Rifled barrel or smooth bore?

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Pops1085

New member
I just got an excellent deal on a used Remington but the only downside is that it has a rifled barrel. If I was going to keep this gun around for HD, casual small game hunting, and maybe small bird hunting (grouse are very common in my area and make for a really fun time) would I be foolish to trade barrels for a smooth bore 21" barrel with rifled sights on it? I have rifles for dear hunting but another friend said hang on to the barrel because they are hard to find.
 
Buy an additional barrel/barrels ??

would I be foolish to trade barrels for a smooth bore 21" barrel with rifled sights on it? I have rifles for dear hunting but another friend said hang on to the barrel because they are hard to find.
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Not foolish but I would agree with your friend about hanging on to it, at least for a time. Your rifled barrel is worth more than a smooth bore. Take your time and look for a used barrel. You did not mention the model number so I'm assuming that after market barrels are available. .... :confused:

Be Safe !!!
 
Hunting small game and upland is best done with a smoothbore, but NOT with rifled sights - a simple bead, a barrel about 26"or so will do the job. Too short of a barrel and you will be missing from behind as you stop your swing
 
Randy Wakeman had a write up on using shotshells and rifled slugs from a rifled barrel. He found a deal on an 870 with a rifled barrel and used non sabot rounds in it. If you can find it on the net it's worth a look.
 
Keep your barrel and go to the next gun show and buy yourself a 26" smoothbore. You should be able to get a used one for less than $100.00 Probably way less
 
The rifled barrel is great if you want to shoot sabot $lugs out of it.

Otherwise, it's pretty much useless for anything else, including HD. The last thing you want is a big doughnut pattern spewing buckshot everywhere except where you aim.

If you don't intend to shoot sabot slugs, trade / sell it and get a smoothbore.
 
The rifled barrel is great if you want to shoot sabot $lugs out of it.

Otherwise, it's pretty much useless for anything else, including HD. The last thing you want is a big doughnut pattern spewing buckshot everywhere except where you aim.

If you don't intend to shoot sabot slugs, trade / sell it and get a smoothbore.
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+1 this trade is usually pretty easy to do. With some smooth talkin', you might be able to get an 18.5" smooth bore for HD and a 28" interchangable choke barrel for little money added.
 
The rifled barrel is worth more than a smooth bore barrel. Shooting "shot" out of a rifled barrel will throw a wider spread and usually make a somewhat donut shaped pattern. I wouldn't want a wide pattern for HD and I certainly wouldn't want a donut shaped pattern. If u only get 1 smoothbore barrel, I would suggest getting one with a choke system to to satisfy your hunting needs. All that being said, I also have rifles, but I really like my scoped rifled barrel for large game hunting at around 100 yards.
 
I have a large disdain for rifled shotgun barrels. Their intended ammo, sabot slugs, cost too damn much and they aren't good for anything else. On the flip side for your intended needs I wouldn't get a smoothbore with rifle sights unless you are gonna use it for deer/big game hunting. Get the shortest barrel you can find that will accept choke tubes (a must!) and a bead on the front (another must!) and you be well ahead.
 
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