Badger Barrels

[deerhunter10]

I'm in the market for a second shotgun more of a back up gun, so I was considering getting a used 12 ga 870 and buying a barrel for it. After about 3-4 months of research and looking at all the options out there. I really like this small company called Badger Barrels. They've been around for about 20 years, but just started doing shotgun barrels about 2 years ago and are starting to get big, they'll probably be in Cabela's next fall.

Was wondering if anyone out there has tried these barrels. Their rifling is a very fast 1-26, the only one I've heard of that fast, and I'm sure the real fast, lighter 3 inch slugs may be ok, but my bad shoulder can only handle 2 3/4 inch. Most of the slugs I shoot are around 1450 fps, any info or educated guesses on how these slower heavier slugs may do in this faster twist. Any info will help.

Deerhunter10

[wink_man]

Badger barrels were being marketed by American Barrel Company last year, but it appears to have fell through, as American Barrel Co had a website, but it is no longer in existence. Badger Barrels website, in the shotgun section is remarkably similiar, so I would assume they are now marketing the barrels themselves.

 http://www.badgerbarrelsinc.com/ShotGBarrles.htm

Unless things have changed, Cabelas doesn't plan to carry them. They carried them last year, and I tried to order one for an 1100, but they were out of stock, and told me that they didn't plan on carrying them anymore, because American Barrel Company couldn't supply the number of barrels they wanted. Perhaps it will change now if Badger is marketing them themselves, don't know.

Sportsmans Guide currently is carrying them under the 'Badger' name:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=359196

I cannot tell you anything about the barrels, except that I had extended conversations last summer with the gentleman from American Barrel Company that was marketing them, and they appear to be a very good, high quality barrel, but I have no experience with them.

The faster twist will have no negative effects on the slower moving slugs you want to use. The claim is, that a faster twist is needed to stabilize slugs traveling over 1900 FPS, but I'm not really buying it, as Savages bolt gun has a 1 in 35 twist, and has a reputation for shooting those faster slugs very well. In rifles, a faster twist is needed to stabilize longer, heavier bullets in a given caliber, and spinning a shorter, lighter bullet faster creates no negative effects. They are trying to correlate the same theory to shotgun slugs, but I'm not buying it, as I don't think any of the shotgun slugs are fast enough in relation to rifle bullets for a 1 in 34/35 twist to be a disadvantage. But it's a good marketing ploy if you can get people to believe it and buy another slug barrel with a faster twist.

Just my personal thoughts and opinions.l

[reelhook]

The faster twist is to stabilize the sabot slugs.

[wink_man]

The faster twist is to stabilize the sabot slugs.

I'm quite aware of that, and as previously stated, the Savage bolt gun(and others) with 1 in 34/35 twists have no problems stabilizing the faster saboted slugs.

[deerhunter10]

Thanks Wink man, I've recently talked with Badger Barrel, and yes that was their barrel that American Barrel was selling. But I guess the person that was handling that part of the business didn't keep up his end, so they ended the partnership and are developing that side on their own. Apparently before the old Ithica went out of business, they had a contract with them and did all of the rifling on the barrel blanks they sent them. They also told me that they are meeting with Cabelas at the S.H.O.T show next month in hopes to get in the Fall Catalog.

As far the twist rate goes I somewhat agree with you, Savage and bunch of other guns have a 1-35/36 and shoot the faster slugs ok. But my 1100 hated anything lighter than 400 plus grains and that traveled over about 1450 fps, but other people have had great success. So I guess it's all about what your gun likes. But Randy at Tar-Hunt went with the 1-28 and has had alot of success with his bolt guns and 870 conversions. That what confuses me a bit. I will say this, if Cabela's put those Badger Barrels in their catalog I'd probably give them a 2nd look, I don't think Cabela's would put to many products in their catalog without doing quite a bit of research first, especially after the last problem with American Barrels. Thanks for your info, definitely noted.

If it doesn't work, Remington's 12 GA, 870 with the 23 inch heavy slug barrel, Monte Carlo stock and the R3 or new Super Cell recoil pad, looks awful appealing at $488.

[nkhunter]

I wish there were more 20gauge  options for catilevered, rifled barrels. I guess the mossbergs 500's are the cheapest way to go that route.