Creative Shotgunning Project

[11Z50]

Winter's coming on so how about this for a project to keep us busy:

The Extreme Cal Gunner Shotty:

Initial cost off the shelf of base shotty less than $500

Must be a 12 ga. The more different loads it will shoot, the more points you get. (ie 3.5 inch or 3.0)

Must be suitable for SHTF, HD, Hunting, and Clay Birds

May have more than one barrel (slug, shorty and 28"VR or whatever)

Must hit a paper plate at 50 yards with a slug

Must place a minimum of 5 00Buck pellets on a paper plate at 50 yards

Must bust 15 of 25 clay birds on informal trap

Must retain capability to be a legal hunting shotty (you can hang whatever you want on it, but it must be able to return to hunt-legal configuration)

Lights, optics, lasers, slings, whatever encouraged but optional

Extra points for the cheapest cost out-the door

Maybe we can meet at Panoche for a shoot-off? If nothing else, submit images for fun on the forum. Also a good reason to buy another gun!

[11Z50]

Used or new (not that it makes a big difference)?

The reason I ask is that you never specified whether to start with a pump or with a semi-auto. I've been considering doing just this, but starting with a Remi 11-87 - which exceeds your cost limit (a new one runs about $650 or so). The reason is that (without any experience to rely on, based purely on reading about shotties) that I've convinced myself that a semi-auto is preferable, both for HD/SHTF/tactical as well as for clay sports.

OK, we can drop the price thing. I have done a few of these projects in the past, and part of the fun is shopping for good deals on parts and accessories. Brand, action and type of shotty is whatever you like.

Why bother with 3 1/2" shells? AFAIK, there is no practical use for them, other than turkey hunting with steel shot.

I am very impressed with the 3.5 inch buckshot loads. In 00, you can launch a massive load of 18 pellets, twice the standard 2.75 inch load. I have heard of a 0000 buck load that launches 14 .38 caliber pellets. While the standard 00 load is usually quite sufficient for SHTF and HD use, in a rural setting, or for Pig hunting, more is better. Besides, I like to blow the heck out of things.


For accurate slug shooting, probably a good idea to get a rifled slug barrel, and use high-class saboted slugs (like Brenneke or such). On the other hand, for everything but SHTF use (and states with weird hunting regulations), a good large-bore rifle is probably preferable over slugs, so I see the rifled barrel as less necessary.

I can think of a number of practical uses for slugs, as well as HD and SHTF. Again in a rural area, a slug work well for defense against assailants in a vehicle. I always pack a few in my kit in the wilds "just in case", or if I see a nice buck while Quail hunting. Yes, a rifle is superior to a slug gun....if you have it with you.

With what barrel? I would specify that this has to be done with the short HD barrel (which is why I think something like a Vang comp barrel is a vitally important ingredient).

The buckshot at 50 yards is more hunting-related. The longest HD shot you'll get is 20 yards or so. In fact, I use birdshot for indoors HD. Buckshot goes thru walls.

Actually, I would go further. It should even be a hunting or clay gun that is "stylish" enough to not attract attention on a hunt or in a clay club. This argues for keeping the nice wood stock on. Unfortunately, this reduces the opportunities for interesting HD/SHTF stocks (which reduce recoil, reduce weight, allow storage of extra shells). But that's what compromises are all about.

I'd say that would be a matter of personal taste. One should maintain a low profile on this project since part of the goal is to have a hunting shotty as well. I have a Spec Ops recoil reducer on my Super Mag and I don't think anybody I hunt with would give it a second thought.....but then again they know I'm a little different.

Other than the above little quibbling, I very much agree that this would be a nice thing to do. I'm not sure that it fits into my schedule and budget for this winter; I was thinking of buying the base 11-87 next spring, using it for trap and skeet during next summer, and doing the short-barrel / Vang conversions next winter. So I might be a year behind you. Good, I can learn from your experiences.

Sure thing....that is the real purpose, other than something to do, is to explore options and find out what works....and what doesn't.

The more the merrier. I will be shopping around the Reno show for some "options".

[MadMex]

[11Z50]

A stock change for a trip to the trap club would not be too much of a stretch, but most after-market stocks recommend lock-tite which makes the change more of an issue.

I don't do much real trap or skeet anymore; I'm thinking more recreational bird tossing out of a hand trap or small thrower while out shooting other stuff, as in the Panoche scenario.

The shotty I'm thinking of would be dressed the same 80% of the time. With a Vang Comp, or a 20" with Rem-choke barrel installed and whatever general accessories you use for HD/SHTF you are set for most shooting scenarios. For hunting, maybe change barrels, install the plug in the mag tube, and un-install excess stuff. For a formal trap shoot, maybe install the lumber and a trap barrel.

While I own a plenty of shottys, I want to build one that is fun to take along on a general shooting trip just for blasting, but one I can use to hunt with if needed. I want the 3.5" capability for Pig and maybe Turkey and Waterfowl.

My current SHTF Shotty for the road is an 870 with a collapsable pistol grip stock and an 18" barrel with 3" chamber. I have a BSA red-dot mounted on it, and the whole package fits into a break-down hard case.

BTW, I have a couple spare synthetic stock sets for an 870 I can let go cheap

[bwiese]

I'm amazed at accuracy when using Fed slugs out of my Benelli Nova 18.5" gun. Hit everything I shoot at...

40yd Tin Can Alley at Los Gatos Rod & Gun can be quite fun, esp large cat litter jugs filled with water. Though after 6-8 slugs my shoulder is a bit tired - time for the mercury recoil reducer insert!


Bill Wiese
San Jose

[Shoot-it]

slug

12 gauge slug works real good on putting down sick livestock most of the time i use my 1911 45 its faster.I put down a beef cow once for the CHP with a slug now that was an experience a long story they could not kill it with their ar 223.Shot location was the problem. ............................


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