Pennsylvania Game News - May 2019 - 54

rels were reduced to about 22 to 23
inches.
The shortened barrel would be fitted
with a new choke and centered on a
lathe. The barrel would be counterbored to dimensions that allowed a
specially designed sleeve to fit within
it. The inside of the sleeve was uniquely
designed to dimensions that would
become the shotgun's custom choke.
In addition to customizing the end
of the barrel, the barrel's forcing cone
- where shot enters the barrel - was
adjusted.
This area would be reshaped to provide a more-gradual taper that allowed
lead shot to pass from the shell to the
bore with fewer BBs being deformed.
This was one more attention to detail
contributing to the firearm's potential to
deliver a dense, tight, and effective shot
pattern. But were these modifications
really necessary?

EFFICIENT SHOOTING
Shotguns of the day equipped with
a full-choked barrel were delivering
about 70 to 75 percent efficiency at
40 yards when shooting into a 30-inch
circle.
On average, the modified turkey
guns were delivering 10 percent tighter
patterns with increased velocity.
My Remington 870 SP magnum was
customized with a shorter barrel, then
taken to the range.
Using AA trap loads, 10 rounds
from its 21-inch barrel were shot
through a chronograph. Each round's
performance was recorded. The same
procedure was done using a trap gun
equipped with a 34-inch barrel.
The results were amazing.
The customized Remington 870
short-barrel shotgun produced muzzle
54

velocities 75 feet per second faster,
on average, than the longer barreled
shotgun.
To maintain consistency, gunsmiths
tailored shotguns they modified to
perform best using a specific brand of
shotshell and shot size. My shotgun
was designed to shoot a Federal 3-inch
magnum with a 1 7/8 oz. load of No. 4
buffered shot, and its maker guaranteed
it would deliver 90 percent of the shell's
BBs within a 30-inch circle at 40 yards.
It delivered shot to the target as
promised.
While modified turkey guns rapidly
gained popularity among hunters, they
also garnered the attention of a number
of manufacturers.
Shotshell manufacturers were not to
be left behind either.
Some turkey hunters already were
experimenting with various shotshells.
Because lead is a soft metal, a small
percentage of BBs become deformed
when fired, and a BB that has a flat side
often flies erratically and hits off-target.
Their solution to remedying this
simply was a matter of opening the
end of the shell, removing the BBs, and
replacing them with a mixture of BBs
and cornmeal, which cushioned the shot
to reduce deformity.
Soon after, major manufacturers
began offering loads including plastic
buffering material.
The makeup of BBs also was
adjusted. The amount of tin and antimony was increased in relationship to
total lead content, making the BBs less
prone to deformity. Eventually, a flashy
copper coating was applied.
Advancements continued as ammunition manufacturers fine-tuned the
wad columns used in turkey-hunting
ammunition.
Pennsylvania Game News - May 2019

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