I have been looking at new 870s, I cannot find the exact set of options that I am looking for in one model. I was doing some math and for about the price of a new model plus options I could just buy 2 different models and combine the parts and I would have one set up like I wanted and another spare shotgun.
So my question is this, will all new 870 parts interchange.

thanks for the advice!

The answer is Yes and No. Make sure the mag tube is the same length between guns. The barrel band is tightened by the magazine cap or mag extension. Some 870 have longer magazines so the barrel band is farther out on the barrel. They will not interchange with standard length mag tubes and receivers. All other parts will interchange as long as the gauge is the same.

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1SG, USA (Ret)

On newer models barrels will interchange except the Special Field
series. The older 20g models on 12g frames will not interchange
with newer models. I have never been one for extra barrels, I
think you are on right track. For the $$ you are better of buying
the second gun. Unless it's for a scarce gun, extra barrels are
hard to break even on. Especially if you buy them new. And in
the case of 870s the older the gun the better it is.

Oldsarge is referring to the Special Field model that was produced back in the mid 80s thru (I think) early 90s. The other thing is the frame size. The 12 is built on a large frame, the 20 on a smaller one, and the 28 and .410 on a smaller one still. Some internal parts are frame and/or gauge specific.

Oh, and the 16 gauge and the old standard weight 20 we're also built on the 12 gauge frame.

Only additional point I would add is to note the differences between guns made for 3" magnum ammo vs. those made for 2-3/4" ammo. Barrels may readily interchange, but a 3" magnum barrel does not make a standard receiver into a magnum receiver, and vice versa.

My 870 is the old "Sportsman 12" model with plain walnut stock, parkerized finish, 3" magnum, and 21" vent-rib RemChoke barrel. Does great for home defense with IC choke tube (and magnum BB-loads), which also works well for doves and quail (using #7-1/2 or #8 target loads). Switch to the Mod tube, with magnum steel shot loads and it's just fine for ducks and geese, or with #6 field loads does great for pheasants. With the Hastings Extra Long Turkey Choke tube the same gun consistently wins every turkey shoot I have taken it to. About the only thing I haven't asked it to do is shoot slugs, but I suspect it would do just fine.

Set up right an 870 can fill just about any shotgun requirements.

could I use a tactical (high capacity, cylinder bore) model, and switch the barrel with a vented rib hunting model? that way I would have a hunting gun with high capacity.

thanks

As noted above, the vent-rib barrel would have to have the magazine retention ring mounted at the correct position to correspond with the extended magazine tube (see post #2). I'm not sure how common that might be.

I'm 99% sure you could unless there is a model I'm not aware of.
The fore arm and action bars are the same on all but Special Field
model. So position of ring and cap nut are the same. All the after
market extensions have the "extra" magazine as a unit with the
cap nut. I put a lot of these together in Ohio for deer hunters and
it wasn't long before we got hit with 3shot law. I kind of miss it
because guys that shoot 8 times at a deer aren't killing but sure
do keep the deer moving. You can plot the deers travel by the
shots.

From what I've read the current 870 is a pale imitation of the old Wingmasters. New guns are matte finished rather than blued and older Wingmasters usually have genuine walnut stocks.

As far as parts swaps go remember there are 870s, Wingmasters and P (for police) model Wingmasters and UN-Marked P models out there. IDK about what fits what in a parts swap.

Buy a solid Wingmaster and start collecting barrels.

Just my 1/50th of a bucks worth.

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On the whistle draw and fire 6

I wouldn't buy a new 870 - as, I don't think, the quality is there for the price.

If it were me, I'd buy an older wingmaster with the vent rib barrel or whatever barrel you're wanting.

Then, buy an LE trade police magnum. With a little looking 18", 20" barrel lengths, bead, rifle sights and different stocks can be found some with the extended mag tube for under $300.

Or buy a police mag, and find a VR barrel for it if you have to have a magnum.

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Thread Killer.

As noted in previous posts, the barrel band on a tactical extended capacity is in a different place than a vent rib hunting barrel. No long/vented/ field barrels are made to fit the extra capacity gun. Not the picture below. The old Wingmaster on top (Vent Rib, 2-3/4 only) is wearing the stock and fore end from the Marine magnum which has been fitted with a Choate sidefolder and accessory for end (the Wingmaster Walnut Parts are safely stored away) Note the 2nd from bottom one with the extended capacity (Knox Furniture) and location of the barrel band relative to all the rest. The 20ga in the pic is a Youth model (laminate wood stock), The rifle site equipped one was a police model now fitted with a Mossberg built rifled slug barrel instead of the 18" w/bead.

I must agree on the quality of the current 870s. I am an 870 nut, I've owned 6 over the years. Mine were all Wing Masters, Walnut and blued. I don't mind the concept of the Express models,it's probably a good idea for hardcore hunters. But even the original Express guns cycled smoothly, they just weren't as pretty. I've handled a few current 870 Express guns at our local club while helping new shooters out on the skeet field. These guns felt like they had sand in the action, and many wouldn't reliably cycle and feed. Big Green tossed quality out the window for quantity.

One more thing about swapping barrels: once you get the length of pull tailored to you rather than the rather long armed man Remington uses for a model, your upland, waterfowl, rabbit, deer and riot gun carry, mount, point and shoot (more or less) like the same gun because it is.

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On the whistle draw and fire 6

A couple of years ago I bought a new 870 Express for a truck shotgun. I
remember reading in the owners manual that the barrel wouldn't fit some older 870s.

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Isaiah 41:10

You're aware that most states limit capacity on guns used for hunting, right? Usually it's 3 rounds. That's why most shotguns come configured that way and higher round mags are considered HD guns only.

I bought an Express in 2008 which was after the sellout. It works perfectly and always has except for hanging on a particular brand of shells until I polished the chamber for a whole 30 seconds. It's never failed to function even once since then and despite the dire warnings I got about rust when I bought it there is not one speck of rust on the gun.

I bought a 870 Police Magnum a couple of years ago. I know that these are built differently than the other 870's, but the quality on this gun is superb. I can't imagine it being any better.