Want to chop a 28inch 20ga full-choke barrel to cylinder choke. How much barrel?

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sgt.rock

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I have an older Lakefield Mossberg 20ga pump with a 28" full choke barrel with single brass bead. I want to chop just enough barrel to get to open bore. How much generally needs to come off before the choke is gone?
I only want the minimum gone as I dont mind my bird barrels to have a bit of length. I have 18.5" barrelled 12ga shotguns, so not looking to use the 20ga like a 12ga bear defense gun. I just want a bigger pattern AND as much length as I can salvage. I have a tap and die set to replace the bead. I have done that before. Anyhow, anyone know generally how much needs trimming?
 
2 inches might do it.. 3 should for sure...

looking in a clean bore from the muzzle you should be able to detect about where the choke starts...

Cylinder choke does not give good patterns compared to improved cylinder... why not have a gunsmith open the choke to improved cylinder and don't chop the barrel...
 
Maybe he would be luckier than me but the only place I found that had the tools to do the work was reliable in Vancouver and they did t want to do the work on my Brno 305-301…..
 
That would be an easy task if you have access to a hobby lathe from a friend or even a drill press. Find out what the dia of the bore you want and then downsize a short bobbin to that dia., pull it into the barrel from chamber end and where it comes tight just measure back and cut.
the bobbin can be any material hard enough to not taper when it hits the barrel sidewall.
 
That gun should have a short choke if you take about one inch off you should have some choke left that could all be measured before you cut I would think.
 
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Is it not easier to just change out the barrel on a pump? Cheap even when new, easy to find at a gun show, 60 seconds to swap out a barrel.
 
fiddler said:
Is it not easier to just change out the barrel on a pump? Cheap even when new, easy to find at a gun show, 60 seconds to swap out a barrel.
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Not really for me. No gunsmith local can ream it out. I live too far away for gun shows. NEVER see 20ga spare barrels for sale with chokes. I just saw one on the EE that is exactly like mine. Might buy it and cut it. Will see.....
 
sgt.rock said:
Not really for me. No gunsmith local can ream it out. I live too far away for gun shows. NEVER see 20ga spare barrels for sale with chokes. I just saw one on the EE that is exactly like mine. Might buy it and cut it. Will see.....
Click to expand...

Cutting it isn't going to give you a decent pattern... find a smith who can open it up and mail the barrel to him... 95% of my business used to be mail order clients...
 
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