What's with the price of shotgun barrels???

[brasschaser]

I've got a Remington 870 express that I'd like to get a 24" replacement barrel for, but after looking at the prices of barrels, it seems you're better off buying a whole new shotgun.  Doesn't seem to be anything out there for less than $200+.  That's more than I paid for the shotgun brand new!  Seems ironic that I can get a match grade heavy barrel for my Ruger 10/22 for $80, but a seemingly more simply made shotgun barrel costs so so much more.  Maybe there's some exquisite manufacturing process for shotgun barrels that I'm not familiar with, but the price just don't seem right.

[mountainview]

I agree with you on buying the gun rather than just the barrel. Was looking for just the slug barrel but found a combo with 2 barrels at a price that was just way too good to pass on. I can ALWAYS use a new firearm, whether I need it, well that is another story.

Around here the going rate is 160+ (sabot barrels are higher) and barrels generally need to be ordered which is more of an annoyance but can be tolerated.

I have seen some sites on the web, if I recollect properly, that were less than 200 so you may want to try that route. Mossberg also makes barrels for the Remington though you would need to check and see which ones they actually offer.

Manufacturing costs can vary but retail prices are generally set as to what the market will bear or to achieve certain marketing goals among other things rather than the actual manufacturing cost itself. Can't fault the manufacturers for wanting to make a profit, it is the reason they exist in the first place. About the best one can hope for is that a sufficient number of competitors emerge to bring the price down.

[Ramrod]

I don't see what the big deal is, I paid $150 for a Hastings Rifled barrel with Iron sights for my 1100 back around 1984 or 1985. I paid $350 for the gun new. Price an 1100 today, I don't think aftermarket barrels have gone up much at all.
Midsouth Shooters Supply has  20 " Hastings rifled barrels with 3 inch chambers and scope mounts for $144.32 You will naturally pay more for a barrel marked Remington.
And by the way, 22s have always been cheaper than shotguns, they are actually far easier to make.

[brasschaser]

Ramrod:
How do you figure a rifled barrel is easier to make than a smooth barrel?  I paid $200 new for my Rem 870 express.  A vent rib replacement barrel able to take chokes costs upwards of that at the lowest prices I've seen.  

mountainview:
I think you're correct there.  I think they've figured most that will buy their replacement shotgun barrels are uppity bird hunters with cash to blow.  That would be a delight to see some other manufacturers dump a load of compatible cheap barrels on the market.  I'll likely just buy a whole new outfit until they get their supply and demand curves plotted right.  The 870 I have has a 28" barrel on there now which is great for ducks and geese, but is like swingin' around a telephone pole for other fast moving game and isn't great for the turkey woods either.