73Chall
Happy to be here
This is to answer anyone who has had the (and my own) question about “What to expect?” with the “Target Sports,” “Made in China” 12-gauge 870 knockoff bbls that are popping up here and there and primarily from CDNN Sports in TX.
I want to preface this by saying no reasonable person would - and I don’t - expect to get a early-Remington (or later made-by-Mossberg-for-Remington) quality barrel for $80 ($90 after shipping and before tax - order two and call it $85 per bbl)
But, I found myself in the unenviable position of:
- having more than enough defensive-purposed 12-gauge 870’s;
- having more “recreational” and truck / barn 870’s for which I want longer-than-18” 12-gauge barrels,
- haven’t had a lot of success finding any Rem or Rem-by-Moss 26” to 30” 12-gauge bbls at prices that allow me to buy, say, a half dozen;
- continually seeing CDNN Sports in TX showing “Target Sports,” “Made in China” 28” 12-gauge 870 knockoff bbls; but,
- not being able to find anyone - across no less than five shooting forums and pretty much the whole freaking internet - who actually had had hands-on, let alone purchased, one.
So, with a couple of truck and barn 870 projects stalled and in a holding pattern around my shop, I rolled the dice and order two of the “Target Sports,” “Made in China” 28” 870 12-gauge knockoff bbls from CDNN.
They arrived today and having done business with CDNN for more than three decades now I know all too well: ANYTHING YOU ORDER FROM CDNN YOU WANT TO BE READY - AHEAD OF DELIVERY - TO INSPECT IT CLOSE!Y AND FUNCTION CHECK IT (range trip if necessary) IN 48-HOURS OR LESS BECAUSE THEY MEAN IT WHEN THEY SAY “WE WILL NOT AUTHORIZE RETURNS AFTER 3 DAYS” (says it in print right on the invoice that arrives with every order)
First, each bbl comes with a MOD choke installed; however; the bbls are threaded for Winchester / Mossberg / Invector (NOT invector +) chokes - the bbls are NOT threaded for Remington chokes.
Not a deal-breaker by any means, PLENTY of sets of those rolling around, extended as well as flush.
Ventilated ribs with bead at muzzle were both centered and straight and no rust whatsoever on the exterior (or ftm, interior to speak of). Forcing cones are surprisingly not “sharp” and somewhere short of extended.
Edit to add (response to pm’ed questions): not surprisingly, these knock-off bbls do NOT have any mag cap retainer ball or spring inside the bbl extension that slides over the mag tube - so you can expect to need to check and retighten the mag cap during a typical round of shooting …
The first bbl had a bore that one couldn’t ask for more. Great!
The bore of the second barrel was so rough it actually pulled the patch off the 12ga jag each time I rodded a patch down the barrel! I couldn’t tell if the roughness toward the muzzle end was corrosion or machine tool “chatter” marks but regardless - ABSOLUTE FAIL :-(
Again, being a somewhat regular customer of CDNN’s for 30+ years I got CDNN on the phone before the UPS driver was anywhere near finishing his shift and they were great about immediately emailing me a prepaid return label, to send the bbl back to them with.
It got interesting when the question as to whether I wanted to exchange it for another bbl or a refund, though.
I explained that this initial order of two was actually a “test run” as ultimately I may be in for purchasing a total of SIX (and that while inquiring around the internet I had had at least a dozen other shooters express interest in also purchasing multiple bbls), depending upon what actual hands on of them evidences.
I am not sure how confident I am in doing an exchange - let alone ordering any more bbls - after I pointed out I was so far “50 / 50” as far as a useable product and the answer to my question (as to, “What I should expect if I decide to do an exchange and the replacement barrel is also defective?) was:
”We’re only doing this (as in replacing a defective bbl) once.”
The warehouse manager went on to explain (and I quote), “Look, I’ve sold over 10,000 of these and we have had some of these come back because they either would not fit or, they did not fire (headspace issues?) but, look, I don’t think any our customers actually look down the inside of the barrel.”
I guess the incredulous was evident in my voice when I replied, “Wait, wha…, shooters don’t look down the inside of the bore of a barrel when they take it out of the box they just bought it in?” (Actually, I am just as skeptical about the claim “we’ve sold over 10,000 of these”…)
The warehouse manager conceded, “Okay, maybe one-customer-out-of-ten holds a new barrel up to a light and looks down the barrel.”
…
… … 🤥 …🤦♂️ …👌 …
Now I’m thinking to myself, “Ooooookay, obviously time to wrap this conversation up!”
At this point, I’m going to cross my fingers and hold my breath the replacement barrel is as good as this first one I am keeping.
I WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO CIRCLE AND REPORT BACK WHAT KIND OF SHAPE THE REPLACEMENT BARREL ARRIVES IN 👍
But, I’ve never been much of a gambler so, I intend to quit this product with CDNN, while I’m ahead.
One silver lining in all this is, with ^that^ conversation fresh in my mind, I will wince less when I do pay up for any early-Remington factory (or later, made-by-Mossberg-for-Remington) barrels I am able to find.
I want to preface this by saying no reasonable person would - and I don’t - expect to get a early-Remington (or later made-by-Mossberg-for-Remington) quality barrel for $80 ($90 after shipping and before tax - order two and call it $85 per bbl)
But, I found myself in the unenviable position of:
- having more than enough defensive-purposed 12-gauge 870’s;
- having more “recreational” and truck / barn 870’s for which I want longer-than-18” 12-gauge barrels,
- haven’t had a lot of success finding any Rem or Rem-by-Moss 26” to 30” 12-gauge bbls at prices that allow me to buy, say, a half dozen;
- continually seeing CDNN Sports in TX showing “Target Sports,” “Made in China” 28” 12-gauge 870 knockoff bbls; but,
- not being able to find anyone - across no less than five shooting forums and pretty much the whole freaking internet - who actually had had hands-on, let alone purchased, one.
So, with a couple of truck and barn 870 projects stalled and in a holding pattern around my shop, I rolled the dice and order two of the “Target Sports,” “Made in China” 28” 870 12-gauge knockoff bbls from CDNN.
They arrived today and having done business with CDNN for more than three decades now I know all too well: ANYTHING YOU ORDER FROM CDNN YOU WANT TO BE READY - AHEAD OF DELIVERY - TO INSPECT IT CLOSE!Y AND FUNCTION CHECK IT (range trip if necessary) IN 48-HOURS OR LESS BECAUSE THEY MEAN IT WHEN THEY SAY “WE WILL NOT AUTHORIZE RETURNS AFTER 3 DAYS” (says it in print right on the invoice that arrives with every order)
First, each bbl comes with a MOD choke installed; however; the bbls are threaded for Winchester / Mossberg / Invector (NOT invector +) chokes - the bbls are NOT threaded for Remington chokes.
Not a deal-breaker by any means, PLENTY of sets of those rolling around, extended as well as flush.
Ventilated ribs with bead at muzzle were both centered and straight and no rust whatsoever on the exterior (or ftm, interior to speak of). Forcing cones are surprisingly not “sharp” and somewhere short of extended.
Edit to add (response to pm’ed questions): not surprisingly, these knock-off bbls do NOT have any mag cap retainer ball or spring inside the bbl extension that slides over the mag tube - so you can expect to need to check and retighten the mag cap during a typical round of shooting …
The first bbl had a bore that one couldn’t ask for more. Great!
The bore of the second barrel was so rough it actually pulled the patch off the 12ga jag each time I rodded a patch down the barrel! I couldn’t tell if the roughness toward the muzzle end was corrosion or machine tool “chatter” marks but regardless - ABSOLUTE FAIL :-(
Again, being a somewhat regular customer of CDNN’s for 30+ years I got CDNN on the phone before the UPS driver was anywhere near finishing his shift and they were great about immediately emailing me a prepaid return label, to send the bbl back to them with.
It got interesting when the question as to whether I wanted to exchange it for another bbl or a refund, though.
I explained that this initial order of two was actually a “test run” as ultimately I may be in for purchasing a total of SIX (and that while inquiring around the internet I had had at least a dozen other shooters express interest in also purchasing multiple bbls), depending upon what actual hands on of them evidences.
I am not sure how confident I am in doing an exchange - let alone ordering any more bbls - after I pointed out I was so far “50 / 50” as far as a useable product and the answer to my question (as to, “What I should expect if I decide to do an exchange and the replacement barrel is also defective?) was:
”We’re only doing this (as in replacing a defective bbl) once.”
The warehouse manager went on to explain (and I quote), “Look, I’ve sold over 10,000 of these and we have had some of these come back because they either would not fit or, they did not fire (headspace issues?) but, look, I don’t think any our customers actually look down the inside of the barrel.”
I guess the incredulous was evident in my voice when I replied, “Wait, wha…, shooters don’t look down the inside of the bore of a barrel when they take it out of the box they just bought it in?” (Actually, I am just as skeptical about the claim “we’ve sold over 10,000 of these”…)
The warehouse manager conceded, “Okay, maybe one-customer-out-of-ten holds a new barrel up to a light and looks down the barrel.”
…
… … 🤥 …🤦♂️ …👌 …Now I’m thinking to myself, “Ooooookay, obviously time to wrap this conversation up!”
At this point, I’m going to cross my fingers and hold my breath the replacement barrel is as good as this first one I am keeping.
I WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO CIRCLE AND REPORT BACK WHAT KIND OF SHAPE THE REPLACEMENT BARREL ARRIVES IN 👍
But, I’ve never been much of a gambler so, I intend to quit this product with CDNN, while I’m ahead.
One silver lining in all this is, with ^that^ conversation fresh in my mind, I will wince less when I do pay up for any early-Remington factory (or later, made-by-Mossberg-for-Remington) barrels I am able to find.
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