Are aftermarket barrels worth it?

[Alan]

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

 

[Magus]

Depends on the maker. I'm a fan of Green River when I have the option, like say, on an AR, but really, its all in quality. I got a good deal on a custom honed 870 barrel once, it wasn't much better than the stock barrel.