barrel shortening
 

I was thinking about having my shotgun barrel shortened form 28 inches to 22 or 24 inches. The gun is a remington Model 1100 with vent rib. Has anyone tried this or have any info on this kind of thing. Thanks in advance for your help.

RE: barrel shortening
 

It depends on your intended use for the shortened barrel. Of course, shortening the barrel will eliminate the adjustable chokes (if that is what you have). If it is a fixed-choke barrel, you will get rid of most or all of the bore taper, by shortening (thereby eliminating any choke effect). If you are making a slug barrel of this.... it will do just fine. I made a slug barrel of a vent-rib, Rem. 870 barrel (shortened to 21")...and it worked very well. This is because you generally do not want any choke for a slug barrel.

If you are talking about having the barrel re-choked when shortened (a new, adjustable choke system installed)...then you will be able to get similar performance to the original barrel... with one proviso. Generally, you will have to use the next tightest choke size (below the one you normally would use), in order to keep about the same patterns. I.E., if you normally used a modified choke for a certain type of shooting....then, to keep the same pattern-size, you'll likely have to use at least a super-modified....or even full choke. But, if this is taken into consideration, the shortened barrel can be made to work well.

Whether you do the shortening yourself....or have a gunsmith do it... do pay attention to properly re-crowning the muzzle. By this, I mean that the muzzle end should be exactly perpendicular to the barrel. If not, this will throw off slug accuracy....and very likely, shot patterns, as well. Many people think that this doesn't matter with a smooth-bore barrel....but it DOES. I know this, from personal experience.

RE: barrel shortening
 

I've shortened a rifle barrel before myself and would do it again, but I wouldn't touch a shotgun barrel, this is where paying a smith to do it money well spent. Shotgun barrels are thin and delicate, and aren't something to monkey around with unless you know what you are doing

RE: barrel shortening
 

If you do shorten this barrel there are a few things you need to know.

#1... The placement of the vertical posts under the rib will dictate where you cut the barrel. You must cut off the barrel at the front of a post on a VR barrel.

#2... The gas port will need to be opened up to allow more gas to vent in order to cycle the action.

#3... If you want chokes you will need to also pay to have the barrel rethreaded to accept screw in chokes. Otherwise you will have a straight cylinder bore.

#4... You will need to include the price of having the rib redrilled and tapped for a bead.

#5... it would probably be cheaper to just buy another barrel and you wouldn't be without your gun for how ever long it would take your gunsmith.

RE: barrel shortening
 

1... The placement of the vertical posts under the rib will dictate where you cut the barrel. You must cut off the barrel at the front of a post on a VR barrel.

#2... The gas port will need to be opened up to allow more gas to vent in order to cycle the action.

#3... If you want chokes you will need to also pay to have the barrel rethreaded to accept screw in chokes. Otherwise you will have a straight cylinder bore.

#4... You will need to include the price of having the rib redrilled and tapped for a bead.

#5... it would probably be cheaper to just buy another barrel and you wouldn't be without your gun for how ever long it would take your gunsmith.

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Bigbulls I am about to pickup a S&W pump shotgun in new condition. I agree with what your saying as far as mods go. However Barrels are few and far between for this gun but it is a nice shotgun.. It has a 30" barrel on it and I am probably going to have colonial gunworks do the shortening and the choke tubes. Do you recommend back boring it as well?f

RE: barrel shortening
 

Just for a point of price reference, I charge $75 to shorten a single shotgun barrel and install the screw-in choke tubes. Comes with one tube of your choice installed. Does not include relocating front sight. Roskoe.