Slugs in a smoothbore?

[DonP]

OK guys. Time to put my ignorance on display.

(According to the wife, I get a lot of practice at that.)

I don't do much shotgun shooting. Occasional trap at a local club, but that's about it. Mostly I wind up shooting my WW II C&R collection.

I have a 12 Ga. Browning BPS pump gun and a 12 Ga. SxS for fun (if I ever get into Cowboy Action Shooting).

Do I really need a rifled barrel to shoot slugs or just a specific specialized type of slug for a smoothbore? (Hard to find a rifled barrel and $$$ for the Browning anyway)

If you can use a smoothbore, what do you do about sights if you use it to go after deer or other game?

Thanks for any replies.

[tuna]

No need of a rifled barrel, or special sights within reasonable range.
I use the Remington Slugster slugs - cheapest that I can find, and get about 4 inch groups at 50 yards using just the bead for a sight. If I throw a scope on it, I can get a little better.
The rifled barrel and super slugs would probably get you out a little more, but you should be okay with smoothbore.

[1911 guy]

I can remember explaining this to someone last year and the look I got. If the box of slugs says "Rifled Slug" it's made to use in a smoothbore. The slug has vanes molded into it that will make it spin and stabilize (kinda). Sabot slugs and the like are made to shoot from a rifled barrel. There are some new variations on slugs in the last couple years, so ask questions about particular brands when you buy.

[Vern Humphrey]

Do I really need a rifled barrel to shoot slugs or just a specific specialized type of slug for a smoothbore? (Hard to find a rifled barrel and $$$ for the Browning anyway)

If you can use a smoothbore, what do you do about sights if you use it to go after deer or other game?


No, you don't need a rifled barrel to shoot slugs -- but remember there are slugs and sabot rounds designed specfically for rifled barrels these days. What you want are Forster-style slugs (big, hollow-based slugs), Brenekes or similar slugs designed for smoothbore barrels.

You can shoot well enough with just the bead sight out to about 50 yards. I've taken many a deer that way with my Ithaca Model 37.

[JamisJockey]

This is exactly what I came up against last year, when I purchased a 22" bbl for my Winny 1300. I got some keyholing, but moslty decent offhand groups with rifled slugs and open rifle sights. Although its a little lengthy, my Winny is now a very good social worker....

[charby]

I have a killed lot of deer, coyotes and raccons with a smooth bore and bead and rifled slugs. If you are just wanting to hunt deer once a year or abuse your shoulder from time to time, don't worry about getting a rifled barrel or shooting the expensive sabot slugs.

Charby