OT - Slug Barrels

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bigbuck
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OT - Slug Barrels

Post by bigbuck »

Hi everyone.
In your opinion what is better rifled slug barrels or smooth bore slug barrels?
Can you shot buck shot (OO Buck) out of rifled slug barrels?
Rich
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Rich »

No, you cannot shoot buck shot out of a rifled slug barrel. If you are looking for a dual purpose gun, a smooth bore with a rifled choke would suit you fine, that way you can switch chokes and use either slugs or OO. The only drawback is if you wish to scope the gun, you would need to remove the scope when using it as a scattergun. I have a dedicated 870 with a rifled barrel and cantilever scope mount, I would go this route if I had to do it again.

Rich
Woody Williams
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Woody Williams »

I agree with Rich.

One gun and several barrels.

My 870 has a turkey barrel and a rifled sliug barrel. Both have cantilevers scope mounts and the scopes come off with the barrels. Never loses zero that way.

Image

Good luck..
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dutchhunter
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by dutchhunter »

yes you can shot the odd load of buck thru a rifled barrel it will not hurt anything .you would not want to do it all the time as lead could build up and fill the grouves but it will clean out with out to much problem .a good shotgun combo will go a long way today a lot have three barrels .i have a two barrel combo that i really like 24inch turkey barel and a fully rifled cantaleve barrel for slugs ..mossy 535 DUTCH
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Boo
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Boo »

Rifled barrels will give you a potential for 200 yd+ shots on deer. Buck shot in rifled barrels will not yield tight patterns that are necessary for a good clean kill. Use plated and buffered buck shot. I like many will not use buck shot but that's another can of worms. :shock:
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Phoenix_Tom
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Phoenix_Tom »

Sabots out of a rifled barrel are my preferred way to go. But you need to research and test lots of different sabots to find which rounds give you the best groupings. Before getting my Mossy 535 Deer / Turkey / Duck combo, if I was going to be hunting in the thick stuff, I used to sometimes use a smooth bore shotgun loaded with slug and 00 buck. It gives you pretty good versatility but it just can't compete for the range of the sabot as Boo was saying.

Can you use 00 Buck out of a rifled barrel? Like Dutch said, yes you can but why would you want to? If it's because you are like some of my buddies and want the option to shoot small game while deer hunting simply by loading some birdshot, then the smooth bore is your better option. You can shoot rifled slug, 00 Buck, and small game and not change a thing except for the ammo.

Dutch: I found the Remington Accutip sabots to be the best out of my Mossy 535. How about you?
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Limbs and Sticks
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Limbs and Sticks »

Shooting oo buck out of a rifled barrel sure will change the shape of the shot, it won't be round any more, for a slug gun a Savage 220f 20gage and hastings laser accurate sabot slugs is hard to beat at 200plus yards.

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Horizontal Hunter
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Horizontal Hunter »

Big Buck,

Lots of good advice already given here. Your decision will be based on the type of deer hunting you do. I hunt with a smooth bore and rifled slugs as all of my shots are under 75 yards. If you are going to hunt a lot of fields and will be looking to take deer at longer ranges then the rifled barrel is the way to go. The smooth bore barrel is lighter than a rifled barrel and the rifled slugs for the smooth bore are far cheaper than the sabots.

There are some articles here that might interest you:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/

Bob
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by dutchhunter »

i raly lime the brenneke sabots .thy are not A TRUE sabot but ride the rifleing like the new black powder bullets .thy are clled GOLD and say for rifled barrels righ on the box .thy are a very good slug DUTCH
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Hazmat
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Hazmat »

I purchased a Winchester SX3 rifled barrel shotgun last year and can now shoot a deer at 200 yards with confidence! You can purchase rifled sabot rounds in both 2 3/4 and 3 inch but I find no need for the 3 inch as the 2 3/4 are more than enough to get the job done and easier on the shoulder. The only down side for me is when tracking I used to load OO Buck shot for any deer that popped up in the bush.
I personally would not load Buckshot in a rifled barrel!
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KBW
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by KBW »

Woody Williams wrote:I agree with Rich.

One gun and several barrels.

My 870 has a turkey barrel and a rifled sliug barrel. Both have cantilevers scope mounts and the scopes come off with the barrels. Never loses zero that way.

Image

Good luck..
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RyanB
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by RyanB »

I have been using my Rem 870 (Deer/turkey combo) now since 2006 and have not looked back since. I practice quite a bit in the off season (ground hogs and target) and put aprox 5 boxes thru in the off season. Come deer season I know its bang on and good to go. When I first got it I picked up a box of every sabot style I could get and only had luck with the Remington Core-lokt's. The first two seasons I was shooting a red-dot and landed up dropping a nice doe at 176 yards. In 2008 I swaped the red-dot out for a Leupold shotgun-muzzel loader scope and am thrilled with it. I practice out to 300 yards with it and can group a box of slugs in a 6" pie plate. I won't shoot in the field this far but I know its dead on. To date with it I have never had a shot under 140 yards and the furthest was 245yards (laying prone in a cut bean field and using my range finder).

If you hunt like I do (only stand hunting and ground blinds) you will have good luck, for driving deer though nothing beats a smooth bore and buck shot or a fifled slug and a single bead.

Good luck with what ever you go with...Ryan
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by crazyfarmer »

if you want a slug gun, get one.. dont sub a shotgun for a slug gun:-P Kidding guys;)

I have a H&R single shot ultra slug gun. I also only shoot 20g slug guns since its just like shooting 150grains of blackpowder and a 260grain sabot. The 12g slugs hit like a train, but they drop off fast! The 20g is like shooting a rifle:)

You can pick up the H&R single shot 20g slug guns for roughly 229-279bucks which is cheaper than just the barrel for most guns;)
RyanB
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by RyanB »

crazyfarmer wrote:if you want a slug gun, get one.. dont sub a shotgun for a slug gun:-P Kidding guys;)

I have a H&R single shot ultra slug gun. I also only shoot 20g slug guns since its just like shooting 150grains of blackpowder and a 260grain sabot. The 12g slugs hit like a train, but they drop off fast! The 20g is like shooting a rifle:)

You can pick up the H&R single shot 20g slug guns for roughly 229-279bucks which is cheaper than just the barrel for most guns;)

I was going to mention the H&R yesterday...great slug gun for an even better price!!! One thing I really like about it is that because the barrel and action always stay together (not possible to change barrels) its even that much better for staying true. They are also fairly heavy which helps in the hick, put a good pad on it and it will be even better.

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Limbs and Sticks
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Re: OT - Slug Barrels

Post by Limbs and Sticks »

Any slug gun, break open or bolt action is going to be more accurate than interchangable barrels, I've had 1100, and 870 barrels pinned to keep them stable, after that the sabot's come into play, different sabots for different barrels, I've already said what works the best for me, And I've burn alot of lead and powder to be satisfied.


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