In case you're considering the 20ga. youth model...
Just in case you're considering the 20ga. youth (SB1-25C), I fired mine for the first time two days ago. Here's a range report.
Regards,
Dirty Bob
NEF SB1-25C Range Report
This was my first time shooting the NEF Synthetic Youth 20 Gauge that I bought this summer. I wanted this gun primarily as a "carbine" for shooting round ball loads and buckshot. Its small size and the ease with which it can be taken down were a large part of the appeal of the gun. I see it as an inexpensive backup to my primary defensive long gun: a Remington 870 in 20 gauge. I also hope to use it as a travel gun here in Texas: keeping it assembled and unloaded most of the time, in a bag in the car trunk. I've had a few "interesting" experiences when travelling in my lifetime, and my cousin Nancy vanished while driving the highways of California. A concealed handgun, backed up by a very compact long gun, seems like good insurance when out on the road. The gun fits into a small bag when taken down, making it easy to take into a hotel room without raising eyebrows. I hate leaving a gun in a vehicle for any length of time.
Unfortunately, range time was somewhat limited in this first session. I ran about 20 rounds of target ammo through the little gun in three round drills: starting with the gun open and one round chambered and two rounds between the fingers of my off hand. I would fire the first round at one of the three hanging Coke cans at a distance of seven yards, then open the gun and let the empty eject over my shoulder and chamber a fresh round while cocking the hammer. I would then close the gun and immediately fire at the second can. I would repeat the process for the third can. I did not try for speed. The intention was to gain a small measure of familiarity with the gun and to see how well it shot in my hands.
My first shot with a target round tore a Coke can in half. The recoil is not at all bad with target rounds, though it is definitely noticeable in such a lightweight little shotgun. As I forgot to bring the Improved Cylinder choke tube, all testing was done with the Modfied choke tube that came with the gun.
Patterning was not fully tested. At 7 yards, I fired one round of buckshot at a piece of cardboard, and the pattern was beautifully centered and about four inches in diameter. Similar results were obtained with a target round. I then fired two rounds of Remington Slugger ammo at 15-20 yards at a "cross" on the cardboard that I made with a large marker, just to try the slugs out. The two rounds struck about three inches to the left (first shot) and the same distance to the right (second round) of the intersection of the two lines, directly on the horizontal line of the target. Without the Improved Cylinder tube, I decided to limit the slug testing. I ended the session with a round of buckshot at the longer distance. The pattern of 20 #3 Buckshot was about 10 inches in diameter and centered on the aiming point.
The Good
Functioning was 100%, as expected, and ejection was very positive. Although recoil with slug and buckshot is strong, it is not a problem, with some adjustments that will be discussed in the conclusions. Accuracy with slugs with just a bead sight, less-than-optimal stock fit, and the wrong choke tube was judged better than expected, although more testing with slugs is needed. Patterns with target and buckshot rounds look very good, though more testing is needed at a variety of distances. I was very impressed with the gun's performance with the two Winchester #3 Buckshot rounds I fired. At close range, the gun delivered a tight pattern that would likely end hostilities with a solid upper torso hit. The pattern at the longer range was better than I hoped. At any distance out to about 15 yards, I would feel very confident facing a threat with the little NEF, loaded with Winchester #3 Buck.
The small size of the SB1-25C is a real asset. The combination of the single shot action, the short 22-inch barrel, and the short youth stock makes for a very compact and handy shotgun. When I hold it in one hand with my arm at my side and the barrel pointed straight down, the muzzle is well clear of the ground. It's small and handy enough to be very quick in the hands. Although it can't be concealed like a handgun, it could be hidden fairly easily behind a leg, under a jacket held in the hands, behind a bag, etc. A shotgun that can be kept ready yet out of sight could be a very real advantage in a confrontation.
The NEF shotgun can also be operated with one hand. Although I have not fired it one handed, I find it fairly easy to shoulder and aim with one hand. The opening action is smooth enough that the lever can be pressed and the gun "broken" over a leg to open. Closing takes only modest pressure. The positive ejection would greatly aid reloading if the gun were operated with only one hand.
The Bad
The gun does not fit me well at this moment. When I snap it to my shoulder, I see a lot of barrel below the bead. I can slide back on the stock a bit and rotate my head forward to get a better sight picture, but I can't do it quickly. This position also makes it feel like I'm being punched in the cheek when shooting slugs. I see this as a "fixable" problem and not at all the fault of the gun.
Conclusions and Thoughts
The NEF 20 gauge synthetic youth model is a great little shotgun! Target rounds would be my ammo of choice if I were facing aluminum cans. With buckshot, however, the NEF is a ferocious little gun, and I would not feel underarmed to have it in my hands in a confrontation. Twenty .25 caliber buckshot would probably be very effective against an antagonist.
To fix the fit issues, I'm thinking of ordering the wood buttstock and reshaping it as needed for a better flash sight picture when snappng it to my shoulder. I would like the top of the buttstock to either be level or sloping downward toward the receiver, so the gun won't "smack" me in the face under the recoil of buckshot or slugs. The recoil pad that came with the gun should be just fine, once the stock fits me a bit better. I'm also thinking of filling the spaces in the synthetic forend with lead shot: first in plastic bags, then in an epoxy matrix if I like how the gun feels. I'm also considering adding a small amount of weight to the butt of the gun (perhaps in the form of a cleaning kit), as well as a pair of sling swivels.
I want to leave the shotgun as close to stock as possible: making only the changes that are needed to improve handling with buck or slug loads, and to improve its practical accuracy as a substitute carbine. I'm planning to develop a round ball load, looking for accuracy out to 50 yards or so, which would make it "dangerous" out to at least 100 yards. Past experience tells me that well-made round ball loads are much more accurate than their reputation leads us to expect. I suspect this reputation is based on undersized round balls bouncing down a bore, much like an old Brown Bess musket load, not a round ball that has been carefully matched with a good wad, and tested alongside other loads to find the one delivering the best accuracy.
With this in mind, I've designed a set of ghost ring sights for the little gun and need to build them as soon as I find time. I could purchase something, but that could easily double the overall price of my carbine. I also want the rear aperature sight to fold down, so that I can shoot shot with the front sight alone, most of the time, and flip the rear sight up to shoot slug or ball loads. That's it: no optical sight, no laser, no dedicated tactical light. Just a fairly basic little single shot shotgun to enjoy shooting and to take along on car trips. The only other accessory I plan to buy is about 500 rounds of target loads (for starters) to get more comfortable with this little gun. I want to keep it simple, and I want the gun to look fairly similar to the one I bought this summer.
