Aunt Jen Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Hi all again, I have a Stoeger SxS, and it's great. But the barrels are long. Is there a problem shortening them? I'm gonna get some grief for this, but: What if I just took a good hacksaw and did it, to an appropriate length then deburr? What is the best length for CAS? Aunt Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Bad Bob Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 20 inches. Both bores will be cylinder (wide open) if you saw them off, you know that right? If that's A-OK with you I say GO FOR IT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 You will want to put a brass bead at the front of the shortened barrels for aiming. My posse mates had to remind me several times yesterday that I'm supposed to AIM my shotgun, oh well, just meant I got to shoot a couple more shells than they did Lastly, I seem to remember that you are in California, I'd recommend checking with Hud, IROT, or someone else out there knowledgeable about CA firearms laws. I'd hate to see you run afoul of the law. Chances are they would have an idea how much it would cost to hire it done, who to have do it, OR tips for doing it yourself. Grizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Jen Posted February 20, 2011 Author Share Posted February 20, 2011 Yes, I don't want to run afoul of the law. But I'm hearing that if I were to cut them off, then it'd fire too widely? Making it less effective? Maybe I'd just better forget this idea. Aunt Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder SASS #13056 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Sometimes, a little longer (22 to 24 inches) is better for many folks for several reasons. The weight of the barrel helps open and hold the shotgun open. Some find the weight distribution better. So, go to a shoot and try out a few guns to see what works for you. Yes, many use some sort of vice as a guide, cut the barrels, then try to make them as square as possible. Then you normally have to use JB weld or similar stuff to make sure the rib is solid. Then reinstall the front bead - although that can be option for some folks. And most of us use open chokes (what you would get) with no problems at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Bad Bob Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 A good gunsmith could do it and also add screw threads for screw in chokes, but it won't be cheap. It will fire a wide pattern, but at 10 yards I don't think that would matter much. Past that it could be too spread out to be effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cinch, SASS#29433 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Some of the upland model stoeger bbls are too thin even for thin wall chokes... Cut the barrel at least 22" or slightly longer it will look mucho better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Duncan Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Hi all again, I have a Stoeger SxS, and it's great. But the barrels are long. Is there a problem shortening them? I'm gonna get some grief for this, but: What if I just took a good hacksaw and did it, to an appropriate length then deburr? What is the best length for CAS? Aunt Jen Ain't going to get any grief from me, it's your gun. Cut as you see fit. Cut square with a hacksaw and then a rat tail file to deburr. Longer the barrels the more weight you have to keep the action open (during reloading) but the more barrel you have to shove thru windows/props. I like my SxS closer to 18" For SASS you don't need no chokes Suggestions. Before cutting barrels mark where you want the new front site (if any) to go. I took mine to a machine shop to insure barrels were cut square. They used a power metal saw and cost me $5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt McCloud, SASS #65003L Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Aunt Jen - I have a Stoeger SxS and had the barrels cut to 18 1/2 so as to ensure "legal" wasn't an issue. Have shot shotgun stages with knockdowns "out there" a fair bit and no issues (using Featherlight ammo). I have gone to clubs where they have gun racks set up and most of them you can put a 20" barrel in no problem but anything shorter may be a problem. The 18 1/2" is a little lighter and may be better if weight is an issue. I now have a new backup and got a 20" barell so if I think the extra length may be a benefit I have a choice. FWIW! Colt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 It sounds like you pretty much got it. Cut them square with a hacksaw and file smooth. Then you will need to drill and tap for a new bead sight. Brownells sells a bead kit that comes with the necessary drill bit and tap. If you aren't comfortably with doing this part, a gunsmith shouldn't charge much to install a bead. If you haven't considered it yet, shotening the buttstock will make the gun a lot more manuverable. I took about 1" off of mine and added a negative toe angle to it which helps when shooting targets on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 My barrel's on my Stoeger is 18.125" ...love it I taped off where I wanted to cut....band sawed it, took a Dremel and smoothed out the burr's....drilled a hole for the new bead...tapped it...installed the bead with gorilla glue for extra hold....been fine ever since. http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj281/pagnew/IMG_11451024x768.jpg GG ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabalero Chuck Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 A few tips to getting a better "square" cut. Sorry about the length of the post, but this can help you perform the job in such a way that you will be less likely to regret your actions, and maybe be proud of your workmanship. Don't rush, if you don't have enough necessary tools, get or borrow them, ask for access to suitable vise or clamps. Use the available table edge or vise jaw as a cutting guide. Use your head. If you have decided on a specific length, start out by cutting it an inch or so longer. Get some wooden dowel that fits inside the bores snugly, if it takes a lot of effort to insert, sand it down to the point that you just have to tap-tap-tap it into the bore to a depth the goes 1/2-1" past your finished length. Oh, almost forgot, take the barrel off the reciever to work on it. Cut through the sight rib first so that it is not stressed/bent around as being the last to be parted. With your chunk of barrel that came off initially, check to see if your sighting track? remains soldered tight ,or if you need to find a craftsman to re-solder it tightly to the barrels. If this is neccessary, have it done before you finish the cutting and deburring. Use the finest hack saw blade available, the finer the tooth pitch the better your end result. Use as long a stroke as you can without bumping the frame into your work. Only push into the blade in one (the proper) direction, remove and reslot for your next stroke. Use a GOOD quality tape to wrap the barrels and this also allows you to mark a parting line. If you can use a circular sawing tool with an abrasive brade, the tool should be mounted in a fixture that allows for the part to be clamped square to the blade. If you go this route, go slow, allow for cooling to prevent blue/overheat at the parting line, DON'T try and make the cut rapidly or in one pass, you will overheat it if you do. Since you have the wooden plugs sticking out of the bores, you can clamp these into the vise to prevent tool marks and crushing injuries to your soon to be molested shotgun barrels. If you can support the barrels/vise horizontally, and use the vise jaws as a cutting guide, it will cut easier and with less chance of lead-off than if you try and do free hand. The support will allow you to clamp to the metal barrels with less force. Cutting the barrels material from all of your cardinal points and leaving the wooden plugs to keep from "dropping" you finished part will allow for a much nicer end product. Use a circular sanding wheel with a fine sanding disc to remove saw marks. This tool should have a "table" that allow you to preserve your "square" end that you have tried so hard to initiate. Finish the bores with a hand operated de-burring tool. Dremel is too easy to loose control of and mar up your carefully preserved finish or bore. Use a square across the vise jaws and the sighting rib to get the cut as square as possible. All this might seem a bit anal to some, but a "lopped off" barrel will be sore point for that gun for the rest of it's existance. I have always been dismayed by these sort of modifications that occur without some modicum of concern for the end result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painted Cowboy Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Don't forget you usually have to fill in the front rib.. It will be left open and weak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Shapiro Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 24 to 26 inches. I like the extra weight up front to help with opening and holding open for loading. As for your Stoeger, I'd sell it and buy one in the configuration you want. You'll be better off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Howdy Jen. Have you shot a gun with shorter barrels so you know you'll like the shorter barrels? Maybe you have, but if not, I hate to see you go to all that trouble and be disappointed with the results. The reason I ask is that my Stoeger Uplander has 24" barrels and I was thinking I really wanted a coach gun. Then I shot a few and decided a liked the longer barrels better. Having said that, I'm 6' tall and am accustomed to shooting even longer guns for trap and bird hunting. Whatever you decide, I'd be interested know how it turns out. So let us know, and good luck! EDIT: Doc's post came in just before sending mine. +1 for what he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker, SASS #55963 Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 While no one has stated what the legal minimum is, I will. The minimum by federal law NFA is 18 inches. SASS has 18 inches as a minimum length. So do not make your barrels less than 18 inches in length. Do not make them less than 18 inches in length. Unless you wish to have a standing reservation at a federal recreational facility. To measure place a dowel that fits decently in the barrel up against the closed breach, mark with pencil. Measure from end to mark. To do the work mentioned above in cutting the barrels start well long. For example; If target is 18.5 inch cut to 18.75 inch. Leave it longer in any event. Most of my SASS shotguns are 20 inches or longer. Don't forget to get rid of any burrs on the inside of the barrels. Also there are burrs on the outside. Doesn't hurt to slightly round the outside of the barrel. My 2 cents worth. A good gunsmith may well be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Brazos Kid Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Were it me, I would sell the longer Stoeger and purchase one of their Coach Guns. They are not expensive and the Coach Gun Supreme has decent wood. They have 20 inch barrels and have screw-in chokes from the factory. Slick it up a bit and you are all set. RBK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 24 to 26 inches. I like the extra weight up front to help with opening and holding open for loading.As for your Stoeger, I'd sell it and buy one in the configuration you want. You'll be better off. Or, keep it and buy another so you ALWAYS have a choice. I love both my 26" Uplander and my 20" Coachgun! For two very good reasons... they both operate exactly the same... and I can use either as the situation dictates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabalero Chuck Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I came across this link saved in my technical topics folder, the Hobbyist Gunsmith site was well written and super informative, - How to Shorten a Barrel - should prove to be just as described. Although it covers working on a rifle and not a shotgun, I'd bet that those willing to take the time to read it will learn good technique. http://www.hobbygunsmith.com/Archives/Jun03/HowTo.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 In the past I have shortened several shotgun barrels; from singles to over and unders and side by sides all with the same good results. You have been well advised in the above posts on how to be slow and methodical in your modifications. I use to work for a nuclear security force of over 200 troupes and would work on their personal guns as a part time gunsmith. One thing I would always do is determine where my cut was to be first, then before the cut I would remount the bead using a nifty tool from Brownells http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=16327/Product/SHOTGUN_BEAD_DRILL_FIXTURE it always gave me a perfect bead placement on the rib and doing it beforehand I had enough room to use the tool. I would then masking tape the area of the cut and with the finest tooth blade, gingerly make my cut. No matter how carefull you are, that cut is not going to be a perfect 90 degrees by any stretch. So then it was off to the mill (or a friend with a mill) for a couple of passes to even things out and clean your cut up a bit. A little emery work and touch up blue and you're all done. You do this more than a couple of times and the Brownells jig quickly pays for its self. (or a friend wanting the same job going in halfsies with you). I've done it without the jig, but my old tired hands have seen their better days so I play it safe for now. Best of luck and happy chopping. Smithy. P.S. My current Stoeger has 18 3/4" tubes after removing the choke tubes. I went for cyl/cyl because the BP was gunking up the thread in chokes. I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal TKD, Sass # 36984L Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Chokes are not a have to have for this game. Almost everybody shooting a 97 is shooting a cylinder bore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Chokes are not a have to have for this game. Almost everybody shooting a 97 is shooting a cylinder bore. Yep- The shotgun targets are so close that the bigger the spread the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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