Remington 870 Opinion

[allaboutshooting]

Clark, why do you think the 26 inch barrel is a wise choice?

Good question. Over the years I've owned Rem-Choke barrels of many different lengths, from those very short ones that were popular a few years ago, to several 30" with a scattering of 21", 23", 24", 25", 26" and 28". I've also received and read literally thousands of email inquiries directed through my site over the past 20 years or so and many who are having difficulty getting the patterns they want, have barrels shorter than 26".

I've been actively engaged in working with several shotshell manufacturers since 2000 and have been competing in still target shooting competition since about that same time. That has required a lot of range time, using different shells, chokes and guns from various manufacturers and with different barrel lengths to see what works best and what the real differences are in "best", "well" and "not so well".

The one constant has been that a 26" barrel is easier to get good/dense/even patterns from than barrels shorter than 26". That is not to say that you can't get good patterns from shorter barrels because you can but for the majority of shooters/hunters a 26" barrel is just about the perfect choice.

Thanks,
Clark

[Steve]

I own an older 870...perhaps 90's. I love it and hunt with that gun more than any others. It's assisted me with taking lots of game over the years, even with all of the abuse it's subjected to. That's why I love it though... I don't have to take care of it. It has never had an issue even with waterfowling on the salty flats of Chesapeake Bay.

I would buy another in a heart beat, in fact, I may just do that in the very near future. Just so I can have one with a waterfowling camo pattern. Any excuse will do to buy a new gun

[blueridgegobbler]

Love the 870 have the 28"barrel for duck and the 21"for turkey clark you are right about the longer barrel shooting more even patterns put a pure gold 660 in my 28" one day and almost decided to sell my 21 but the carrying aspect is what keeps me shooting the 21 for turkey.
21"= around 200 in 10"@40 pure gold 660 with nitro 3"
28"= around 220 in 10"@40 pure gold 660 with nitro 3"

[TJK68]

Thanks for all the replies guys, very interesting info. Thanks Clark, I think the 26" will make a fine Turkey gun.
Tom

[stilker]

thanks clark

[Longshanks]

I shoot 870's. Two late 70's wingmasters that have been duracoated. 21"bbl and 27 3/8" bbl. I also shoot a new 27 3/8" bbl 870sm. I assume these are 28" bbl but they measure 27 3/8" from reciever to the end of the barrel. Awesome guns. Reliable, great patterns and turkey killers for sure. Had to do a good bit of aggressive polishing to the new gun barrel but it shoots amazing patterns. I've set the guns up to shoot lead and they are deadly to 40yds. I've had one of the wingmasters since I was 12 and I'm 45 now. Replaced one spring. That's about as reliable as it gets  Good luck in the turkey woods.

[WildTigerTrout]

My Rem. 870 Super Mag. is about ten years old and I would not hesitate to recommend any 870. I had a 23" barrel to start and have since switched to the 26".

[ohiostrutter]

i have 2 870 one express and one supermag my gpa has a wingmaster 20 from 1954 he bought new when he was 18 that gun is still being lugged around the squirrel woods

[rempumpman]

I have my dads 870 wingmaster that was bought in april of 1950, another wingmaster that was made in 1979, 2 Remington express, 1 super mag and 3 special purpose Remingtons; I now am working on another wingmaster to be added soon; there is no telling how many hundeds of thousands of shells I have shot thru the 870's but enough to know that the 870 is the toughest gun I have ever owned and never once have I had a 870 go down or fail to fire.......never.

[Longshanks]

I have my dads 870 wingmaster that was bought in april of 1950, another wingmaster that was made in 1979, 2 Remington express, 1 super mag and 3 special purpose Remingtons; I now am working on another wingmaster to be added soon; there is no telling how many hundeds of thousands of shells I have shot thru the 870's but enough to know that the 870 is the toughest gun I have ever owned and never once have I had a 870 go down or fail to fire.......never.

Thats what im talking about..reliability, performance, results..