Steel shot and older SG barrels

Smoothbore

Smoothbore

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Many older shotguns have fixed chokes.

Is that why the caution not to shoot steel shot through them?
Or is the steel of the barrels themselves somehow not up to it?

Could you buy an older (1960-1980's) Remington with a fixed choke and have a gunsmith cut this off and tread it for removeable chokes? Would that be safe?

Or would you need to get a new barrel? :confused:

Experts please advise. Thanks
 
I believe the steel in older shotgun barrels is softer and steel shot will cause damage. I am unsure when manufacturers changed the steel. I have seen dents in the bore in the area leading into the choke on full choke guns fired with steel. If you look in the manufacturer's recomendations for chokes in regards to steel shot usage they seem recomend modified as the tightest constriction to use. I think you would be safe with a barrel from the 80's having it re-choked with tubes or having a full reamed out to modified. I hope this helps. Maybe someone else knows a firm date regarding barrel steel.
 
I have an older model 870 that was a 30 inch barrel and was hacked to 26 inches and was threaded for tubes. So yes that is an option. But now you have me wondering about the thiness of the barrel and steel. I was thinking of buying a new shotgun just because I wasnt sure about the steel, now I may think a little harder.
 
:p There was a US class-action suit settled several years ago in the US, about Remington 870 and 1100 barrels that split or were damaged by steel shot. The barrels were not of sufficient quality to take the high pressures of steel shot, resulting in many damaged barrels. There were cash and replacement barrels offered.

One more important fact regarding steel shot, the wad of the better mainstream manufacturer's is thicker and protects the bore better than some of the Canadian and other smaller loaders. It is of the utmost importance that ALL the steel pellets ae incased in a heavy all wad, specialy in non-Chromed barrels. A lot of the lower priced shotguns have suffered quite some damage from these lower priced shells: scratched borsm bulges near the forcing cone, bulges in the barrel, etc.

The old adage: you get what you pay for! is very much a good comment about steel shot.

Best regards,
Henry:rolleyes:
 
I know a few guys shooting old, 30" full choke 870's with steel and not having any problems. I think it comes down to each individual gun.
 
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