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Old August 31, 2012, 09:43 PM   #1
dyl
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Rifled barrel = fixed improved cylinder?

Anyone know? I'm looking at a rifled 870 barrel online and the description merely says: Deer Barrel, improved cylinder, rifle sights.

It says "deer barrel" but nowhere does it flat out say "rifled barrel". Are rifled slug barrels typically fixed at improved cylinder? If so that would suggest this is indeed a rifled barrel.

The thing is, I know some models of the 870 have rifle sights on a short smoothbore.

I ask this because I've never owned a rifled slug barrel. Ideas?
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Old August 31, 2012, 10:45 PM   #2
Orphanedcowboy
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I think you answered your own question:

Smooth Bore, Rifle Sights
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Old August 31, 2012, 10:50 PM   #3
Sport45
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Correct.

I've got one that stays on my 870 for home defense. Good barrel for rifled slugs and buckshot.

For everything else the 26" barrel with screw in chokes works better.
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Old September 1, 2012, 12:15 AM   #4
Major Dave (retired)
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You got it wrong...

A smooth bore Rem 870 slug barrel would have an Improved Cylinder fixed choke. It is designed to allow rifled slugs to pass thru the choke with minimum deformation of the rifling which is machined into the soft lead bearing surface of the slug, itself.

A shotgun barrel with rifling inside it has no choke designation at all, because it is designed to impart spin to a sabot slug, the same way that rifling inside a rifle barrel does. You never hear about a rifle having a choke in the barrel, do you? Neither does a rifled shotgun barrel.

The rifling inside a shotgun slug barrel engages the bearing surface of a plastic sabot, and never touches the slug, which is encased inside the sabot sleeve. The sabot sleeve is in 2 parts, which separate and fall away from the spinning slug encased within, as the spinning assembly exits the muzzle and goes downrange.

A sabot slug is not the same as a rifled slug. Two different animals, entirely.

A rifled barrel is not the same as a smooth bore barrel. Again, two different animals, entirely. Different designs, different performance.

"Deer barrel, Improved Cylinder, rifle sights" means smooth bore, fixed Improved Cylinder choke, for use with Foster/Brenneke Classic, and/or Federal Truball rifled slugs. Not for use with sabot slugs, and no rifling in the barrel.

Rifle sights for the Rem 870 slug barrel described are rather large, and pretty useless beyond about 50 yards distance, IMHO, because the front sight blade covers up half the length of a deers body beyond that distance. That prevents precise aiming, as far as I am concerned. So, I scoped mine, in 1974, when I bought it.

Currently, "deer barrels" are available with a cantilevered scope base attached to the barrel. I believe most of these barrels have rifling inside the bore, and no choke designation. They shoot sabot slugs, only, and are more accurate at greater ranges than the barrel I have (which I believe is the same smooth bore, rifle sights barrel you saw advertised).
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Last edited by Major Dave (retired); September 1, 2012 at 12:43 AM.
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Old September 1, 2012, 10:52 PM   #5
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Remington also makes a 20" rifle sighted barrel that is threaded for choke tubes. It makes a very versatile gun. You can get a tube that has a short section of rifling, how well it works is a big question. My brother has one and with a full choke tube and the rifle sights it makes a great turkey barrel. He keeps the IC tube in it the rest of the year where it serves home defense purposes.

I have the same barrel you are considering with a fixed IC choke. Not as versatile as my brothers, but it isn't bad. With bird shot it shoots patterns as good as any longer barreled IC gun. Swinging is a bit tough, but in an emergency can be made to work. Buckshot patterns are useable out to 35 yards or so and I can keep 3 slugs inside of 4" at 100 yards.

I really like the 20" barrels with sights better than the shorter barrels with a cylinder bore and a bead. I'll never notice the extra 1.5" of length,and they are much more versatile in my opinion.
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