What kind of pattern can I expect...

Beer_drinker

Beer_drinker

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I'm trying to decide what to do with an old single shot 20 guage. I'd like to chop it up and turn it into a pirate pistol but only if it can be used for hunting at a reasonable distance.

What kind of birdshot patterns can I expect to get from a 18" 20 guage barrel with no choke? Will it be tight enough to hunt rabbit and grouse at around 15-20 yards or will it just spread way too fast?
 
First, you cannot cut the barrel shorter than 18.5" as shorter barrels are only legal if manufactured to that length. Don't ask me what the difference is, that's the rule.

The pattern is determined by choke, not by the gauge of the shell. If the choke is wide open as it would be if the barrel was cut off behind the constriction, you might find that only very heavy shot is useful at 25 yards and that even then patterns will be thin. Your best bet might be to have the barrel threaded for screw in chokes, then you can choose the choke to match the job at hand, be it pass shooting geese or shooting upland at close range.
 
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Actually it is a PUMP ACTION so yes it can be cut to 18" (18.5" is for SEMIS).

How many times do we have to go through this on this friggen board!
 
Winchested said:
Actually it is a PUMP ACTION so yes it can be cut to 18" (18.5" is for SEMIS).

How many times do we have to go through this on this friggen board!
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If you are going to quote the rules, then get it right . . .

You cannot be cut a long barrel shorter than 18.5" regardless of action type. Therefore, the only legal barrels shorter than 18.5 are those that are originally manufactured to the shorter length, regardless of the action type. It doesn't make sense, but what gun law does? As an example, a 12" barrel is OK if it comes that way from a factory that produces barrels with a 12" finished length, but you can no longer cut a 30" barrel down to 12".
 
Boomer said:
If you are going to quote the rules, then get it right . . .

You cannot be cut a long barrel shorter than 18.5" regardless of action type. Therefore, the only legal barrels shorter than 18.5 are those that are originally manufactured to the shorter length, regardless of the action type. It doesn't make sense, but what gun law does? As an example, a 12" barrel is OK if it comes that way from a factory that produces barrels with a 12" finished length, but you can no longer cut a 30" barrel down to 12".
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ok let me have a go at it... :D

On shotguns, the legal limit is 18", on rifles it is 18.5"

correct?
 
id say att 18'' with probably 1 ounce shot ? in your 20 gauge shells, and probably #6 shot for rabbit, @15 to 20 yards it should stay tight enough to take a rabbit but past 20 yards your pushing it, easy way to find out is just to patern it in. i think beer drinking was asking if it would spread to much not if it was legal. i could cut my barrel to 4 inches if i wanted to.
 
Boomer said:
The pattern is determined by choke, not by the gauge of the shell. If the choke is wide open as it would be if the barrel was cut off behind the constriction, you might find that only very heavy shot is useful at 25 yards and that even then patterns will be thin. Your best bet might be to have the barrel threaded for screw in chokes, then you can choose the choke to match the job at hand, be it pass shooting geese or shooting upland at close range.
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I might be able to thread the barrel myself, what type of choke would you recommend I use?

thanks :)
 
I just hacked a single shot 12 gauge down to 18 1/2 inches. Pattern is 4-5 feet in diameter at 30 yards and with 6, 7 1/2 and 8 shot I seem to cover that entire area good enough. anything bigger and I end up with holes in the pattern. Don't shoot slugs worth a damn now tho lol.

Wouldn't shoot past 30 yards with it (at game) and at 15 I get a big pattern that has a great (under such circumstances) pellet density with no holes in it that a rabbit could get into even head on.
 
lucky07 said:
I just hacked a single shot 12 gauge down to 18 1/2 inches. Pattern is 4-5 feet in diameter at 30 yards and with 6, 7 1/2 and 8 shot I seem to cover that entire area good enough. anything bigger and I end up with holes in the pattern. Don't shoot slugs worth a damn now tho lol.

Wouldn't shoot past 30 yards with it (at game) and at 15 I get a big pattern that has a great (under such circumstances) pellet density with no holes in it that a rabbit could get into even head on.
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ok thats good news even tho it is a 12...

thanks for sharing
 
mmcintyre1220 said:
i could cut my barrel to 4 inches if i wanted to.
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Today's First Prize for stating the obvious.

We already know that anybody can choose to break the law at any time. What you should know is that discussions about illegal activity will get you punted from this board. This is a law-abiding firearms community. You must have us confused with

www.canadiangangsta.com
 
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