Can you convert a 3" chamber to 3.5?

Eddie Honda

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I've been thinking about getting an 870 supermag (chambered for 3.5 inch shells).

CanAm and NEA are selling short barrels for 870s, chambered in 3 inch. If I were to get say a 12 or 14 inch 870 barrel, could I get a gunsmith to ream out the forcing cone so I could put 3.5 inch supermag shells through it? Would this be doable/safe?

I just think it would be sweet to have a 870 supermag shorty. :evil:
 
The barrel should be pretty easy to ream. The problem your going to have is the action length. A 3" action isn't long enough to eject a 3.5" hull. I may be wrong. Actually I hope I'm wrong.
 
The barrel should be pretty easy to ream. The problem your going to have is the action length. A 3" action isn't long enough to eject a 3.5" hull. I may be wrong. Actually I hope I'm wrong.

The supermag is a 3.5" action. You are quite correct though, about a 3 inch not being big enough for 3.5 inch, the case would get hung up on the ejection port.
 
The barrel should be pretty easy to ream. The problem your going to have is the action length. A 3" action isn't long enough to eject a 3.5" hull. I may be wrong. Actually I hope I'm wrong.

actually your right most 3 in guns do not have a big enough action to cycle a 3.5 in shell. it might even be a tight fit loading the shell.
 
Thanks for the responses guys,

Just to clarify... the idea is to buy a Remington 870 supermag receiver, and stick a short barrel on it. The ejection port won't be an issue in this case. But since all these aftermarket shorty barrels are chambered for 3", I just wanted to know if it's safe/possible to ream one out for 3.5" shells.

Would a normal 870 barrel fit on a super magnum in the first place? I'd imagine it probably would...
 
EDIT -- :redface: Many pardons, I misspoke seeing Super Magnum and thinking of 11-87 receivers for some reason and regular 11-87 barrels.
 
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It can be done and I have done it on good quality barrels. I will not do it on the thin barrels that come over on a boat.

Casey

Would you do it to an NEA barrel?

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=512919

Furthermore, would one of these barrels fit on an 870 super magnum receiver? There seems to be some doubt, judging from what's been said in this thread so far.
 
Would you do it to an NEA barrel?

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=512919

Furthermore, would one of these barrels fit on an 870 super magnum receiver? There seems to be some doubt, judging from what's been said in this thread so far.

All 870 barrels fit on 870 Super Mag receivers. Of course you are limitted to the chamber length of the barrel.

I may do it to the NEA barrels when I see one and find out what kind of steel they are made out of.

Casey
 
All 870 barrels fit on 870 Super Mag receivers. Of course you are limitted to the chamber length of the barrel.

I may do it to the NEA barrels when I see one and find out what kind of steel they are made out of.

Casey

Thank you, I half way knew they did, so I ordered one for mine, then easy went and scared me.
 
Thank you, I half way knew they did, so I ordered one for mine, then easy went and scared me.

EDIT -- :redface: Many pardons, I misspoke seeing Super Magnum and thinking of 11-87 receivers for some reason and regular 11-87 barrels.
 
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