Serbu Super Shorty

[John79]

Hello, I was wondering what you guys think about the Serbu Super Shorty. I'm thinking about getting one in 870, but I've heard that the fps sucks really bad because the barrel is only 6.5 inches long. What would be the average fps on say a one ounce rifled slug in a 3 inch shell or some large buckshot in a 3 inch shell. I know you can't give me an exact number, but just give me a ballpark estamate.

 

[Nolo]

I know hardly anything about it, but I know I want a Mossberg one.
I imagine that the extremely short barrel makes the velocity go wayyy down, but I can't give you numbers.

 

[Leadhead]

Maybe fire an email off towards Serbu.....I'd have to think that they have shot their gun's through a chrony at some point with various loads!

Welcome to the forum by the way

 

[Fred Fuller]

3"? Out of a SSS?

Are you asking about the velocity of the projectiles going forward, or of the gun going backwards?

lpl/nc

 

[PTK]

This is a very dear question to me. I fired a 3" 15 00 buck load out of my short shotgun around noon today. My head took the brunt of a five pound Stoeger's rib and left barrel after firing, as it recoiled out of my weak hand which was wrapped around the barrel to hold it down. Continuing to hold on with my right hand caused the recoil to push my arm up and backward, flipping the gun's rib and left barrel into my eyebrow/safety glasses. The scratch was right where my eye was, and deep.

For the record I've fired over 1,000 rounds out of this of various loads including birdshot, buckshot, slugs, minishells, and .410 loads with an adaptor. This was the second time I'd ever fired 3" shells out of it, and it was a bad judgment call.

If it weren't for the glasses, I'd be blind right now. Be safe if you end up buying a short shotgun, and use light loads to test it out with.

 

[Zoogster]

Shotgun powders are very fast burning and you don't need a very large barrel to gain most of the velocity. I seem to recall something like 6-8 inches gives you most of the velocity and the increase drops quickly after that. It will continue to increase for quite some time, but not very rapidly.

The main thing I see as a problem is you only have 2 rounds if you carry it safely, and 3 rounds if you keep one in the chamber which can be dangerous with a free floating firing pin. There is no drop safety. You gave up most of the ability to control or aim the thing. You are limited to shells that don't make the most from the power of a shotgun, so might as well be using a more rapid fire pistol, or a capable long gun.

The speed at which you can aim and accurately fire such a thing counterbalances any percieved advantage. You could fire as many grains of accurate lead from a pistol in the same number of seconds as you could fire accurate shots with that, except the pistol would actualy be more compact.

 

[Avenger29]

I think that the Super Shorty is next to worthless, but it does look very cool...

Try it before you buy it, and see if you still desire to have one. I think I would rather have a full-size shotgun- maybe SBS'ing a full-stocked 870...

 

[oletymer]

Why don't you just get a 44 or 500 magnum revolver or something in between, far more accurate and easier to shoot.

 

[John79]

Would a S&M 500 magnum with an 8 3/8 barrel pack as much of a punch? (for a charging male grizzly.)

 

[Dave McCracken]

Sorry guys, I see little use for the Serbus.

As one of the few folks here who have fired the fabled Ithaca Auto Burglar, I regard the Super Shortie as super short on utility.

Toy, yes. Tool, nope....

 

[1BLINDREF]

I went through what you are going through back in May.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=279699
I ended up buying a Mossberg 590 Special Purpose and I'm glad I did. Get a full sized short barrel shotty - either remington or Mossberg. The super shorty is definately a cool weapon - but most of the shotgun experts here will tell you they are worthless.
For the $800.00 you'll spend on the Serbu you can get a nice 590 or 870 that holds 8-9 rounds and buy a bunch of ammo instead, and it will serve your HD needs a whole lot better.

 

[oletymer]

John79, the S&W500 has 2600 ft lbs of muzzle energy which is close to a 308 or 30-06. It will get the job done.

 

[CleverNickname]

If you want a title II toy, get an SBS. The extra $195 is worth it for the ability to have the shoulder stock. PGO shotguns are stupid, whether they're title I or AOW's.

 

[GunTech]

A serbu SS is an AOW, so it's only a $5 transfer.

As far as utility, I bet there's lots of folks who own guns they like that have a similar lack of utility. What's wrong with owning a gun because it's 'cool'. You probably aren't going to use an tittle II gun fior hunting, self defense or other 'legitimate' purposes. Getting a Surbu for 'home efense' is just asking for trouble. Do you reallt want an anti-gun prosecutor telling the jury about how you used a 'sawed off shotgun'?

I have both an SMG and a SBS, and neither figures into my home defense plan unless an asteroid hits the earth and civilization collapses.

IIRC, most shotguns reach max velocity in 11-12 inches. Additional length improves pattern and 'pointability'. And of course NFA 34 set an arbitrary legal length of 18 inches

 

[renegade1alpha]

If you want a Serbu Shorty and you have the money, buy it! Nothing wrong with owning gun because it just looks cool and has no real utility purpose. I'm buying one on an 870 receiver when I have to money to do it.

As for home defense, what difference does it make? I see the point but if you use it on someone who IS IN YOUR HOME then so be it. What if you used a switchblade to stab him to death? Or a crossbow? A lawyer could say you were just being malicious when you sent a razor sharp broad head through his chest. If I LEGALLY own a Serbu shorty and someone is in my home with intent to harm me or my family and that just happens to be the gun I grab at the moment, then anti gun lawyer be damned! I will take my chances with a jury. And here in Idaho, I think I would have a pretty good chance.

On the other hand if you live in Illinois or California, you're probably screwed.

 

[Quiet]

Serbu Super Shorty are AOWs, which makes them the closest thing to a SBS in state's (such as WA and CA) that don't allow ownership of SBS.

 

[kd7nqb]

I have always wanted a Super Shorty, cant justify it in the least other than a great car gun.

 

[geologist]

These 12" coachguns have very manageable recoil despite their short barrels. This is probably due to the full size stock (which looks out of proportion with the short barrels), the soft recoil pad and the weight of the barrels and the rather chunky forearm.

I haven't one-handed it yet but will try it next time I shoot it.

The nice thing about these coachguns is that they are non-restricted meaning that we can use them anywhere shooting is legal and can hunt with them as well.

 

[Dimis]

worry not about recoil worry only about grip with the virtical grip on the SSS you should be able to fire this no problem and remember you dont fire a short pistol gripped shotgun at your cheak like a stocked shotgun no matter what lenth the barrel is you fire it from the hip just dont expect to shoot it pistol style like the punisher either HOLD ON TO IT and youll be fine
as for buying one for cool factor go for it just be realistic that in home defence it shouldnt be ur first choise for a few reasons
1. legality (lawyers getting you on the whole sawed off ploy)
2.distance (you will have to be too close for your own comfort to get a good hit that will be effective)
3.capacity (for the same price you can get a number of shotguns that hold at minimum 5+1 and a mossberg 590 holds 8+1 and costs alot less)
the Serbu Super Shorty was cut down to be a breeching tool not a combat weapon

 

[renegade1alpha]

I'm going to buy one AND buy the holster for it too! If anything its one hell of a conversation piece!

 

[RyanM]

Hm, I'm going to bump this sorta old topic to say that I've chronoed some slugs through a Mossberg 500 Serbu. In an 18.5" barrel, standard Remington 1 oz. slugs were doing 1410 fps. Through the Super-Shorty, 1140 fps. That's less than a 20% velocity loss. Reduced recoil was, coincidentally, 1140 fps through the 18.5" and 920 fps through the Serbu, once again less than 20% loss. It wasn't my chrono, though, so I only shot slugs through it.

As for practicality, reduced recoil slugs and buck kick about as much as a stiff .44 magnum load, which is easily controllable in a 4.5 pound gun with a VFG. Even one-handed, my face isn't in any danger. Actually, if you do the math, 432 gr (54 gr * 8 pellets) at 920 fps (I'm assuming the same velo as reduced recoil slugs) has the exact same recoil as 300 gr at 1325 fps, identical to Buffalo Bore .44 mag. Patterns aren't that bad either; all the pellets stay well within a standard size silhouette target at 10 yards, I'd guesstimate an 8"-10" spread (other brands might pattern tighter). Even at 920 fps, 8 pellets of 00 wouldn't exactly tickle.

The reader is free to draw their own conclusion from the above data...

Personally, I prefer an intermediate caliber rifle over any shotgun for home defense, though.

 

[Mainsail]

I wonder if the gun could be modified to shoot mini shells reliably. That set-up might make a good aircrew last resort weapon.

 

[Iansstud]

hold the phone... back it up.... wait a min...

Did you say there is such thing as a 12" barreled shotgun that is NON-restricted??? as in legal in Washington???? how the???

Please Do tell

 

[mljdeckard]

I agree that the utility is limited, but not necessarily non-existent. Probably limited enough that I don't ever see myself giving up more conventional weapons to work one into the plan.

I've been fascinated with them ever since Tubbs carried one on Vice. Think about it, loaded with 00 or #4, that's a LOT of hot lead in a very closed space. But if you had even 2-3 rounds more capacity, you would have more still. But I think it has much more offensive than defensive utility.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Ian... note that poster's location.

geologist
Member
Join Date: 02-24-07
Location: Canada
Posts: 60

lpl