Rem. 870LW 20 gauge

[jenkst]

This 870LW 20 gauge has a 28" barrel, 2 3/4" chamber and is a fixed full choke. Iam looking for another barrel with screw-in choke and 3 inch chamber. I called Remington and they don't make a barrel for this gun with screw-in choke or 3" chamber. I forgot to ask if they ever did. Somewhere I read that if the serial number ends with 'K' it will acept a 3" chamber barrel. If anybody has any information on this, Id be much thankful.  jenkst

[Lloyd Smale]

news to me. I allways thought any 870 barrel would fit any 870.

[spruce]

Remington has made several versions of the 870.  The original 20 gauge was built on the 12 gauge size frame.  They have also made a version called the Light Contour (LC), Lightweight (LW) and the Special Field.
The Lightweight and the Special Field are both the smaller framed guns (20 gauge frame), but barrels won't interchange.  I'm not sure where the Light Contour fits in the equation, but I don't think barrels for it will interchange with any of the others?
 
I always thought the LW's were all made in 3" mag, but apparently not.  I do know the newer LW's and Express models in 20 ga are all 3" mags and the barrels will interchange. 
 
If your gun was originally a 2 3/4" receiver model (LW) then a 3" barrel should fit (but wait until you hear from someone who knows for sure!).  I know guys have done this, but you sould ONLY shoot 2 3/4" shells in it!  Remington of course wouldn't tell anyone this because of liability reasons.

[George Foster]

Rem has only made two different size frames for the 20ga 870.  The original was the standard 20ga which was on the 12ga frame.  They brought out the LW 20 in the early 70's on the smaller size frame.  The way to tell the difference is the barrel ring, the std 20ga ring will allow a quarter to be put through it.  The only LW 20ga barrel that isn't interchangable is the Special Field because of the positioning of the barrel ring.  If your gun is a 2-3/4" only barrel you can still use 3" barrel on it, the difference is the ejection, just don't use 3" shells.