Deer Rifled Barrel vs Trukey Barrel.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 12:17 pm
Good day everyone.

I am going to be ordering my first new shotgun and its going to be an Ithaca Model 37.
I have decided on the Featherlight combo with a 30 inch barrel and the rifled deer barrel, however although I have been hunting for many years I have absolutely no experience or knowledge when it comes to the advantages of a 30 inch barrel vs a 28 or 26 inch barrel. Is there any advantage to one vs the other?

Also, is a Turkey guns barrel smooth or rifled?

The reason for buying this weapon is that I am going to be moving to North Dakota in the near future where I would like to start bird hunting but until then I live in an area where you can only hunt deer with a shotgun now that we have been over run by suburban sprawl. So basically I want my model 37 to do it all.

Any advice on my questions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rick

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:58 pm
Hope I can help. A 30" barrel is for farther away targets. The longer the barrel the far the shot is contained before it exits the barrel and fans out. Targets like Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys, you could use a 30" Often full choke as a full choke will again contain the shot a little closer and make your killing range a little longer. A 28" and 26" barrel is for targets closer to you, as the shot would fan out quicker. Targets like Grouse, Pheasants, and Rabbits. Choke on these can be Modified or Improved cyclinder. The other concideration in choosing the choke, is if the area you are shooting requires steel shot, then you should not go to a full choke as steel does not group up as well, and is very abrasive to the end of your barrel. In buying a new gun, buy a gun with a barrel that has interchangable (screw-in) chokes and you can pick your own choice. A turkey barrel is smooth. Only a deer barrel shooting one projectile (slug) uses rifling. Have fun and enjoy your new hobby! Donald

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:31 pm
Thanks Donald, I have to say, shotguns (besides self defense) is a whole new world to me and WOW, who knew that there were so many different chokes and loads and such. Its much much more involved than hunting with long guns.
I cant wait to get my Ithaca Featherlight, it comes with many chokes and is a shotgun manufacturer that my foster dad used.
After your post the only thing I have to decide is if I want to order the AAA, AA or standard stocks. On one hand it would be nice to have it with AAA wood, BUT given that I view weapons as tools common sense is telling me to go with the standard wood, we will see which one wins out. LOL
Thanks again.
Rick

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:32 pm
Gee I look at shotguns as very simple because that is what I was raised with. Rifles are very complex to me. What Make? What Caliber? What load? What Action? Way too many choices! It depends on what you are comfortable with.
As far as your new Ithaca, first, good that you pick Ithaca. It really is one of the best. There are many many old ones still in very active use, and very reliable. With your choice of wood, Yes AAA looks great, but it doesn't shoot better. AA wood doesn't shoot better either. Standard wood is fine, but you don't get the WOW factor when showing off your new gun. And then when you put the first scratch on your new gun, you will be glad it is the standard. I have all three kinds, my shooter is the standard, but the ones I like to show off are the AAA. Enjoy!! Donald.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:56 pm
only get a rifled barrel if you want to strictly use slugs for deer.

as far as length well that's more individual taste and use.
30 " barrels were preferred by duck /goose hunters and trap shooters
26" for quail/grouse and skeet
but remember were only talking about 4"
you can shoot a duck with a 26" gun, choke is more important.

the best way to figure it is by where the gun will be used mostly.
if its thick brush and woodlands , get a 26" its easier to carry without hanging up
if your sitting in the open , get a 30"
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:17 pm
also a 30" barrel is easier to track a flying target with, such as a clay pigeon or waterfowl

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:05 am
Longer barrel= longer sight radius and better swing
Shorter barrel= better carry, particularly in the woods.

I like the shorter barrels like a 26". However in the older guns the barrel length ususally set the choke.
26" was IC, 28" was Mod, and 30" was Full.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:24 am
wstrayer wrote:Longer barrel= longer sight radius and better swing
Shorter barrel= better carry, particularly in the woods.

I like the shorter barrels like a 26". However in the older guns the barrel length ususally set the choke.
26" was IC, 28" was Mod, and 30" was Full.


Nice. But Rick is buying a new gun and is not experienced with a shotgun. Go with the interchangable chokes. Barrel lengths are for distance. For an inexperienced shooter, a couple of inches in barrel length won't make much difference, but it will in reaching out to a target. If you are in bush and tangling up the end of your barrel, you are usually not waterfowling. Donald
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:37 am
Go with the interchangable chokes.


Absolutely 100% True, allows 1 gun to fill multiple roles.

Barrel lengths are for distance. For an inexperienced shooter, a couple of inches in barrel length won't make much difference, but it will in reaching out to a target. If you are in bush and tangling up the end of your barrel, you are usually not waterfowling.


Shotgun powder is mostly combusted in the first 18" to 20" of barrel length. After that, barrel length has no effect on velocity. Thus no help in reaching out to a target. The only help a longer barrel gives is follow through and sight plane.

The best bet is to do a real assessment of what a person is going to do at present and in the near future, especially if another new barrel is not in the budget.

SO make the best compromise decision, which is right around 28". I have both 26" and 28" barrels on my 12's and 16's. 2" really doesn't make make difference in the brush, a little, not a lot. A 20" to 22" barrel for in the briar patch would be great to have for hunting rabbits with screw in choke tubes or a polychoke so you could adjust it out for further shots when the dogs chase the rabbits out into the field.

A 28" barrel is a good compromise.

this is a very valid discussion on velocity -vs- barrel length.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtop ... 2&t=220783

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 5:50 pm
I didn't think the new guns came in anything but choke tubes in field barrels.

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:26 am
Here's my Ithaca hunting system and my favorite M-37. It's a Magnum Model made in 1981, came with a 30" ribbed full choke barrel. I don't hunt waterfoul or turkey so I ordered a 26"vent rib barrel with the choke tubes for upland game hunting. Personally I much prefer the shorter barrel and use the modified and improved cylinder chokes most. If I hunted turkey, I would use the same 26" barrel but with the full choke tube. If I were to take up trap shooting and waterfoul hunting, the 30" full choke barrel would be my choice.

Below the gun are my two Deer Slayer barrels, both 20", one is rifled for solid projectiles, the other smooth bore for anti-personell use, (you may call it home defence if you like) with buck&ball loads.

The photo should give you a good idea on barrel lenghs with a M-37. Choose what suits your needs, I did and ended up with four barrels!

Image

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:42 pm
Great info guys, thanks.
Ok a little bit more info. Around here in PA I would be hunting in some wooded areas for Turkey and Deer, plus walking our corn fields and such for pheasant, but if the chance arose I would love to go for Duck.
Now hunting in North Dakota from what I observed when I was out there a few years ago is wide open plains and “Bad Lands” which is kinda like soft dirt canyons.
After all of the info posted I think I am going to be a realist (I hate when I do this) and purchase the standard wood as I must admit, I use my weapons as tools, while I care for them and keep them in grand order I have to admit that when I scratched my 30.06 Voere on a branch I was pissed, now it was nice, but not as nice as any AA or AAA stocked weapon so I cant imagine how my heart would sink if I ordered the AA or AAA stocks and scratched them.
So with that said I think that the money I will save on the AA or AAA wood I will put towards one or two more barrels, the smooth bore 20 inch and or the 26 inch barrel.
Now I just have to find a case to protect this set up with.
Thanks again for all the advice, photos and for sharing your knowledge. I will post photos of my weapon when it arrives.
Thanks again
Rick

Post Script: Im sure I will be back when I am trying to figure out which loads to do what with, but that’s a topic for a different day. Thanks again.
Last edited by rickm1981 on Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 2:20 pm
Well Rick, one thing's for sure and certian, choosing a Ithaca '37...You're not gonna go wrong no matter what barrels you choose!
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:10 am
I can't blame you there. The "AAA" wood is beautiful and I would have a cow as well if I ever scratched one up.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:23 am
Remember if you are buying extra barrels (used) that you only buy barrels from a gun that has a serial 855,000 or higher. Any before that serial were fitted to the gun and not interchangable. If you see a serial number on the barrel then it is most likely an early (not interchangabe) barrel. There are a few early barrels for sale and it would be a total waste of money. From sometime in 1963 up to and including currantly made 37s all the barrels are interchangable. Good luck Donald.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:20 pm
@Krag96, Is your Ithaca a featherlite? do you mind if I copy your photo and show it to the dealer I’m dealing with? @ Jim, I hear ya, my Voere was a great rifle, the wood was beautiful, I scratched it and my heart just sunk. On the way back home from deer camp I headed straight to my gunsmith and dropped it off to have it redone.
@Donald, that’s for the info on the barrels, I would have been clueless and definitely bought one if I came across one just to find out that it didn’t fit. THE WOULD HAVE SUCKED. LOL.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:15 pm
Yes, mine is an M-37 Feather Light Magnum Model, (they had a special Magnum Model before they made them all with a 3" chamber). You may use my photograph if you like. A new Feather Light will be made for 3" shells and most likely come with a barrel suitable for interchangeable chokes. The new M-37's are probably better than the older ones.

Why not call Zak Amert at Ithaca and talk to him about what you want, 1-419-294-4113. The folks at Ithaca will be more than happy to assist you with any custom features you may want on your new M-37.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:09 pm
Thanks, I have been emailing back and forth with Peggy and Joe at Ithaca, Joe and I spoke on the phone once, so far.
But I wanted to get some advice from people who use their weapons. And I made a good choice in posting here. The advice I have received from everyone is outstanding for a person like myself who has never used a shotgun for anything but home defense.
I believe I have the "Package" I want narrowed down, now its just a matter of hearing back from Joe at Ithaca, ordering the Featherlite "Package" I want, and then getting through some medical stuff so that I can get back into the fields. After that, its get my butt out to North Dakota where they are number one in Jobs and number one in Personal Freedoms.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:15 am
My Deerslayer has a smooth bore. If you go that route, try a box of several different Foster type slugs. Slug guns have favorites. No rhyme or reason to it,, but each has a definate preference. A previous LAPD riot gun loved Federal 1 oz. This one loves Federal Tru-ball 1 oz slugs. Mine will shoot 3" group at 100 yards. That is much longer than I plan to shoot but it is nice to know that you can do the job at such range.

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