Buckshot from a Rifled Slug Barrel?

[Mad Man]

Is there any downside to shooting buckshot from a rifled barrel designed for slugs?

Specifically, I am looking at the Remington Model 870™ Express® Slug Gun, since it is one of the few 20 gauage shotguns I've found that comes with an 18" barrel.

The primary purpose would be home protection.

The subject of 20 guage shotguns for home defense has recently been discussed here at http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=162563

 

[Gordon]

Prolly you will call it the "Krispy Creme" gun after you pattern buck shot in a rifled barrel ! The rifling swirls the patterns of any kind of shot into a doughnut, which means what your aiming at doesn't get blasted!

 

[Bix]

The same gyoscopic spin that causes your slugs to stablize in flight will pull your shot pattern apart at it travels downrange.

The only way to know whether this would be a 'downside' would be to pattern the barrel/ammo combination at anticipated engagement distances.

If the only reason you are looking at the rifled barrel is length, you'd do much better to buy the standard, smoothbore 870 and have the barrel cut back to 18" (or whatever). You'll save yourself ~$80 and have a much more versatile shotgun.

 

[ruger357]

Why not just get the 870 HD for your house? That has an 18 inch barrel.

 

[3 gun]

The downside is a MUCH more open pattern, but depending on the distances in your house this may not be a problem. It may even be a plus. I've tried a few different loads through a Mossberg 500 with a smooth cyl bore and with a rifled barrel. What I found was surprising. At most "in the home" ranges a heavy field load and 00 buck loads would still be effective at ranges under 21'. I found full shot wads did more to open a pattern then just a fiberwad, think S&B 00 buck loads. All the S&B 00 buck was still on a B12 torso at 21", barely. Remington reduced recoil 00 buck loads had 7/9 on target. The plus side to this would be an easier hit on a bad guy and a reduced chance of over penetration. It's pretty well known that a 00 buck load from a smooth bore at short ranges acts alot like a slug. The rifled barrel keeps this from happening at short ranges. I really doubt that a single 00 pellet would carry much power through a wall, even an interior wall. Heavy field loads (#4 2oz 3" turkey loads) open enough to completely cover a B12 from waist to neck, shoulder to shoulder at 21". Again from a smooth barrel it patterns much like a slug. A 3" wide hole at 21'. The penetration of #4 shot on a BG many not be ideal but I think the area of impact might make up for it. Again given how quickly the load opens I doubt any of the pellets would be able to go through a wall. Past 21' the chance of getting hits drop quickly, so you are pretty much limited to 21' or less using a slug barrel. Of course if you have to shoot past 21' use a slug. Given most homes I doubt a shot of more than 21' would come up. I did my shooting with a 12ga, I'd expect a 20ga might reduce the max range you'd have to work with given the smaller payloads.

Shooting shot from a slug barrel is far from ideal, but if that was all I had I think from my limited test I wouldn't feel to bad about it a short ranges.

 

[Dave McCracken]

If it's a 20 you want, the 870 Youth Express in that gauge comes with a 21" barrel. Nigh ideal for HD, in trained hands.

The extra 2.5" in barrel isn't critical.

 

[Gordon]

Ditto what Dave said!

 

[pauli]

or, if you're not wedded to remington, mossberg makes a 5+1 18.5" cyl bore 20ga 500. here's mine:

http://members.arstechnica.com/x/pauli/mossberg500.jpg

buckshot patterns fine at hd ranges. groups slugs pretty darn well, too, at least as far out as i've taken it.

 

[Wags]

NO! Do not shoot buck shot out of your rifled bored slug barrel. Maybe nothing will happen at first. But repeating this process is only asking for problems down the road. Take it for what it is worth.

 

[Mad Man]

Why not just get the 870 HD for your house? That has an 18 inch barrel.

Looking at Remington's 870 web page, there is no "HD" model listed.

http://www.remington.com/firearms/shotguns/870.htm

If the Model 870™ were introduced today, it would be hailed as a major advance in pump-action shotgun design- the ultimate in strength, durability, silky-smooth bind-free action, and sleek classical lines.

Yet this remarkable shotgun has been around for almost half a century, and has become the best-selling shotgun of any type in history, with over six million made.


Remington Model 870 Shotguns

• 16-gauge Shotguns
• Express®
• Express® Combos
• Express® Deer Gun
• Express® Jr. NWTF Edition
• Express® L-H
• Express® Slug Gun (12 & 20)
• Express® Synthetic
• Express® Synthetic (18" Plain BBL)
• Express® Synthetic Deer Gun
• Express® Turkey
• Express® Turkey Camo
• Express® Youth Gun
• Express® Youth Deer Gun
• Express® Youth Turkey Camo
• Express® Youth Synthetic Combo
• Express® Super Mag
• Express® Super Mag Combo
• Express® Super Mag Fall Flight
• Express® Super Mag Synthetic
• Express® Super Mag Turkey Camo
• Express® Super Mag Turkey Syn
• Marine Magnum™
• SPS™ Super Mag Camo
• SPS-T™ Camo (20-Gauge)
• SPS-T™ Camo Thumbhole
• SPS-T™ Super Mag Camo
• Wingmaster Dale Earnhardt Tribute
• Wingmaster® Classic Trap
• Wingmaster® Jr.
• Wingmaster® LC
• Wingmaster® LW-Small Bore
• Wingmaster® Super Mag

If you go to the 870 web page, each of those models in the list links to the product page

 

[kptaylor]

Do what I did and pick up a Winchester 1300 Defender in 20 gauge!

http://www.winchesterguns.com/prodinfo/catalog/detail.asp?cat_id=512&type_id=106&cat=012C

 

[Crosshair]

Gordon

The rifling swirls the patterns of any kind of shot into a doughnut, which means what your aiming at doesn't get blasted!

Considering how good I am at vlasting clays, that might be a good thing.

 

[AF_INT1N0]

http://www.remington.com/firearms/shotguns/870expsyn18.htm

This is the one your looking for..

Btw +1 on the 1300 Defender. Though both are outstanding shotties imho.

 

[Mad Man]

http://www.remington.com/firearms/shotguns/870expsyn18.htm

This is the one your looking for..

They don't list a 20 gauge model.

 

[Marshall]

20ga Express Camo Turkey 21"

20ga Express 21"

20ga Express NWTF-Y 18"

20ga Express 26", Walmart has these for $207.00 right now.