I've got this goofy attraction to old Remington 870s (and newer ones, too). Last week I was cruising one of the auction sites and a 13" 870 Wingmaster got my attention.

Its starting bid was reasonable, and the "buy it now" price was about a hundred more. On price alone, I had almost talked myself into buying it. Once my brain settled in, I realized that there would be another $200 cost (tax stamp) on top of that, plus another $100 or so in tax, shipping, fees, and so forth. At that point, it was just silly.

Today I saw a similar 870 at a pawn shop (though not 13"!) for an almost reasonable price. My dickering skills aren't as good as they ought to be, I suppose, but I think I could get a few bucks off the price.

So at that point, Goofy Head kicked in again and thought about cutting it off. If I wanted to turn this gun into the one I saw at auction, I'd again have to take the $200 hit, plus a few dollars at my gunsmith for cutting it. That cut fee might be roughly the same as shipping cost for the original one, so without doing any real math, I figure it might be about even, minus whatever dickering I could do. If I could swap my P320 for the 870, then I'd be off to a much better start, but that's admittedly a considerable "if."

So. Recognizing that there's no cheap way of acquiring such a gun, Responsible Head takes over and asks... "why?" Irrationally, I just want one. Rationally, I recognize I've got no need for one.

For those of you who have an SBS, I'd like to ask: "Why?"
I'm not asking anyone to defend their decision to have one. Rather, if you have one, how do you use it? Just for fun? Potential home defense applications? It looks cool hanging on the wall in the gun room?

Other than "I just want one," I'm not sure I yet see the reason to have one.
(But I still want it.)

- - - -

ETA: Yes, I realize that if I wait until after the first of the year, that $200 fee is no longer a consideration.

Bought a Mossberg Shockwave (14" bbl) on a whim about 10 years ago with the intention of turning it into an SBS. It hung in the closet by the front door ready to go. Never got around filing the paperwork to put a stock on it. Traded it for something a year or 2 ago. Turns out the reality didn't live up to the fantasy.

had a hankering for a Serbu Super Shorty since Miami Vice,

never bothered to buy one,

not sure why,

OK. I see the novelty, maybe a little bit of cool factor. I have things I want, but don’t really need.

With a shotgun I kinda don’t understand the utility of going below the 18”(18 1/4”) length. That’s with the hassle & regulations factored in.

Kinda like a pistol gripped 12 ga, no stock. Yes I know, a little cool in the movies.

Such a gun, at 13”, will only have one use, short range. I guess if I was Jonesing, I’d start at 18” & see if that was enough to scratch that itch.

I’ve checked the AOW and SBS boxes in the NFA Scavenger Hunt. I acquired them during Trump’s first term…they were all well under a grand each, tax stamp included. The driving factor for me was indeed wanting to expand my NFA collection. They have predominantly been fired at indoor ranges with 00 Buck and slugs. They are just fun.

For practical/defense uses, in a civilized time with functioning legal system they would not be my first pick. I have other non-NFA shotguns that sling shot and slugs and have higher capacities that I would pick first, and not constantly worry about their treatment in police custody while going through defense proceedings.

If the only thing within reach or we are in ‘everyone for themselves’ times, the short shotguns definitely handle nicer indoors. You trade capacity for the shorter barrels. I would definitely lose hearing, but a 10” semiauto is handy in a car to ward off raiders. I do not have an experience with magazine-fed SBS’s like the Genesis, but it seems that solves the tradeoff…if you don’t mind the magazine hitting your knees!

Tax stamp is no longer an issue come January so there's that.

I have a couple short barrel shotguns. An 870P that I had cut down to be flush with the factory tube and then Vang Comped and a Benelli M4 with a 14" barrel. Why? They're a little handier (albeit with lower capacity) and I just think they're neat.

A cut down 18” bbl is not the same as a factory 13” bbl. Get the SBS vs Form 1’ing a regular one

quote:

Originally posted by PGT:
A cut down 18” bbl is not the same as a factory 13” bbl.

Finish machining of the cut aside, how so?

i bought a Mossberg 500 pistol with 18" barrel. Action is as slick as can be. I actually like shooting it. Pretty compact too. I do not see the need. Did I say I liked it, a lot And it was pretty cheap when I acquired it. Ymmv.

My Dept issued 14 inch 870s. Main advantage was its easier to maneuver a shorter barrel gun in a patrol car and it eases getting in and out of the car while handling a shotgun.
Other than that, no real difference that I could attest to between 18 inch and 14 inch guns. We did test ammo to makes sure the shorter barrels peformed to the same standard as full size guns. And we put a hand stop on the front of the magazine tube to ensure your hand was not in front of the muzzle when shooting.

This one is a twin of what I carried on the job. Short barrel, short stock = in and out of vehicles easily, excellent handling in the generally crappy/cramped houses I seemed to keep searching over and over again, still enough forward weight to be very manageable on second and third shots.

The whole "in and out of vehicles" and "crappy Section 8 apartments" is less of a thing post-retirement, but there are effectively no places in my house I can't easily maneuver with this shotgun. Surprisingly, there are a few storage options in my car that wouldn't work with four more inches, so that's a side benefit when I take it traveling.

I'm a shotgun nerd and while I'm aware of all of the benefits of a rifle for SD applications, my circumstances make shotguns an excellent choice. Having a shotgun that can go everywhere I need is a plus. If it's a particularly non-NFA-friendly destination, the original barrel on this one also has a Scattergun Track-Lok front sight, so while it's slightly less maneuverable it's still a platform I can run in my sleep.

This was a Form 1 with a Remington factory barrel swap.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by PGT:
A cut down 18” bbl is not the same as a factory 13” bbl.

Finish machining of the cut aside, how so?

Choke, mostly.

I have an affinity for Rem 870’s and recently ordered a 870 SBS from Vang Comp with wood furniture. Compared to the full size Beretta 1301 I have, the 870 SBS is much handier, especially inside the house or moving it in or out of a vehicle. For me, the 1301 feels huge in comparison, with just a 6” difference in barrel length.

Like others have said, it's handy as can be in a house, in a vehicle, etc. I ran a 14" Vang 870 at work for many, many years with thousands of rounds through it. It served a purpose and did it well.


It now provides home protection, more from bears than from people. It also goes along to the cabin with Brenneke slugs for bears as well.


What's not to like in a short scattergun that's stupid reliable, versatile (bird shot to slugs and everything in between, including less lethal munitions and chemical agents even) and handy......plus celebrate that you live in an area where you can own such a beast!

quote:

Originally posted by inspcalahan:
plus celebrate that you live in an area where you can own such a beast!

For now!
I do have some worries about the mess our incoming state "leaders" will bring about next year. And that's part of why I'm tempted to get hold of some neat things now.

inspcalahan pretty much covered anything I was going to say.
What's not to like? Mine started out as a PD less lethal gun. I've put some money into it but just to get it the way I want it. I've not noticed any difference in pellets on target in this 14" or my 20" barrel ( I do miss being able to attach a bayonet) I added a +1 extension giving me 5+1 & had Van Comp work their magic. It's great for "Repelling Boarders".

You know, this morning I had convinced myself to not buy this old gun and start a new project. But you guys showing pictures have swung that pendulum to the other side this afternoon!

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by PGT:
A cut down 18” bbl is not the same as a factory 13” bbl.

Finish machining of the cut aside, how so?

I would add that when you decide to sell it one day there will be more appreciation for the factory SBS over one with your name engraved on it. I myself stamped my maker info on what was a relatively inexpensive rifle caliber pistol that now days sells for 4x what I paid, if not for my info permanently stamped on it.

Yeah, the forcing cone on the front of the bbl is the same most likely but it's whatever tapering of the barrel that was done from 14-18" section you lop off. A cut down 18" may or may not pattern well unless you thread for a choke.

I bought a Clyde facing reamer and a Kobalt chop saw and have done many a barrel. You'd be hard-pressed on looks only to know they're not factory barrels after I'm done with them but for how they shoot.

I'm fine with blasters; mine are not duty guns but for my bedside gun, it's a 14" factory 870 barrel from AIP.





out innawoods;

They just look a bit funky for my taste. The pistol with and 18" barrel. Much better.