Mossberg 500A deer hunting question

[Unclesam1776]

I have a 12-gauge Mossberg 500A Pump with Accu-choke.

Can I fire slugs through the smooth bore with an improved cylinder choke on it or do I have to take off the choke or get another choke to go deer hunting? (one of my buddies lives in a state that's law is that you can't hunt on public land with a rifle when hunting deer)

 

[DaleCooper51]

Improved cylinder will work fine for rifled slugs.

I would try a few different brands and see what does the best out of your shotgun.

My slug gun shoots the Brenneke KO's very well.

 

[Sergeant Sabre]

Shoot rifled slugs. Sabot slugs don't work well through a smooth bore. I have had excellent results with the Winchester 2.75" 1oz. rifled slugs. The Federal Tru-ball loads are supposed to be pretty sweet, too

 

[Bennett Prescott]

UncleSam1776,

I have a Remington 11-48 that was built in 1953. It has a fixed choke, but was obviously designed to be a clays and bird gun. I called Remington about it and they said I was fine shooting slugs through it as long as they're lead, the choke narrowing of the barrel is very slight (hundredths of an inch) and will just squish the slug a little. Perhaps an issue with Extra Full or Super Full chokes, but you're only using Improved Cylinder (0.010" constriction).

Rifled slugs are a must in smooth bore shotguns, not because of the choke, but because something has to get that projectile spinning for decent accuracy.

 

[bleachcola]

Bennett, I was under the impression that the rifling on slugs doesn't actually produce spin. It merely allows swaging in case it is shot through a choke and provides less friction on the barrel. What really keeps these slugs stable in flight is having the center of mass located as far forward as possible.

 

[Bennett Prescott]

Bleachcola,

I went and did some research, and you're absolutely right. I had always assumed that the angled ribs were to get some spin going, but they're just to allow firing through any choke. They have almost no effect on the spin of the projectile, and the stability of the slug is provided entirely by a "traditional" (in aerodynamics at least) weight forward design.

 

[Vicious-Peanut]

Indeed, Sometimes sabot slugs will actually shoot better than 'rifled' slugs in a smooth bore. However it is usually because of weight-forward design of the sabot slugs.

Either way, test whatever you will be using to make sure they are accurate in your gun before hunting with them.

 

[bleachcola]

Just one of those rare instances where the simplest answer isn't the correct one. Physics can be a pain in the rear.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Right, Breachcola. The vanes swage down through any choke and help obturation.