Knock around shotgun questions

[LEO]

I am toying with the idea of having my 22" 12 gauge barrel cut to 18 1/4 screw in choke tube installed and rifle sights mounted.  My question is based on those of you have already cut and tapped your barrels, is there anything I need to watch out for, what problems have you encountered.
     Secondly, for those of you who have installed rifle sights on your shotgun, did you silver solder them in place, dovetail, drill and tap, epoxy or what to attach them and would you use the same system if you were doing it again.  
     Finally, I estimate that this will set me back about 100 dollars so based on your experences with the barrel you converted was it worth it and would you do it again, why or why not?  
    Thanks in advance for the information, I hope to learn from your success and in some cases failures.

[tg]

i'm happy with my chop job and would do it again. (see my post on "truck/trail/campin' gun" back around the first part of may) just make sure you have a competent 'smith do the work for you.  i didn't bother going with rifle sights.....just a fiber optic bead.... 'cause i want to mostly use it with bb size shot and #4 buck, and with Busta's helpful answers to another question i asked about chokes, i'm saving my pennies for a Wad Wizard to replace the winchokes i have for it in mod and x-tra full.  good luck with your project......tg

[LEO]

TG thanks for the info, it was your original post that kind of got me thinking about the project again.  The main reason I was looking at rifle type sights was to be able to easily center my shot pattern to point of aim/point of impact I know there are ways to center a shot pattern with a bead sight but I don't want to go to the trouble if I can avoid it.  I too will be shooting mostly shot out of the shotgun.  With my primary targets being squirrels, coyotes, turkey and an occasional bird.  I realize that the rifle sights are a disadvantage for shooting flying game but I am willing to make the trade off in that most of my targets will be on the ground or in a tree.  By the way since you are shooting mostly BBs and #4 buck, I assume you are shooting mainly coyotes, if you can find them, Fiochii (sp.) loads a nickel plated #2 lead shot load that is great on coyotes, good pattern density/good penetration but a  hard kicker out of the little single shots but it is not like you are going to a dove shoot with them.

[tg]

mostly intended for use on unwanted varmints from skunks to coyotes; hence the bb/#4buck.  it kicks pretty good but i've got a slip-on Limbsaver that helps a lot, and just got a PAST brand recoil protection shoulder pad for extended shooting sessions, which for this little thumper is anything more than about 2 or 3 shots!!     tg