SLUG CHOICE

[mbecnel]

I have a Mossberg 20ga bantam (rifled barrel) with scope set up for my 9 year old to deer hunt with and I was surfing for slug recommendations and ran across this post on another forum.

If you have a rifled barrel do NOT shoot rifled slugs through it. I believe that the slug twists opposite of the rifling (I think, I could be wrong). Anyway, there was a guy who came into the gun shop the other day who had shot a rifled through a rifled. Two shots and the bore was destroyed.

Rifled slugs can only be shot in smoothbores.

Saboted can be shot in either, but are designed for rifled barrels.

Smooth bores: shoot any type you want to.
Rifled bores: sabot slugs only.

So which type to use...................RIFLED OR SABOT

[jjas]

Conventional wisdom says.....

For a smooth bore barrel you would use rifled/foster slugs.  You can shoot sabots in a smooth bore but without the rifling to spin them it's a waste of money.

For a rifled barrel you want to stick with saboted ammo (as rifled/foster slugs will lead the barrel). 

Now here's where it gets a little more confusing....

According to Brenneke you can use their slugs w/attached wads in either smooth bore, rifled choke tubes or fully rifled barrels.  Fiocchi says the same thing.

Hope this helps to end the confusion......

FWIW, I used to own a Mossberg 20 gauge w/rifled barrel that shot lightfields and Remington copper solids pretty well and both perform well on game.  Remington is bringing out their Accutip slug in 20 gauge this year and I've heard from many guys that the 12 gauge version performed in most guns very well, so hopefully the 20 will too. 

Only range time and different ammo will tell you what works best for your gun.

Best of luck,

Jim

[spruce]

Makes no sense to me that a soft lead slug could "destroy" a rifled steel barrel in two shots (or 200 shots)!

Probably would leave behind some leading, but that would cause no permanent damage.

[encore4me]

 I just got a new Browning BPS slug gun. I put a Leupold scope on it and used the rifled slugs to get it on paper to save some money. I have not had any problems with accuracy after using them first.


Matt

[jjas]

Makes no sense to me that a soft lead slug could "destroy" a rifled steel barrel in two shots (or 200 shots)!

Probably would leave behind some leading, but that would cause no permanent damage.

I agree completely.  Cleaning it out may be a pain in the rear, but I can't see how any permanent damage could occur.

Jim

[Couger]

I have a Mossberg 20ga bantam (rifled barrel) with scope set up for my 9 year old to deer hunt with and I was surfing for slug recommendations and ran across this post on another forum.

If you have a rifled barrel do NOT shoot rifled slugs through it. I believe that the slug twists opposite of the rifling (I think, I could be wrong). Anyway, there was a guy who came into the gun shop the other day who had shot a rifled through a rifled. Two shots and the bore was destroyed.

Rifled slugs can only be shot in smoothbores.  Saboted can be shot in either, but are designed for rifled barrels.

Smooth bores: shoot any type you want to.  Rifled bores: sabot slugs only.  So which type to use...................RIFLED OR SABOT?

"CONVENTIONAL WISDOM" be dammed.  If you want to think outseide of the "conventional box," no conventional-police will come calling!

Mbecnel, the lead that any slugs are made of IS softer than the steel of any shotgun bore and will not hurt that barrel.

Also, buy what slugs you think you want to shoot a deer with and test them!  If they shoot well -- or bad, you will have your answer.

Remington offers a managed recoil 2 3/4in BuckHammer that might serve your purpose, but I think that 7/8oz slug would still pound a 9yo.  Remington also offers two 2 3/4in Slugger loads (and one 3in Slugger load).  One 2 3/4in Slugger is their standard 5/8 ounce load, the 2nd one is their high-velocity 1/2 ounce loading.  Twas me I'd buy 10rds of the 5/8 Slugger and see how they print on paper.  If they shoot well - then stick with them.  Or then try the high-vel half-ounce Sluggers for comparison.

Test and use what works for you Mbecnel!!

MY BAD!:  Everthing I said above is about Remington 20ga loads.  Remington offers three 20 gauge Buckhammer loads, and three 20 gauge Slugger loads.  You can see them all at the Remington.com site, and MidwayUSA.com when Midway has them in stock.  Personally in a 20 gauge I'd stick with 2 3/4in stuff.

[hunt-m-up]

I've shot plenty of "conventional" Foster type rifled slugs through rifled barrels(Mossberg,Hastings,Rem) and rifled choke tubes(Browning,Rem) and never experienced any problems and frankly very little of the mysterious leading that seems to crop up regarding this subject.
The saboted slugs might have an advantage at longer ranges, but you probably don't want your kid shooting that far anyway. I always preferred,and my guns did, Winchester slugs. It's a lot cheaper to test loads with the rifled slugs and find the best combination.
Good Luck

[SHOOTALL]

Sounds like another self proclaimed gun shop guru !
I will say a dirty slug bbl will effect group size in a big way . I have yet to have a rifled bbl or tube that didn't foul . The plastic sabots leave fouling that destorys accy. So if you sight in with any slug clean the bbl before moving on to better slugs .

[hunt-m-up]

Sounds like another self proclaimed gun shop guru !
I will say a dirty slug bbl will effect group size in a big way . I have yet to have a rifled bbl or tube that didn't foul . The plastic sabots leave fouling that destorys accy. So if you sight in with any slug clean the bbl before moving on to better slugs .

Didn't say NEVER clean your slug barrel, just said the "leading" crapola was overblown and that's exactly what it is. That's a bunch of crap that has been so overplayed to sell expensive slugs. I don't have time to spend in gun shops when I could be shooting or doing something more constructive. I don't talk about guns I've not had experience with. No, I haven't owned every slug gun known to man, but had 870, 500, 835, Browning B80, BPS all shooting slugs. I quit slug hunting altogether a few years ago because I would rather muzzloader hunt and got tired of the running shots common with party hunting. Also got sick of guys running them with vehicles, shooting from roads, and every idiot who hunts once a year coming out to let off steam.
Thanks,

[SHOOTALL]

 I do slug hunt and have done so since the 70's . Have use Hastings , remington , browning , savage , winchester and some i can't remember . I have used rifled tubes from remington . And to a gun a badly fouled bbl won't shoot anywhere near what it will clean . I find the same true of a ML . Which make sence as both have shallow rifling . BTW i shoot a mid priced slug and do just fine !

[hunt-m-up]

Agreed on the badly fouled barrels not being accurate. I didn't want the OP buying into the sales pitches and rumours used to sell high dollar sabots, when he can kill deer real dead with plain old rifled slugs from that rifled brl.
That 500 will be a nice deer slayer. I had an 835 w/rifled brl that shot so well I didn't scope it. I also had one of those rifled tubes in a short brl'd 870 Wingmaster that was the most accurate of all of them, never would have guessed that from just a choke tube.
I run a Windex patch, followed by dry or 2 thru my muzzleloaders between shots when sighting. I have had luck though with a slight fouling in my mzldr by popping off a primer prior to loading.
Thanks,