switching barrels??

[canadiansurvivor]

I was going to post this in newbies but then I thought here people would know their stuff more.
I have a weatherby PA-08 upland with a 26" barrel. I don't use it for hunting like I should and I was going to sell it and buy a little mini one from DA with a 12.5" barrel and deck it out in custom made wood.

Then. A thought occured.

Can I buy a 12.5 inch barrel for my weatherby pump and then switch the barrels out when I want to go hunting? If so would it be hard to find a barrel that fits the weatherby PA? Help me out please.

 

[manbearpig]

there are 2 small problems:

1. retail barrels are usually quite overpriced. the exception to this are the aftermarket barrels Mossberg manufactures for both the 500 and 870. But, if you compare even those to the Mossberg 500 and Maverick 88 combos, theyre expensive. you can find used and new take-off 870 barrels for $100-200 on the EE (with plain 28" vent rib being on the low end and cantilever rifled being on the high end, and everything else inbetween). i paid ~$125 for most of my 18.5" 870 barrels.

2. AFAIK *aftermarket* <18.5" barrels for non-870 shotguns are either really rare or nonexistent.


if i were in your shoes i would do one of three things:
-look around for a good deal on a Grizzly, barebones 870 Express w/18.5" barrel, or a Mossberg. perhaps even a Maverick if you have no intention of changing the forend. you should be able to get the complete gun for ~$300, which is the price of one aftermarket Dlask barrel.

-buy an 870 trio, or combo, on sale. LeBaron had some amazing prices on their 870 trios (IIRC $530), but theyre likely sold out now. still, great deals can be found. i recommend a combo or duo because after you sell the barrel(s) and parts you dont need (they go fast on the EE), the receiver ends up costing almost nothing.

-look on the EE, and local gun shops, for an old 2 3/4" Wingmaster receiver and use that as a basis for your build. they can be converted to 3" easily and cheaply, but its not necessary for a defense/'tactical' type gun. a complete receiver w/triggergroup can be had in good condition for around $150-175.



i highly recommend the 870 platform when building a short, or 'tactical' shotgun because there is simply such a huge aftermarket for it - anything you need can be easily and cheaply found and installed with minimal fuss. Mossberg would be the second best choice with the second largest aftermarket - but it is still a fraction of what you can find for the 870.