Anyone have any experience shooting slugs out of a smooth bore shotgun? What would you say your ethical maximum range would be. Any suggestions on which 2&3/4" shells to use for pigs?
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My experience with shooting slugs from a smooth bore, modified choke barrel is old, but valid. Despite being smooth bored, my own experience is that accuracy and range is somewhat dependent on the brand and type of slugs you will shoot from the shotgun. In my case, Federal slugs shot amazingly well from my Mossberg 500 shotgun. I remember sighting it in one year at an old dump and painting a softball sized circle on the side of an old refrigerator. I was shooting from about 50 - 60 yards away and the hit the spot with my first two shots. On the third shot, the door of the fridge came flying off and cartwheeled down range. Wow! To me, a softball sized 3 shot group at that range was plenty good enough for me. I've never shot an animal with a slug, but that might change this deer season. With the new high tech slugs with tapered waist and fins, etc., it might be very interesting. I still have a pretty good supply of the old Federal slugs that I'll break out and use - though I might try them out on hogs first.
Good luck,
Dave -
I live in Illinois so I have hunted with shotgun slugs all my life. Smooth bore slugs are lethal for well over one hundred yards but the problem of course is getting them to hit where you are aiming. If you have a scoped smooth bore gun you may possible get the accuracy you need out to 80 or so yes but over that it's just a guessing game. Open sights, depending on the sights themselves about 60 yards.Comment
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Used to hog hunt with a shotgun and slugs. Like you would with buckshot, a turkey load, or birdshot, make sure you shoot your shotgun with whatever slug you plan on using and find its accuracy at given distance. It carries enough energy, but if it won't hit what you're aiming at, it won't matter.Comment
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Aren't there special designed slugs made these days that are made for shooting from smooth bore guns? I've never messed with shooting slugs but want to say I recall something about this from a commercial or skimming over ammo in a catalog. Or maybe I'm just thinking about something elseComment
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ive seen slugs with a rifled sabbot around itComment
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For years I used Winchester slugs. Then I bought a H&R ultra slugger in 20ga with hornady slug designed for this set up. I shoot deer in Illinois out to 150 yards. At 100 yards I can get a 2 to 2 1/2” group all dayComment
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This is spot on for the most part. And I'll back him up with this: I've been hunting with them since the late 1970s. For smooth bores, I've had great success with just plain old Remington Sluggers. They are cheap and work well with most smooth bores. There are exceptions that some barrels will like others better. But starting out with an untested barrel, that is what I'd start with. Your choke can play a big difference in how things group as well. Regardless of what choke you choose, get out and shoot the thing to save your self some headache from tracking a wounded animal, or a miss. And learn what the accuracy potential is for you with your firearm. Shooting beyond 50 yards with a beaded sight and rest is really chancing it for the most part. It can be done. But it usually takes lots of practice and experience shooting them. And we're talking about a 72 caliber (12ga) here don't forget. Some people build a flinch into their shooting habits because of the recoil. The thought of recoil should never enter your head when you raise your arm to fire a shot. If it dose, you need to down size or find another weapon. Because it can cost you a shot or wounded game in the long run.Originally posted by HighCountry View PostComment
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For years we hunted with them. With my 870 and 20” smoothbore I had lots of luck with Winchester 2 3/4”. 3” just gave me more boom and less accuracy. I have real good accuracy out to 75 yards but I have killed a couple deer a little over 100 yards. If you can get a hold of Breneke 3” black magics I had good results with them also. They do have more recoil.Comment
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You just have to try a few choke slug combos. The Rem slugs and mod choke make one hole for me at 25 and 50 yards. At 75 yards they are inside 3/4” and about the same at 100. 100 yards is as far as I bother shooting with it.
I specifically went with this setup to keep things cheap.
I did try sabots with a rifled choke and they are actually less accurate.Last edited by Voodoo; 03-16-2018, 06:24 PM.Comment
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Yep ..... Smooth bore you need to shoot rifled slugs. Rifled slug barrel shoots smooth slugs.Originally posted by BBReezen View PostComment
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been a long time since i have shot them but winchester forster ( hollow base slugs) performed extremely well,, dad and i both had full choke ithaca model 37' s in 16 gauge and i also had a 12 ga,,, all of them would shoot less than 7" at 125 yards as long as we could shoot them,( no scopes, 28"and 30" barrels only the standard raybar front sight),,, i have never fired a sabot slug yet,,, i have no reason too..... however neither of the 16 ga would shoot worth a darn with buck shot at 30 yardsComment
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I have used these before from Brenneke and had good luck with them. Its been a while since I shot them but remember them being very accurate for shotgun slugs from a smooth bore. Shot a doe with one at 80 yrds.
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I agree on the Brenneke Slugs. Very lethal and accurate out of smooth bores.Originally posted by brrdnk View Post
All of my slug deer kills have all been close, under 50yds.
My oldest son shoots a Mossberg 500 20ga with a rifled barrel. Winchester Platinum sabot slugs. Almost MOA....ALMOST I said
Almost rifle accuracy.
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