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Looking to get a shotgun barrel rifled.


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Two ideas:

Looking for a gunsmith: need a slug gun:

1)for a rifled barrel for my old 870 youth looking at $200-thought it would make sense to have a gunsmith rifle existing barrel instead.

Or

2) always dreamt of a double gun (breaking a gun open, unloading/loading for safety/silence/convenience can spoil a man).

Can find side by sides relatively cheap, get one in 12 or 16 rifled and I'll be all set.

Anyone have any input/experience/know how or could suggest a gunsmith?

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Two ideas:

Looking for a gunsmith: need a slug gun:

1)for a rifled barrel for my old 870 youth looking at $200-thought it would make sense to have a gunsmith rifle existing barrel instead.

Or

2) always dreamt of a double gun (breaking a gun open, unloading/loading for safety/silence/convenience can spoil a man).

Can find side by sides relatively cheap, get one in 12 or 16 rifled and I'll be all set.

Anyone have any input/experience/know how or could suggest a gunsmith?

You can buy factory rifled barrels for the 870 from Remingiton and a Hastings. I have a Hastings on myy .20 gauge. Very accuarte at 110yds

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I have never heard of cutting rifling in an existing smoothbore barrel, but I am no gunsmith.

As far as using a cheap double as a slug gun, that opens a can of worms also..It would be be very difficult to regulate both barrels to the same point of impact..At the very least it would involve unsoldering/resodldering of the rib, barrel bending, etc. Sounds to me like more trouble and expense than it would be worth.

Even it you could pull it off, at the end of the day you would still have a cheap shotgun, albeit with two barrels.

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I have never heard of cutting rifling in an existing smoothbore barrel, but I am no gunsmith.

As far as using a cheap double as a slug gun, that opens a can of worms also..It would be be very difficult to regulate both barrels to the same point of impact..At the very least it would involve unsoldering/resodldering of the rib, barrel bending, etc. Sounds to me like more trouble and expense than it would be worth.

Even it you could pull it off, at the end of the day you would still have a cheap shotgun, albeit with two barrels.

I've never heard of cutting rifling either. I don't even think it's possible and if it is probably very expensive.  I recommend he just buy an off the shelf rifled barrel.

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I once had a SXS 12 gauge that was cut down to 24" barrels, giving it open chokes and just happened to shoot full size slugs very well.  It put both slugs inside a 6" circle @ 50 yards.  It had double triggers, a peep sight on the rear and a bead on the front.  Using Federal Tru-ball slugs improved the group to 4" @ 50 yards.

 

Shooting it at 100 yards opened it up to being able to reliably hit a paper plate with either barrel about 75% of the time.  It was not something I used for deer hunting even though that is what it was made to do.

 

Cutting rifling into an existing smooth bore barrel is not done, because the walls of the barrel are too thin to allow it to be done safely. 

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I'd think with the legalization of centerfire rifles in many areas of the state that rifled barrels and guns would be pretty reasonably priced now. I know my slug gun will quite possibly never see another day in the bush......unless I hunt again on a nuisance permit or have to track down a wounded spiker and I don't feel my ML is up to the task. Doubtful as hell though......:)

I'd source a replacement barrel or new/used setup.

Good luck!

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Thank you guys for your responses

This whole idea is predicated on 20 gauge rifled barrels being way too expensive vs 12's even at cabela's

Trust me have done homework in pricing, looking for a gunsmith or expertise.

279.99 w/out scope in 20

259 w/ scope in 12

at cabelas

/Gauge20

ModelFully Rifled

FinishSpecial Purpose

Barrel Length (in.)18-1/2" Cantilever

BoreFull Rifle

Manufacture Model Number27595

In Stock

$279.99

Caliber/Gauge12

ModelFully Rifled

FinishSpecial Purpose

Barrel Length (in.)23" Cantilever, Scoped

BoreFull Rifle

Manufacture Model Number24553

Backorderable

$279.99 Sale! $259.99

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Separately and aside from costs of purchasing a 870 barrel in 20 gauge, thickness of barrel doesn't seem to be an issue as Remington itself sells shotgun slugs for it's smoothbore scatter guns

You can run slugs thru your smooth barrel rifled slugs....but in a rifled barrel you run sabots and arguably get better groups at further ranges....my uncle uses a 870 smooth and shoot a winchester super x rifled slugs and kill deer every year and rarely misses.

Edit....i think what was mentioned about barrel thickness was possibility of rifling a smooth bore is not possible bc the barrel thickness of a smooth bore is thinner than rifled

Edited by stoneam2006
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Thank you guys for your responses

This whole idea is predicated on 20 gauge rifled barrels being way too expensive vs 12's even at cabela's

Trust me have done homework in pricing, looking for a gunsmith or expertise.

279.99 w/out scope in 20

259 w/ scope in 12

at cabelas

/Gauge20

ModelFully Rifled

FinishSpecial Purpose

Barrel Length (in.)18-1/2" Cantilever

BoreFull Rifle

Manufacture Model Number27595

In Stock

$279.99

Caliber/Gauge12

ModelFully Rifled

FinishSpecial Purpose

Barrel Length (in.)23" Cantilever, Scoped

BoreFull Rifle

Manufacture Model Number24553

Backorderable

$279.99 Sale! $259.99

   Try a gun show, I picked  up  a 20 ga. ; rifled 24" cantilever  for a  Mossberg    3yrs. ago for $ 125.  Just a thought.

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Thank you guys for your responses

This whole idea is predicated on 20 gauge rifled barrels being way too expensive vs 12's even at cabela's

Trust me have done homework in pricing, looking for a gunsmith or expertise.

279.99 w/out scope in 20

259 w/ scope in 12

at cabelas

/Gauge20

ModelFully Rifled

FinishSpecial Purpose

Barrel Length (in.)18-1/2" Cantilever

BoreFull Rifle

Manufacture Model Number27595

In Stock

$279.99

Caliber/Gauge12

ModelFully Rifled

FinishSpecial Purpose

Barrel Length (in.)23" Cantilever, Scoped

BoreFull Rifle

Manufacture Model Number24553

Backorderable

$279.99 Sale! $259.99

 

If you can even find a gunsmith to rifle a regular bird barrel, it will likely cost more than any of those.

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Rifling a standard shotgun barrel isn't going to happen. Way too much stress on a thin tube to even attempt it.

A good 'smith could possibly put a rifled choke collar on the end, which can be reasonably accurate in some situations.

You'll be way ahead in both $ and performance with a purpose-built slug barrel either way.

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As far as using a cheap double as a slug gun, that opens a can of worms also..It would be be very difficult to regulate both barrels to the same point of impact..At the very least it would involve unsoldering/resodldering of the rib, barrel bending, etc. Sounds to me like more trouble and expense than it would be worth.

 

That's exactly why Holland & Holland double rifles cast $30K & up.

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You can run slugs thru your smooth barrel rifled slugs....but in a rifled barrel you run sabots and arguably get better groups at further ranges....my uncle uses a 870 smooth and shoot a winchester super x rifled slugs and kill deer every year and rarely misses.

Edit....i think what was mentioned about barrel thickness was possibility of rifling a smooth bore is not possible bc the barrel thickness of a smooth bore is thinner than rifled

Not to mention that the bore in the grooves will now be oversize. You must start W/a bore that is smaller than the slug *& the rifling is cut so that the dimension in the gropves = the bullet diameter.

 

Example? A 30 caliber barrel is bored .300", then .004" deep rifling is cut/buttoned to = .308"

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Not to mention that the bore in the grooves will now be oversize. You must start W/a bore that is smaller than the slug *& the rifling is cut so that the dimension in the gropves = the bullet diameter.

 

Example? A 30 caliber barrel is bored .300", then .004" deep rifling is cut/buttoned to = .308"

good point

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You mentioned youth model, ain't that a lil short on you?

Nothing wrong with a smooth bore by the way.

Thanks fortunately or not, I'm a 'lil short'

5'5" ex college wrestler, used to be able to fit into youth hunting gear and save a ton. Got shot and basically crippled by some nimrod 5' away w/ a 20guage-not being able to exercise I've gained a bit of weight.

Needless to say, carry gear into the field and a deer out is a triumph of the will but a circumstance of pain I'll willingly endure.

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Give this guy a call, he may be able to help you:

We Bee Barrels

Ron Quaranta

585-343-0197

Barrels are his gig........

This guy is the man, kind informative and super helpful!

Give him any business you can, mom and pop informed guys like this are rarer and rarer.

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