Smooth bore, Rifled, or Choke tubes

[EDELWEISS]

Im "building a Martin shotgun (WW Greener action). Im thinking most of my shooting will be with "slugs"; but it would be nice to toss in some shot loads (maybe BuckShot, maybe Buck&Ball loads). My guess is most "slugs" would be Foster type slugs (unless I can figure how to reload round balls into brass shells).

Id love to have a real Paradox barrel; but havent been able to find one. My smith has a fully rifled barrel he can use; but that leaves out the shot loads (right?). I suppose I could be happy with a smooth bore that was tight enough for "slugs", I suppose.....

Then I thought about using changeable choke tubes. Im generally not a fan of choke tubes; but this might be a case where it would work. On the plus side it would work with slugs and shot (once I changed the tube). On the negative side its not exactly "period" looking.

Thoughts?

 

[Red Leg]

I like the idea of a rifled choke tube. When you want a single shot shotgun, changing tubes is fairly quick. Would make an interesting deer, boar, and turkey gun. I have a period Evans 12 bore paradox which shoots 3-inch hundred yard 4-shot groups (L/R L/R) with the traditional bullet. It also throws perfect modified patterns from each barrel. I have killed sand grouse and warthog from the same waterhole with it. Those men were geniuses, and I am pretty sure no one could recreate that alchemy today outside of Holland & Holland (they will be delighted to sell you a new paradox for around 130K). But the choke tube equipped Martini would likely give you a gun capable of shooting similar 3-inch groups with sabots, and obviously, a full choke tube would be decisive on a turkey. No pure smooth bore will ever give particularly great accuracy with a slug - it is essentially a musket after all. And because you are building the gun anyway, there is no reason not to take advantage of available modern technology which would be invisible in the final package. Now, go stick choke tubes in a fine period Greener pigeon gun and we might have words.

 

[EDELWEISS]

I ordered it today! I decided to go for a smoothbore and have it threaded for choke tubes

12 Gauge - W.W.Greener Mark 111 Standard Bore
Rechambered to 12ga. 2 3/4in. It has a .710+/- at barrel end.
Forearm extends to end of barrel with a metal end cap.

Im thinking Express sights. I know these arent period but I like them, and I think they're perfect for game like Boar

Id love to do a barrel band front sight with maybe a ruby insert???

 

[Jwg223]

Im "building a Martin shotgun (WW Greener action). Im thinking most of my shooting will be with "slugs"; but it would be nice to toss in some shot loads (maybe BuckShot, maybe Buck&Ball loads). My guess is most "slugs" would be Foster type slugs (unless I can figure how to reload round balls into brass shells).

Id love to have a real Paradox barrel; but havent been able to find one. My smith has a fully rifled barrel he can use; but that leaves out the shot loads (right?). I suppose I could be happy with a smooth bore that was tight enough for "slugs", I suppose.....

Then I thought about using changeable choke tubes. Im generally not a fan of choke tubes; but this might be a case where it would work. On the plus side it would work with slugs and shot (once I changed the tube). On the negative side its not exactly "period" looking.

Thoughts?

Smooth with a MOD or IC constriction. I have had VERY good accuracy from Brenneke as well as cheap "Slugger" Remington slugs from a MOD choke Benelli. As in, 2-3" groups at 50 yards, 1/2"-1" groups (center to center) at 25 yards. You can also shoot buck and all manner of things through this construction with decent results, AND you don't have to worry about choke-tubes flying down range, seizing up, etc.

 

[Shootist43]

I have Hastings Barrels for my model 870 and my 1100 Remingtons. Both guns will clover-leaf three shots at 50 yards. The groups open up a bit at 100 yards but not enough to worry about. Both guns work well on deer and I imagine they would work on Planes Game providing the shot did not exceed 100 yards. A 12 Ga. is simply not enough gun fir DG.