Dissappointing 870 patterns

[bullet355]

I have a 870 that I bought 4 years ago and have been trying to get some better patterns out of it ever since I got it. The best I have gotten so far is high 130's low 140's with the factory choke and
3 1/2 H13 #6. I have tried several different chokes JellyHead 665 Tight Wad, Remington Super Full that came with the gun and today I tried a Pure Gold .670 and a Hevi 13 choke .662. I have shot
H13 3 1/2" 6's, H13 3" 6's and today I tried some H13 3 1/2 Mag Blends. I would like to stay with the
6's. The barrel has been deep cleaned and polished. I am shooting at a large sheet of paper and counting the densest part of the pattern. My question is do you think it would be worth while to send it off to someone like Sumtoy or Rob Roberts and have the forcing cone cut and the barrel professionally polished or should I just give up and start over with new gun.

[alclark2]

I'd say those numbers result in a dead turkey. As far as punching more holes in the paper... Sounds like you have the right idea trying different ammo and chokes.

[bullet355]

Yes they have accounted for several dead turkeys over last 3 seasons. I'm just trying improve it if I can.

[knightrider]

before i shipped it off i would try the jellyhead 660 with those 6 shot after i polished it again

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

For every different shell you try, the choke that it likes best may vary.

Hevi13 #7's are the short-cut to passing the 200 mark, if that's important to you.

[Xcal1ber]

Yes they have accounted for several dead turkeys over last 3 seasons. I'm just trying improve it if I can.

You're like me man, you want to get the best performance out of your gun as you can.. But if your gun is throwing 130-140 pellets of 6 shot in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards, then you are smoking birds. I'd say you're getting anywhere from 30-50 pellets in the head/neck area, and no bird will ever survive that. Like 870 shell shucker said.. If you are wanting to get over 200 to look good on paper, then get the 7's. but, I'm not saying the 7's wont kill. Now some guys can get 180 with the 3'' 6's but I have no idea how they do it lol.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I like to normally ask how long of barrel.  But I can try and help.  First off I would do this if you truly want better numbers as you say and want the best performance from you gun that it can do.  Ditch the Hevi-13 #6's and go with the 3.5" Hevi-13 2.25oz #7 loads if you have a 3.5" gun.  Midsouth Shooter Supply did have them in stock.  Then I would do some soul searching.  I would try calling Stuart and Mike and have them make you a .668 or .670 Indian Creek BDS choke.  Either that or try finding an older MAD Super Max .675 choke that was in fact made by Indian Creek.  I have that choke for my 28" barrel 870 and it shoots the lights out.  I also have a Pure Gold .670 that shoots excellent.  I had a .668 Indian Creek BDS choke that I picked up from Mike and Staurt at their shop is how I got mine.  It smoked the .665 choke shooting Hevi-13 3" 2oz #7's.  My gun is only a 3" chamber or I would be shooting the heavier load of 7's. 

You may want to go back and re-polish the hell and I do mean hell out of that barrel.  I even polished my chamber some.  Some will tell you that's a no-no.  Well I don't know.  I done both my guns and both cycle shells into the chamber too and from a lot better than they did before.  And both of mine shoot extroadinary patterns at 40yds.   

[allaboutshooting]

I have a 870 that I bought 4 years ago and have been trying to get some better patterns out of it ever since I got it. The best I have gotten so far is high 130's low 140's with the factory choke and
3 1/2 H13 #6. I have tried several different chokes JellyHead 665 Tight Wad, Remington Super Full that came with the gun and today I tried a Pure Gold .670 and a Hevi 13 choke .662. I have shot
H13 3 1/2" 6's, H13 3" 6's and today I tried some H13 3 1/2 Mag Blends. I would like to stay with the
6's. The barrel has been deep cleaned and polished. I am shooting at a large sheet of paper and counting the densest part of the pattern. My question is do you think it would be worth while to send it off to someone like Sumtoy or Rob Roberts and have the forcing cone cut and the barrel professionally polished or should I just give up and start over with new gun.

I'd try an SSX.

Thanks,
Clark

[bullet355]

I am sure I could pick up some numbers by switching to 7's but I would really like to stay with the 6's. In fact I would like to drop down to the 3" 6's. but my gun will barley brake 100 with them. I am not only looking to up my numbers but more importantly get a more even and consistant pattern that I am not getting now. I have seen several people on here and other forums say they are getting close to 200 with the H13 3" 6's. I am just trying to get the best I can out of my gun. I think I will try polishing the dickens out of that barrel again, and see what that does.and its a 23" barrel by the way.
'.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I am sure I could pick up some numbers by switching to 7's but I would really like to stay with the 6's. In fact I would like to drop down to the 3" 6's. but my gun will barley brake 100 with them. I am not only looking to up my numbers but more importantly get a more even and consistant pattern that I am not getting now. I have seen several people on here and other forums say they are getting close to 200 with the H13 3" 6's. I am just trying to get the best I can out of my gun. I think I will try polishing the dickens out of that barrel again, and see what that does.and its a 23" barrel by the way.
'.

I'll be honest with you here and please don't take this the wrong way.  If my 870 barrel would barely break 100 with Hevi-13 3" 2oz #6's, it would definately be going back to Rem.  There's got to be something not right with that barrel.  Heck I could get lead to shoot way better than that. 

[bullet355]

"There's got to be something not right with that barrel".

That's what I've kinda been thinking, which is why I thought about sending it to some one.
The gun is 4 years old now so I doubt sending it back to Remington is an option.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I don't even shoot many Hevi-13 #6 loads, but I do play around from time to time with them.  Here's how my 28" barrel shot these Hevi-13 3" 1 and 3/4oz load of #6 last year on a cool 45 degree day.  Now the next one I shot was only like 170 something but this was the first shot out of my Ventilator .655 choke that cool day.  I bought these shells locally from a store here at the time.  I went back and bought some more.   

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

By the time you pay someone the labor and shipping to and from you would be much better off to just buy a good used barrel that hasn't been messed with.  Check ebay. 

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

Here ya go. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Remington-870-Magnum-12-Ga-Shotgun-Barrel-28-inch-Choke-Mat-Finish-/121075301383?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c30a67c07

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Remington-870-Barrel-12-gauge-right-hand-2-3-4-3-3-1-2-Rem-Choke-/271165623302?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f22bb0c06