Vang Comp: Obsolete?

Model12Win · April 22, 2018, 11:58 PM

Some folks in recent times have stated the Vang Comp shotgun barrel modification (back boring) is obsolete due to the Flite Control shotgun wads on the market.

But what if your load isn't available with this wadding?

I love the Remington 12 pellet 0 buck loads and the full-power 16 pellet #1 buck loads. There IS a Federal flite control #1 load on the market but it's sporadically available (right now very scarce), uses undersized pellets, has one less pellet than other #1B loads, and a reduced velocity.

Thinking on sending my Mossberg 590 barrel to Vang to get tighter spreads with these loads as well as ohers. Again I like them much more than the flite control 00 and watered down #1 Federal tactical load mentioned above.

I'm a firm believer on getting every pellet on the target and do not want any strays and keeping them in the vitals.

Thoughts?

Sharkbite · April 23, 2018, 12:18 PM

I have had the pleasure of shooting lots of rounds thru Vang-comped guns. Hans does GREAT work. He provided a number of guns to the training facility I used to work at. I bet ive shot well over 1000 rounds of OO buck thru his 590 versions.

Here is my take.

When he started doing the work the “patrol rifle” was unheard of in LE work, but darn near every patrol car had a shotgun in it. Just standard issue 870’s, 500’s, etc. There was always an issue with targets at any distance with standard buckshot. Most patrol officers were looking for a way to extend the distance the cyl bore shotty could keep pellets on tgt.

Enter Hans with an ingenious solution, and it worked good. Now, standard buck was not limited to 25/35 yards. The Vang-comped guns could keep OO buck on a man sized tgt out to about 50. Thats a huge improvement for a LE shooter that need to hit someone across the street or parking lot.

That improvement did not come without a price however. That price is VERY tight patterns at home defense distances. Inside of 10yards the pattern is basically one ragged hole. Thats to say, no appreciable spread at all.

So, better at distance...worse up close.

For a HD/SD shotgun a bit of spread is a good thing. IMHO the optimum pattern would be about 4-5 inches centered on his chest. You can get that with standard buckshot at about 5yards (down a hallway for example). With a Vang-comped gun that pattern doesnt happen until about 25/30 yards (way out side HD distance).

Inside the home with a Vang-comped gun, you might as well be shooting a slug, just no pellet spread to speak of. I think that takes away the benefit of the Shotgun.

As a side note; with the widespread use of the patrol rifle in LE, the shotgun has taken a backseat and almost become a speciality gun.

FITASC · April 23, 2018, 12:27 PM

I will disagree; several pellets of equal weight does not equal the force of a slug.

At HD distances a tight pattern also ensures all the pellets hit the target and none go straying through walls or windows.

If you want tighter patterns, why not put in a tighter choke?

Sharkbite · April 23, 2018, 01:37 PM

FITASC,

The OP was talking about hit potential, not terminal ballistics or over penetration or any of the other myriad of other differences between buck and slugs.

April 23, 2018, 12:27 PM	#3
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	I will disagree; several pellets of equal weight does not equal the force of a slug. At HD distances a tight pattern also ensures all the pellets hit the target and none go straying through walls or windows. If you want tighter patterns, why not put in a tighter choke? __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

April 22, 2018, 11:58 PM	#1
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Vang Comp: Obsolete? Some folks in recent times have stated the Vang Comp shotgun barrel modification (back boring) is obsolete due to the Flite Control shotgun wads on the market. But what if your load isn't available with this wadding? I love the Remington 12 pellet 0 buck loads and the full-power 16 pellet #1 buck loads. There IS a Federal flite control #1 load on the market but it's sporadically available (right now very scarce), uses undersized pellets, has one less pellet than other #1B loads, and a reduced velocity. Thinking on sending my Mossberg 590 barrel to Vang to get tighter spreads with these loads as well as ohers. Again I like them much more than the flite control 00 and watered down #1 Federal tactical load mentioned above. I'm a firm believer on getting every pellet on the target and do not want any strays and keeping them in the vitals. Thoughts?

April 23, 2018, 12:18 PM	#2
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	I have had the pleasure of shooting lots of rounds thru Vang-comped guns. Hans does GREAT work. He provided a number of guns to the training facility I used to work at. I bet ive shot well over 1000 rounds of OO buck thru his 590 versions. Here is my take. When he started doing the work the “patrol rifle” was unheard of in LE work, but darn near every patrol car had a shotgun in it. Just standard issue 870’s, 500’s, etc. There was always an issue with targets at any distance with standard buckshot. Most patrol officers were looking for a way to extend the distance the cyl bore shotty could keep pellets on tgt. Enter Hans with an ingenious solution, and it worked good. Now, standard buck was not limited to 25/35 yards. The Vang-comped guns could keep OO buck on a man sized tgt out to about 50. Thats a huge improvement for a LE shooter that need to hit someone across the street or parking lot. That improvement did not come without a price however. That price is VERY tight patterns at home defense distances. Inside of 10yards the pattern is basically one ragged hole. Thats to say, no appreciable spread at all. So, better at distance...worse up close. For a HD/SD shotgun a bit of spread is a good thing. IMHO the optimum pattern would be about 4-5 inches centered on his chest. You can get that with standard buckshot at about 5yards (down a hallway for example). With a Vang-comped gun that pattern doesnt happen until about 25/30 yards (way out side HD distance). Inside the home with a Vang-comped gun, you might as well be shooting a slug, just no pellet spread to speak of. I think that takes away the benefit of the Shotgun. As a side note; with the widespread use of the patrol rifle in LE, the shotgun has taken a backseat and almost become a speciality gun.

April 23, 2018, 01:37 PM	#4
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	FITASC, The OP was talking about hit potential, not terminal ballistics or over penetration or any of the other myriad of other differences between buck and slugs.