Shotguns on Steel - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

jeepinbanditrider · 07-27-2007, 09:04 PM

Can you effectively shoot steel plates with birdshot out of a 30 in. barrel?

**jnclement** · 07-28-2007, 10:57 AM

I don't know why not, but it would depend on how far away you were. And if you could shoot.

jeepinbanditrider · 07-28-2007, 01:33 PM

Already shot the match. One classifer stage for pistol and then a shotty and rifle stage.

All the steel targets fell with one shot each. #8 shot 2-3/4in. Federal. Out of a Winchester Model 1200 with 30 in. barrel and mod. choke.

This is mostly my clay/bird gun when I was back in Texas and is still a clay gun here. I'm about to acquire an Ithaca Model 37 with a 20" barrel that I'm going to turn into a comp./HD gun.

Some of the other guys were using shot barreled shottys and by the time the shot got out to the targets they just weren't knocking them down. One guy expended 50 shotsells on 16 targets and still didn't get all of them knocked down. He was running no choke in an 18-1/2" barrel so I assume that had a lot to do with it.

**jnclement** · 07-29-2007, 12:28 PM

If the plates were under 15-20 yards, I don't think the barrel had anything to do with it. Maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds like an aiming thing to me. I've shot some with my Ithaca that didn't fall, but it wasn't the guns fault. I shot last time with my Benelli quail gun (24") and a full choke and had some not fall, because I got in a hurry and aimed poorly.

ichy_trigger · 07-29-2007, 12:33 PM

You can use a full choke, I use a modified wiuth a 21" barrel, shooting 7 1/2 shot.

Noah Mercy · 07-29-2007, 12:48 PM

Cowboy Action Shooters knock down millions of steel plates a year with light shotgun loads. Even Winchester Low Noise/ Low Recoil (Featherlites) will take down heavy steel knockdowns out to 12 yards from an open choked 20 inch barrel coachgun. (I've done it boucoup times, so I'm not just regurgitating secondhand hearsay.) From a full- or turkey-choked long barreled scattergun, a heavy load should take down a properly calibrated knockdown out to 30 or 35 yards no sweat.

brianbat420 · 08-09-2007, 10:18 AM

I took my 18.5 in and my 26 in barrel out to a shoot one time and the 18.5 was of no use outside a very short 5-7 yards. the 26in kept the pattern tight and knocked everything down with ease

tnek · 08-13-2007, 10:01 PM

I shoot 3gun and I can say with conviction that 2 factors more than any affect steel. Mainly the choke and to some effect shot size. I have watched guys shoot 15 shots at the Texas Star to no avail using full power loads with a standard IMP Cyl choked and guys with proper chokes take them down with light loads of #8. I know guys who bring different chokes depending on the stage, clay targets or steel.
Myself if I know the dreaded star is going to be in play I slip a box of #4 or #5 pheasant loads in my bag just for the star. Everything else is AA AAHA128 8 shot.

07-27-2007, 09:04 PM	#1
jeepinbanditrider XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mineral Wells, Tx Posts: 4,776	Shotguns on Steel Can you effectively shoot steel plates with birdshot out of a 30 in. barrel? __________________ Stuff USPSA-A59201

07-28-2007, 10:57 AM	#2
jnclement XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 2,391	I don't know why not, but it would depend on how far away you were. And if you could shoot. __________________ Contrary to what sells magazines, not all of us are, or want to be SpecOps, SEAL, Recon, Delta, CQB, Ninja, firearm-knife-tactical-death-touch instructors.

07-28-2007, 01:33 PM	#3
jeepinbanditrider XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mineral Wells, Tx Posts: 4,776	Already shot the match. One classifer stage for pistol and then a shotty and rifle stage. All the steel targets fell with one shot each. #8 shot 2-3/4in. Federal. Out of a Winchester Model 1200 with 30 in. barrel and mod. choke. This is mostly my clay/bird gun when I was back in Texas and is still a clay gun here. I'm about to acquire an Ithaca Model 37 with a 20" barrel that I'm going to turn into a comp./HD gun. Some of the other guys were using shot barreled shottys and by the time the shot got out to the targets they just weren't knocking them down. One guy expended 50 shotsells on 16 targets and still didn't get all of them knocked down. He was running no choke in an 18-1/2" barrel so I assume that had a lot to do with it. __________________ Stuff USPSA-A59201

07-29-2007, 12:48 PM	#6
Noah Mercy XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sheridan, Wyoming Posts: 276	Cowboy Action Shooters knock down millions of steel plates a year with light shotgun loads. Even Winchester Low Noise/ Low Recoil (Featherlites) will take down heavy steel knockdowns out to 12 yards from an open choked 20 inch barrel coachgun. (I've done it boucoup times, so I'm not just regurgitating secondhand hearsay.) From a full- or turkey-choked long barreled scattergun, a heavy load should take down a properly calibrated knockdown out to 30 or 35 yards no sweat. __________________ I may be fat, hairy, and ugly...BUT AT LEAST I SMELL BAD!

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07-29-2007, 12:28 PM	#4
jnclement XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 2,391	If the plates were under 15-20 yards, I don't think the barrel had anything to do with it. Maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds like an aiming thing to me. I've shot some with my Ithaca that didn't fall, but it wasn't the guns fault. I shot last time with my Benelli quail gun (24") and a full choke and had some not fall, because I got in a hurry and aimed poorly. __________________ Contrary to what sells magazines, not all of us are, or want to be SpecOps, SEAL, Recon, Delta, CQB, Ninja, firearm-knife-tactical-death-touch instructors.

07-29-2007, 12:33 PM	#5
ichy_trigger XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 7,417	You can use a full choke, I use a modified wiuth a 21" barrel, shooting 7 1/2 shot. __________________ "The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member2645.png

08-09-2007, 10:18 AM	#7
brianbat420 XDTalk Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Alamogordo NM Posts: 46	I took my 18.5 in and my 26 in barrel out to a shoot one time and the 18.5 was of no use outside a very short 5-7 yards. the 26in kept the pattern tight and knocked everything down with ease

08-13-2007, 10:01 PM	#8
tnek XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 22	I shoot 3gun and I can say with conviction that 2 factors more than any affect steel. Mainly the choke and to some effect shot size. I have watched guys shoot 15 shots at the Texas Star to no avail using full power loads with a standard IMP Cyl choked and guys with proper chokes take them down with light loads of #8. I know guys who bring different chokes depending on the stage, clay targets or steel. Myself if I know the dreaded star is going to be in play I slip a box of #4 or #5 pheasant loads in my bag just for the star. Everything else is AA AAHA128 8 shot.