one bullet
Single-Sixer
I have a 870 Wingmaster with a modified barrel. How many inches would I need to cut off the barrel to remove the modified portion and basically have an open choke to safely shoot anything through it?
how much barrel to cut
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Bob Wright
Hawkeye
You don't have to cut anything off to "safely shoot anything through it." At least not approved shotgun shells.
Bob Wright
OP
one bullet
Single-Sixer
Warned not to shoot slugs by forum members here and Remington customer service actually says you shouldn't. I know a lot of folks disagree with that.
one bullet said:
If you look at a cross-section of a slug, you'll see that it has a hollow base, allowing it to "squeeze down" as it passes through the choke. The only adverse effect is that because of the "squeeze", slugs are generally more accurate with a cylinder bore or IC barrel that they are with a mod or full barrel.
Anybody who says you can't shoot slugs out of a modified choke 870 has no idea what they're talking about.... and yes, this includes Remington's "customer service".
Untold thousands (and probably millions) of slugs have been shot out of modified, and even full chokes, for decades.
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
The "rifling" on shotgun slugs is designed to squeeze down for any choke. Has nothing to do with stabilizing the slug.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
JohnBoy
Blackhawk
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Choke should typically be within the last 2 inches (as noted above) - probably last 1 1/2". Bear in mind - if you have a vent rib - the rib configuration needs to be considered as well.
Were it mine, if I were to do anything, I'd have the existing choke opened rather than chopping the barrel.
Also worth noting would be the existing sights - and what you plan on doing now that the front bead is missing.
I guess it depends on your application and expectations. Whatever else, stay safe!
Were it mine, if I were to do anything, I'd have the existing choke opened rather than chopping the barrel.
Also worth noting would be the existing sights - and what you plan on doing now that the front bead is missing.
I guess it depends on your application and expectations. Whatever else, stay safe!
I have a 20 ga bolt action, full choke, that is very accurate with slugs. Keep the gun as is and enjoy it.
gramps
gramps
muzzleloader
Single-Sixer
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I think for the price of a slug barrel, I'd just leave that bird barrel alone.
Pat-inCO
Hawkeye
OR
you could just buy a barrel that has the choke you want. :shock:
eBay has a cylinder bore for $71
you could just buy a barrel that has the choke you want. :shock:
eBay has a cylinder bore for $71
pisgah
Buckeye
Leave it! I found a Modified barrel gave me the best slug accuracy in my 870 with traditional Foster-type slugs, which are designed to squeeze down thru any choke.
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
Hi,
I'm always amazed at folks who'll spend a half hour screwing something up that could be fixed right in 10 minutes or so! Is this turning into such a situation?
Remington ok'd the use of steel shot in fixed chokes up to Modified (no Full) when I inquired. And that stuff's far harder on a barrel than any lead slugs I've shot--even with factory choke tubes, they have a Full that's ok'd for lead only, another Full that says "lead or steel" on it. So there's really no need to chop off a perfectly good barrel when it's pretty sure, Remington rep notwithstanding, that slugs can already be shot thru it. However, if one doesn't want to go that route, it's easy to have choke tubes installed in it so every standard load one can imagine should work ok, or just buy the slug barrel.
One way results in pretty much a ruined barrel for all but one intended use, and it may be less than optimal for even that one (hint: most factory "cylinder" bores STILL have just a tiny touch of constriction), the second way produces one good and quite versatile barrel, and the third way gives two good barrels, and quite likely for less cash outlay than tubing a barrel.
The choice is up to the individual... the extra barrels around here should be a clue as to what mine would be.
Rick C
I'm always amazed at folks who'll spend a half hour screwing something up that could be fixed right in 10 minutes or so! Is this turning into such a situation?
Remington ok'd the use of steel shot in fixed chokes up to Modified (no Full) when I inquired. And that stuff's far harder on a barrel than any lead slugs I've shot--even with factory choke tubes, they have a Full that's ok'd for lead only, another Full that says "lead or steel" on it. So there's really no need to chop off a perfectly good barrel when it's pretty sure, Remington rep notwithstanding, that slugs can already be shot thru it. However, if one doesn't want to go that route, it's easy to have choke tubes installed in it so every standard load one can imagine should work ok, or just buy the slug barrel.
One way results in pretty much a ruined barrel for all but one intended use, and it may be less than optimal for even that one (hint: most factory "cylinder" bores STILL have just a tiny touch of constriction), the second way produces one good and quite versatile barrel, and the third way gives two good barrels, and quite likely for less cash outlay than tubing a barrel.
The choice is up to the individual... the extra barrels around here should be a clue as to what mine would be.
Rick C
trapperon
Blackhawk
yep-go fire a few slugs through it and see how it shoots! My grandfathers model 12 Winchester with a modified choke has had MANY a slug shot through its barrel with no adverse effects. You are good to go "as is"
Ron
Ron
Bucks Owin
Hunter
trapperon said:
My dad's old 16 ga full choke M-12 can put slugs in a 6" group at 75 yds. He installed a peep sight on it... :wink:
I agree with the notion that 870 will digest slugs all day long.
bobski
Hunter
i could never understand people who turn (shot) guns into rifles by shooting slugs in it an demand accuracy just short of micrometer perfection....out of a bbl that is screwed on to the reciever with a twist cap.
accuracy out of a rifle with the bbl attached and staked directly to the receiver sure...but a pump shotgun? geesh.
its like owning a FN/FAL.
accuracy out of a rifle with the bbl attached and staked directly to the receiver sure...but a pump shotgun? geesh.
its like owning a FN/FAL.
4MUL8R
Single-Sixer
I recommend a second-hand 870 rifled slug barrel, and sabot slugs. These rifled tubes are quite accurate and the sabot slugs have excellent projectiles, like the Nosler Partition Gold or the Barnes Expander. Save the Wingmaster barrel for pass shooting at geese or duck.
bobski said:
I work at my gun club's annual "Deer Season Sight-in", and have seen some pretty decent accuracy... specifically, the fully rifled barrels with a cantilever scope mount shooting sabots. 1-1/2 inch groups at 100 yards are not uncommon, although most seem to run 2 to 2-1/2 inches (except for the guys who just can't shoot... I've seen 16 inch "groups"). With the cantilever mount, the scope is attached to the barrel rather than the reciever, so the barrel-to-receiver fit is not that critical.
In some places, rifles are prohibited, so you must shoot a shotgun with slugs. A rifled barrel with sabots is pretty darn close to shooting a .30-30 in terms of energy and accuracy out to about 150 yards.
