Back when I was still an active outdoor writer, I got to tour the Federal plant in the Twin Cities. At that time V-C was making the "Metro" barrels for Hastings and Federal was making the sub-sonic loads to go with them. An interesting project. Another outdoor writer who lived in the Cities regularly hunted waterfowl just outside city limits. He was perfectly legal, but neighbors disturbed by the gunfire would call the cops. Can't recall his name. He was the guy who came up with the Metro barrel concept. They were at least 3 feet long, and screwed into your regular barrel. We got to shoot some targets with them. It was like sticking a long but very light broom handle into the end of your shotgun. With Federal's Metro loads, the resulting sound was about like a .22. Even though the barrel didn't add that much weight to the gun, getting used to swinging it at a crossing bird would require some getting used to.
