Buckshot in rifled barrel

Combat45 · October 16, 1998, 10:14 AM

I'm considering a shotgun for HD, a little turkey hunting and maybe deer. I like the idea of a rifled barrel and slugs for the ability to "reach out and touch someone" in the fields, but can you fire buckshot in a gun like this also? Will it damage it or not pattern well?

Sorry if this is obvious to everyone else, but I have hardly any shotgun experience.

Ken Campbell · October 23, 1998, 08:11 PM

Buck shot out of a rifled barrel will pattern horribly. That is, you will have a hard time hitting anything with it.
I'd try the cylinder bore with rifle sights (or ghost ring) and see if it won't do what you want.
With practice from an 18' or 20" barrel, you should be able to keep them in a 10" plate at 100 yards. (And not a lot of practice at that.)
During the training I have seen, the cylinder bore is most versatile and will serve your needs of both worlds.

Regards,

Ken

Combat45 · October 26, 1998, 09:40 PM

Thanks Ken. I was beginning to think everybody just thought I was nuts.

Spectre · October 30, 1998, 07:40 PM

C4, I remember a test I read several years ago. I believe it was from SOF. In any case, a rifled barrel caused an extremely wide pattern from buckshot.

Rob Pincus · October 31, 1998, 03:46 AM

Ken- I didn't follow you post, you were keeping slugs within 10" with Cylinder bore or Buckshot? IME, rifled slugs from a smoothbore should be much tighter than that, and even with a full choke buckshot will spread more than that.

combat- slug accuracy from a smooth barrel has been much underrated by the gun press (maybe to sell rifled barrels?...nahhhh couldn't happen!). I used an old borrowed remington 870 express with a full choke 20"(?) barrel and Brenneke rifled slugs to take two deer last year, one of which was running at 70 yards, and I'm no Chuck Connors. I put my faith in the versatility of the smoothbore, if I need better than 5" groups at 100yards, I'll run away and look for a rifle

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October 16, 1998, 10:14 AM	#1
Combat45 Junior Member Join Date: October 15, 1998 Location: Shenandoah Valley VA Posts: 7	I'm considering a shotgun for HD, a little turkey hunting and maybe deer. I like the idea of a rifled barrel and slugs for the ability to "reach out and touch someone" in the fields, but can you fire buckshot in a gun like this also? Will it damage it or not pattern well? Sorry if this is obvious to everyone else, but I have hardly any shotgun experience.

October 23, 1998, 08:11 PM	#2
Ken Campbell Junior Member Join Date: October 7, 1998 Location: Lebanon, IN USA Posts: 14	Buck shot out of a rifled barrel will pattern horribly. That is, you will have a hard time hitting anything with it. I'd try the cylinder bore with rifle sights (or ghost ring) and see if it won't do what you want. With practice from an 18' or 20" barrel, you should be able to keep them in a 10" plate at 100 yards. (And not a lot of practice at that.) During the training I have seen, the cylinder bore is most versatile and will serve your needs of both worlds. Regards, Ken

October 26, 1998, 09:40 PM	#3
Combat45 Junior Member Join Date: October 15, 1998 Location: Shenandoah Valley VA Posts: 7	Thanks Ken. I was beginning to think everybody just thought I was nuts.

October 30, 1998, 07:40 PM	#4
Spectre Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 23, 1998 Location: ATL Posts: 3,277	C4, I remember a test I read several years ago. I believe it was from SOF. In any case, a rifled barrel caused an extremely wide pattern from buckshot.

October 31, 1998, 03:46 AM	#5
Rob Pincus Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Hotels Posts: 3,668	Ken- I didn't follow you post, you were keeping slugs within 10" with Cylinder bore or Buckshot? IME, rifled slugs from a smoothbore should be much tighter than that, and even with a full choke buckshot will spread more than that. combat- slug accuracy from a smooth barrel has been much underrated by the gun press (maybe to sell rifled barrels?...nahhhh couldn't happen!). I used an old borrowed remington 870 express with a full choke 20"(?) barrel and Brenneke rifled slugs to take two deer last year, one of which was running at 70 yards, and I'm no Chuck Connors. I put my faith in the versatility of the smoothbore, if I need better than 5" groups at 100yards, I'll run away and look for a rifle