Going to a 12ga would give you a better selection of speed to choose from !!!
1oz shells are available up to 1350fps

It all depends are your needs. What type/size of targets are used, how far away are they and how hard are they to knock down.

Personally I prefer a 12ga (more weight for recoil management) 1 1/8 oz loads, 8 shot for 25 yards and in with a IC choke, 7 1/2 beyond 25 yards with a mod or full choke.
Higher velocity and/or payloads should be considered if targets approach the 40 yard mark.

If I were running a red dot I'd also tighten up more on the choke.

Shooting clays and flying game with a red dot............. think about it... if it were the thing to do everyone would be doing it !!!
Competition clays disciplines would have been forced into 2 divisions long ago.

Don't forget Remington's Hyper-Sonic loads which are available for 20ga down to 10ga and all loads are at 1700 fps!!

www.remington.com/prod...steel.aspx

Ominivision1 wrote:

Don't forget Remington's Hyper-Sonic loads ... all loads are at 1700 fps!!

The recoil on these must be brutal!!! Not for me.


I'm just trying to get some better action on steel at distance. I don't feel underpowered with a 20 gauge. At the last 3-gun, I used hi-brass 6 shot and was getting better target reaction than many with 12 gauge. I noticed there loads were the low-end #8s and #7.5. Our local shotgun matches only allow #7.5 and I need a bit more knock-down on the distance steels, 25 yards with #7.5 shot with no choke is like rolling dice. With modified choke this will work much better. I considered getting a semi-auto 12 gauge but 1) they cost a lot, 2) I have a lot more improving to do with the pump, and 3) I'm still having fun.

try your longer barrel out for a match. what have you got to loose?? take them both and set yourself up and try them out, you never know how a shotty will react till you try it.
a very wise man once said."a rifleman wouldnt dream of going out on a hunt without carefully selecting his rounds and sighting his rifle in carefully, but not one man in a hundred will pattern his shotgun prior to opening day and then blames poor ammo for the lack of ducks in the bag"

Send yer barrel to Carlson's for a choke mod. Under 200$ and it comes back with 3 chokes. Or, another smith will do as such. @ 25y even with a CYL bore and 7.5 the pattern on a straight non-swinging shot should have enough oomph depending on your target size and required power factor. Use "target" loads too- they use chilled shot and group tighter due to less flyers and go on sale often @ Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's and CTD etc and aer the same price as promo hunt loads. Def take some time and see if it hits high or low at your intended range and adjust accordingly (bed sheet with a dot works great). My Benelli is dead on center but shoots like a trap gun under 40y and by then the #7 and #8 are all but done then...
Also- extended chokes pattern better too with harder shot.
Since your'e blasting knock-downs use a Full choke. Get it all in the middle and the target will flop hard. Even when shooting handicap from the back fence using 7/8 oz #8 and an extened MOD choke I can make clays diaspear with the 20g on straightaways so I know my pattern is still pretty concentrated (not an indication of power though, hutning like that would prolly result is lost birds etc). Crossers are where I have issues as if I dont get it exactly right my charge is pretty light and I get a lot of LOSS! Hate that word and yer right Slimmers few things are more fun than pumping a shotty!

Also- for about what a barrel mod would run you can get a SARPA 20g like mine, weighs nothing, be a great running gun and it has screw in tubes and no rib to bust off. It would be perfect for 3-gun. See the one I posted in the new gun thread. They also make a tactical one with a PG augmented stock & sights.

I've also found I'm about the same speed shooting accurately with an interia driven SA/fixed breech and a pump. It's still takes X-amount of time to recover from the first shot and that's about the same time it takes me to rack the pump. Pumps are so much cheaper and they run forever with little care. Gas-op's get cruddy fast unless ya gotta PB 391 but they shoot softly and recover faster, at least for meeeeee!

The EAA SAR PA SP is under 300$ and has a rail and screw in's...perfet 3-gun tactical door knocker! You could scare the competition to death with this for cheap!

I hadn't heard of this company before. Definitely a value. I need a screw--in choke, however.

slimjim wrote:

I hadn't heard of this company before. Definitely a value. I need a screw--in choke, however.

You want screw in chokes...can't go past Briley. My shooting partner out here in Oz just bought a set of Briley extended and flush for his Miroku O/U and he is very happy with the price and delivery time from the US. Check out the link under this for the supplier he used.

My Fausti Stephano came with a set of five flush mount chokes and I chop and change sizes depending on the match I am shooting.

Performance Shooting HQ

Cheers, Vince

Look around you should be able to buy a new barrel with screws cheaper !!!

external chokes vs flush fitting . if you go external and ever have a whoops or the steel loads give it stretch your barrel will still be fine. I havent been game to port mine "yet" but it is an option ,you can get ported external chokes that would work a treat and reduce felt recoil too.

you can still buy screw in extrernal adjustable chokes too!!! like on the old bolt goose guns!!!!