870, 3" or 3 1/2" ?

Write a letter to remington, I know that generally 2.75 barrels handle 3.00 rnds, there is sufficient room before the forcing cone is reached. Maybe the 3.00 inch barrel will accept 3.50 rnds.
If you want to go goose hunting, and want a long barreled shot gun take the 3.50 but I'm sure that the 3.00 inch rnds will do all you want with your shot gun.
 
Will I Am said:
Write a letter to remington, I know that generally 2.75 barrels handle 3.00 rnds, there is sufficient room before the forcing cone is reached. Maybe the 3.00 inch barrel will accept 3.50 rnds.
I would be very carefull with that.
 
TYE said:
I'm going to buy an 870 within' the next while, but I can't decide whether I want a Magnum 3" or Super Magnum 3 1/2".

I don't really know why I would bother getting the 3 1/2" gun?

Because there's no reason not to, and the extra capability is nice to have, even if the need for it is largely theoretical for most of us?

I picked up an Express Super Mag Combo last fall. Fit and finish aren't as nice as my Marine Magnum, but it really is all I need to bag anything I can legally hunt in my area.
 
mildot said:
Let me just toss in my two cents here. Last spring I bought a Rem 870 3 1/2" Super Magnum Combo. Nice shotgun, loved the fact it comes with a ribbed barrel and a rifled barrel!

Here's my issue. Most of the time I shoot 2 3/4" Winchester shells. I use them when I spot a grouse near the road when on the log trails up near the cottage (Minden). From the day I brough this gun home it wouldn't fire a short shot without jamming. There isn't an issue if I shoot 3" sabot or if I use deer shot through the rifled barrel, only if I shoot these "light" loads. I bought a box of 3" Kent and they went through just fine.

I've sent the gun to a Remington repair center up near Bracebridge, and it was returned with the note that the barrel had been reamed to allow for proper ejection. Seems that the shells (when hot, as in just fired) expanded and got stuck! The extractor isn't strong enough to pull them out, and I had to "pound" the butt of the gun on my knee (once I cleared the remaining shells from it) to manually extract the round. Yet, after it's first repair, it continued to perform this way. A second trip to the repair shop, this time I included the box top from the offending shells, so the repair tech may have the opportunity to correctly simulate the problem. The gun came back with a note saying they couldn't replicate the problem. Yet the gun still mis-behaves! I have several hunting pals as witnesses!

I will still use the gun in it's "rifled" form, as it's one of the best guns out their, but for birds (including Turkey!) I now have a Beretta 391 in 3". It's a gun I trust won't let me down no matter what the circumstance.

Good luck with whatever choice you make. As you see, it easily becomes one of personal preference as well as necessity.



Sell it and buy a Benelli, it digests everything!

That's unfortunate. I've never had that problem with mine...
 
MauserMike said:
Have you guys patterned your 3.5" guns with 2-3/4" shells? Its my experience that the pattern is impacted in a bad way with such a long path to the forcing cone. Maybe somebody has some good ammo/gun/choke combinations that refute this?

In the end I went for a 3" 870 Wingmaster. It knocks down geese just fine with Hevi-shot.

From a practical point of view, I haven't noticed any patterning issues; been using No.6 Win Super-X 2-3/4" 1-1/4 oz Heavy Game Loads in mine since I got it, and it's killed everything I've shot with it quite handily :).
 
I second getting a benelli,It does digest everything with no problems.Cheap crap ammo to premiums in 3.5,does not matter.And the 3.5 inch is alot of fun to watch your friends shoot!!I got rid of two winchester's for a benelli and could not be happier.
 
I shoot a 500 Mossberg (3" chamber) and have never felt the need for 3-1/2". If you must have an 870 though get the 3-1/2", as Biggredd said, its only a few bucks more than the 3" and it will have a better resale value down the road if you decide to change to something else.
 
RePete said:
Let me guess, you're using the cheap WalMart/CTC cheap steel/alooy based shells.:slap:

For the last time, THEY ARE CRAP! They are the greatest source of problems.:bangHead:

Actually NO. My local CTC and Wally's World don't sell ammo.

"Most of the time I shoot 2 3/4" Winchester shells." These I bought at Bass Pro. These are the ones that gave me the most problems. The Kent shells that I got later on don't give me the same problem.
 
Buy the 3.5 in what ever gun you choose. I reload and shoot both 10 and 12 gauge in 3.5 inch. Most of the time for crows, grouse, rabbits, ducks I use 2.75 and 3", geese and turkey 3" and 3.5. I agree with BR and nothing compares to a 3.5 12 gauge when loaded with buck shot for coyotes, if you do not believe me do the math.
 
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