Question about Mossberg 500 slug barrels

[futurerider103]

I've seen online but there are smooth bores and rifled slug barrels. From what I can tell all the rifle barrels I've seen have sights but aside of that are the barrels any thicker than the normal barrel or what's the difference.
The past two years I've taken two deer with my .270 now I want to try with a shotgun next year

 

[200Apples]

.
The reason for there being two types of shotgun slug barrels is that there're basically two different types of shotgun slugs.

The most common are Foster (or, Forster)-style lead slugs, with what appear to be rifling grooves moulded into them. These ridges or grooves are not so much to spin the slug as they are to allow any deformed circumference somewhere to go as the slug passes through any variety of smoothbore barrel choke. This style slug is hollow, with it's weight being forward which aids it's stability in flight.

Then there are sabot slugs used for any considerable distance (over 75 - 100 yards). Sabot slugs are used through a rifled barrel. The term "sabot" means "little shoe". A sabot encases a Spitzer-bullet-style "slug" which needs the barrel's rifling to spin the "bullet" for stability.


If I were you (and of course depending on the hunting regulations in the region you wish to hunt), I'd go big! and invest a few hundred dollars in a rifled shotgun barrel and some Hornady SST saboted "slugs". Effective ranges for these not-inexpensive rounds are anywhere from 50 yds to 200yds... with a shotgun! Expect some recoil.

Of course if you'll be hunting in brush using relatively short distances, you might use a rifle-sights, smoothbore slug barrel and Forster-style slugs. You'd be spending considerably less money but seeing nearly the same levels of perceived recoil. Anything weighing an ounce or more and being pushed to the tune of 1600+ feet per second is going to give you a little shove.

 

[futurerider103]

So shooting foster slugs through the factory cylinder bore barrel will be no different than shooting it through the smooth bore slug barrel?

 

[243winxb]

Mossberg Slug Barrels

Get a Mossberg® Trophy Slugster® barrel that has an integral scope base welded directly to the fully rifled barrel. Use sabot ammo. This barrel is heavier/thicker walled than a smooth bore barrel. Controls recoil better with more weight. You will need a scope. I have shot both with scopes. Rifles barrels with sabots are more accurate to 100 yds or more. http://www.mossberg.com/resources/shotgun/barrel Look for a "combo" package that has 2 barrels. Item #54243,12 Gauge, Wood Dual Comb® Stock, 28" Ported Field and 24" Ported Fully-Rifled Slugster® Barrel with Cantilevered Scope Base. http://www.mossberg.com/products/shotguns/mossberg-500/500-combo-standard-trigger

 

[futurerider103]

I don't want a scope on my shotgun. I want to run iron sights on my slug setup when I get it.
BTW I already have the shotgun with fiber optics sights so I'd most likely be buying a used barrel IF there is a specific reason I should use a smooth slug barrel over a standard smooth bore barrel

 

[alexander45]

I have a 500 with both barrels and the only way the slug barrel is thicker Is in the rifling, also foster slugs are generally better with a bit of choke

 

[futurerider103]

Really with a choke? I've always heard not to run a choke with slugs. What kind of accuracy are you getting with Foster slugs and what length barrel?
*Edit* I just read that full or modified could possibly yield better accuracy because the slugs are under sized from the factory to a cylinder bore

But back to the question about the thickness of the barrel why would they sell a "smooth bore slug barrel" and a " field barrel" if they are the same thing aside of sights which you can buy aftermarket

 

[MAKster]

Yes, the main difference between a smooth bore slug barrel and a smooth bore field or defense barrel is the iron sights. They also often are around 24 inches long, so in between the length of the defense barrels and the field barrels. Adding iron sights to a barrel is no simple task and buying a barrel with them already included saves a lot of hassle and money.

 

[g.willikers]

I found that for 50 - 75 yards or so, a modified choke with foster slugs gave the best accuracy for a smooth bore.

 

[futurerider103]

Yes, the main difference between a smooth bore slug barrel and a smooth bore field or defense barrel is the iron sights. They also often are around 24 inches long, so in between the length of the defense barrels and the field barrels. Adding iron sights to a barrel is no simple task and buying a barrel with them already included saves a lot of hassle and money.

TruGlo makes fiber optic sights that mount right on the rib where the bead is on the front and clamp on the rub in the rear and they have windage adjustment and have a great sight picture for around $25

 

[243winxb]

Buy the TruGlo and some slugs. Go shooting, have fun. The soft rifled slug will work in all chokes.

 

[futurerider103]

That's a picture of my gun with the sights on it. From what I heard there really isn't any fun shooting slugs but im going to get some and give it a whirl

 

[Virginian]

Best rifled slug accuracy will always be with some choke I have found. Imp. Cyl. and Modified seem to be the best. Only way you will find the most accurate combination is to do some shooting with your set up with different loads. Best smoothbore slug gun I ever saw shot 4" 150 yard groups with a modified 26" barrel and a bead sight, by the owner. Best I could do with it was about 8" groups at that range. That was not the norm I have since found.

 

[lemaymiami]

All of my shotgunning for years was in police work where a standard riot configured short barrel shotgun with a bead sight was tne norm.. We used the same improved cylinder 18 to 20" barreled weapons for both buck and slug. I found that I could stand off-hand and pretty reliably hit a 10" paper plate time after time at 50 meters using ordinary foster type slugs with only a simple bead sight....

Before you purchase that dedicated slug barrel you might want to send a few rounds of slug downrange at targets with whatever you have now.... By the way, when it comes to "slug barrels" you'll find them with sights in both rifled and smoothbore versions so look carefully at any descriptions if purchasing sight unseen... so that you get what you want. If you already have a shotgun that's configured in a way you like there is another option - most major brands will sell "combo guns" that come equipped with two barrels, a standard length and a slug barrel - all at a pretty hefty savings from what a standard shotgun and a later purchased slug barrel would run you.... Hope this helps.

 

[futurerider103]

I honestly think after a bit of reading I'm just going to use my factory 28in smooth bore and experiment with different chokes with rifled slugs that way I don't have to buy a new barrel. Besides all my slug shots will be within 75yds for sure where I'm hunting at from now on

 

[d2wing]

I have a rifle,slug barrel with sights on my 500 and it works pretty well. Not very accurate beyond 75 yards. It does better with Sabot slug.

 

[futurerider103]

What are your groupings at 50yds?

 

[artee]

Shoot what you have first. Shoot your 'bird' barrel with the truglo sights.

As a standard, at 50 yards you should see about 2 inch groups. You should be able to lay a standard playing card over the holes and cover them. When using a 9in paper plate, your max distance is when the holes are over most of the plate. You should have lots of 'untouched' plate. You're on a range under good conditions with excellent target sight contrast. Hunting is only going to give you worse conditions and a 500 beat/min heart rate.

A big plus for the iron sighted deer barrels are they are often 20 or 22 inches. My Ithica 37 is SO much handier with the 20 in deerslayer barrel compared to a 28in barrel.

I grew up in a shotgun only area. I've lived west of the Mississippi for 20 years. I'm back in a shotgun only area. If it were legal, I'd use my .270 Rugar 77 any day, anywhere over either of my deerbarrel slug guns. If it's legal, shoot your rifle.