Would it be safe to shoot steel shot through my shotgun if I cut 1 inch off the muzzl
- Thread starter struff55
- Start date
+1 Mine even honed and polished the whole bore.
SHOTGUN BARREL ALTERATIONS FOR STEEL SHOT
Forcing Cone Alteration:
Factory shotgun barrels usually have a fairly short and abrupt forcing cone. The forcing cone is the tapered area just ahead of the chamber where the shell is contained. Altering the forcing cone, so it is one and one half or two inches in length, reduces recoil and improves the pattern density. Trap shooters and skeet shooters have been doing this for many years. It is a good benefit to the steel shot user as well.
Choke Alteration:
Choke designation from the tightest to the most open are:
Extra Full, Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Skeet II, Improved Cylinder, Skeet I, and Cylinder Bore.
Steel shot does not require the constriction that lead shot needs, to produce good patterns. In fact too much constriction, causes poor, erratic patterns, and in some cases, permanently damages the barrel. I have seen barrels bulged at the choke, I have seen barrels where the choke split right open, from using steel shot.
For steel shot, with thin barrels, chokes should be altered to at least Skeet II. Often, over & under, and side-by-side shotguns, are best altered to Skeet I and Skeet II chokes. Heavier barrels can be left at Modified choke but may see an improvement in the pattern if opened slightly.
Forcing Cone Alteration:
Factory shotgun barrels usually have a fairly short and abrupt forcing cone. The forcing cone is the tapered area just ahead of the chamber where the shell is contained. Altering the forcing cone, so it is one and one half or two inches in length, reduces recoil and improves the pattern density. Trap shooters and skeet shooters have been doing this for many years. It is a good benefit to the steel shot user as well.
Choke Alteration:
Choke designation from the tightest to the most open are:
Extra Full, Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Skeet II, Improved Cylinder, Skeet I, and Cylinder Bore.
Steel shot does not require the constriction that lead shot needs, to produce good patterns. In fact too much constriction, causes poor, erratic patterns, and in some cases, permanently damages the barrel. I have seen barrels bulged at the choke, I have seen barrels where the choke split right open, from using steel shot.
For steel shot, with thin barrels, chokes should be altered to at least Skeet II. Often, over & under, and side-by-side shotguns, are best altered to Skeet I and Skeet II chokes. Heavier barrels can be left at Modified choke but may see an improvement in the pattern if opened slightly.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
This is common in Australia as a result of the recent steel only reg there. Most smiths are removing about 1/2" to 3/4" from the muzzles of tightly choked Baikal doubles. (common there as here) The result is some choke left behind ( usually about loose MOD) with good performance with steel shot shells. I have done it with a Baikal O/U myself with good results. The part that took the time was d and t ing for the bead replacement.
Darryl
Darryl
If you're thinking cutting an inch will give you less choke, it won't. An inch isn't enough. A 1/2" to 3/4" is just a waste of the customer's money. Cutting a barrel, regardless of the reason, has nothing to do with range though. Cutting off the choke will give you a cylinder bore, as in no choke. That'll just open the pattern considerably. Steel or not steel.
if it is a 12g put a dime down the barrel and see were it stops full choke with be anything from a half inch from the end and deeper .you can cut the barrel off right were the dime stops and you should be good to go .this is just a redneck way of checking the choke .D
- Location
- Iroquois Falls ON
Fitting your shotgun with screw-in chokes would be my recommendation.
- Location
- Iroquois Falls ON
It won't affect the range but it will affect your shot pattern. Shotgun manufactures addressed the need for versatility years ago with screw-in chokes. As long as the barrel wall thickness is adequate you can have screw-in chokes installed in your favorite gun. The barrel would need to be shortened about 2". I usually recommend the purchase of a new gun when this question comes into my shop.
Most of the choke installations that I do are for shortened "Grouse Guns" which are handy to carry on an ATV and through thick brush. (like the one in the photos below)
You might want to compare the cost of a new barrel to the cost of having screw in chokes installed, and the forcing cone lengthened.
Yup, if it's the same 400G that's in my Dad's cabinet it's a Mossberg 500 renamed and sold only in Canada during the 70's as a goose gun.
Could I fire steel IF I cut off 2.5" off the end?? A dime won't even begin to enter the barrel's muzzle. I guess I'll have to buy a threaded barrel, but I hate spending any more money on a Father-in-law that I barely like..............
Being that you would have to clean up the end of the barrel, and re-install the bead after cutting the barrel,wouldn't it be just as easy to hone out the choke a bit?
Being not too skilled with ANYTHING "metalworking" , I haven't the FAINTEST IDEA how to "hone out the choke" . Nor do I know what tools are involved, or how to use the tools if I had them. Anyhow, I am not against trying anything, including trying to hone out my barrel to a wider choke. But I surely would be asking you guys how I would go about doing it the properly. If you are reading this and know how to do it, please sound off. I am interested in knowing how to do this. Is it a simple or hard task? What tools are involved?
Thanks
Thanks
