Another couple of Remington 870 HD projects

[greg vess]

That would have been when I was in my early teens. Should have never done that gun. The wood was exquisite.

 

[Wheeler]

Picked up a couple of Wingmasters recently, with the intent of turning them in to self-defense shotguns.

Both have 20”, rifle-sighted, smooth bore barrels with RemChokes. Both had Full chokes, so those will have to go. Ordered an Improved Cylinder and Modified choke for each one.

I used an undersized bore brush, wrapped in 0000 steel wool, and soaked in oil, attached to a long brass rod on both bores. Chucked it up in a cordless drill and made short work of the job.

The top one (Shotgun A) is most definitely the rougher of the pair. It was coated with flat black spray paint. I chemically stripped the paint, to find pitting, gouges, and lots of rust.

I used a fine file and emery cloth on the worst of the gouges. I didn’t try to completely remove all of them, on many of them all that I did was remove the raised metal caused by the gouge and left the indent.

Using a piece of wet-dry sandpaper taped to a flat granite block, I smoothed out both sides of the receiver on Shotgun A. Again, I didn’t try to remove all of the pitting, only the worst of it. This shotgun is definitely going to show some character when it’s done!

Once I beadblast Shotgun A, I’ll have a better idea what I’m dealing with. Right now, the low parts of the pitting are dark, while the surrounding metal is silver, making the pits look worse than they are.

View attachment 2893889

What is the purpose of running the bore brush wrapped in steel wool through the bore?

Why ditch the full choke in favor of a modified or IC?

 

[EMC45]

What is the purpose of running the bore brush wrapped in steel wool through the bore?

Why ditch the full choke in favor of a modified or IC?

Will get out wad fouling and lead from slugs. Works great too.

 

[Wheeler]

Will get out wad fouling and lead from slugs. Works great too.

So it's not a replacement for, nor an alternative to back boring the barrel like what VangComp does?

 

[cmshoot]

So it's not a replacement for, nor an alternative to back boring the barrel like what VangComp does?

Correct. It’s just for getting a good cleaning.

 

[cmshoot]

What is the purpose of running the bore brush wrapped in steel wool through the bore?

Why ditch the full choke in favor of a modified or IC?

Not recommended for use with slugs. Also, too tight a choke can actually cause buckshot pattern to open up and get worse, due to deforming the pellets.

 

[Wheeler]

Not recommended for use with slugs. Also, too tight a choke can actually cause buckshot pattern to open up and get worse, due to deforming the pellets.

How does using a choke tube compare to having a barrel back bored for pattern reduction?

 

[cmshoot]

How does using a choke tube compare to having a barrel back bored for pattern reduction?

They do two different things.

If your barrel is threaded for chokes, you have to use a choke. For 00 buckshot and slugs, you’re usually best off with IC or Modified choke.

Fixed choke “tactical” shotgun barrels will be either IC or Modified. Remington 18.5” or 20” tactical barrels are IC, but their 14” barrels are Modified.

No matter what choke you use, back-boring and lengthening the forcing cone will help tighten up patterns and reduce felt recoil.

Using reduced/managed recoil buckshot loads will tighten groups up, as well, especially when they are 8-pellet instead of 9-pellet. The additional room in the shot cup helps to keep the shot from being deformed. Deformed pellets don’t fly straight.

Here’s some more info. https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/t...different-barrel-lengths-and-options.1457681/

 

[Wheeler]

They do two different things.

If your barrel is threaded for chokes, you have to use a choke. For 00 buckshot and slugs, you’re usually best off with IC or Modified choke.

Fixed choke “tactical” shotgun barrels will be either IC or Modified. Remington 18.5” or 20” tactical barrels are IC, but their 14” barrels are Modified.

No matter what choke you use, back-boring and lengthening the forcing cone will help tighten up patterns and reduce felt recoil.

Using reduced/managed recoil buckshot loads will tighten groups up, as well, especially when they are 8-pellet instead of 9-pellet. The additional room in the shot cup helps to keep the shot from being deformed. Deformed pellets don’t fly straight.

Here’s some more info. https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/t...different-barrel-lengths-and-options.1457681/

I’m familiar with some of that having taken some social splattergat classes with Lee Weems. I have a couple of Smiff 3000s and I was pondering sending one of the 18” barrels to Vang Comp for their backbore and forcing cone work but their website says they aren’t accepting work on 2 3/4” chambered barrels at this time, so I was looking for an alternative.

Thanks for the thread link. That’s a good comparison and good info, I should have stopped with your original post and not have read the comments...

 

[cmshoot]

I’m familiar with some of that having taken some social splattergat classes with Lee Weems. I have a couple of Smiff 3000s and I was pondering sending one of the 18” barrels to Vang Comp for their backbore and forcing cone work but their website says they aren’t accepting work on 2 3/4” chambered barrels at this time, so I was looking for an alternative.

Thanks for the thread link. That’s a good comparison and good info, I should have stopped with your original post and not have read the comments...

Michael Orlen comes very highly recommended. Take a look at him for your backboring and forcing cone work. Folks I trust that are ranked competitive shotgun shooters have used him.