Shotgun barrels...?.?.?

[jworm1420]

So I'm getting ready to purchase my first shotgun... Mossberg 930. But I have some questions about barrels. I want to be able to hunt shoot clays and home defense... I also know there's different types of barrels: smooth bore, rifled, etc. can someone tell me the difference and what type if load I can /can't shoot with these barrels??? Is ther one barrel I can have that I can shoot these different loads without damaging the barrel. I know tha accuracy will vary but my main concern is damage to the barrel. Anybody wanna enlighten a new shotgunner...... Thanks guys. .

 

[Stubz]

Pretty much any load will go down any barrel. Yes, prolonged use of shot / buckshot through a rifled barrel will eat the rifling away and reduce practical / accurate life span.

Not sure the total run down of 930 barrels but you can think of the break down like this:

18.5-20" - Home Defense barrels, large shot sizes and slugs
20-26" - typical slug set up barrels. Be they just Imp.Cylinder choked for "rifled" slugs or fully rifled for sabboted slugs.
26-28" + - for your ground to air targeting needs. Birds, clays, etc..

Only thing I would caution you on is putting a slug through a full choked barrel. Some people say it's fine, I always grew up hearing it wasn't Figure that's an individuals choice to make. Otherwise, pick a barrel length that suits your purposes and blast away.

If you were needing an answer to a "jack of all trades" barrel -I'd suggest a 20", Imp. Cylinder choke, bead sight.

 

[KJQ6945]

A quick rundown. There are basically two main types of barrels, smooth bore or rifled.

Smooth bore barrels come in a variety of lengths to suit the purpose. Such as, an 18" for home defense, a 26 or 28 for field use, and maybe a 30+ for the trap field. It's a matter of what suits you for the intended purpose.
The other main consideration would be the choke. It can be a fixed choke or have interchangeable choke tubes.

Slug barrels can be smooth or rifled. Generally have rifle sights and are around 21". A smooth bore slug gun shoots rifled slugs. A rifled slug barrel shoots sabots.

A 26 or 28" field type gun with choke tubes can do about anything. Think Jack of all trades, master of none. My two cents.

 

[jworm1420]

It's an 18.5" barrel. No chokes at all. And I don't beleive it's rifled. I glanced and ddnt see and rifling. I guess my question is barring accuracy is it gna rear up the barrel if I shoot target loads through it????

sorry just re read previous post.... So with an 18.5 smooth bore I should be ok shooting buckshot through it without risking damage???? What the smallest buckshot do you recommend without risking damage???? I'm basically want some pellet shot for skeet. I know my accuracy isn't gna be spot on because of length of barrel. I just want to have some fun with it without damaging anything.

 

[Romero Zombie]

You can shoot pretty much anything through that barrel without fear of damaging it. Stay away from sabot type slugs as they are meant for use in rifled barrels. Have fun and blast away!

 

[scattergunner]

Use no. 8 shot for trap (16 yard) and skeet out of your gun. Undestand that length of the barrel on the shot gun is more to the function of the gun during the swing than the ballistics of the shotgun shell itself. What I mean is that barrel length is more about how the gun feels to you when you swing and follow thru a target. Your barrel with "no choke" is probably actually an IC or improved cylinder, wich is slightly tighter than a skeet choke, it is what classic smooth bore slug barrels always had, so buckshot, slugs, and target loads will all work. Have fun.

 

[jworm1420]

Thank you all.

 

[leftsock]

If you shoot birdshot or buckshot through a rifled barrel, you'll end up with some larger patterns than you want.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnpjrRvFTLw

If you were needing an answer to a "jack of all trades" barrel -I'd suggest a 20", Imp. Cylinder choke, bead sight.

^^this

 

[kalboy]

It's an 18.5" barrel. No chokes at all. And I don't beleive it's rifled. I glanced and ddnt see and rifling. I guess my question is barring accuracy is it gna rear up the barrel if I shoot target loads through it????

sorry just re read previous post.... So with an 18.5 smooth bore I should be ok shooting buckshot through it without risking damage???? What the smallest buckshot do you recommend without risking damage???? I'm basically want some pellet shot for skeet. I know my accuracy isn't gna be spot on because of length of barrel. I just want to have some fun with it without damaging anything.

It will be just fine, maybe not the best performer but certainly not with any damage or harm to it. You can pretty much shoot any commercial ammo without harm. Sabot slugs would not likely perform well and their higher cost would be wasted but they would not damage your barrel.

 

[Streck-Fu]

I want to be able to hunt shoot clays and home defense...

Hunt: Get good accurate slugs like the Brenneke K.O. or Heavy Field (LINK). They will fire out of that gun just fine and will work well for hunting inside 100 yards. Just be sure to verify precision of slugs at longer distances if you think you may be taking longer than 75 yard shots.

Clays: You won't be able to keep a dense pattern at distance so you will need to practice with it but I have done very well with target loads in a short barreled cylinder choke gun. I've used a Mossberg 500 and a Remington 870 and it's good for few chuckles among the Berettas, etc but the chuckles stop when the clay busts. Just don't plan to win the big competition but it can be done.

Home Defense: Your gun will be perfect for this. Stick with tight pattern buckshot like the Federal rounds with Flite Control (PD132).

 

[jworm1420]

Hunting will be no longer than 100yds so that works. Clays are just something fun to shoot at. No competition so that works. And yes I got it specifically for home defense. So looks like everything gna wrk out just fine. Thanks for all the info everyone. I appreciate it.

 

[chezuki]

Hunting will be no longer than 100yds so that works. Clays are just something fun to shoot at. No competition so that works. And yes I got it specifically for home defense. So looks like everything gna wrk out just fine. Thanks for all the info everyone. I appreciate it.

I love shooting clays with my home defense 870, but it makes the old-timers cringe. It's an 18 1/2" smooth bore with no choke and a Knoxx adjustable pistol grip stock.

 

[Texas-M4]

Is it possible to shoot skeet with an 18" barrel?

 

[tv1217]

You can shoot anything through a smooth bore. You could even use sabots if you were so inclined, but you're not gonna reliably hit the broad side of a barn.

Is it possible to shoot skeet with an 18" barrel?

Possible, yes. It will be harder than say a 26" or 28" though