Rifled barrel vs. rifled slugs

[NEW TO THE GAME]

I've heard of people shooting slugs out to 150 yards using a rifled barrel and sabot slugs(those are the non rifled ones right?) with pretty accurate results. My question is if you shoot rifled slugs out of a smooth barrel, will you get the same accuracy or range? I ask cause I plan on getting a single shot 12 ga. and like the versatility of the shotgun. Also, is it true that shot will ruin a rifled barrel?

 

[Jason_W]

I've had some surprising accuracy from mt smooth bore guns with slugs inside 100 yards. I can generally shoot 3-5 shot groups offhand out to 65 yards that I can cover with my hand. Off the bench with a rifled choke tube in one of my guns, I can shoot one ragged hole groups at 50 yards with some loads. 150 yard accuracy is definitely a stretch for a smooth bore.

Shot won't ruin a rifled barrel, but the pattern will terrible.

 

[MCgunner]

You'll need a choked smooth bore for shot. Foster slugs will likely be all you need inside 100 yards, but I'd go with another barrel so you can get some rifle sights on the slug barrel. You won't want 'em on your bird gun, will only hinder you/get in the way.

 

[243winxb]

My question is, if you shoot rifled slugs out of a smooth barrel, will you get the same accuracy or range as a rifled barrel & sabot slugs ?

No.

 

[springfield30-06]

Also, is it true that shot will ruin a rifled barrel?

You probably would get a doughnut pattern from shot fired from a rifled barrel, or at least a very wide & scattered pattern. Generally you won't 'ruin' the barrel, but the pellets hitting against the rifling will cause a lot of leading in the barrel.

 

[MCgunner]

You probably would get a doughnut pattern from shot fired from a rifled barrel, or at least a very wide & scattered pattern. Generally you won't 'ruin' the barrel, but the pellets hitting against the rifling will cause a lot of leading in the barrel.

How is that going to happen with a shot cup in the way? More likely leave plastic in the bore.

 

[springfield30-06]

How is that going to happen with a shot cup in the way? More likely leave plastic in the bore.

Good point, I was just reading a review on the Winchester Super X and 'Military Grade' buckshot and these don't have a shot cup. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=224340&start=0

 

[DM~]

The little raised ridges on foster slugs do NOT impart any spin on the slug, so NO they aren't even going to be nearly as accurate as a "rifled" bbl, shooting sabotted slugs.

Those raised ridges are there so the slug can be shot through any choked bbl... When going through a tight choke, those ridges are just wiped away with low resistance so as to keep pressures low.

Some shotguns will shoot foster slugs pretty accurate beyond 100 yards, but MOST won't!

DM

 

[Offfhand]

Quoted from above post:

"The little raised ridges on foster slugs do NOT impart any spin on the slug, so NO they aren't even going to be nearly as accurate as a "rifled" bbl, shooting sabotted slugs".

Recovered rifled slugs have proven that there is plenty of remaining rifling, including those fired in choked barrels. The "rifling" grooves on slugs do impart spin and some degree of stabilization. The rate is spin is created by air flow through the grooves and is proportional to velocity.

 

[Skribs]

Yeah the rifling on the slugs serves two part - 1) empart spin, 2) let them pass through the choke. The rifling on the slug engages the barrel BEFORE it goes through the choke, so the spin is emparted before any of the slug is worn off (and as Offhand said, that doesn't wear off all of the rifling).

I think the OP needs to learn what a sabot is. A rifled slug is designed for use in a smooth barrel. A non-rifled slug is designed to be fired from a rifled barrel. A sabot is actually a smaller slug held in a 12-gauge plastic plug that seals the barrel, but allows you to shoot a thinner, lighter round and a higher velocity. This is why a sabot will have greater accuracy and range than a slug.

 

[JimStC]

Go here for some data I have posted: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=680455
I am shooting a smooth bore with a rifled choke vs un-choked.

Jim

 

[dak0ta]

Curious, besides the longer sighting plain of a 28'' VR barrel, does a longer tube equate to being more accurate than say a 12.5'' barrel on an 870? Obviously, I'm thinking not all the powder is burnt, so some is converted to muzzle flash hence velocities may be lower? But for within 100 yard foster slug shooting, is it noticeable?

 

[jlineman]

A good rifled bore shotgun will out shoot a smoothbore at any range. I guess a person would have to choose what range they are shooting at and if the want a gun setup just for slugs. I have seen some smoothbores that will hold a whitetail moa. Good hunting

 

[Skribs]

Curious, besides the longer sighting plain of a 28'' VR barrel, does a longer tube equate to being more accurate than say a 12.5'' barrel on an 870? Obviously, I'm thinking not all the powder is burnt, so some is converted to muzzle flash hence velocities may be lower? But for within 100 yard foster slug shooting, is it noticeable?

I read somewhere that past a short distance (can't remember if it was 8 or 12 inches) buckshot doesn't gain much from extra barrel length. Not sure if that applies to slugs as well, but you are right - there are diminishing returns in how much velocity gain you get as the barrel increases in length.

 

[336A]

The rifiling on rifled slugs DO NOT IMPART SPIN OF ANY KIND. They are simply there to swage down upon passing through a choke and to reduce friction in the barrel. Airflow does not catch the slugs and impart spin either.

But to answer the OP question no a smooth bore is not as accurate as a rifled barrel.

 

[alsaqr]

Firing Foster slugs through rifled barrels cause leading. After firing 10 Remington rifled slugs through the bore of my model 670 shotgun it was was badly leaded.

 

[mbopp]

Foster slugs are dead-soft lead. I saw a high speed x-ray of a slug in a barrel, it was set back and obturbated to the full bore diameter.
Before there were rifled barrels and slugs I took a 28" 12ga barrel and cut 2" off it to remove the choke. I fitted some home-machined sights to the vent rib but a few years back I put a tube red dot on it. It'' shoot 5" at 75 yards, for a smoothbore that's all I ask.
Oh - it needs a fouling shot first. After I sight it in at the range I don't clean the barrel until after hunting season.

 

[paintballdude902]

IIRC the box o' truth tried all combos: rifled slug in a rifled barrel smooth in a rifled barrel rifled in smooth smooth in a smooth. his best accuracy came from rifled in a rifled barrel... but u will get bad leading.

 

[PedalBiker]

I'd be leery of shooting slugs out of a single shot. They have significant recoil from heavier guns.

 

[DM~]

The "rifling" grooves on slugs do impart spin and some degree of stabilization. The rate is spin is created by air flow through the grooves and is proportional to velocity.

That "myth" keeps getting passed on from generation to generation. BUT, high speed photography has proven it to be wrong.

The ridges are there for the exact reason i posted in my first post...

DM

 

[Bushpilot]

if you shoot rifled slugs out of a smooth barrel, will you get the same accuracy or range [as a rifled barrel and sabot combination?]

No. With the right slug and gun combination you can get decent accuracy with foster slugs but usually not as good as you can with sabots and a rifled barrel.

Recovered rifled slugs have proven that there is plenty of remaining rifling, including those fired in choked barrels. The "rifling" grooves on slugs do impart spin and some degree of stabilization. The rate is spin is created by air flow through the grooves and is proportional to velocity.

The remaining rifling doesn't really prove anything. The "rifling" on foster slugs does little or nothing. The stabilization of Foster style shotgun slugs is from their general shape and forward mass.

Yeah the rifling on the slugs serves two part - 1) empart spin, 2) let them pass through the choke. The rifling on the slug engages the barrel BEFORE it goes through the choke, so the spin is emparted before any of the slug is worn off (and as Offhand said, that doesn't wear off all of the rifling).

The rifling on a slug never "engages" anything in a smooth bore shotgun barrel. A rifled slug is roughly bore diameter, depending on the brand. It may obturate when fired but this will not impart a rotation.

 

[Jason_W]

What I like about using a smooth bore is greater versatility than a rifled barrel.

1. With slugs, I get surprisingly good accuracy out to 65 yards and with certain slugs and enough practice I could probably consistently hit a deer's kill zone out to 100 yards. If I need to shoot farther than that which is impossible most of the places where I hunt, I can legally switch to a rifle.

2. If it's clear my deer hunt is going to be unsuccessful (which is pretty much always) I can drop in a shot load and try to bag some partridge or rabbits.

3. The kinds of slugs that will yield near rifle like groups past 100 yards from a rifled bore are EXPENSIVE. I have one smooth bore that will print near cloverleaf groups with bottom of the barrel Remington Sluggers at 50 yards. That's more than good enough for deer where I hunt.

If I were to bottom line it: If your hunting terrain allows shots past 100 yards but you can't legally use a rifle, go with a rifled barrel shotgun (preferably a fixed barrel model like Savage 212). If your hunting will be more up close and personal with a majority of shots occurring under 50ish yards, same money and add versatility with a smooth bore with good sights or an optic.

 

[Skribs]

The rifling on a slug never "engages" anything in a smooth bore shotgun barrel. A rifled slug is roughly bore diameter, depending on the brand. It may obturate when fired but this will not impart a rotation.

Really? Then why does my shotgun have slightly spiralled leading in it when I shoot slugs through it?

 

[Bushpilot]

I've never seen any "spiraled" leading in any smooth bore that I shot Foster slugs out of, including the 37 Deerslayer which I believe, but don't quote me on this, may have a slightly tighter than average bore diameter. On most Foster slugs that I have cut open the largest part of the slug, the base (the whole slug is tapered by the way), doesn't even have "rifling" on it there. I just now looked at 2 different dirty smooth bore slug barrels, a 500 and a 37, and the leading streaks are straight. Plus, like DM said previously, I also seem to recall seeing slow motion photography of Foster slugs being fired and not spinning.

 

[Jason_W]

Here's some high speed of a Brenneke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNIL0bChyPk

Youtube is oddly devoid of any HSF of a Foster slug in flight.