Win. 1300 Marine barrel replacement

[huntinguy]

I looked on the Winchester web page and they say the 1300 Defender (I am assuming the Marine as well) barrels do not fit the 1300 field guns. However, they do not say why. I am assuming it is because of the length of the magazine tube.

Is there any reason a person can not modify the barrel, either remount the lug for the magazine tube or bore it out and make an extension that goes over the magazine tube to hold the barrel properly?

 

[lazarus]

Win 1300

The Defender is basically a slug barrel. If you're gonna put a defender barrel on a field gun, you won't be able to use a mag extension as the length to the barrel ring will make it flimsey. You'd be better off cutting a slug barrel from a field gun to 18.25", and adding a mag extension. Numrich might have a defender length mag tube and spring-that would make the change easy.

 

[huntinguy]

I want to go the other way

What I would like to do is put a field barrel on a defender.

 

[lazarus]

It's been a long time since I gave my defender to my son-don't remember the difference between the tube and the lug. Measure a Rem 870/Moss500 lug and see how much meat they leave for strength. I wouldn't bore it much thinner than them. You should be able to sleeve the tube to space it, as long as it doesn't interfere with the slide action. You must have a lot of birds or rabbits to use that tube for a field gun. I understand making the gun more versital, but have you considered what the extra rounds snd added metal might do to the guns balance and nose weight. Then again, you don't have to add the extra rounds, but the balance and weight might slow you down.