Waterfowling's
Hell On Wheels
&
The Metro Gun System TM
L.P.Brezny
If your confined to a wheel chair and thinking that the world has ended because you have lost some mobility, donÕt  try to push that story off on a group of rolling wheeled gunning goose hunters dubbed ÒThe Capable PartnersÓ Organization.  I hooked up with Capable Partners over twenty years ago at Rochester Minnesota as part of a space lone on our leased land at the west end of that refuge.  Even back then the wheel chair gunners were a hardy dedicated group that withstood the tempering of the dead of winter cold, then gunned giant canada geese along side a Ò two legged walking Ò partner that was of some help at times, but for the most part just a buddy to brag to when a good clean shot was completed over the decoys. 

Now some 20 years up the road of life again I have made contact with these rolling high wheeled gunners by way of a new Ò Metro Gun TM Ó barrel / choke system that is currently going into production as an answer to elevating some of the problems we currently face with harvesting the multitudes of city and golf course geese safely, as well as other assorted targets. .   While at the same time reducing the noise associated with a shotguns muzzle blast as well. 

This story starts with an invitation from Don ÒThe Duck Man ÒHelmake who is a leading organizer of this group, as he searches out everything from urban corn fields,to parking lots as jump off points for his rolling band of goose hunters.   In effect, city councils, police organizations, and all manor of local government have assisted him in getting these hunters out and into populated areas regarding Canada geese.  Don has conducted over 250 hunts during his time with the organization.  But hard times are closing in, and even with his massive number of ground gunning contacts he is loosing fields to urban sprawl by the number. 

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Enter  the Ò Metro GunÓ TM concept

On the first hunt with Capable Partners the first prototype Ò MetroÓ  style guns were 
employed by three wheel chair gunners in grass cover blinds on a hay field deep in the 
heart of the Minneapolis Saint Paul metro corridor.  With a back drop of starter castles on the field edge ( new homes ) , a freeway only a stones throw from the area, several dozen big foot decoys stood in the field at the start of the Minnesota early Ò nuisance gooseÓ hunting season.  I have trouble with that term Ò nuisance gooseÓ being IÕm from a time when seeing a single bird require the car to be stopped, and a long gaze toward the horizon as even a single bird, which was a very spectacular sight graced any waterfowl hunters eyes.  

Because no production ammunition existed for the ultra long and very quite gunning system in 12 bore, handloads had to be developed that would send up to 1 3/ 8 oz of Hevi-Shot,  the new round ball projectiles developed by Darryl Amich Ph.D. at EnvironMetal Inc., from a 2 3 / 4Ó hull at a velocity under 900 f.p.s. ( sub sonic )   Because Hevi-Shot will retain velocity and energy longer which transfers to extended killing range with low start velocities, it was selected as the shot of choice for the first possible production loads produced for the stealth Ò Metro Gun Ò TM system being tested that day on the goose fields of metro Minnesota.

With geese in the air a group of five of Canada's closed to the decoys and calls, then up and swinging theÓ Hell On Wheels Ògunners took over sending several soft thuds of expend muzzle gasses toward the drifting gray and black targets.  Thud / slap, thud / slap, came the return sound of shot hitting feathers and three birds rolled over and dropped from the flock.

The performance returned on the field that morning by the up and coming soon to be  commercially builtÒ Metro GunÓ system was nothing I had not witness before, being geese had been routinely gunned during the 1999-2000 waterfowl season while various shotshell 
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loads in the sub sonic velocity range were tested against ducks and geese alike.  As a concept the system is not world shaking in that it amounts to a very long barrel ( seven feet 
) in several test guns, a sub sonic slow load of non-toxic Bismuth shot or other effective types, and the hunters skill to keep shots to within the 40 yard ballistic kill net or envelope.   
That final element could be tough for some hunters that just canÕt hold on until the best 
possible target attitude and range has been achieved.   

In truth, the whole idea around the Ò Metro Gun Ò TM came about from using the basic long barrel slow load concept during varmint gunning crow hunts.  Here using low energy target loads in lead shot, and shooting only the tight in decoying crows that you didnÕt want to go back to the flock and tell the tail, the silent and stealthy gun system came to life.  

After some 10 years of field use by myself and two other crow hunters the idea started to develop around bringing the silent and deadly system into use as a goose harvesting tool when noise became an issue.  Almost 11 years previous to that point in time I had developed a personal short version of the silent gun by shaving two full feet off the tube, changing the port system to a  different short barrel efficient pattern in a three foot choke tube, ( Directional Terrain Absorption Choked Porting System TM,) then started to build handloads of both Bismuth Cartridge #4 and BB shot, followed later by #2 and #4 Hevi-Shot as workable low velocity waterfowl harvesting fodder.

Pattern work indicated that the ÒMetro GunÓ TM barrel / choke system could plant 95 % or better into a 30Ó circle at 40 yards using no choke what so ever.  Yes, thatÕs not a misprint.  Because gasses were bled off using the second screw- in section chokless port system, massive choking was not a prerequisite to gain great shooting patterns.  It would seem that excess muzzle blast as in spent gas has far more of an effect on good patterns then was once thought.   Test round after test round say so at this point in time.  Also it would appear that if nothing else, the Metro Gun TM concept is giving us a totally new way of viewing how the shotgun barrel really works, and will IÕm sure in time dispel some myths about choke performance and the like.
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Commercial Metro Guns TM ?

On October 18 2001 the first Hastings built Metro Gun TM barrel arrived at my office for field and general ballistic testing.  Several had been built by Hastings barrels and their 
French ( Verny-Carron ) counterpart across the big pond.   I WonÕt say that there were not problems during testing, but thatÕs why we test and build prototypes before factory offered versions hit the store shelf's.  The first test barrel issued me for test and evaluation was outstanding in terms of workmanship and its ability to dull the sound of a shotshell while in the process of burning.  Designed around the Remington 870 receiver and a Hastings straight rifled pipe the unit housed a Hastings Choke Tube II beefed up tough system, my special porting pattern that bleeds off gas correctly so as to offer a very much reduced noise level at the time of firing, and a bit of a back bored gas burning section which houses the porting system.   However, as in all testing design changes are an outcome therefore, the final Metro Gun System TM will retain a threaded ported barrel section that threads against the primary barrel.  In this case an after market Hastings tube matched to any action type that the Hastings barrel will fit.   Some auto loaders need not apply ( A-5 Browning with recoiling barrel ) as a true Metro Gun System, using the sub sonic ammunition will not allow the action to cycle properly due to the low energy of the shotshell.  Other action types become single shots, but as gas guns can work when hand ejected and reloaded. 

At about this time Jay Menefee the top gun at Polywad Inc, brought together the first commercial 12 gauge 2 3 / 4Ó Hevi-Shot non-toxic sub sonic shotshell.  This new load in #2Õs and #1Õs at 1 3 / 8 ounce coupled with the Hastings Metro Gun TM prototype barrel were pressed to paper targets, chronograph screens, and even field work on waterfowl.  All this happened within the same week that both gun barrel and loads were delivered to me for testing.

Range work indicated that by using the Hastings Modified Choke Tube II  system on the 
gas burning section of the Metro Gun TM barrel, I was able to plant Hevi-Shot patterns that ran under seven pellets out of a 30Ó circle at 40 yards, with most shot falling into the inner 
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20Ó core to the indicated range.  With a muzzle velocity of 846 f.p.s as applied to #2Õs ( sub sonic )  the Polywad load would reach its target which is designed to work to perfection 
at 40 yards or less hitting home with 600 f.p.s. in velocity remaining.  Good enough to generate 4.3 ft lbs of penetrating energy which is why those first loads as applied to the 
guns of Hell On Wheels gunners cleared the sky so cleanly and quickly.  Keeping in mind that I had been shooting Hevi-Shot previously in terms of both waterfowl and heavy varmint loads ( coyotes and fox ) I knew full well the potential this new shot type had to offer in terms of being slowed down and still retain a solid killing ballistic foot print in the field. 

Hastings Commercial Solution 
Metro Gun System TM

After running several prototypes the final system to cross my 4X4 end gate was the two piece section model in a Hastings 24Ó vent rib barrel that retained a straight rifled bore, Hastings Choke Tube II anti freeze thread system, followed by the second ported and slightly back bored Metro Gun TM  extended choke system   Take out the choke tube from the primary barrel and thread in the Metro Gun System TM ported choke section that is about three feet in length, and you have a very high performance quite shooting gunning system that wonÕt drive the local bunny hugger into action when you take on those mallards down the road from his or her back yard nest of furry friends.

If anything is to change regarding design as applied to current testing it is the fact that IÕm lobbying for Hastings to offer the system in a Rem choke configuration so as to be able to apply the Metro Guns three foot ported choke section to a stock Remington 870 Wingmaster, S.P., or Express pump guns.  This added element of the project is also moving toward a positive conclusion.  Remington is very likely to be included by offering the Metro Gun three foot choke section as applied to Rem choke thread patterns as found on all Remington shotguns, or after market barrels.       

Currently the Metro Gun System TM  has been field tested extensively by this writer as a 
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Hastings factory production gunning system by way of local Canada geese, ducks and even called fox.  The results have been nothing short of outstanding in every game 
harvesting situation just as long as the hunter keeps range in mind and tries to stay within a very effective 40 yard envelope of ballistic performance.
If you want to up gun the system just make a switch in ammunition to full house, or even remove the extended Metro Gun TM choke section, and after screwing down a choke in the primary barrel resume shooting with standard loads to normal game harvesting ranges. 

At some point during early 2002, the Metro Gun Hastings choke extensions will be available at outlets that sell Hastings barrels and chokes.  Shooters that want a complete Hastings barrel and extended Metro Gun choke system will be able to buy the complete unit as a package, ( 25Ó barrel and Metro Gun choke extension, while those that already own Hastings barrels need only obtain the second three foot choke section to be up and running as a sub sonic Metro Gun System TM .  Remington barrel thread pattern Metro Gun choke sections will follow as production gets up and running in full forward gear.   

Currently Winchester offers their 12 gauge Double A light clay target loads that meet the sub sonic requirement , as does B&P with their Sub Sound 12 gauge target loads.  At this time several options are being considered in the non-toxic department as commercial loads for the Metro Gun System TM , however none are set in stone as demonstrations are currently under way with some major ammunition manufactures and component suppliers.  In general, any down loading of an existing shotshell by handloading can produce the desired results as in a sub sonic metro gun load regardless of shot type.  I have cut back Bismuth, Hevi-Shot, lead and steel shot loads thereby gaining a muzzle exit velocity of under 900 f.p.s. and a subsequent very quiet and deadly short range over decoy system. To accomplish this you will need access to a chronograph being you donÕt want the load moving to slow , and the use of an observer some distance away making note of the noise level your loads are giving off.  Also using a common phone book ( new condition ) and shooting at 40 yards, if your pellets penetrate at least 300 pages as applied to a test load  ( handloaded ) your in high cotton as far as a workable over decoy game load.   ItÕs an old 
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system I used long before the modern chronograph and it has never let me down even today.  
 
In general I have found about four grain reduction in powder starts to get a  handload into     
the working ball park, with Alliant Steel being a good start in Hevi-Shot or steel shot, and Unique in the Bismuth shot department.   Reduced 2 3 / 4Ó clay target loads using Winchester WST at reduced grain weights is also an outstanding performer because the WST powder burns quickly and produces little if any muzzle blast upon exiting the muzzle.

At this point the science of working at sub sonic levels in a Ò Stealth Ò type mode is almost still on the drawing board.  However, independently I have been using the system in the field and over clay birds for the past 14 years successfully.  Only now do we have the Hastings super effective factory designed system to make use of the sub sonic low sound emission type systems as a general use sporting tool.

The Metro Gun System TM is designed and manufactured from the very best barrel steel available on the world market today.    Manufacturing methods used are not only state of the art, but manufacturing is carried a full step into the custom line of shotgun pipes by Hastings and their French shotgun building counterpart Verney-Carron.  The French company is using one of their very thin but strong walled over and under barrels as a tube blank when building the Metro Gun System TM.   This makes for a very light weight, straight accurate shoot to point tube / choke configuration that is upper class in every respect regarding manufacturing techniques.  You could say the Metro Gun System TM is the state of barrel making art and a true blue blood system of sorts.      

As to the price of the system according to my most recent conversation with Hastings the Metro Gun TM extension ( 3 ft ported choke section )  will cost $. 179.00  , while a full 24Ó Hastings barrel that can adapt to your shotgun will run  $ 214.00  The total package with Hastings barrel and Metro Gun extension will set you back $.393.00  + tax. ( Price subject to change )     Remember, if you now own a Hastings barrel that accepts that Choke Tube 
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II Hastings system, all you need buy is the 3 ft extension ( Metro Gum System TM . )  Watch for Metro Gun System ads and web site listed under Metro Gun.   To order a complete system or just the Metro Gun extention contact Metro Gun Systems TM P.O.Box 120758 New Brighton, MN 55112. PH# 651-633-3161.  

Also as a side note, attention card or turkey competitive shooters.   The Metro Gun System TM is currently being tested as a very likely card shooting system in that the barrel is designed as an ultra long, and very effective super tight pattern control system.  Card and turkey competitive shooters search for as long a barrel as possible for these events.