Bad surprise

[Dark&Good]

I just came back from the range - shot about 25 Brenneke Heavy Field Short Magnums with my new shotgun. It's an H&R Excell Auto, 28" vent rib barrel with a bead, I/C screw-in choke. Had no problems with firing or ejection. But the accuracy... At 50 yards, my groups of 3 went about 18" to the left and 8" low, pretty much consistently. I could aim accordingly and correct the POI, but almost 20" off looks outrageous to me. I shot a Ruger M77 .30-06, too - got nice 1.5"-2" groups in/around the bulls eye at 100 yards (with scope). I gave my shotgun to my friend to check it out (he was shooting his Beretta shotgun fairly well, 2"-3" at 50 yards) and he got the same results: about 20" off the point of aim, with the H&R Excell.
Is the barrel bent, or what?

[sargenv]

Are these the only slugs you put through it? Your gun might not like what you fed it. I'd try one or two other brand slugs before saying it's the gun.

Another thing you might want to try is seeing if the modified choke might improve your group. Before doing so though, I would cut a slug from the shell and make sure that it could pass through the choke with finger pressure. If it rattles through your improved cylinder, that may be causing the issue.

[Dark&Good]

Are these the only slugs you put through it? Your gun might not like what you fed it. I'd try one or two other brand slugs before saying it's the gun.

Another thing you might want to try is seeing if the modified choke might improve your group. Before doing so though, I would cut a slug from the shell and make sure that it could pass through the choke with finger pressure. If it rattles through your improved cylinder, that may be causing the issue.

Ok, I'll check these (yep, it was the only slug I used). Thank you.

[Dark&Good]

Ok, I did the cleaning, and in the meantime I checked out the I/C choke tightness. I tried the plastic wad first, from the back end of the choke - it went in, but not too easily. I turned the slug around, as it goes normally - I could push the lead in till only the lower rim was visible, just before the upper part of the wad (it got stuck - see "from breach end" in the attached image). I tried ("point" first) to push it through the choke from the "muzzle" end - it entered about 3/8" from the tip of the slug (the whole length of the lead part is 3/4" - see image). When I tried "wad first" from the muzzle end of the choke - no success, the plastic wouldn't go in at all.

Looks like the slug doesn't rattle through the choke.

Any other idea?

(By the way, I tried the slug in my other, fixed cyl. barrel, point first from the muzzle end. The rifled part wouldn't enter at all )

[sargenv]

I'm curious how much force was used? Was it just finger tight or more pressure than that? I'm actually kind of surprised that the Improved cylinder was this restrictive.. I can push a brenneke style S&B slug through the modified choke on my Browning Gold. Since it was a tight fit, I'd try a different slug first to see if it might improve your groups.

Have you put any birdshot through it? Do you know if you are throwing a good pattern?

[Dark&Good]

After trying with my finger, I increased pressure with my palm.

I only bought slugs, since I wanted to sight in this new gun for the upcoming pig hunt. I can still use my Mossberg 500 for that... but this is a ridiculous accuracy from a brand new gun. And it looks like the slug should be okay.
Anyway, I'll try it with the 24" fixed cyl barrel, and with another slug, too - can you recommend a good slug brand/model for 50-75 yards? I only have smoothbore barrels - can't find a rifled barrel for this shotgun

[11011500a]

I run a imp cyl for slugs out of my 500 and for $3.07 at walmart win 2.75/1600fps rifled slugs work great .At 40yds holding 3"with a pistol grip standing.Your luck with shotguns has to get better

[scr83jp]

I just came back from the range - shot about 25 Brenneke Heavy Field Short Magnums with my new shotgun. It's an H&R Excell Auto, 28" vent rib barrel with a bead, I/C screw-in choke. Had no problems with firing or ejection. But the accuracy... At 50 yards, my groups of 3 went about 18" to the left and 8" low, pretty much consistently. I could aim accordingly and correct the POI, but almost 20" off looks outrageous to me. I shot a Ruger M77 .30-06, too - got nice 1.5"-2" groups in/around the bulls eye at 100 yards (with scope). I gave my shotgun to my friend to check it out (he was shooting his Beretta shotgun fairly well, 2"-3" at 50 yards) and he got the same results: about 20" off the point of aim, with the H&R Excell.
Is the barrel bent, or what?

You're using the wrong barrel for slugs contact H&R for the source for their 24 inch rifled slug barrel.

[Dark&Good]

I use a smoothbore VR 24" + I/C screw-in AccuChoke on my Mossberg 500; same slug, too - made for ALL barrel types (from the brennekeusa catalog). Why wouldn't the H&R's smoothbore barrel work with it? Why Mossberg doesn't need a special barrel for this slug type?

[Dark&Good]

Your luck with shotguns has to get better

You're right

[G-Man WC]

The barrel may just need to be broken in. I know that the H&R single shot center fire rifles are this way. Most requiring 60-80 rounds down the pipe to straighten up and fly right. You can return it to Remington to check out. -g

[Dark&Good]

I replaced the 28" VR barrel with the 24" rifle sighted one for now... I'm going to check it out in a couple of days. It's the barrel (+choke) that can cause such aberration (I can rule out the slugs, all 25 couldn't be bad, and they work well in my Mossberg).

Thanks for the help.