Replace front bead?

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Gary O

Gary O

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What would you folks figure it would cost me to have a new front bead installed on a barrel I cut back for HD use (19"). Thanks...

Do I even need a front bead on a shotgun meant to shoot across the garage?
 
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Gary O said:
Do I even need a front bead on a shotgun meant to shoot across the garage?
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Not really, if you use a shotgun right you point it and focus on the target, not the bead.

That said I do like a nice Bradley white front sight bead on my shotguns, not too bling, can't stand bright fiber optic front sights, they draw your attention away from what you should be focusing on. If you are going to use the shotgun like a rifle, by all means set it up with a pair of sights.

It is very simple to add a plain brass bead as long as you can center it on the barrel, drill and tap and make sure the threads don't go into the barrel, vent ribs beads are easy, smooth barrel not bad, drill and tap all the way through and check to make sure the threads don't protrude into the barrel, if they do remove and file them off and try again, a bit of loctite and your good.
 
My local gunsmith replaced the bead on my Frankenstein's shotgun project for 10$. I called around and priced things here in southwest Michigan, and the most expensive gunsmith was charging 25$ plus the bead.

As for whether or not you even need the bead... well if you practice a bit with the shortened barrel, then you should get the feel of pointing the gun naturally at a target(as in finding the correct point of aim, without the bead). As always, practice makes perfect. I had the bead installed on Frankenstein's shotgun, because the gun was for my 49 year old mother, who doesn't have the amount of experience that I did with the gun.
 
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did you cut down your barrel? i was told that i would have to have a licensed gunsmith do mine. regards BW
 
Yes you do need to aim shotguns at indoor distances, and no you don't need a licensed gunsmith to cut a barrel. Just don't cut it shorter than 18"..... or the BATFE will want to talk to you.
 
1K is right, for shotguns, federal law states; 18" min barrel length, 26" min overall length for it to be a shotgun. YMMV depending on the state and local regulations. Anytime in the past that I've cut down a barrel myself, I always leave it's length at 19-19.5 inches... just to remove all doubt.

You can cut the length down, it depends on what tools you're using and such. A gunsmith would be able to do it for you in a nice clean fashion. Your cuts, if with a hacksaw, are less likely to come out looking clean, and will take a little work to get there.
 
A hacksaw with a miter box doesn't cut square. A pipe cutter does. You need to file the thing a bit with either method.
No bead is required, but you need to know where the thing shoots. Have an 870 that had a 30" barrel until I cut it to 18.375"(left about an inch or so on barrel ahead of the mag extension). Found that sitting the target(that were mostly bowling pins) on top of the muzzle worked just fine.
However, most smithies charge 'per hole' for drilling and tapping. Isn't horribly expensive. At least not up here. Mind you, if you have a drill press, it can be DIY. Not recommended to try it with a hand drill. Despite it being a fairly easy job. The hole has to be centred and square about an inch from the muzzle. Hard to get it square by hand/eye.
 
My first shotgun was a used Westernfield Pump 12ga that had been shortened about 1 1/2", so basically no choke or bead. It was an excellent bird gun that I took to Mexico and downed dozens of quail, chachalaca, and paloma. I also broke 55 straight hand thrown clay birds which leads me to think that you don't need a bead.
 
If I'm looking at the bead I'm missing birds. You are supposed to look at the bird, not the barrel. I'd still want a bead though.
 
I used a pipe cutter and a gray stone that really did a nice job on the barrel. An old shotgun a buddy had had fallen off his tailgate and bent the muzzle end of the barrel about 8" back, it had a long barrel to begin with. I cut it to 20" with the pipe cutter, borrowed his die grinder and inserted a gray stone I "borrowed" from the first foundry I worked in. He added a mag tube extension and he could load 7 + 1. He still has the shotgun right next to his kitchen chair and it goes with him around his farm too. Shotgun is a Rem. 870 Express Magnum, that "had" a long barrel. He later added a white bead, and then an orange one.
 
If you are looking at the bead in an HD situation you are not looking at the center-of-mass target. If so, you are aiming. Unless you are turkey hunting, sights are not important. Just find the muzzle and the target. At HD distances, no matter the load, the person receiving your shot is going to experience a huge rathole wound.

Even if one is wingshooting, no one looks at the bead. One looks at the moving target and moves the gun to where the target will be when one pulls the trigger. The gun's muzzle will always be bigger than the bead.

Jim
 
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1KPerDay said:
I take it you've removed the beads from all your shotguns.
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No. They are just there for anyone who likes window dressing. I ignore them. I also wingshoot with both eyes open and have done so since I was 17 in the field and on the skeet range.

Try it sometime...
 
Firing a home defense shotgun will usually be at a distance of less than 10 yards. It is not bird or trap shooting with a 25 to 30 inch diameter shot pattern. The shot pattern at short in the house distances will be 1" in diameter for each yard of travel beyond the muzzle. With a defense shotgun you still need to aim esp. if you need to place your shot accurately or intend to ever use slugs in it. A bead is needed at minimum, a tritium front sight is even better as you may be shooting in low light. You can also put on a laser sight and flash light combo but there are some disadvantages to battery powered sights.

If an intruder takes one of your family hostage would you be willing or able to take a close shot without a sight to save their life?
 
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