa. 1 1/2 oz. loads have worked well when the snow was deep and the dogs were sharp.

I think "pattern testing" is your best bet on a new shotgun. My experience is getting old with "todays" loads. Some of my favorites are 4 dram equivilent! I sure won't post them here.

2008 has been real hard for ground nesting birds here. Record flood levels= bad nesting conditions. Don't plan your vacation around a pheasant hunt in Iowa this year( other Iowa members can chime in about now). I see small numbers.

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I think "pattern testing" is your best bet on a new shotgun.

2008 has been real hard for ground nesting birds here. Record flood levels= bad nesting conditions. Don't plan your vacation around a pheasant hunt in Iowa this year( other Iowa members can chime in about now). I see small numbers.

Thanks for barrel info, I'll start shopping.

I'm more of a rifle hunter and they seem to get the most attention for load development. Need to work on the shotgun stuff some.

The area I hunt pheasants had a great hatch this year but the summer hail storms really took a toll.

Is there barrel brands and type of choke inserts that you'd recommend as a purchase for the 870?

The Rremington factory offerings are fine, but your choices are limited to mainly the more obvious choices.
Carlsons chokes are great, and offer a plethera of choices, for many guns.
My Personal favorite are Briley. They are located in TX, and will install chokes in barrels that have fixed chokes for a relatively low cost. They offer a thin wall choke system that will fit alot of guns;
Fact is i own a few guns that have had their chokes installed, in 12,20 and 16.
IIRC, the cost to have the chokes installed by Briley was $199.

Here are links to Briley and Carlsons;
http://www.briley.com/
http://www.choketube.com/

Shorter barrels are more maneuverable when hunting in brush and long barrels point better for long shots at waterfowl or wild flushing pheasants. My "pre choke tube" Rem 1100 wears a 26" skeet choked barrel for thick cover and a 30" full for pheasants and ducks. My "crawl through tangles" grouse gun is a 26" SxS. My trap guns are 32" O/U for doubles and 34" single barrel for singles and handicap. The Rem 870 "Express" I just bought for a backup and use in nasty weather has a 28" choke tube barrel.

Gene Hill, the late author of many books and years ago a column in a rag, wrote that we should think of the lengths of our shotguns in terms of baseball bats.
"The long gun, [bat] wil swing slower, but continue to follow thru with very little effort.

The short gun [bat] will swing quickly, but be difficult to control on the follow thru.

Of course, the niceties of balance, which distribute control of the gun between the hands, are not a function of barrel weight or length, but of design-or genius. My point is, simply, that given a choice of a nicely balanced gun, with the same weight, I would figure on shooting better with the longer barrel. My eye would be more conscious of where the barrel is pointing, and my hands would more easily perform the desirable follow thru" -Gene Hill

he makes very valid points, and as of late I have become a "padawan' of his writings.

In his other writings, he speaks of the necessity of a double gun, to be more specific, a SxS.

He speaks truths, as I have saved enough to just last December purchase a better, but not superb double, with 28" tubes and a straight English Stock. A whole nother world of shotgunning has been opened to me...one I am afraid I will not be returning from soon....

Just some random thoughts...

:)I have the same gun you do. It was a 30 inch full. I had a gunsmith friend cut 2 inches (the choke) off and thread it for Hastings tubes. He also ported it.
I love it!:cool: