DuckSouth.com

I'm looking for a Browning Gold barrel to cut down and make into a turkey barrel. Doesn't matter what the length is since I am cutting it down. Doesn't mater if camo or blued. It does, however, need to be for a 3.5 inch gun. Thanks.

What is your optimum 'turkey barrel' configuration?

I like a really short barrel. Less weight and much easier to work with for turkey hunting, at least for me. I have a barrel for my 870 that Richey in Pontotoc made me 20 years ago. It started life as a 20 inch smooth bore slug barrel with a rifle choke. He polished out the forcing cone and put one of his turkey chokes in it. I have always wanted to do the same with my Gold if I can find a used barrel somewhere. Midwest Gun has a 24 inch turkey barrel for the Gold Hunter but they want $490. If I can't find a used Gold Barrel that I can get worked on by Richey I'll just keep shooting the 870 with the barrel he made. At 30 yards it shoots a grapefruit size pattern that doesn't spread out much at 40. I have shot turkeys with it and it has nearly taken a head off a time or two. I used the rifle sites that came on the barrel for a long time until my eyes started showing their age. Now I use a red dot.

If you cut a barrel off in the 'bore' as opposed to the 'taper', will that allow enough metal to thread for a screw-in choke?

I can't say a definite yes but I have had it done before with a gun I had in the 80's and with the Remington barrel I have now. That does bring up a question I need to ask the gunsmith. Can all barrel be cut down and threaded or is it only certain barrels and more particular can I do it with a Browning Gold barrel.

Scored a Browning 3 1/2 inch barrel that has been cut down to 20 inches off Ebay. Shipping and all was $86.00. Much better than the $400 and $500 figures I was seeing for a brand new Gold 3 1/2 barrel. Local gunsmith says the barrels thick enough to thread.