Author Topic: polishing your shotgun barrel? (Read 16882 times)

demontang · « **on:** April 11, 2011, 09:00:49 AM »

So Ive seen clams that if you polish your shoty barrel it will group better

Im going to try and see if its true. I know my 870 will kill out to 30yds but past that its not good enough for me to take a shot. I grabbed my factory full choke to try out too and my gun isnt a turkey gun but used for everything from quail to turkey and coyotes. The factory full will kill a coyote out to 65-70yds with t shot but doesnt seem to pattern as well with smaller shot

turkeyspark · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:27:32 AM »

I've also heard this. I'm a machinist by trade and I work with similar metals. I would recommend using scotch brite pads and a 3/8 drill with high speed. That and plenty of WD40 in the bore and on the pad to keep that baby nice and lubed. Also, mark off the rod with tape as to where the choke threads start so you don't polish a burr into the choke threads. You also want to make sure and switch out pads half way and run a clean wipe down to get out any debris that builds up. That way your polishing job doesn't turn into a sanding job...

I have spoken to a few gun smiths about this procedure and they all say you can improve patterning up to 25% if you do it right.

Hope it works good for you!

lokidog · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2011, 10:22:33 AM »

I usually polish mine with steel ball bearings....

demontang · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2011, 11:51:40 AM »

Well my shotgun literly has millions of rounds through it. It was used to kill blackbirds and they would run flats a day through there guns. I have shot it a bunch as well cause are agentcy doesnt use 870's much they normaly use auto loaders and I dont like them cause they lead funny to me.

I used a med grit scotch bright with lots of wd and then worked to a extra fine grit scotch bright. I cleaned it and used a polishing compound to get all the scratchs out. The bore looks like a mirror inside so now to go pattern it and see.

turkeyspark · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2011, 12:57:26 PM »

Awesome.

Let us know how it patterns!

demontang · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:45:46 PM »

Well I took out the ammo I had cause where I stopped had nothing. I had 2 3/4" 4,6 shot winchester suprem 6's winchester pheasent 4's and rem mohak lr 6's, and some federal 3" 5's. So at 25-30 yards I get the best pattern still. with the old time mohak 6's Im getting around 20 hits in the head/neck at 27 yards. If I step back any it drops off quick at 35 yds im getting like 6 hits in the head/ neck but it does that every time. the winchester 6's didnt do good past 25 yds the federal 5's did jack past 30yds and the winchesters plan 4's where good to 25-30yds.

looks like I need to go pick up a super full choke and see cause 25-30 yards isnt that far for where Im going to hunt.

turkeyspark · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2011, 03:57:18 PM »

Yeah, I like mine to stay in the sweet spot out until at least 40-45 yards. At least a dozen in the spine/brain (not just anywhere on the neck/head). New choke sounds like a good idea. I use and Undertaker choke on my Rem. 870 Super Mag. Using 3" Rem Nitro Turkey #6 shot at 1 5/8oz., I get a about a dozen in the kill zone at 45-50 yards. It widnes out a bit after that, but if I'm shooting 60+ yards for a turkey, I'll shoot myself for being a crappy caller.

I bet a tighter choke will improve that for you. I would feel pretty nervous with only 20-30 yards of range.

Hope it works! You hunting the opener this year?

demontang · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2011, 05:09:44 PM »

well found a super full rem choke for 9.99 so Ill have to get some more shells and go out again. and the 20 hits where all kills at 27 yards brain/spine it was only 6 at 35yards so I hope the new choke does it. I plan on going opener but if I dont have the new choke I might not. I havent had a shot at a turkey yet but Ive call a few in when it wasnt season so I hope it works out during season this year.

Oldguy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2011, 05:31:34 PM »

I'm not doubting the idea but since the shot is enclosed in a plastic wad as it travels down the barrel, is it really effective? In the "old days" the shot touched the bore of the barrel.

Mr56Jeep · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2011, 05:48:36 PM »

The comp. Trap/skeet guy will some times polish to change the taper on the forcing cone for a better pattern but there is a little science in it. It keeps from deforming the shot. Round pellets hold pattern better. Now, if you enter the super full turkey choke and I'm not sure it matters.

You might want to think about using one of the "heavy shot" types of shot. The are close to lead in density and don't deform. They cost more but you only shoot a few all season. It ain't like duck hunting where you shoot a case or more per season....

Something to think about?

demontang · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2011, 06:10:54 PM »

I believe the idea is that the wad and the shot stay together down the bore better if it's polish which would give a better pattern. It did help a little but I still want more pellets on bird then I have now

hughjorgan · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2011, 07:23:46 PM »

A link that shows before and after.... http://primetime-outdoors.com/wordpress/?p=15

JPhelps · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2011, 07:33:43 PM »

This works GREAT! Read the article I wrote on the link above. So far everyone that I have talked to that has done it has seen positive results.

Here is the old article that I wrote on a different forum a long time ago (nobody can make fun of my old login name).
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/turkey-hunting/55084-want-better-pattern.html

demontang · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:23:59 AM »

well Im off to find shot shell today and hope my choke is here in a few days. I got some private land to hunt on now

phishisgroovin · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:34:08 AM »

i still have to locate a turkey choke for my winchester i picked up.
want a super full and a turkey marked choke.

heading to a sporting goods store some time today.

demontang · « **Reply #15 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:44:57 AM »

man if its like here they are picked over

dawei · « **Reply #16 on:** April 12, 2011, 06:00:10 PM »

Does polishing help absolutely. I polish the bore on all of my turkey hunting shotgun(s); with one exception. The exception is a SxS that has chrome lined barrels. Those barrels are mirror bright and as smooth as a newborn baby's butt.

demontang · « **Reply #17 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:36:33 PM »

Chrome lined would be nice.

dawei · « **Reply #18 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:14:15 PM »

The gun was not that expensive; it's a 20ga Remington® SPR220 (Baikal® IZH-43) I bought new in Sep 2007 for $359.95+Tax. It's a well made gun and patterns Winchester® Supreme® and Federal® Flitecontrol® Mag-Shok® #4Pb exceptionally well.

demontang · « **Reply #19 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:40:11 PM »

Looks like a good pattern for 30 yards. Here is the mohawk 2 3/4 6's at 27yds. I patterned a little to the left but it was a good one.

dawei · « **Reply #20 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:51:27 PM »

12ga right?

demontang · « **Reply #21 on:** April 12, 2011, 08:59:01 PM »

Yea 12ga rem 870.

JPhelps · « **Reply #22 on:** April 12, 2011, 09:11:55 PM »

Demontang, do you aim for the head? Just asking It seems that your pattern is more dense up high.

I always aim about 3"-4 lower than the head to make sure that I dont throw half the pattern over his head. Neck hits down low are just as lethal.

dawei · « **Reply #23 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:01:15 AM »

I always aim for the caruncles/wattles.

demontang · « **Reply #24 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:29:33 AM »

I was holding right on his neck about midway. I noticed my pattern seems to be a little high left which was nice to learn. I hope to go pattern it some more and get it down before I go have a turkey standing in front of me.

demontang · « **Reply #25 on:** April 16, 2011, 02:23:19 PM »

So got my super full choke and went out to pattern it. At 20 years the pattern is about 3in across. Out farther the wind was playing heck with the pattern but it was still way better at 30 the it was at 20 with the full choke

demontang · « **Reply #26 on:** April 25, 2011, 05:54:00 PM »

So I got out I put a few 3" Remington turkey nitro 6shot on paper and they had 6 pellets in the brain at 54yard and 4 in the spine. The 3 in federal turkey strut 3" 4's put 4 pellets in the head/ neck at 54yds. At 40 yards they both put most of the pellets in a 10" area but I didn't get the pattern on the turkey head as I shot low

at 30yds they both put well over 20 in a 2" area! I think the cheap remington 6's are going with me tomorrow morning but the federals did really well too just need to find them in 6 shot. Both loads cost me under 12 a box of ten so I'm happy with how they work out of my shotgun.

JKEEN33 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 25, 2011, 06:05:16 PM »

Just my opinion, but I would keep it at 40 and under with 6's. Much further than that and they don't seem to have the energy to kill a bird. I have had a couple knock downs then the bird gets up and runs off. Changed over to 5's and have not had that happen yet. Again just my

demontang · « **Reply #28 on:** April 25, 2011, 06:30:35 PM »

That's weird I've done some playing with penetration and the lead 6 shot wasn't much behind the 4's I just had a few fours at 50 that didn't penetrate the first layer of the box I used and I didnt find any 6's.

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Author Topic: polishing your shotgun barrel? (Read 16882 times)

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