[iflylow74]

What is the shortest legal barell length? I've heard it is 18". Im trying to make my 870 into a turkey/beside the bed gun but I cant find an 18" barell anywhere. I've thought about cutting my 28" barell down but dont want to loose my remchoke capability.

[silentknight]

looks like a 20" is the shortest you're going to get from the factory, one of these would go perfectly with a 3 shot mag extension

[jerry]

heard 18" to 18.5" I'd go 18.5 just to be safe, what's 1/2"?

[Bull Barrel]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...805&hasJS=true

Here's a link--cheapest replacement barrel for the Rem 870 is by Mossberg, odd enough--18" is the shortest--but 20" would be ideal in the opinion of several Rem 870 modders...accomodates the 8-shot mag perfectly.

[Mooseman684]

To be LEGAL it needs to be 18.1 inches in the U.S. but Canada wont let one in less than 20 inches. 18.5 makes it easy if measured by BATF or other LE to be legal WITHOUT QUESTION !!! Rulers can be off a bit!

[BattleRifleG3]

Another factor to consider is in case the muzzle is damaged, you want room to recrown.

[iflylow74]

Cool. The 18.5" barrel from Cabala' for $94.99 looks good to me! I probably won't get a mag extension anyway.

BTW. I read an article by a "firearm expert" that its better to use 2 3/4 buckshot for home defense than 3". I think he said the 2 3/4 are less likely to jam. You guys ever heard that?

[silentknight]

I'd use 2 3/4" for HD simply because the 3" are going to recoil more and take you farther off of target. 2 3/4" is plenty of putdown for most HD scenarios, and you can get back to target a whole heck of a lot faster

[Mooseman684]

For home defense...In Home use I think #2 shot or BB would be very effective close range, but for 00 Buck, I use The 12 pellet 2-3/4 magnum with great results from an 18-1/4" Model 12 Riot gun ! My last 3 rounds are 1 oz. slugs In case I have to disable a vehicle too! I don't want the wheel man to escape !!!

[Bull Barrel]

http://www.firearmstactical.com/imag...ter%20Slug.jpg
http://www.firearmstactical.com/imag...20Buckshot.jpg
http://www.moveshoot.com/Media/Videos/MoveShootLEO3.wmv
That's a Remington 870 Express in the video by the way....
According to the DOJ document for the FBI http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf #1 Buckshot has the ideal charactreristics--rifled slugs over penetrate--birdshot under penetrates--to stop a jacked up assailant you need to casue 20% blood loss as fast as possible....read some reports by Fackler... http://www.firearmstactical.com/undeniable-evidence.htm

[iflylow74]

Cool! Thanks yall!!