20", 21" or 23" Barrel For 12 Gauge 870 Express Mag?

Bigfoot 870

Bigfoot 870

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I'm converting my duck gun, into a deer / "gravel pit" unit. I'll be shooting Foster rifled slugs out of a smooth bore, with IC choke, for deer, so the 20" is perfect. I'm considering the flexibility of chokes, as I already have the IC, Mod, and Full RemChokes for my 28" VR barrel, so the 21" or 23" is an option (I have a saddle mounted scope, so no sights required). I guess I'd like to be able to be able to test the pattern of several different 2 3/4" 00 Buckshot loads. Does anyone have experience with chokes, and Buckshot? Does Buckshot, through a screw-in choke, especially the "tighter" ones, have any ill effect on the choke and / or the threads? Your experience and feedback would be much appreciated. (PS - Please don't suggest a rifled barrel, for Sabots, as I have well over 200 1 oz Foster slugs:)
 
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Since your using an optical sight you will gain no performance with a barrel longer than the 20" but the balance point will move back which may feel odd at first. As for buckshot I've found that patterns are most consistent with open chokes like improved and often form weird doughnut shaped patterns with tighter chokes. Buckshot does not harm barrels with screw in chokes but as mentioned seem to work best in open chokes.
 
Thanks Hunter. I'm only considering the 21", and 23" for the choke options, not for the length, but you have brought up an interesting point, as I haven't been able to find much for slug ballistics online. Does a slug shot any flatter from a 28" IC barrel, then from a 20" IC barrel? . Is 20" deemed the standard for smooth bore shooting of Foster type slugs? If zeroed for 50 yards, I'd like to know where the slug hits at 25 and 75 yards.
 
You won't get any more velocity out of a barrel longer than 18~20. Shotguns use fast burning pistol powder that is all burnt up quickly.

Buckshot is a tempramental beast. Typically does OK in cyl/imp cyl choke. Anything tighter tand the pellets deform and then all turn into knuckle balls when they get out of the bore! LOL
If you want really decent patterns/performance out of buckshot the premium ($$$$) plated buckshot and tactical high performance stuff is a significant improvement as the plated buck resists deforming, makes far better patterns. This stuff will actually work well in a mod choke.

There are also some specialized aftermarket chokes out there designed to make buckshot and heavyier pellet loads pattern well. Coyote killers and names like that. They are usuually extended and have a more gradual choke taper to not squeeze the buckk too quickly and have proprietary dimensions.....I've seen some impressive results with these and premium buckshot ammo.

Slugs are a who;e other ball game although the same principle applies. Some of the premium ammo works really well although with slugs you need to play with lots of different types as they will be wildly different performing, differnt POI in each gun. You will find some that will work well in your barrel....and sometimes the inexpensive ones work great. If yer using a smoothbore which it looks like you are....buy several different kinds of the regular foster types and you will find one or more that group decently in your barrel.
This is your best bet for plinking and pit combat..and somewhat affordable.

If you are looking for the tightest grouping highest performing slug ammo again the premium ($$$$) ammo both conventional and sabot etc can work great but you will have to try a bunch as they don't all work well and your barrel will prolly be fussy...they all are.

The final solution for slug performance...gettin close to rifle performance...is a rifled barrel with cantilevered mount and premium ammo.

Have fun....oh and not only is it expensive buyin/tryin slug ammo it ain't pretty on the shoulder either!! LOL
Seriously, most shooters don't realize the actual potential of what their slug gun can do and or assess ammo performance/preference cuz after a coupel dozen shots they are flinchin like a school girl.....
Wear a shoulder pad, heavy jacket and or other shooting aids, take your time and prepare to suffer a bit if you want to ride out a full shooting session running slugs/buckshot and truly assess the ammo/gun preferences
 
Thanks terez, I just wasn't sure about 20" vs 28" performance. I'm a long time duck, and goose hunter, so I'm used to 3" magnum loads through full chokes. Plus, I'm a rather large guy, so recoil doesn't bother me. I've had the scope on the 870, and have been shooting slugs, for a few years now....now I wan to commit to the correct barrel. I've installed the Rem ShurShot stock, which is great for control, when slugging . Like I said in my original post, no Sabots for me. I have settled on Federal Premium 1 oz 2 3/4" TruBall, for hunting, as they shoot consistently, and group nice thru my 28" IC barrel. All the others will become target fodder. I'm surmising that a 20", 21" or 23" IC barrel will shoot the TruBalls just fine. Like I said, I'd love to know the 25 yd, and 75 yd impacts, as compared to a 50 yd zero . Regarding buckshot, I had ordered 5 boxes of Federal Premium 2 3/4" 00 Buck, with the Flight Control wad, from Cabelas Canada. It was on back order, but now they advise that they can't get it. It sounds like the IC is best for buckshot, as well as slugs, so I may as well just buy the best priced barrel I can find. Whether it has a fixed or RemChoke, doesn't really matter, so long as it's IC. Thanks again.
 
Got this from the Federal site ht tp://www.federalpremium.com/products/details/shotshell.aspx?id=395 and the ballistics program I use shows that the at 25 yds the vertical drop is 0, at 50 yds also 0 and at 75 yds -2" and -6" at 100 yds assuming a normal scope height and that Federal's BC for their slug is accurate. Of course actual shooting at these distances is needed to confirm this but they will most probably be close.
 
"...00 Buckshot..." Don't use it unless you absolutely have to. Buckshot is unreliable. Not enough pellets for one. However, if your Provinicial hunting regs requires it, you don't need a scope and it's best used with a cylinder or improved cylinder choke.
 
Thanks hunter.

Sunray, thanks anyways. It appears that you didn't closely read the previous posts, before responding. I already have a scope mounted, and don't plan to use buckshot for hunting, which actually is legal in here in NS.
 
Bigfoot 870 said:
Thanks terez, I just wasn't sure about 20" vs 28" performance. I'm a long time duck, and goose hunter, so I'm used to 3" magnum loads through full chokes. Plus, I'm a rather large guy, so recoil doesn't bother me. I've had the scope on the 870, and have been shooting slugs, for a few years now....now I wan to commit to the correct barrel. I've installed the Rem ShurShot stock, which is great for control, when slugging . Like I said in my original post, no Sabots for me. I have settled on Federal Premium 1 oz 2 3/4" TruBall, for hunting, as they shoot consistently, and group nice thru my 28" IC barrel. All the others will become target fodder. I'm surmising that a 20", 21" or 23" IC barrel will shoot the TruBalls just fine. Like I said, I'd love to know the 25 yd, and 75 yd impacts, as compared to a 50 yd zero . Regarding buckshot, I had ordered 5 boxes of Federal Premium 2 3/4" 00 Buck, with the Flight Control wad, from Cabelas Canada. It was on back order, but now they advise that they can't get it. It sounds like the IC is best for buckshot, as well as slugs, so I may as well just buy the best priced barrel I can find. Whether it has a fixed or RemChoke, doesn't really matter, so long as it's IC. Thanks again.
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Yep, if you are going to only shoot buck and or foster type slugs don't bother with a threaded barrel....an IC or ImpIC fixed will work fine. The factory remington 18.5in tactical barrels will work well and are easy to source used at decent prices....they come in pedastal bead or ramped front sight versions.
The 18.5in is nice to carry and light. Their are also of course the 20in rifle sighted rem barrels. If yer using optics exclusively you don't need the sights tho and the factory rem sights are VERY sharp and snag prone.
The velocity diff between 18.5 and 20 will be negligible.
 
Excellent terez, thanks. I do want a min 20" barrel, as I have already purchased a +3 mag ext. Now, to find a dealer in Canada, who can actually get there hands on one:)
 
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