Your advice and suggestions are appreciated.

Plus, I enjoy a good gun discussion.

Sounds to me like you need to pick up some accessory barrels so you can tailor the barrel to the application. I would recommend a rifled barrel for big game, and the ~18" barrel for home defense situations. The standard barrel is for bird hunting and trap/skeet.

Sounds to me like you need to pick up some accessory barrels a woman . . .

you need to buy different guns.

One that enjoys shooting an 870 with you of course...

The problem with that is that for many women, guns are a turn-off. Maybe I should have used the term "purchase". ;^)

I have an 870 (Left Hand). For home defense I use the short deer barrel. Easier to handle the deer barrel indoors and you get better spread on the buck shot since you are likely to be shooting at very close range. Have four rounds in the magazine (none in the chamber). They are 00 Buck/slug/Buck/slug. Depending on the situation, I may be in a hurry to get off the first shot, so I'd rather it be buck to get the spray. If I can get off a 2nd shot, odds are I've got some time to aim, thus the slug. The 3rd shot is buck for the 2nd target. The slug is to finish him, if necessary.

Have spare shells in an elastic slip-on over the stock. Same order of buck/slug/buck/slug for reloads.

Home Defense:

18" rifled barrel (sighted obviously)
extension tube
camoflaged synthetic front stock
rear stock - pistol /w folding stock tactital sling for combat carry
ammo sling. Ghost ring sights predominately 00 buck loads /w sabot rounds for distance shooting. Adding these feature, I would retain all the other original accessories so that I could use the weapon in other situations, ie bird/large game.

You can get a 20" barrel w/screw in chokes and rifle sights.
Just stick a rifled choke in it and fire saboted slugs (.50 cal hollow points in a nylon sleeve) You'll experience reduced recoil compared to regular slugs, and mine easily gets 4"-6" groups at 100 yds. Accuracy you couldn't dream of at 50 yds without the rifled choke. Just put an open choke in it for 00 buck.

18" rifled barrel (sighted obviously) extension tube Home Defense (edited)

camoflaged synthetic front stock
rear stock - pistol /w folding stock
tactital sling for combat carry
Ammo sling.
Ghost ring sights
predominately 00 buck loads /w sabot rounds for distance shooting.

Adding these feature, I would retain all the other original accessories so that I could use the weapon in other situations, ie bird/large game.

Agreed. You need three barrels. There a several good slug barrels, but I don't remember the after market names. My 870 is full stocked with a 20" smooth barrel w/ rifle sight. You can take the recoil pad off to shorten the length of pull and to make it a tad shorter for inside. There are metal buttplates, and I think the Rem. rifles have the same size stocks. I have an Aimpoint red dot sight, which I do not use right now, but liked at some point. I debate throwing it back on. I don't know if you'd like optics for bird hunting. I never was in to that.

One that enjoys shooting an 870 with you of course...

Nah. I prefer them more like this. This is Morgan Hicks, a Murray State University (Murray, KY) grad who is now on the US Olympic Shooting Team. She participates in the 50m Rifle event. (Not to mention the fact that she is quite fetching!!!)

The rifled slug barrels do great with single projectiles, but can disrupt bird/buckshot patterns due to the shotcup/wad spinning. IIRC, Remington makes a smoothbore 20 - 21" barrel with a 3" chamber, rifle sights (might be on a police model) and threaded for the Rem-Choke inserts.

If you've gotta do it all with one gun and one barrel, that should handle it. Buy a rifled choke from Remington and spin it on when using slugs. It's not the perfect bird gun, but that combo is flexible. If you can find a similar barrel without the blade front sight, don't pass it up. Add a red dot sight or a Bushnell/EOTech Holosight and you're good to go - slugs or shot.

You're asking too much, IE: very big game (Elk) or deer if you live or hunt out West.

You need three guns:

Rem 700 BDL in .300 Win Mag (Elk and Mule Deer)
Rem 870 in 12ga (Birds)
Moss 500 in 12ga 18" BBL (Home Defense)(Put a light on it)

The cost of extra Rem BBl's will pay for the Moss 500.

Forget the Mossberg. Find a nice A-5.

Hastings is one of the barrel makers that makes Rem 870 barrels. Cabelas and I think Midway both sell them.

You're asking too much, IE: very big game (Elk) or deer if you live or hunt out West

I don't think so.

1) I'm not a sport hunter so I'm not looking at long shots at trophy animals.

2) I hunt for food. The deer in my area are numerous and tame. I've already taken a 3x3 buck at 50 yrds with 00buck and a tight choke. One pellet in each lung and and a third in the heart. Little blood lost the animal dropped.

3) For elk or deer at farther shots, A rifled barrel with ghost rings or scope would solve that.

4) Lastly, the 870 is easily modified and reliable for combat scenarios.

Now yer talkin. One firearm cant do everything effectivly.

Did you ever see a gun cabinet that only held one gun?

I can't afford a gun cabinet to put my one gun in.

I'm limited income and trying to do the most with what I have.