slugs?

[express]

Is it bad to shoot rifled slugs in a rifled slug barrell? First year with a slug barrel, have always used smooth bore before. Just curious, seems as if most rifled slugs seem to be cheaper. If anybody knows of cheaper sabots to try out at the range please let me know.

[Tippman]

From what I know a rifled slug will shoot about like a smoothbore out of a rifled barrel.

You really aren't utilizing what your barrel can do for you though if you don't shoot sabots, unless you shoot at close ranges only which it won't matter. Sabots are around $12 a box now and well worth the extra accuracy and range in my book. I just had a 2.5 inch group the other day shooting Hornady SST's at 100 yrds, can't beat that with a slug gun.

[candiru]

Shooting rifled slugs can lead to lead-fouling in the rifling of the barrel. I have had good luck with the Remington Buckhammers. They shot real well for me and cost a little less than some of the sabots.

[jigging-matt]

I will second the buckhammers. Have had very good luck with them. reasonably priced and accurate.

[TrophyEyes]

If you have a rifled slug barrel try the Hornady SST's

[96trigger]

Brenneke makes a very reasonably priced rifled slug. I used to use them when I was too cheap to spring for the upper end stuff. They are very accurate out to 50 yards, but drop more at 75 and 100. If you are using open sights, they are just fine.

[hhguide]

I shoot remington sabots nothing better than. Dont shoot rifled slugs out of that barrel it will mess with spin I think.

[icehousebob]

Slug guns are individuals. Two with consecutive serial numbers can prefer different ammo. When I got my Ithaca Deerslayer II, I bought four different brands of Sabots and the Federals worked best in it. The others didn't do too bad, but the point of aim could change a lot between brands.

As for the cost, if you spend a lot on your gun, license, hunting trip, etc., don't scrimp on the ammo to save a few bucks.

[96trigger]

I agree with IHBob, I know that almost all the major brands have lower priced sabots, but they aren't high performance, polymer tipped, etc...

It can cost you a good chunk to get the brand that fits, but after that, if you buy 2 boxes a year, it will probably be all you need. However, I still have a hard time spending $15-20 on 5 shells. I'll stick with the Hornady's they are around $10 a box.

[Walleye Guy]

While the price of slugs is getting pretty expensive I would point you to the ones that shoot the best in your gun no matter what the price of the slug. When you consider all the factors and costs in hunting, ammo is generally a fairly small costs.

You owe it to yourself and the deer to shoot ammo that performs well in your gun.

[fishnhuntnboy]

This is my first year shooting slugs without a rifled barrel. Which size choke do you use when using a smooth bore for slugs? Also any recommendations on what rifled slugs are good?

[96trigger]

Cylinder or Improved Cylinder, is what is generally recommended. I would get a couple boxes and see what shoots the best. My recommendations to try. Brenneke's, Federal Tru-Ball, Winchester, and Remington. Buy a box of each, and see which shoot the best. Get a bench if you can or your shoulder will get sore and your pattern will be off.

[riverrat56]

I have a Modified choke im my 870 for slug season, and it really shoots the cheap Federal Classic Rifled Slugs well, to the tune of a 2.5" 3 shot group at 50 yds. I wouldn't recommend going any tighter than Mod. and I to have always heard Improved Cyl and Cyl are best, but see what works best for you.

[96trigger]

My brother shoots a full out of his SX2, its what he gets the tightest pattern with. We will see if he'll be able to get the choke out after the season. HaHa.

[fishnhuntnboy]

by cyinder is that with no choke at all?

[96trigger]

Quote:

by cyinder is that with no choke at all?

Only if you want to ruin the threads on your barrel and have a permanant cylider shotgun. Some guns come with a Cylinder choke.

[fishnhuntnboy]

Thanks for cleaning that one up for me. That would have been bad if i did that!

[riverrat56]

I got to thinking last night, maybe variences from brand to brand in acctual slug diameter can cause one gun/choke/slug combination to work better? This would explain (partly) why a gun can group 1 brand of rifled slugs well with a Mod. choke and another brand egually well but only if you switch out to Improved Cyl.

This is acctually the case with my gun, it shoots Federal Classics well through the Mod. and Remington Sluggers well through Imp. Cyl, but since the Mod. is in most of the year (except Turkey season...) I stuck with what worked for that.

Any thoughts? I checked out a few Ammo manufactures websites and found nothing dealing with acctual slug diameters.

[JustLOVEit]

DO NOT SHOOT ANY SLUGS BUT SABOT THROUGH A FULLY-RIFLED BARREL.

All regular slugs with grooves on the bullet is made only for smooth barrel shotguns. Sabot with smooth bullets are made for Fully-Rifled barrels (a ready have the spinal grooves inside the barrel).

Shooting a regular slug bullet through a Full-rifled barrel will grind and strip a way the spinal grooves inside the barrel. Leaving lead deposit and debrids.

I've seen one result where the end of a slug barrel crack because they where shooting slug bullets through a fully-rifled barrel.