Can I build a tac gun, and swap barrels for trap?

N

Noltz

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
Location
Haldimand County
Sorry for the newbish question. Tried trap for the first time on Saturday. It was also my first time with a shotgun. Metric s#!tton of fun :). But my eye has always been on 12-14" tactical looking shotguns. These of course are almost useless on trap.

Question; If I were to get an 88, or an 870, and fit it all tacticool, is there anything that prevents me from swapping on a 28" barrel for trap use, then swapping back for storage at home? Is there any items in a shotgun that could prematurely wear out from swapping barrels constantly?

Or do I need to just buy two?
 
Swap barrels as much as you like thats why they make 2 barrel combos hell get a rifled slug barrel too if you want so no swapping barrels will not wear anything out.
Go with the 870 its the mr.patato head of the shotgun world,you can dress it up anyway you like.
 
Last edited:
Noltz said:
Question; If I were to get an 88, or an 870, and fit it all tacticool, is there anything that prevents me from swapping on a 28" barrel for trap use, then swapping back for storage at home? Is there any items in a shotgun that could prematurely wear out from swapping barrels constantly?

Or do I need to just buy two?
Click to expand...

nothing prevents you.
just be careful: some of the Mossberg and Maverick combos have 28" barrels that are not tapped for chokes. this makes them, IMHO, nearly useless. by the time you purchase chokes and pay your smith to tap the barrel for them, you will be over the cost of a comparable Remington 870 combo.

personally i prefer to have each shotgun configured a certain way and just leave them like that. an 870 Express, old Wingmaster, or 870 clone receiver is not really expensive, so if you have a spare barrel laying around you can eventually pick up a second receiver for a separate build. this will allow you to leave stocks with PGs, ghost ring sights, and other similar accessories mounted on the gun rather than having to swap everything over each time you head to the range.
 
Noltz said:
Sorry for the newbish question. Tried trap for the first time on Saturday. It was also my first time with a shotgun. Metric s#!tton of fun :). But my eye has always been on 12-14" tactical looking shotguns. These of course are almost useless on trap.

Question; If I were to get an 88, or an 870, and fit it all tacticool, is there anything that prevents me from swapping on a 28" barrel for trap use, then swapping back for storage at home? Is there any items in a shotgun that could prematurely wear out from swapping barrels constantly?

Or do I need to just buy two?
Click to expand...

too many shotguns is never enough....

i did this for a while.
Shouldn't have any issues with premature wear. just don't go and epoxy a set of ghost ring sights on your receiver and short barrel.... might have some issues down the road. ;)
stick with a bead sight on both barrels, practical/tactical stock and fore end and you'll be good.
 
Any reason to avoid the Norc clone? The HP9 is available at my local range for a great price. Then find a take-off barrel? Or is there an advantage to a true 870?
 
Ive heard mixed opinions on them,why not get your hands on a grizzly? Mines been more reliable then my 870 and seems to be one of the first i grab from the safe
 
I had an 870 that came with three barrels (a Lebaron special): Rifled cantilever deer barrel, a looong barrel threaded with choke for waterfowl, and a short (14"?) barrel with fibre sights threaded and choked for turkey. Of course, once I unscrewed the turkey choke and threaded a Remington Breecher choke on the end (looks nasty, but I really wanted to protect the barrel-end when running and gunning), I was ready to have some fun with the 870. Used it in a 3-gun match, and lots of plinking trips.

Mine was flat black, and I only changed the fore grip to a hogue from CGN-EE (rubber, better grip on hot days), and slapped an S&J 6-shell velcro holder to the left side of the receiver. With that short barrel, sights, and choke, it was lightweight, and looked plenty "tactical" without having a bunch of crap hanging off it. The only other parts I would have liked would have been an oversized safety, and a stock with a pistol grip, instead of the straight traditional stock.

870s have many accessories available. Other manufacturers or models may give you that kind of mix-and-match as well. (590A1?)
 
All platforms are on the table right now. Budget wise, HP9's are a winner. It's just finding a longer barrel for it. I saw Mossberg has some 2 barrel options on Cabelas, but in holding a 500 I felt it was too light, and I didn't like the ultra glossy wood (felt like cheap plastic).
 
I just tacticooled my 870 with an ATI stock. Still running the 26" vent rib though.
Guy I shoot with uses a pistol grip stainless steel 9"? Barreled shot gun to shoot trap with. It looks funny and long shots are difficult but it works.
 
If you don't buy a combo gun, make sure you have priced the other barrel for whatever shotty you want to buy. Mossberg barrels tend to be cheaper from my looking.

Maybe buy a Remmy express with a 26" or 28" threaded for chokes and then pick up an 18.5", 14" or 12.5" non-Remmy barrel?

Just make sure your longer barrel is threaded for chokes.

Either way, I bet you pick up a second shotty within a year. They're fun and affordable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom