Slugs and Chokes

[TNT]

Is it safe to shoot slugs from shotguns with a Modified or Full choke? I have a old 1914 Win Model 12 that is choked full and then a Browning A5 that is choked Modified. I would be using Win slugs...no sabot's.

 

[SarinZero]

For most shotguns, it is not considered safe to fire slugs through any choke tighter than Improved Cylinder.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Opinions vary. Few tight chokes shoot slugs well. With the exception of the Polychoke little damage results using the Forster style projectiles we call "Rifled" slugs. The hollow base design swages down OK in tight chokes but accuracy oft suffers.

I'd still go easy on shotguns that old, and chances are that 12 has 40 POC, darn near a turkey choke wioth modern ammo.

I'd keep your classics for use with shot and spend a couple hundred on a new or used Big Four pump with sights. One of the 870 Express variants has a 20" slug barrel with choke tube capability, this would make a fine addition to your battery.

HTH....

 

[TNT]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll keep the old guys in the safe and take out the newer shotguns. My two dedicated deer guns are a Win SX2 Deer and a Rem 870 slug gun. I thought it would be fun to take out the older shotguns and actually use them.

On a side note, I did take a doe this past weekend with the Winchester and carried the Stevens 311 SXS on Monday and took another doe at 80yds.

 

[Karate]

I have a Stevens 311 that has a 18 and 1/4 inch barrel...it is by the bed (for HD)with light loads in it(in case wife needs it and mainly because kids are on the opposite end of the house)..but I had thought about keeping a couple of slugs handy...Can this gun shoot slugs or would it be better to stay away from them...This is a mute point I will have a 870 Marine Magnum at Christmas..but was just curious if it would hurt the 311 SXS

 

[TNT]

It sounds as if though your barrels have been shortened on that 311. If they have you won't have any problems shooting slugs. This past summer I brought my 311 out and for S&G I put a couple boxes of slugs down the tubes only to find out that I could keep the slugs hitting a ice cream pale size target at 50yds. I then decided to take it hunting this fall for the fun of it.

I was surprised the slug hit it's mark, I was sure it would kill a tree instead.

 

[ron73644]

Do you think it is best to get a a smooth slug barrel (sights) and use rifled slugs, or get a rifled slug barrel and use Sabot slugs? ..........as far as accuracy and expense, etc.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

Have a rifled Hastings barrel w/ scope mount and a factory RS smoothbore for an 870. So far unimpressed with rifled barrel, considering the extra cost of the sabot slugs. Will try again with a better scope (traditional plex vs. red dot), but may go back. RS bbl with cheap 2-3/4" 1 oz. was stacking slugs at 50 yards with IC -- didn't realize I hadn't swapped in the rifled choke after using it for 3-gun competition (lots of buckshot!). I'm told the rifled bbl should have an advantage out past that (100-200 yards), but I haven't seen it yet.

 

[ron73644]

Thanks, MNgoldenbear

 

[TNT]

Do you think it is best to get a a smooth slug barrel (sights) and use rifled slugs, or get a rifled slug barrel and use Sabot slugs? ..........as far as accuracy and expense, etc.

I guess what it really comes down to is if you want to spend $10 on a box of slugs and if your going to be shooting at longer distances. The area I hunt in I am lucky if I get to shoot 50yds while I have shot over a 100yds maybe twice in the last 15 years. This year I wanted to try out the new Hornady SST Sabots but the doe I shot came in at 15yds...barely had to aim. I'm the only guy in the group shooting a fully rifled shotgun and I can honestly say I don't have any advantage until the shots get farther out. Half the fun of deer hunting for me is trying out a new sabot every year so I like having the rifled barrel.

 

[halvey]

I have a Stevens 311 that has a 18 and 1/4 inch barrel...it is by the bed (for HD)with light loads in it(in case wife needs it and mainly because kids are on the opposite end of the house)..but I had thought about keeping a couple of slugs handy...Can this gun shoot slugs or would it be better to stay away from them...

YES.

If shortened, then yes, you can shoot slugs. If it came from the factory that way, then yes, you can shoot slugs as those are factory Cylinder bores and the intended purpose was to shoot slugs.