Author Topic: converting slug barrell to turkey gun? (Read 1120 times)

redhedder · « **on:** December 18, 2007, 05:34:40 AM »

I have a Pardner Tracker II SBL, 12ga with 3" cyl. bore. What can I do to this barrell to make it an adequate Turkey gun? Advice is appreciated

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #1 on:** December 18, 2007, 06:15:19 AM »

Buy a new barrel or try out various loads.
I was really impressed with the Heavi Shot 3" #4 turkey loads. Yes they are expensive but they worked really well. You may want to try the #6 shot to get a more shot and a dense pattern.
Heavy shot has more killing power than lead and you can down size by one or two shot sizes and gain more pellets with the same or greater killing power. The exact opposite of steel.
Also look for a turkey load. The wads are designed to keep the shot together longer. I think for under $50 you could get a few of boxes of premium Turkey stuff and targets and see what patterns best at 30-40 yards and still have rounds left over to hunt with.
OH yea, keep a trap or skeet load with you. I shot my tom last year at 80 paces with the above shot and anchored him. I needed a finishing shot and had to use one of the expensive shells. Dad just kept saying reach down and break his neck. When he was dead I flipped the bird over and showed him the 1" spurs. We agreed that the $2 shell was better than $40 worth of stitches. Oh yea it was Dad's first Turkey hunt too. We later found that we had the decoys too close to the woods and that's why we could not get the Tom any closer.

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 2007, 08:39:13 AM »

If I was you, I would send the receiver and forearm back to H&R for a new barrel. You can choose either a 12GA or a 20GA barrel. You can also choose screw in chokes or fixed chokes...The choice is up to you...There are also vent-rib barrels available.

http://www.hr1871.com/Support/accessoryProgram.aspx

OHHJIMMY · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2007, 12:41:54 PM »

I agree with Whitetailer. Send it in and get a Turkey barrel added. I did the opposite. I bought a Turkey with screw in choke, then sent it in for tracker II barrel. Later, I sent it in for a M/L barrel. The screw in choke barrel is more expensive, but you can buy more chokes and use the gun for all sorts of stuff.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2007, 01:41:01 PM »

I'm thinking that if you have aTracker II you have a rifled barrel. Shot out of a rifled barel will not patter very good, as that spin on the shot will throw the patter out very quicly. If you have arifled barrel you will definitly need to get another barrel as you probably will have a huge pattern at 10 yards.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:19:11 PM »

billy is correct, there is nothing you can do to ever have that rifled slug barrel shoot shot well enough to be effective on anything. Get a smoothbore barrel for it, either a full choke or with screw in choke tubes.Perhaps post in the classifieds for one here or just watch them for a barrel you might want....<><....

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #6 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:28:31 PM »

Wait... Am I missing something? He said 3" cyl Bore. to me that means smooth bore not rifled.
If it's rifled then no matter what he does the rifling will fling shot all over the place.

Quote from: redhedder on December 18, 2007, 05:34:40 AM

I have a Pardner Tracker II SBL, 12ga with 3" cyl. bore. What can I do to this barrell to make it an adequate Turkey gun? Advice is appreciated

MSP Ret · « **Reply #7 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:35:30 PM »

I was and am also a bit confused, since he also said Tracker II, which is a rifled barrel....<><....

either way, the short answer is to buy another barrel for it....he might be able to come with a full choke 12 gauge barrel in the H&R classifieds for about $40.00 shipped if appearence was not important....<><....

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:37:01 PM »

Perhaps it's a Tracker I ??

Tim

Cookiemann · « **Reply #9 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:39:08 PM »

Yep, that's what is says on the barrel, but if it also says TrackerII, then it is rifled.

cookiemann

MSP Ret · « **Reply #10 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:40:01 PM »

If I am not mistaken my Tracker II rifled 12 gauge H&R barrel says "cylinder bore" on it also....

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #11 on:** December 18, 2007, 02:59:18 PM »

OK then my first thing about buy a new barrel is correct if the barrel is rifled.
then still buy the Turkey loads.
Also old lead goose or Duck loads would work.
But the difference is a water fowl load is designed to spread out some and give you the best percentage of knocking a large bird out of the sky.
Turkey loads on the other hand are designed to stay together and turn the head to goo.
Good luck.
Brian

Busta · « **Reply #12 on:** December 19, 2007, 07:38:53 AM »

Redhedder,

Don't even waste your time trying to get thos expensive turkey loads to shoot out of your rifled barrel, it will throw a donut shaped pattern that would hit everything but your intended target.

Guys,

Unfortunately the NEF Tracker II "RIFLED" barrels are marked as "3 " CYL BORE". I guess they only had enough money or foresight to change the "I" to a "II" in the stamp. My 20ga Tracker II barrel is marked as Redhedder stated his 12ga Tracker II barrel is, "3 " CYL BORE". I also have a 20ga USH that is appropriately marked as "3 " RIFLED BORE".

Bottom line is, Redhedder will need a different barrel to go turkey hunting with. I also suggest a choke tube barrel. Then get a good choke tube and some turkey loads.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #13 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:10:27 AM »

Being some what of a novice at the Handi guns. What is the price difference of a barrel Vs. a whole new gun?
For the few extra dollars I would get a pellet gun and not mess with the fore end on the slug gun once you have it set up and shooting great.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #14 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:54:58 AM »

for a few extra dollars get the whole gun, another platform for more barrels!!!....<><....

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:58:06 AM »

If ya have room in your gun safe then by all means...Purchase another gun...The smooth bore bird guns can be had for relatively cheap...

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #16 on:** December 28, 2007, 09:15:37 AM »

if its smooth get a tube installed ! get a rem choke if bbl. dimensions allow and then you can have a turkey choke and rifled choke ! you can also do the same with browning threads but at a higher cost !
and before saying a rifled bbl won't shoot shot read what browning advises about their rifled barrels and also check out the cape gun ! both go against conventional wisdom ! ( i tend to agree with earlier post , just food for thought )

deernhog · « **Reply #17 on:** December 29, 2007, 01:47:32 AM »

I personally have shot several 2 3/4" #4 turkey loads thru both a rifled NEF USh and a rifled barrel 870. Neither would knock down a pepper popper target at 30 ft and appeared to have a pattern approx 6 ft wide or larger from the way it hit the ground around the target at that distance. There was definitely a hole in the middle of the pattern.. It was unbelievable how wide the shot was thrown at that distance. 18" riot guns with #8 field loads will slam one down with authority at 30ft. Get another gun used for about what a barrel and shipping will cost you. 28" modified barrel, good loads and a little skill with a decent turkey call is all you need for turkey hunting out to 30 yards. Stay away from 3 1/2" 12 ga unless you like a mule kick to the head they have never patterned to suit me and a single shot just hurts.

Busta · « **Reply #18 on:** December 29, 2007, 06:16:50 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on December 28, 2007, 09:15:37 AM

if its smooth get a tube installed ! get a rem choke if bbl. dimensions allow and then you can have a turkey choke and rifled choke ! you can also do the same with browning threads but at a higher cost !
and before saying a rifled bbl won't shoot shot read what browning advises about their rifled barrels and also check out the cape gun ! both go against conventional wisdom ! ( i tend to agree with earlier post , just food for thought )

SHOOTALL,

Have you got links to this information? I have a feeling they are talking about straight rifling that keeps the shot-cup from spinning, not a twist rifling.

I have a White Thunder 12ga that has a Hastings WadLock barrel that uses this straight rifling, it is very effective at controlling patterns.

A few companies also make straight rifled choke tubes for smooth bores to insure the shot-cup is not spinning when it leaves the barrel.

Of course a twist rifled barrel will shoot shot, but unless you want to hit everything around your intended target, you won't be happy.

Please show me the information you speak of, I would love to read it.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #19 on:** January 02, 2008, 05:06:44 AM »

BUSTA no the book that came with my browning gold slug gun said you could shoot both large shot and slugs , and it was a rifled bbl .
it was not a wad lock bbl ( straight rifle )
i sold the gun and never tried it ! i feel the same way most have responded , but i have to say the old cape guns werte reported to work , the had smooth bores until the last 6-8 inches which was rifled !
might have to try screw in rifled chokes in my o/u someday