cutting down a stoeger coach gun?

[AcceptableUserName]

to my knowledge they come with 20" barrels. obviously this would render them both open/cylinder bore barrels, but would this reduce defensive effectiveness at all to have them cut to 18 or 18.5 and recrowned?

 

[Gottahaveone]

You are correct on the 20" bbls, but mine (and I believe all) have one Improved Cylinder and one Modified. Cutting off 1 1/2" should make them both open or Cylinder bore. As well as mine shoots, I personally would leave well enough alone. The 1 1/2" won't make a real difference in handling and the pattern on mine is about right as it is. And it's nice to have a choice of choke based on distance to target.

 

[oneounceload]

Mic the barrels to see where the chokes are and how long they are - you may or may not cut the chokes off if you only reduce them by 1". You might take out the parallel section of the choke and leave the constriction - that may affect your overall pattern. There's no major increase in effectiveness by eliminating 1-1.5" of barrel for HD, and it may throw off any semblance of handling enough

 

[skeeziks]

Don't cut the bbls. down for handling...you won't see the difference.
But if your goal is to open up the chokes, cutting them down would be the "cheap" way to go.

 

[Bill B.]

but would this reduce defensive effectiveness at all to have them cut to 18 or 18.5 and recrowned?

Not a bit but I don't think you will find it will help anything either!

 

[lobo9er]

i dont understand why they simply dont make them with 18inch barrels, thats what most want outta of them anyways right? thats why i say go with a solid used stevens SxS and make what ever you want and recrown it.

 

[GRIZ22]

i dont understand why they simply dont make them with 18inch barrels, thats what most want outta of them anyways right? thats why i say go with a solid used stevens SxS and make what ever you want and recrown it.

Due to barrel length restrictions in other countries. Also if you have a right on 18" barrel and you ding the muzzle you're buying 2 new barrels. If you have 20" you can make them 19 1/2' or whatever.

I have never seen an inch or two in oal make any diffrence in handling with a long gun and rarely in a handgun.

 

[skeeziks]

"i dont understand why they simply dont make them with 18inch barrels, thats what most want outta of them anyways right?"

The proper length for a double is 20" and 18.5" for a pump or auto-loader.

"thats why i say go with a solid used stevens SxS and make what ever you want and recrown it."

The Stevens is a hammerless design and I want my coach guns to have exposed hammers.

 

[Gary A]

The proper length for a double is 20" and 18.5" for a pump or auto-loader.

What is the basis for that statement? Just curious.

 

[rcmodel]

Couple of points.

Doubles need a certain amount of muzzle weight to handle & balance right.

A 20" double is already shorter then an 18" pump due to the very short receiver.

Hammerless doubles need a certain amount of muzzle inertia or leverage (length) to cock the hammers when flipped open for fast reloads.

The twin ribs that hold the barrels together on a double are hollow and attached with soft solder. The closed ends of the ribs will be open holes that look bad when you get done cutting off the barrels.

There is also a lot to be said for leaving them 20" so you have some where to go and still be legal if one of the muzzles is damaged on down the road sometime.

rc

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Without a reciprocating action, a double is already some four inches shorter than a pump or auto of equal barrel length, so the gun is pretty short already. I am also not very fond of the cylinder bore chokes that come on virtually every defensive shotgun. The devastating wounding of a charge of shotgun pellets comes from their being closely "clumped" together, not spread apart. However, at the close ranges typical of home defense (15 feet or less), it might not make that much difference.

 

[lobo9er]

The proper length for a double is 20" and 18.5" for a pump or auto-loader.

who made this rule?

My views on cut down SxS is to get them as short as legal.

 

[kayak-man]

Not to hijack the thread, but is using a hacksaw acceptable, or do you have to take the gun to a smith?

Is it as simple as just cutting off the end of the barrel, or are there other steps?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Not to hijack the thread, but is using a hacksaw acceptable, or do you have to take the gun to a smith?

You might wear yourself out using a hacksaw. Try this instead:

The cutting itself is pretty simple. Getting the ends square, true and deburred is the real trick.

 

[oneounceload]

to cock the hammers when flipped open for fast reloads.

"Flipping" the gun down to open the barrels is one way to shorten the life of the gun, worse than slamming the cylinder closed on a revolver.

Not to hijack the thread, but is using a hacksaw acceptable, or do you have to take the gun to a smith?

Is it as simple as just cutting off the end of the barrel, or are there other steps?

Barrels are tapered, not straight tubed - if not done properly, you will change your POI/POA, possibly very dramatically. Most gun smiths use special jigs for that work that takes into account the taper