I want to post this so everyone can see the transformation process and so I can have a place to put pics to share.
Background- I bought this gun a year ago. It is an 870 express mag and came with the 23" cantelieverd slug barrel and a konus pro 3-9x40 scope but I switched it out for a 4-12x56 IR scope from sportsmansguide. Actually a pretty good scope for the money. I got it off of gunbroker for about 300 after shipping (in really good shape)...it was really a steal. I recently decided I was going to make it a multi purpose weapon and make it a turkey hunting machine. I bought a 26" barrel off gunbroker for half the price of new...and the barrel and the 3 chokes were in better than new condition.
Here are the pics as of now.
The new barrel
How much are you going to do to it?
As soon as the new stock and fore end get here, its gonna get another face lift...then a mossy oak graphics kit face lift, then a saddle and halo (probably a mueller).
Looks good Chris! Cannot wait to see it with the Shurshot and the graphics on it. You might have me buying another backup next year. In a couple of weeks we can throw a few patterns!
The next phase of the operation is complete: Got the stock and fore end in and on today.
Looking Good! :icon_thumright:
Looks like a turkey slayer for sure! Cannot wait to see what it does on the patterning board.
They are done; I will post the pics when I get home/go home for lunch. Donald has gotten the sneak peek.
Good looking gun, can't wait to see how she patterns!
Well, here she is.
Looks great man! Cannot wait to see how she does tomorrow.
How'd it shoot? Looks like killer.
It was fair. I patterned the JH 665 with 3" mag blends. At 40yd I believe I was at 140-150 range..have to look at the paper again. I will say that was with a barrel that had not been cleaned since I got it, so I do not know how many shots were through it. That pattern was with a couple rounds of hevi through it...so I can imagine after the scrubbing it got it should be better. The pattern was not bad. I dont think there were any holes and was even. Just not the numbers I wanted to see or expected to get rather.
My goal is 182...thats what my "cheap" tristar auto got and I would love to have two 180 guns that I feel comfortable going to the woods with
I would think you should jump into the 180's after a good deep clean and a barrel polishing. Still a 140-150 even pattern will get the job done.
A clean barrel gives me about 25. You'll be close. I'm still on a quest for 300 with the 7's going to try agian this weekend.
I am almost tempted to try some 2 oz 6s.
I have a tight wad (660) jelly head (665) and a truglo gsx (665) I can try.
If I got 25 more pellets in the pattern I had....I wouldn't touch a thing.
It would be "good enough" which you wont ever hear me say. LOL
Counted everything up.....
These are the JH 665#s (semi-dirty to dirty barrel)
3" Mag Blends 2oz - 160 hits
3" HeviShot 1 5/8 oz #6s - 137 hits
I want to try the MBs from a clean barrel and try some 2oz 6s. (I actually would like to try some 2oz 6s in my tristar with the PG 670)
I want to also try these loads through the tight wad (660)