Always had a question on Sabot Slugs

[tmette]

Ok, I went deer hunting for the first time in my life this year, and I accidentally bought some Sabot Slugs, which I was told not to use in my type of barrel. My barrel I think is a "smooth-bore" barrel? Does that sound right? I have a rifled choke at the end of it, the barrel has no rifling whatsoever. I heard that you want a fully rifled barrel to shoot sabot slugs. My question is will it be okay to shoot a sabot slug out of my shotgun becuase don't they give greater accuracy at longer distances because the slug itself is rifled? Thanks for clearing this up!

 

[scout26]

Sabots = Rifled Barrel (and/or a rifled choke will work also)
Forster Slugs = Smooth Bore (use a Cylinder, Improved Cylinderor a Modifed choke, as a good rule of the thumb, the more open the choke the tighter the group(s).

Buy a bunch of different flavors, some targets and find out which brand your gun prefers. (shoots the tightest group at the approx range you "normally" shoot deer at in your area.

 

[Jeff F]

I shoot sabots out of an 870 smooth bore with a rifled choke tube. They work fine and and are plenty accurate at 100 yards and maybe a little further. I try to keep my shots under 100 yards.

 

[Orr89rocz]

the fastest sabot slugs on the market now tend to like fully rifled barrels...even custom barrels with faster twist rates than what most factories offer. a rifled choke tube will help stabilize the sabot but the fast sabots i'm not sure about

you'll have to shoot the gun with different loads and see which one works the best and gives good accuracy and bullet flight.