They won't feed right or eject.

 

I have a 2 3/4" 870 non-magnum receiver that I put a 3" barrel on. It will cycle and eject 3" shells with no problems. Yours may not though. See if you can borrow a 3" barrel and try it.

 

Some 2-3/4" receivers left the factory with 3" ejector and ejector spring. Only way to know is try it, or compare with a 3" model. It will feed fine, just may not eject.

 

I've opened the chamber on several 870's, some required new ejectors to handle 3" shells and some didn't. I don't if there was a point when Remington put 3" ejectors in all 870 receivers or just what the situation is. Chamber an already fired 3" shell and see if it will eject ok in your gun.

 

Alright I'll try it. So the 3" receiver is not any more beefed up to handle 3" pressures?

 

No, receivers are identical.

 

Alright I'll try it. So the 3" receiver is not any more beefed up to handle 3" pressures?

The SAAMI max pressure for 2 3/4 inch and 3 inch 12 gauge is the same. 11,500 for both.

 

3" shells in a 2 3/4" 870 chamber?

Perhaps things aren't clear. The question in the title of the thread has an answer: no, you should not attempt to fire 3 inch unfolded length shotshells in a 2-3/4 inch chamber. As sneem already pointed up, 3 inch shells have no higher allowable pressure than 2-3/4 inch unfolded length shotshells.

 

Was there really any point in posting that since he was clearly talking about a 3" barrel on a 2 3/4 receiver?

 

It is all right here:

http://www.remington.com/pages/support/ ... ables.aspx

NOTE: Model 870 Extra Barrels with 3" chambers will fit Super Magnum, Magnum, and 2-3/4" receivers. These barrels will handle both 2-3/4" and 3" shells when used on Magnum receivers. Use only 2-3/4" shells when these barrels are used on 2-3/4" receivers.

 

Alright I'll try it. So the 3" receiver is not any more beefed up to handle 3" pressures?

If it won't eject you can install a 3" ejector.

 

It is all right here:
http://www.remington.com/pages/support/ ... ables.aspx

NOTE: Model 870 Extra Barrels with 3" chambers will fit Super Magnum, Magnum, and 2-3/4" receivers. These barrels will handle both 2-3/4" and 3" shells when used on Magnum receivers. Use only 2-3/4" shells when these barrels are used on 2-3/4" receivers.

Randy, the problem is that it is not all right there. Quite a few 'standard' 2-3/4" 870s went out with 3" ejectors and ejector springs even back into the '70s. Just before Remington quit making 2-3/4" models, I suspect almost all of them had the 3" parts. Other than the 3" ejector and spring, the receivers are identical.
Remington is/was mainly in the business of selling firearms, and as such I assume their marketing team - possibly with 'help' from the legal dept. - has changed their minds about how best to do that several times through the years. For years they said you could not swap any 2-3/4" and 3" barrels on Model 1100s, then they started touting the fact that you could do it as a sales incentive. When they first came out with the 3" chambered Steel Shot barrels for the 1100s, they said you could shoot 3" steel loads with 2-3/4" receivers, and to the best of my knowledge, now they say you can't.
I relate it to the loading recommendations in the powder company brochures. I collected them for years. And, without fail, the maximum recommended loadings went down over time. I contacted Herculaes and Dupont on several occasions and one engineer finally did admit that the formulations and results had not changed one iota in testing, but he covered his butt by adding that I should only use the most current data.

 

The issue was replacing the ejector, as in cutting the rivets that hold the ejector, riveting in a new 3" ejector, then having the receiver refinished. (Rivets show on the outside, after being riveted, the rivet heads and receiver are ground / polished, then re-blued.)

If that is the case, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

It makes even less sense if this is the same 870 "moosemike" has been talking about, a 28 inch Full choke vs. a 30 inch barrel (from Grandpa, that he doesn't like anyway . . . the barrel, not Grandpa). If throwing lead at pheasants is all this is about, having the fixed barrel screw-choked by Mike Orlen makes a lot more sense.

 

The issue was replacing the ejector, as in cutting the rivets that hold the ejector, riveting in a new 3" ejector, then having the receiver refinished. (Rivets show on the outside, after being riveted, the rivet heads and receiver are ground / polished, then re-blued.)
If that is the case, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
It makes even less sense if this is the same 870 "moosemike" has been talking about, a 28 inch Full choke vs. a 30 inch barrel (from Grandpa, that he doesn't like anyway . . . the barrel, not Grandpa). If throwing lead at pheasants is all this is about, having the fixed barrel screw-choked by Mike Orlen makes a lot more sense.

Agreed, and I hope you're right about Grandpa.

You do not have to replace the rivets and refinish the receiver to do a 3" conversion, IF you can find a gunsmith who will do it, or you're handy.

 

What I should have done (and failed to do) is ask what the goal is, what is trying to be accomplished, and so forth. Is this a 12 gauge? Is this for use with lead shells? Is this for pheasant hunting or what?

 

It is a 12 gauge. It is mainly a pheasant gun but serves double duty for turkeys. And I'm still on the fence about my feelings for my Grandpa.

 

Right now, there are no less than 177 870 barrels for sale, on Gunbroker alone. http://www.gunbroker.com/Shotgun-Barrel ... ywords=870 .

Sort through them as you like, but if you want a bit more open choke (for pheasant use) it isn't a real tough thing to come by: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =456981324 is just one example.

 

Well, I want a slug barrel next so I guess I'll just suffer this 30" barrel for now.

 

Then I have no idea what you are actually looking for. The 870 is a good platform to cheaply form several guns from, for a variety of purposes. So is the Mossberg 500.