Old school bottomland 870 barrel

[Extremesolo]

I recently purchased a bottomland 870 to set up as my latest turkey gun. The likely plan is to have a Sumtoy scope mount and a fast fire 3 installed. I plan on replacing the recoil pad and the trigger spring as well. Currently it has the 28" barrel. I am considering having Sumtoy chop it to 21" and retreading it for Rem-chokes. I have a couple questions. First any reason to go shorter or longer than 21". I am just thinking of making it more handy and a little lighter. Is there an optimal length barrel for the 870?  Before I do have it chopped, does anyone have a shorter bottomland barrel they want to trade? I figured I would check on here before I ship it away.

[Tom007]

First off, I would take the recommendation of the company that is going to cut and rethread  it. If you have a choice, I would go with 21 inches. The Original bottomland and Greenleaf Turkey model barrels did have some guns with 21 inch barrels and they do shoot great. Good luck....

[Ranger]

Also im.pretty sure if Sumtoy  threads it then it will the threaded for TruChokes

[lowoctane]

 
From the factory, Remington slightly swells the ends of their barrels to accommodate their choke tubes so if you have that barrel cut down you will lose the swelled end and whoever threads that barrel will have to use Tru-Chokes as they are very thin and the only tube that you'll be able to use. 

[Tom007]

From the factory, Remington slightly swells the ends of their barrels to accommodate their choke tubes so if you have that barrel cut down you will lose the swelled end and whoever threads that barrel will have to use Tru-Chokes as they are very thin and the only tube that you'll be able to use. 

Great info...

[tnanh]

Also im.pretty sure if Sumtoy  threads it then it will the threaded for TruChokes

Not necessarily with a 12 gauge. The only two twelves he has done for me have been in Rem-Choke.

[jordanz7935]

Get a pair of calipers and measure barrel diameter @ 21 inches... Google Mike Orlen.... his price list has minimum diameters that he or any good gunsmith can do for each thread type: truchocke, invector, remchoke. If its an old school early 90's bottomland 870 barrel, id think twice before chopping it down though. Would hurt the value of the gun big time. But if that doesnt matter, and you want to make it yours go for it!

[Extremesolo]

It is indeed an old school bottomland 870.  I looked for one for a few years before finding this one.  I want to hunt with it and don't really want the 28" barrel.  I know it will affect the value but I didn't buy it as an investment.  I posted in the classifieds section to see if anyone out there wanted to trade the 28" for a 21" but there are no takers so far.  I may send it out to SumToy this afternoon so I have plenty of time to get it back and completely set up before April.  Will also be having him install his mount for a fastfire 3 as well while he has it.

[Tom007]

It is indeed an old school bottomland 870.  I looked for one for a few years before finding this one.  I want to hunt with it and don't really want the 28" barrel.  I know it will affect the value but I didn't buy it as an investment.  I posted in the classifieds section to see if anyone out there wanted to trade the 28" for a 21" but there are no takers so far.  I may send it out to SumToy this afternoon so I have plenty of time to get it back and completely set up before April.  Will also be having him install his mount for a fastfire 3 as well while he has it.

The 28 in barrel is indeed the toughest one to find, took me awhile. They are pretty rare. Enjoy the gun when you take it afield.....