choke/rifle sights on shorter barrel for HD

[kayak-man]

I know there are a few posts that deal with this issue, but I also have a few questions that I'm having a hard time finding an answer to, so I figured I'd post all of them here.

REALLY SHORT VERSION: If you could only have one choke, what would it be?

SHORT VERSION: I want a shorter barrel, preferably with rifle sights, that I can use for HD/Competition that will work with birdshot, 00, and slugs. What are some of the tried and true choke/ammo combinations, and is it worth the extra $$$ to buy a barrel with rifle sights, or get one of the aftermarket rifle sight add-ons?

LONG VERSION:

My shotgun is a Remington 870, 12guage, with the 3" chamber. It currently has a vent rib, 28" barrel with rem chokes. I usually shoot it with either a cylinder or modified choke, depending on what I'm using it for.

I would like to put a shoter barrel on it, to make it more suitable for both 3-Gun and HD. I'm thinking of either an 18"1/4 or 20", but I'm stuck on the choke.

CHOKE QUESTION:
I'd love some info on how different sized shot patterns in the same choke (i.e the difference between 00Buck and #7 in a cylinder bore, Modified...etc.) I'd like the patterns to be fairly tight, and as always I'll listen to any recomendations people put in, but I'd also like the raw info and anecdotal evidence so I can draw my own conclusions.

Normally, I'd be shooting it with the tighest choke I can, to give me better distance, but I'll probably be shootign slugs out of it for competition, so the long range component isn't as important.

I've never shot slugs before, so I have a few questions: how do the different chokes effect slug performance? does a tighter choke improve precision, or does it cause the slug to tumble more in flight? are there certain chokes that are too tight for slugs to be used safely/effectively? Are there any negative effects to shooting slugs out of removable chokes?

Sorry if it was a bit of a rambling, if theres anything that I can clarify, just let me know.

Chris "Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[MAKster]

If you are looking for a short barrel that can be used for both buckshot and slugs your best option is the Remington smooth bore 18.5 inch barrel with rifle sights and fixed IC choke. You can buy it on the Remington web site for $141. IC is fine for out to 30 yards. Almost all the 870 Police models are IC.
http://www.remingtoncountrystore.co...=1&categoryid=3566&productid=2807&topcat=1038

If you want to get rifle sights without buying a new barrel you can get sights that attach to the vent rib of your 28 inch barrel. I bought the Williams slugger fiber optic three dot sights from MidwayUSA for $35. I bought them so I could go deer hunting in the fall and take them off and use the bead sight to shoot trap the rest of the year.

 

[bikerdoc]

Chris,

My 20 inch performs best with a mod choke. That said it may mean nothing for your gun as each weapon has a personality of its own

Best advice is to pattern the gun and find the right combo.

The stickies at the top of the shotgun page has some great advice in the 101 section. Thats where I got my start.
Anywho, best of luck.

 

[oneounceload]

IC or even better, a Light Modified is ideal for a wide variety of applications

 

[Fred Fuller]

There was a time when I spent almost as much as a barrel cost to get choke tubes installed and forcing cones lengthened. I spent a lot of time and a good deal of $ experimenting on stuff. I wanted to be able to get tighter patterns out of buckshot, and it took a MOD choke tube to do it with many of the loads I liked (the best of which are no longer manufactured). I don't bother with choke tubes any more - don't need to. FilteControl wads took care of all that for me, in spades. At this point I'd rather have a CYL or Police CYL bore barrel.

I do like Remington's factory rifle sights on either the 18.5" or 20" barrel. They seem to work as well as any other sighting system, and don't cost any extra. Plus, when you take off the short barrel, the sights are completely gone and you can stick on a 26" or 28" field barrel and go hunting with the same shotgun, or take it out to bust some clays.

These days most any new 18 - 20" Remington barrel is going to come with an ImpCyl choke. That works too, a few points of choke often helps to even out patterns. And they often help with slugs too. I wouldn't worry too much about choke, or barrel length either for that matter. It doesn't make much difference - 18-20", CYL or ImpCyl. I sure wouldn't spend any money on barrel mods any more when I can get a perfectly useful barrel right out of the box.

You can pretty much adjust your pattern size with your selection of buckshot if you use an open choke barrel. S&B, Rio Royal or any of the cheaper buckshot loads with dead soft lead, unprotected pellets are probably going to give you a real scattergun. Mainstream manufacturer's midpriced buckshot loads with harder lead pellets that are better protected in the bore by shotcups/sleeves and buffering will probably give you mid-sized patterns. And any buckshot (or birdshot) load with a FliteControl wad (Federal LE or Premium, Hornady or Speer Lawman) will almost certainly give you unbelievably tight patterns.

As for slugs? Just shoot Brenneke KOs (the non-sabot kind) and you probably won't have to look any further. I've used them for years and they work.

Easy peasy... and all box stock to boot, which means cheaper. Works for me...

hth,

lpl

 

[jmr40]

If I could only have 1 choke for everything it would be IC. That includes hunting as well as SD. I have one of the 20" IC fixed choke barrels with rifle sights for my 870's that Lee was talking about. It gives patterns I like with buckshot. Not too big, or too tight. With cheap lead slugs and the iron sights I can keep 3 shots in a 4-5" group at 100 yards.

It is not an ideal hunting barrel, but with birdshot the IC choke is passable in an emergency. My brother has the same barrel, but his is threaded for tubes. It would be nice to be able to change the tubes but would not be a deal breaker for me. He uses an extra full tube on it for turkey hunting, but uses the IC tube for everything else.

 

[kayak-man]

Thanks guys, thats exactly what I needed to know (although I'd still love to hear any input other people have).

MAKster: Thanks for posting the link. thats pretty much exactly what I'm looking for, I just didn't know it.

BikerDoc: I had no idea about the 101 library! I've read the "On Fighting Shotguns" thread a few times, so that is a great find, Thanks!

OneOunce: It seems like your not the only one who likes the IC choke. I'll probably go with an IC for my 870, but I have a single shot with a fixed Modified choke. If I ever have the barrel cut down a couple inches (I've been thinking about it for a little while) I may have it cut to an IM, just to try it out.

Lee: I'll definately look into the Brennek KO slugs. I may be wrong, but the KO's are a forster style, aren't they? I didn't know you could effect the pattern that much by changing the amunition. I'm going to have a lot of fun playing...er... I mean "field testing" that.

JMR40: It sounds like you have the same kind of barrel that I'm looking for. For most hunting, I'd probably be using the 28" barrel, but its nice to know that I could use the 20" IC.

Thanks guys! Now I just need to shop around a little. I think this may be the first time I've posted a question and gotten a unanimus answer.

Chris "the Kayak_Man" Johnson

 

[bushmaster1313]

18.5 inch Improved Cylinder 870 at 21 yards

 

[oneounceload]

OneOunce: It seems like your not the only one who likes the IC choke. I'll probably go with an IC for my 870, but I have a single shot with a fixed Modified choke. If I ever have the barrel cut down a couple inches (I've been thinking about it for a little while) I may have it cut to an IM, just to try it out.

The choke is at the end of the barrel's last few inches. Cutting it down will give you a cylinder bore - that is, NO choke, not a tighter one

 

[Rshooter]

Police CYL and rifle sights are a nice combo. I have them on my twenty inch barrel. I get nice accuracy with Remington Sluggers.

 

[kayak-man]

The choke is at the end of the barrel's last few inches. Cutting it down will give you a cylinder bore - that is, NO choke, not a tighter one

typo/logic error. I meant Light Modified, but as you pointed out, I'd still be wrong. I was thinking that the choke would be tapered, and I could cut off maybe a half inch to open it up just a hair. Thanks for the correction.

To quote Sledge Hammer - "I don't know where my heads at today"

Chris "the kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[Fred Fuller]

Chris,

Folks who work on shotgun chokes can open up a fixed choke by grinding/honing out some of its thickness. It used to be a pretty regular thing, before the age of interchangeable choke tubes. It might be cheaper just to buy another single shot with the choke you want than have it done on the one you have, though.

lpl

 

[kayak-man]

Lee, I think your right. Given enough time, and a bit of money, I could probably find a way to make it happen, but I think I'll put all those resources into training.

Just between us Highroaders, I think the only way I'm going to do any work on the single shot is if Wa ever makes it legal to own an SBS.

Thanks for the input though.

Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson