Cutting shotgun barrels down

[Cassalong Hopidy]

I am thinking of having the barrels on my Browning BSS cut down from 26" to 20" to make it easier to handle. The barrels are modified and improved cylinder now. If I do this I will put Trulock chokes in them and am wondering how you would choke them? My inclination is to go with improved cylinder in both barrels. I use the gun only for cowboy action shooting.

 

Cassalong Hopidy

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

If you are gonna get it tubed then yeah IC is one of your options. Any tighter is just not needed for our sport. I have been running a BSS cut to 22" open choked for 4 years now and have had great success with it, even on the occasional 20 yard bonus knockdown and many flyers. It ain't what you asked but I would take the money that you are gonna spend getting it choked and buy shotshells or reloading components and practice your tail off, you'll be much farther ahead.

[Cassalong Hopidy]

Deuce

 

I always appreciate your advice. Are you saying that you don't think much is gained in terms of gun weight/maneuverability by cutting it from 26" to 20"?

 

Cassalong

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

Deuce

 

I always appreciate your advice. Are you saying that you don't think much is gained in terms of gun weight/maneuverability by cutting it from 26" to 20"?

 

Cassalong

 

No, was saying that not much is gained by installing choke tubes. A 20-22" is gonna manuever better within props regardless of what anyone says. Basically my message was to save your money and don't choke tube the barrels. Cut them for sure. I have never felt disadvantaged using a open choke gun. You will get lots of opinions on this, and installing choke tubes used to be a very popular mod that we would do to our short scatterguns. But as times have progressed it has become a less and less popular mod. simply because it's not needed.

[Cassalong Hopidy]

Ok. When you cut your barrels, did you reinstall the bead? I have shot them with and without and can't see a lot of difference at CAS distances but don't want to put myself at a disadvantage. I am asking partly because I have a friend who can cut the barrels for me but does not have drill/tap tools for putting the bead back on.

 

Cassalong

[Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440]

Brownells sells a neat kit with a drill and bottom tap and 4 or 5 beads for cheap enough money. I wouldn't bother choking a CAS shotgun.

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

Me too. I have used shotguns with everything from Full choke to Cylinder bore in CAS. I have found that it really does not make much difference. My current favorite CAS shotgun is an old Stevens hammer gun that somebody else cut down to 24" and so it has Cylinder bores. It knocks down everything I point it at, unless they are reaaaally far away.

 

Second the idea to spend some time practicing with your cut down SXS and see where it actually hits, so you will know where to hold. And be sure to put the bead back on. I know lots of guys will tell you that you point a shotgun, you don't aim. However, this ain't Skeet, and it does pay to lay the bead on the target before pulling the trigger.

[twelve mile REB]

I also shoot clyinder bore shotguns and agree with Duce, no screw in chokes. For my money the front sight is a must.

12

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

When you cut your barrels, did you reinstall the bead? I have shot them with and without and can't see a lot of difference at CAS distances but don't want to put myself at a disadvantage.

Yes, you really want a big bead at the muzzle if you are afraid of being slowed down (which a small or no bead does). If you ever want to trade or sell the gun to another shooter, they will expect a bead there. Do it.

 

 

Another reason that lots of double barrel guns are not re-choked with tubes after being cut - the barrels are pretty thin, and each seems to be slightly different wall thickness than the next. Some cannot be threaded for tubes even with the thin-wall tube system.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Smithy]

Brownells sells a neat kit with a drill and bottom tap and 4 or 5 beads for cheap enough money. I wouldn't bother choking a CAS shotgun

 

+1 Just finished doing the very same job myself and would suggest the same for you. Open choked guns are fine enough for SASS and with the Brownells kit the bead remount is simple enough. You'll never be happier with the short swing and easy handling of your "new" shotgun. Smithy.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Have to agree with Deuce. Also, I work on a lot of CAS guns each year. I shoot a lot too. Years ago, I cut my '97 to 18 1/2 inches, put a choke tube in it and added a doorknob bead. I have since switched to a "cylinder" choke tube. Tight chokes just aren't necessary. Do replace the bead though.

 

Coffinmaker

 

PS: All my doubles are also cut to 18 1/2 inches, cylinder bore. Will take down any reasonable target even with Featherlights.

[BlackhawkPaul]

I woudl send it to one of the many finer CAS gunsmiths on this wire for both the cut and installation of a BIG from sight bead. None of my dedicated CAS shotguns have any chokes.

[Ranger Sgt. Jake McCandless #3368]

Brownells sells a neat kit with a drill and bottom tap and 4 or 5 beads for cheap enough money. I wouldn't bother choking a CAS shotgun.

Here is the drill,tap and bead http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=338/Pro...ONVENIENCE_KITS AJ spoke of,it works well. Adios Sgt. Jake

[MARSHAL W.E. BGood SASS 18429]

I started out with a Stevens 311 20 gauge with 30" barrels. I thought about it and debated some time before settling on cutting it to 22", as opposed to many coach guns 20". I just thought the extra 2 inches not only "looked" but "felt" more balanced, and afterwards if it was still too long, I could always take that extra 2 off (cain't exactly add it back on ya know). I've shot it for 12 years now with #6 to 8 shot AA and STS loads and have NEVER had a problem taking down the knock-downs or wacking the clay fliers, and no tubes. A nice brass bead, IMHO, does help for reference. Regards, BGood

[Cassalong Hopidy]

Thanks for the all good advice. I mean that and will take it--including foregoing chokes and reinstalling a bead with the Brownell's kit. Happy Holidays and hope to see some of you at the Last Stand.

 

Cassalong

[Dubious Don #56333]

For our game no choke probably works as well, really depends on the gun. Most of mine have TruChokes, modified which seems to work best for the wife and when he was shooting, the kid. It does enable you to change if necessary but probably isn't necessary. One thing I'd suggest is patterning your shotgun with the loads you use and typical CAS distances. Some of y'all might be surprised at where the pattern is in relation to the sights AND, the density!

[Boothill Bandit, SASS# 48598]

You might want to think about cutting the barrel to 23" instead of 20". The reason being is that you gain just a little bit of inertia from the extra weight of those three inches and that will help you open the gun a little bit easier unless you really snap it open. And as you figured out, you probably aren't going to need to choke it. Most of the time a BSS comes out too thin to choke it anyway. I have choked a few of them but the ones that do come out thick enough to choke are few and far between. After cutting, most of the choke diameters come out to .723 / .725 which is fine for our game. By the way, no matter what length you cut it to, make sure you fill the void between the barrels or eventually, if you shoot it enough, they will rattle apart and you will end up with a single barrel side by side.

 

Boothill

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

Some good advice has been given...open chokes are fine., yes for the bead & all I can add is ..'have fun .

Shotgun is the most important for loading as most times it's the only one done under the clock...for myself practise is important to hopefully be a bit slicker!

[Johnny Meadows,SASS#28485L]

Five or six years ago I was installing 4 or 5 chokes in guns a month, now it's more like 4 or 5 a year.

I feel that a little more length to the barrels is a plus, 22" over 20". The longer barrel not only helps

keep the barrels open, but you get less muzzel rise and a faster second shot recovery time.

Johnny Meadows

[Rio Brazos Kid]

To each his own, but my experiences definitely do not agree with Cyl. Bore chokes, more especially when dealing with many of the Knock Down targets we encounter. You need a high percentage of your shot ON the target, not flying by it on the sides.

 

Putting the patterns on paper, (at SASS distances), will reveal way too much spread in the pattern, especially if the targets are set at the longer suggested distances. 1/2 (or more), of your shot will be clear off the target. Think about it, most of us shoot 7/8 oz. loads, and if 1/2 of that doesn't even contact the target, It darn sure won't take a hard set target down.

 

I tried Skeet chokes, and found they were still too open. I.C. chokes provided the best all around control of the pattern. Modified was too tight, and squeezed the pattern down too small.

 

No choke may be ok on lots of targets, but all around, they leave a lot to be desired. Sure, it costs a few bucks to have them put in barrels that have been shortened, but the cost is worth it in the long run. If you want your shotgun to be MAXIMUM effective, then you don't want Cyl. Chokes.

 

RBK

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

I have never had any issue with the cylinder bores on my 97's.

If I do my job - knockdowns, flyers, poppers, and the odd soda can are all taken out.

All my CAS shotguns are cut to 20" barrels - Seems to swing the best for me.

 

I know some that feel the bead is unused - but if I use a shotgun without a bead - I have a tendency to shoot over the target.

 

I also think at SASS distances - the actual shot spread difference between a full choke or cylinder bore is minimal.

And the difference between cylinder bore and Improved cylinder even more insignificant.

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Well, Rio Brazos Kid,

 

I guess I have to disagree with you. The only time I ever had trouble knocking down a CAS target with my Cylinder bores was when it was way out about 20 yards. Other than that, with normal up close targets, my old Stevens clobbers them.

 

Then again, I put 1 1/8 ounces of #8 in all my shells, none of this 7/8 ounce stuff. I never have any problem with recoil, even with that light Stevens and 2 1/2 drams of FFg and 1 1/8 ounces of shot.

 

Regarding pattern size, when I used to shoot my 30" full choke barrels at a target, at normal CAS distances my pattern was about the size of a dinner plate. Not too hard to get enough shot on the target with cylinder chokes if you know where your shotgun shoots and take the trouble to AIM.

[Rio Brazos Kid]

Well, as I stated in my post, "To each his own".

 

I expected some rebuttal when I posted, and wasn't surprised when I got it.

 

My experiences with the different chokes has shown, at least to me, that wide open ain't the way to go.

 

I know that at least for me, the performance on knockdowns did improve markedly, and so that was what I attempted to pass on to the OP. Whether he, or any one else, follows my advice is immaterial. I just offered it.

 

Merry Christmas. RBK