Short barrel tight choke for hunting?

[bangswitch]

so I could emulate with a fullchoke the pattern of a full length barrel with a IC or Mod...

Chokes don't work that way. If you use a full choke on a short barrel, you'll get the same pattern that you would with the same choke on a longer barrel, generally speaking. If the barrel is substantially shorter, it will affect the choked pattern less than a much longer barrel, but I'm talking the difference between a sawed-off and a 30" barrel.

Chokes just control the size of the shot cloud at given distances. For instance, a 12 ga full choke pattern is about 21 inches at 25 yards, where a cylinder choke will be about 40 inches, regardless of whether the barrel is 24, 28, or 30 inches long.

 

[RMc]

Tempest in a Tea Pot...

...is what this thread reminds me of!

Some shotgunners prefer short barrels some prefer long tubes and many use both - for different purposes.

In my experience, with target and non-magnum field loads I see little pattern disparity based on barrel barrel length for a particular choke. This has been the case with both buckshot and shot.

As noted earlier, with heavy shotloads and slow burning powder (by shotgun standards) it often takes more effort in load and choke testing to reach optimum pattern levels with shorter barrels than those with 26" or longer tubes. If you have not tested long and short barrels with the same load and choke tube, you may not have encountered this.

In extreme examples - such as with 3" 20 gauge pushing pressure tested heavy loads - I have seen excellent patterns from a 26" barrel turn into poor patterns from a 21" barrel using the same choke tube. The culprit appeared to be higher muzzle pressure in the short barrel that often resulted in uneven gas seal flair and strung out patterns. There were no gas seal failures evident with the same load and extended choke tube in a barrel just a few inches longer! So if you like shorter barrels, just be aware that some slow powder/ heavy load/wad combinations may not be suitable for short barrels.

As it has been pointed out many times, the pattern board is your friend.

 

[I6turbo]

For good patterns I tend to favor lower velocity loads. Even if you are trying to reach out to more extreme shotgunning distances, a lot of the extra velocity that you might have gained at the muzzle with a high velocity load has been lost anyway by the time you are reaching the longer ranges. For example, a charge of #7.5 traveling 1295 fps at the muzzle will be traveling ~705 fps at 40 yards. The same charge of #7.5 traveling 1145 fps at the muzzle will be traveling ~655 fps at 40 yards. Two-thirds of that additional 150 fps muzzle velocity has been lost, and IME, the initial higher velocity has likely contributed to greater pattern break-up.

 

[RMc]

I like the feel of a shorter, quicker-swinging shotgun. I've had several pumps and semis over the years but always preferred an O/U or side-by-side with 26" barrels because I like the feel and balance of the shorter guns (vs. a semi or pump with its long receiver). I found myself shooting more accurately, and perhaps just as important, more quickly, with that style gun. Then I bought this old '54 model Browning with the intention of cutting the barrel and replacing the thick rubber recoil pad to make a quick-handling HD-style gun. At full length I thought it felt clumsy compared to a 26" O/U or SBS, but after those modifications it's transformed in terms of handling and I've found it to be my favorite shotgun. With the cylinder bore it'll require a little heavier shot loads to fill the pattern at longer distances, but having managed for 30+ years with I/C- and Modified-choke guns, I think it'll work just fine.

Great looking Browning A5 with a solid rib sight system! Indeed, that cylinder bore barrel just begs for a range workout with Federal Flite-Control Buckshot - since the choke is built into the wad!

 

[I6turbo]

Great looking Browning A5 with a solid rib sight system! Indeed, that cylinder bore barrel just begs for a range workout with Federal Flite-Control Buckshot - since the choke is built into the wad!

Thanks, and good point about the Flite-Control rounds.

 

[MCgunner]

Not tacticool, but my 20 gauge Spartan 20" barreled coach gun does dove hunting duties quite effectively. it also rides on my shoulder in it's sling when I'm walking the woods and it sits in the bedroom loaded with 3 buck for home defense duties.

On doves, I can reach right out to 35-40 yards with the modified choke screwed in. The I/C is DEADLY inside 30 yards. I don't bother with the full choke tube, too much. Yes, a short barrel can work. It works better for close shots, quick shots, than for long passing shots. Most of my dove hunting now days involves Mojos and often a tank and the shots come close and fast. It's ideal for that.

For my duck hunting, I shoot 28" barrels.

 

[olafhardtB]

short and sweet

I had an old Stevens SXS that was just to long and heavy so I delicately applied a hack saw. I was amazed at how much it improved matters.

 

[tactikel]

IMHO while short barrels are handy they promote some bad habits. Balance in a shotgun is important. More weight forward facilitates a smooth swing, great for waterfowl and pheasants in a swing and shoot deal. For really fast game, Grouse, rabbits, Quail, Woodcock, you can get by with a short barrel in a "poke and pop" deal. I have a 870 Special Field 20 ga which I love for Grouse, it is a terrible trap/waterfowl/pheasant gun.

 

[KevininPa]

oneounceload....

"Quote:
gunsmith, 20 inch barrels with choke tubes are as good as a long length barrel with the same choke. He claims that the powder is pretty well burnt by then and that the extra length of the barrel is only helping with sight radius for those making longer shots. this is with 2 3/4 to 3 inch shells.

First part is correct, the second part is not, the longer barrel helps with swing dynamics to help you keep a smooth swing to your target. Short barrels start and stop faster than longer ones. Stopping fast means you miss from behind "

I'm only an informal clay shooter with a bunch of friends. But now that you mention this, I have found that exact difference that you speak of. I did notice that I have to have a different mind set between the two guns.

 

[SDGlock23]

Remington offers their 18" barrels with the RemChoke option now, I have one and keep it on my 870 pretty much all of the time, choked of course.

 

[vc1911]

I6 the A5 is my favorite shotgun handsdown. The duckbill in the receiver helps me when I don't already have the gun shouldered. Some of the Beretta autos have a similar shape but you can't beat the original!

 

[MCgunner]

I have a 24" barreled H&R 10 gauge I shoot geese with, but it's a 9 lb gun, so balances more forward than the barrel length would suggest. Helluva pattern on that thing, though, with 3.5" T shot.

 

[oneounceload]

since the choke is built into the wad!

Not really, while the FC wad does help keep the payload together a little while longer, choke is determined by the constriction at the muzzle as it squeezes the payload through something measured in thousandths.

 

[WestKentucky]

My pardner pump youth 20ga with 20" and tubes is my favorite squirrel getter. Handy, quick, And aside from being a H&r it would be light. I have considered a 12ga defense But most of those are fixed cylinder bore with rifle sights, at least the ones that would be in my price range. If you put a limbsaver pad on the youth it brings it up to standard length AND you can claim your buying it for a kid or grandkid, nephew...or if you happen to run across that need you have it covered.

 

[plumberroy]

I won't argue which is better . I know what I like for my style hunting
My guns that get carried are
H&R 12 ga 24 in. full
H&R 24 in 12 ga Cil. Bore
H&R 20 ga 20in. Mod
H&R 20 ga 24in. Rifled
Remington 870 18.5 in fixed mod. (lefty safety)
remington 870 lefty 18.25 in remchokes
I like to hunt thickets and such .
Roy