Need advice on a shotgun.

[Lightning Lee]

I am new to CAS so please bear with me. I have purchased my pistols and rifle, and now need to decide on a shotgun. I want a SXS and like the looks of external hammers, but they are not absolutely necessary. From what I've been reading the 1878 that was imported by TTN, and is now imported by EMF, seems to be the one most recommended. I also hear that many shooters like the SKB guns. Here's my dilemma:

I presently own three SXS shotguns that meet SASS rules. A 12 ga Ithaca/SKB, a 12 ga AYA and a 16 ga Winchester mod. 24. The Ithaca is in great condition and the other two are in good condition. I shoot all three and they work fine with light field loads. I would have no problem having the barrels cut back on any one of them, and would most likely cut them to aprox. 26" to match the overall length of my rifle and have screw in chokes installed. I could also sell one of them to cover the cost of the 1878.

What do you think? Pick one and modify it, or sell one and buy the 1878?  

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

My question is, what makes you think you need to cut the barrels at all? This business about shorter barrels on a shotgun being handier in close quarters is highly over rated. I shot a Stevens with 30" full choke barrels for years and never really had any trouble on the rare stage that was confined. Also, this ain't Trap shooting or Sporting Clays. What ever chokes are built into the guns are probably more than adequate. Interchangeable chokes for CAS are even more highly over rated than short barrels. I have used shotguns with full chokes and my current SXS has cylinder chokes. If I aim, I hit the targets, the chokes have nothing to do with it at typical CAS distances.

If I wuz you, I would not bother buying a new shotgun, I would shoot one of the ones you already own. And I would not cut down the barrels at all. That's what I did when I started out, dragged out an old Stevens 311 that had sat dormant in my safe for 30 years. It was fine for my first CAS shotgun.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

To expand a bit on Driftwood's comments, which I strongly endorse;

Cutting back barrels;

1. Reduces resale value.

2, Reduces flexibility, as their usefullness for other purposes is also reduced.

3. As Driftwood says, choke can be affected.

4. Weight is reduced which may effect comfort when using heavy loads.

4A.  See the post below by Pony Express.  The lesser weight of the barrels of a sawdoff might not be enough to open some guns enough for a quick reload

5. Shortening barrels affects swing on flying targets, but mostly it causes OVERSHOOTING.  On a shotgun "sights" are effected by the placement of the eye behind the gun (stock weld) and the front of the muzzle, and less prominently, the bead.  If the barrels are shortened it changes the angle from the eye to the bead causing over shooting.  The English gunmaker Churchill created his famous 25 inch barrelled guns only after he perfected a raised rib to counter the overshot effect.  Further, errors in stock placement on the shoulder that happen when the action gets tense, most often create more overshooting and are magnified by the shorter sight radius.

Every time I write this, the list gets longer.  Cutting barrels is the most misguided habit that has come out of cowboy action shooting.  The pinnacle of my cowboy shooting career came with the use of 30 inch full choke barrels on a '97.

IF you want a barkeeps "Sawdoff", buy one as it comes from a factory as some of the negatives are neutralized by the maker.

I hope you forgive my STRIDENT TONE!  But try to add that length of barrel back on when the regrets surface.  

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[pony express]

I shot for years with a Stevens 311 with (I think) 26 inch barrels, with no problems. Reason I'm not still using it, is I saw another one, already cut, for a good price. A more important thing is, having the barrels drop all the way open, so you can load it without having to push them down against the spring.

I would just use what you have, as they are, at least for now.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy

My question is, what makes you think you need to cut the barrels at all? This business about shorter barrels on a shotgun being handier in close quarters is highly over rated. I shot a Stevens with 30" full choke barrels for years and never really had any trouble on the rare stage that was confined. Also, this ain't Trap shooting or Sporting Clays. What ever chokes are built into the guns are probably more than adequate. Interchangeable chokes for CAS are even more highly over rated than short barrels. I have used shotguns with full chokes and my current SXS has cylinder chokes. If I aim, I hit the targets, the chokes have nothing to do with it at typical CAS distances.

If I wuz you, I would not bother buying a new shotgun, I would shoot one of the ones you already own. And I would not cut down the barrels at all. That's what I did when I started out, dragged out an old Stevens 311 that had sat dormant in my safe for 30 years. It was fine for my first CAS shotgun.

   I have to agree with Driftwood on this, unless you just want the short barreled Shot gun, your long barrels will serve you well, and I wouldn't cut them off either.

                 Regards

               tEN wOLVES 

[Lightning Lee]

Wow, this is advice I didn't expect. I actually expected to hear that cutting to 26" wasn't enough, and I should consider shorter. At the events I've attended almost everyone had short barrel SXS's or pumps. I just assumed it was necessary. There I go again, assuming.    

  All three have 28" M&F barrels. I have been contemplating installing screw in chokes in the AYA for some time to make it a little more versatile. After reading all your comments, I think I'll just do that and use it for a while. Installing the chokes in a non collectable gun like the AYA actually increases it's resale value a bit and makes it easier to sell if I ever decide to do that.

Thanks for the help,
Lightning Lee

[Cutter Carl]

I found my Stroeger with 20" barrels in a pawn shop for $150.00.  Had some dings in the stock but otherwise in great shape. 

Look around and see what you can get.  Remeber in this game it is going to get dinged and banged up. 

[Forty Rod]

Don't cut the SKB!  I have a 200E with the ejector springs removed.  It has "26" roto-forged chrome steel barrels" (per the owner's manual) and it's completely stock except for those springs.

Tell you what:  how about I buy the SKB from you for $250.00 and you buy something else?    C'mon, where are you gonna get a better deal than that.  

[Driftwood Johnson]

Wow, this is advice I didn't expect. I actually expected to hear that cutting to 26" wasn't enough, and I should consider shorter.

Those guys don't know much about shotguns.

[doubs43]

Wow, this is advice I didn't expect. I actually expected to hear that cutting to 26" wasn't enough, and I should consider shorter.    Lightning Lee

The beauty of a SxS shotgun is the extremely compact action that makes the gun's overall length with 26" barrels about the same as a 22" barrel on a pump or semi-auto. The '93/'97 pump has a shorter action than most pumps because the bolt extends outside of the receiver when worked but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Personally, I wouldn't cut the barrels on any of the guns you own. If shorter barrels become necessary, I'd either buy another gun or sell one of the three to finance another shotgun.