Shotgun Barrels

[doctorj77]

I have a Winchester 1300 Ranger 20ga. It was my first gun ever. Though I've enjoyed shooting it over the years I've never really looked into changing anything on it or researching it.

It has a 28in barrel smoothbore with a choke. That's what I typically use for No. 6 or 8 shot.

Then I have a 22in smoothbore with no choke and rifle sights. I was always led to believe this was a slug barrel "only".

Since they are both smoothbore, can I use buckshot, or other pellet shot in my 22 barrel?

And I'm pretty sure on this, but I can't/shouldn't shoot sluges out of the 28in with the choke installed, right?

Thanks everyone.

 

[foghornl]

If it is a smooth barrel (no rifling) any shot load would be OK. Pattern testing is needed to see what works best in YOUR barrel. Most likely, that short barrel is plain 'cylinder' bored, meaning no choke, or at most, no more than Improved Cylinder choke.

You want to use the plain lead rifled slug, AKA "Forster" slug. A sleeved "Sabot" slug {generally speaking here} will not work very well; the sabot slug depends on the rifled barrel to spin the slug for stability, like a rifle/pistol bullet is spun.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Welcome to THR, doctorj.

You shouldn't have any problems shooting slugs through a fairly open choke tube that is properly installed. By 'open' I mean Skeet 1, ImpCyl or the like. I'd as soon not use Mod or tighter choke tubes to shoot slugs, in a pinch I'd do it but I don't like to. OPMMV of course.

You can shoot pretty much anything you want through the 22" barrel (any shell that fits it properly, that is). To find out how it shoots, just pattern it on paper. The advice above re. slugs is generally true- shoot rifled slugs in smoothbore barrels and sabot slugs in rifled barrels as a rule.

hth,

lpl

 

[doctorj77]

Thank for the info guys. I plan to use the shorter barrel from here on out. Its just more managable than with the 28 on it.

But for the 28in barrel, since its smoothbore as well, is there a modified choke I can insert to make it an open choke to fire slugs in that barrel?

Would there be any benefit in using a slug in the 28in with an open choke, meaning accuracy?