Shotguns mods for 3 gun competition

[89LT1]

I haven't really had an interest in them before now (the occasional skeet shooting with my brother in law borrowing his 12 ga pump gun) but i need one for the 3 gun matches. So far I have borrowed a M2 when i was lucky enough and ran an old 12 ga rem 1100 just to get me through the matches.

So I recently went out and got me one of my own. It is a very cheap semi-auto that came with a 28" vent rib with chokes as well as an 18.5" barrel. My plan is to save the 28" for when i go out with the BIL and use the 18.5" barrel for competitions.

Now here comes my first issue, the permanent choke on the barrel seams to be a Full Choke. For competitions I have to go between slugs and bird shot in the same rounds. I have read that a Full Chokes can cause dangerous pressures within the barrel. So what are my options for this?
1) just run it any way
2) ream the barrel to Improved Cylinder choke size
3) ream and thread the barrel to accept removable chokes? The OD of the barrel in 0.848".


The other isn't really an issue just a preference. I like to run fiber optic front sites on my guns but this SG has a fixed blade style front. Any one know if a sight that is lifted to match that i can put in front? or a tutorial on how to remove the front site in favor of something else? I have a machine shop and am game to try almost anything i was just looking for some instructions.
front site looks like this (not my barrel just similar front sight):


thanks for the help gents

[SuperSet]

Having removable chokes is pretty important so I'd have someone cut the barrel and re-thread for chokes. However, I've never done it with an 18.5" barrel as it's already pretty short for 3-gun. Usually, the shortest I've seen is 21".

[89LT1]

would they have to cut the end? could they just bore the end out since the choke has additional material and then cut threads for the extended chokes?

thanks for the input by the way

[ke6guj]

would they have to cut the end? could they just bore the end out since the choke has additional material and then cut threads for the extended chokes?

thanks for the input by the way

they do make reamers to remove all of the original choke, so there should be no need to cut the end of the barrel off.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/shotgun-tools/choke-tube-tools/tru-choke-style-tooling-prod7748.aspx

[SuperSet]

would they have to cut the end? could they just bore the end out since the choke has additional material and then cut threads for the extended chokes?

thanks for the input by the way

I just sent mine to Briley and that's how they did it (i.e. cut and re-bore).

[Sicarius]

Maybe I missed it but what shotgun did you end up getting? Having barrel work done is not cheap and the thin wall chokes are fairly expensive. You may be able to get a whole barrel that is threaded for chokes for the same range of price depending on the shotgun. 21-23 inch is ideal with a fiber optic and most people run an 8-10 round tube depending on which class you are shooting. I find Modified or IC works best for me and I run slugs through both.
Kevin

[89LT1]

Its a cheap semi-auto from american tactical (almost a clone of CZ 712) and it was only $350 for the gun with two barrels. So i'm not looking to put a bunch on money into it. I have a machine shop so i was looking to see what i can do myself.

I want to get to the improved cylinder bore and it is looking like it will be much cheaper to bore the barrel out to an Improved cylinder and leave it rather than try to borrow all the tooling to make it accept removable chokes. The chokes themselves were not that costly (i am looking at the Tru-Choke size due to the barrel OD) they were about $22, but the tooling was going to be $300 and up or $100 just to rent.

If i could find someone that would let me use the tooling for a 6 pack then I can do it myself and stay within an acceptable budget.

I have a magazine extension that will put me at 8+1 which will extend out past the barrel a couple inches. Its not the prettiest but i do not think it will hurt the function.

I have seen that 21"-24" is most popular but i cant find a solid reason why? i guess it will almost match the extension and if something is sticking out that far then the barrel may as well be that long. And get a slightly longer sight radius. but will the 18" barrel perform any worse, assuming getting same i open the end to an improved cylinder choke?

[calibrator]

Cut the 28" barrel back to the 20-22" range (solid portion of a rib). Barrel is thicker back there if you decide to thread, otherwise it is the equivalent of a "CYL" choke and a better choice for flexibility of shot used. Short barrels handle better and look KEWL, but lack the punch of a longer one. Gas guns run better with longer barrels. Spend your effort working on the "Forcing Cone" part of the chamber.

[SuperSet]

I have seen that 21"-24" is most popular but i cant find a solid reason why? i guess it will almost match the extension and if something is sticking out that far then the barrel may as well be that long. And get a slightly longer sight radius. but will the 18" barrel perform any worse, assuming getting same i open the end to an improved cylinder choke?

You'll lose a little bit of velocity so may have issues knocking down some far steel (20yds+). Shoot buckshot at those.

[calibrator]

Use the vent rib barrel, it was made to disperse heat mirage from extended firing. Wire a 4"" piece of 1/4" (or so) steel brake line to the rearward portion of the rib for a poor boy Ghost Ring sight. You say you're a machinist, make an extended op handle for the bolt, quite easy to do.

[ja308]

Full choke should work fine for any buck loads . Will this competition require a side saddle carrier and extended mag tube?
if yes the either question. I would deal with those issues 1st ,because if you cannot buy thesse products . You will not have a competition gun .

[89LT1]

will 1.5" have that much effect on "punch"? It would be almost easier to ream out the shorter barrel than to cut down the vent rib 28" if not.

I am more resistant to cutting the 28" barrel since i would like to use it for other style shooting. And if i cut that down i loose all ability to use chokes.

[89LT1]

You'll lose a little bit of velocity so may have issues knocking down some far steel (20yds+). Shoot buckshot at those.

Makes sense, ill have to keep an eye on what ammo i'm using and at what range.

Use the vent rib barrel, it was made to disperse heat mirage from extended firing. Wire a 4"" piece of 1/4" (or so) steel brake line to the rearward portion of the rib for a poor boy Ghost Ring sight. You say you're a machinist, make an extended op handle for the bolt, quite easy to do.

i like the brake line idea, i have been working on something a little more complicated but i may use something like this idea

. the gun comes with what seems to be a decent extended handle already Like this picture but in black: think i need more?

Full choke should work fine for any buck loads . Will this competition require a side saddle carrier and extended mag tube?
if yes the either question. I would deal with those issues 1st ,because if you cannot buy thesse products . You will not have a competition gun .

Im more worried about the full choke with slugs. no side saddles required,
I have the magazine extension to get me to 8+1. and so far i have been using belt mounting holders for holding rounds:

[SuperSet]

I would not shoot slugs out of a full choke. Modified is the tightest I'll go.

[dwtt]

OP, have you shot slugs with your shotgun yet? I don't think you'll have any problems with the stock barrel. I have a Remington 1100 with a fixed choke 26" barrel and I have shot hundreds of rounds of Remington slugs without any problems of the gun blowing up or signs of overpressure. You should try shooting 4-5 slugs out of the stock barrel and checking the shells for signs of overpressure. If there's no problem, you might create one by trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.