Effective range of slugs from a smoothbore?

[Mags]

I did some searching through the forum and was not able to see any threads related to the effective range of slugs out of a smoothbore shotgun.

I did see almost everyone was sighting their smoothbores in at 50 yards with slugs.

So what is the average effective range of 1 oz slugs from a 20 inch smooth bore barrel?

 

[Jason_W]

I think answers will vary depending on individual gun/load combos. Most slugs pack enough snot to be lethal over 100 yards, but accuracy becomes the issue out that far.

I would venture that a smoothbore with decent sights and a cyclinder choke should be able to be minute of vital zone accurate out to 75 yards, at least with some makes of slug load.

This is actually a project I have planned for my website once I can get the money to fund it.

 

[Ratdog68]

Winchester 1200 Police smooth bore 18" 3" magnum... standing, offhand, no sling... dumped a pair of slugs (back to back) into a yellow pages phone book at 100yds. Works yer moi.

 

[Floppy_D]

So what is the average effective range of 1 oz slugs from a 20 inch smooth bore barrel?

You knew this was coming, but it depends on the gun and the slug. For my 1100 with a 20" iron-sight barrel, Buckhammers produce a pretty consistent pie-plate or better group at 100 yds. I would say that just about any 20" barrel is good for 100yds when you find the right slug for it.

 

[Mags]

Thanks Floppy, being a metallic reloader I know all too well that each gun reacts differently to ammo changes. So I guess I need to get me a few different flavors of slugs and see what my gun likes.

Do you guys still reccomend the 50 yard zero for 100 yard shooting?

 

[BADUNAME37]

I would say between 50 and 100 yards to be on the safe side.

 

[Steve C]

Effective range = can hit what you aim at. Thus it depends upon the person shooting the gun and how well the particular gun works with the particular slug shot out of it. For most shooters that would be 100 yds or less.

Lethal range = how far the round will still kill or injure. With a typical 1 oz slug traveling at 1,800 fps +/- at the muzzle its probably around 1 mile. Ammo boxes used to be labeled with that information but I can't find it on any of the boxes of slugs I have. Up that some more for sabot copper slugs from a rifled barrel or choke at 1,900 fps.

Many people seem to get the concepts mixed up.

 

[Mags]

Many people seem to get the concepts mixed up.

Including the military.

 

[Jason_W]

What make and model of gun are you planning to use for slugs? I'm getting decent groups from my Benelli Nova tactical using handloaded, home cast slugs for pennies a piece.

 

[jon86]

Maverick 88 smoothbore 18.5 inches with a front bead I can put slugs into a paper plate pretty consistantly while kneeling at 75 yards... However, that paper plate doesn't ever move... like hogs/deer/bad guys.

 

[Mags]

The gun is a Mossberg 500 turned into a 590 with a 20 inch barrel. Will be using a red dot/holo sight instead of the factory bead sight. So I was wondering where I should sight in at, my range does not have a 75 yard line or target stand just 50 and 100.

 

[Jason_W]

If you intend to shoot in open country, I'd sight to 100 yards and see if you get decent consistency and minute of whatever accuracy. If that's good, I would also shoot some closer targets to see how or if you have to change your point of aim.

That's just what I would do, anyway.

 

[Armored farmer]

My 26" 1100 skeet bore shoot Rem or Win rifled slugs very well out to 100 yds. I keep it sighted in @ 75 with a 4X scope.
IMHO....any shooting done much more than 75 yds need glass because the course sights on most slug barrels cover up too much deer at that range(broadside shot =ears on one side of front sight...rump on the other).

 

[DPris]

If you plan to shoot at 100 yards, sight in for 100 yards.
If you plan to shoot at 50 yards, sight in for 50 yards.

I set my 870s up at 50 because they're here to be close-range tools when used with slugs, very much like the classic African double-guns.
I don't hunt with them, and I find a 50-yard zero holds equally good for slugs farther out and buckshot closer in.
If I were using them for hunting, I'd zero at 100.

Denis

 

[strambo]

For me and my bead sighted 18" 870 with speer low recoil slugs...75 yds max. I was getting decent hits at that range last time I tried it, but any further is probably a waste of precious ammo. I'd need at least ghost rings to stretch to 100.

 

[Mags]

Well I wnt to the range today with some Federal 1oz 2/34 slugs. At 25 yards I could keep the groups to about 3 inches at 50 yards I was struggling to keep em at 6-8 inches. I think for my gun and my skill 50 yards is probably MY maximum effective range with slugs. I was using a Bushnell Trophy Red Dot with the 5moa dot. I shot 10 slugs, 15 rounds of 00 buck, 5 rounds of 000 magnum buck, and 10 rounds of birdshot. Man is my shoulder sore and bruised!

Thanks everyone for your help, I will try the more expensive brands at 50 yards on a later date and see if I can extend my reach to 100 yards. My goal is just minute of plate about 8 inch groups at 100 yards.