switching barrels 2 3/4" to 3"

[Virginian]

Barrel will fit, but ejector and ejector spring will likely have to be modified/changed to eject 3" hulls. If you replace the rivets the action will need to be refinished to look decent. You can do it without replacing the rivets, but most gunsmiths don't want to fool with it. Aside from the ejector and ejector spring, and the rollmarking, the receivers are identical.

[Wulfman]

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Barrel will fit, but ejector and ejector spring will likely have to be modified/changed to eject 3" hulls. If you replace the rivets the action will need to be refinished to look decent. You can do it without replacing the rivets, but most gunsmiths don't want to fool with it. Aside from the ejector and ejector spring, and the rollmarking, the receivers are identical.

Virginian,

Is the ejection port on the 2 3/4" and 3" (Magnum) 870 the same size? I've owned a 1968 vintage 870 (standard 12 ga.) since it was new. About 20 years ago I bought a 26" barrel with three choke tubes (it has a 3" chamber ) to use with it.......mainly because I wanted a variety of choke possibilities in the field (and it would safely shoot steel shot)......even though I already had two fixed choke barrels for it. The gun shop I bought it from told me that it should be fine to shoot 3" shells in it but the ejection port may be smaller than the Magnum version when it came to ejecting the fired cases. I've never bought any 3" shells (or tried any in it) and have never measured the ejection port on a Magnum to check the dimensions against my standard 12. I've also never heard/read that about the ejector spring.

That barrel has always worked fine with that gun and ejecting the (fired) standard 2 3/4" cases was also without problems.

Any information regarding this would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Den

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[Virginian]

Virginian,
Is the ejection port on the 2 3/4" and 3" (Magnum) 870 the same size? I've owned a 1968 vintage 870 (standard 12 ga.) since it was new. About 20 years ago I bought a 26" barrel with three choke tubes (it has a 3" chamber ) to use with it.......mainly because I wanted a variety of choke possibilities in the field (and it would safely shoot steel shot)......even though I already had two fixed choke barrels for it. The gun shop I bought it from told me that it should be fine to shoot 3" shells in it but the ejection port may be smaller than the Magnum version when it came to ejecting the fired cases. I've never bought any 3" shells (or tried any in it) and have never measured the ejection port on a Magnum to check the dimensions against my standard 12. I've also never heard/read that about the ejector spring.
That barrel has always worked fine with that gun and ejecting the (fired) standard 2 3/4" cases was also without problems.
Any information regarding this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Den

Your gunshop was wrong. The receivers are IDENTICAL, including the port, except for the ejector, ejector spring, and the rollmarking. I know, I have measured and weighted plenty to be positive. 1100s are the same way - their only differences are in the barrel and action sleeve. A lot of 2-3/4" 870s went out the door with 3" ejector set ups so it's always good to check.

[Wulfman]

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Thanks, Virginian.


Den

[Virginian]

Not sure I'm following since the extra length is in the hull length and I'm just looking at what I think are the ejector ejector springs wouldn't they function the same with 3" since it looks like they are working the brass and rear of the spent hull?

No. The spring offset and the lip on the ejector have to be further back to allow a fired 3" casing to pass out the ejection port. With a 2-3/4" ejector and spring the front of the hull will hit the front of the ejection port.