Anyone upgraded their barrels?

[Alan]

What were your expectations when you decided to upgrade to a new barrel and how was the actual performance ? Did the aftermarket barrel really make a noticeable difference or were the improvements just slight

 

[cp1969]

In 1969, I bought a 12 gauge Remington 870 with improved cylinder choke. I'd been using a Marlin Model 90 16 gauge but thought I could do better with the 870. I used it until the mid to late 80s when I got a 20 gauge Model 1100 with improved cylinder. With that gun, I could hit things a lot harder; I'd have to let quail put some distance between us before I fired or they would be torn up. I bought a replacement barrel and three choke tubes for the 870 but it didn't make a lot of difference, so the 1100 became the go-to gun, even for pheasants.