20 gauge shorty question

[phoneman7]

about to go pick up a little 20 from a guy for 75 bucks.  Don't know what length it is but was gonna chop it to 18.5 and slap my old set of survivor stocks on it and make a boat gun.  For you fellas that made the shorties, what kind of killing range for say a squirrel would I have with this thing?  I've never used anything with no choke at all.  Figured with slugs and suck it would be fine for a hog or deer at close range, just wondered how birdshot would fare.  I figured 20yds or so would be about max.

[jpshaw]

You might get more then 20 with it.  Also, with some careful reloading with the right shotcup you could get a lot more.  There are ways to get choke effect with the right shotcup.

[quickdtoo]

Federal Flitecontrol work pretty darned good, Hornady makes a similar round now too, I'd give em a try, may be surprised.

I used to shoot a 62 cal(20ga) smooth bore(cyl bore) flintlock muzzleloader, wanted to hunt turkey with it, so I tried conventional wads, they didn't work and were hard to load, so I made my own wad consisting of paper, an overshot wad, #6 shot and and over powder wad all glued together as a unit with #6 shot it was good to 30yds. It took a lot of experimenting with paper type and thickness to find a wad that would break up at the right time and not remain a solid projectile to the target, but eventually I found the right combination of paper and number of wraps.

Tim

[bodie4]

I second the federal flight controls.  I use them on my 20ga shorty no choke and they are pretty similar to the 20ga shorty that has a screw in full with regular loads.

[Airsporter]

 A cylinder bore shotgun is generally good to 25 yds or so with 'regular' loads.  Federal Flitecontrol loads may amaze you - at least with buckshot.

[cudatruck]

you could have it tapped for choke tubes. interchanging chokes in a short barrel and shooting patterns is a great way to burn up a couple of afternoons!

[jpshaw]

Using cylinder bore or fixed modified with a few Flightcontrol shells in your other pocket can have an advantage over the screw in chokes.  If you are using your open bore shotgun to hunt squirrels in the 25 yard range (early season) and you have one little tree rat messing around at 35 or 40 yards you can actually swap shells if you don't make too much noise.  Open the breach just enough to get your thumb behind the chambered shell, push in hard and open the breach the rest of the way.  Then ease the ejector out without the loud "clack" of the ejector operating and put your other shell in.  There will be a small click as the ejector resets though.  Beats changing chokes in the field.

[phoneman7]

dang that's good news.  I don't really want a long range one and really like fixed modified for about all things.  This will be my swamp gun with #6's for rabbits, squirrels and snakes and buckshot and mostly slugs for the big hogs and 2 legged predators when camping  Going to pick up the shotgun tonight.  got the stocks sitting in the hunting room, Just got to saw off the barrel, clean it up and remount the sight

[jpshaw]

I just took my little 22 inch 20 gauge I had been working on down to a local Cravess or drain to check out if the pattern was going to be high with that shorter barrel.  Water gives you instant feedback on where your pattern hits in relationship to your bead plus pattern size.  Distance is guestamation of course but I've always got most of my squirrel shots between 20 and 25 yards in the early (leaves on) season.  My 20 is 22 inches and has a modified choke instead of 18.5 with no choke but I picked what I thought was a loooong squirrel shot at a plastic bottle floating in the water.  I thought that to be about 40 yards but it could have been closer to 30 but that pattern was right on and very tight.  I just don't think you are going to have any problem expecially if you get some Flightcontrol shells for the longer shots.
 
Might add; make sure you have a high bank so you're not shooting at a narrow angle plus a bank on the other side helps too.  Shotguns are not noted for ricochet but can never be too careful.

[phoneman7]

I found the prairie storm loads that you can get in no6 in 2 3/4"  Figured those would work well for what I want along with some slugs in case I happen upon a pig.  Got the barrel chopped to 18.5 and clean it up.  Added the survivor stock and reg synthetic forend.  Thing is pretty sweet.  Marked the centerline of the barrel and my dad is taking it to work to drill and tap it to put the factory sight back on.  Thinking of duracoating it when I get all that done.  I like it!!!  Ready to try it out on some cottonmouths in the swamp if my new mud boat ever comes in.