Smoothbore slugs vs Rifled sabots

[willmartin]

So is the cost of buying a rifled barrel and then sabot slugs really worth the price versus using my smoothbore with rifled slugs? I'm going to use it for deer hunting in the fall and I'm wondering if it's worth paying $180 for the rifled barrel and 3 bucks a sabot slug.

 

[Floppy_D]

What distance are you shooting at, and how does your shotgun group at 100 yds with rifled slugs? If you can hold a 5" group at 75-100 yds and you aren't shooting past 75 or 100 yds... I doubt you'll see the benefit.

If you are trying to make 150+yd shots... I've seen rifled slug barrels make 3" groups at 100 yds, and I have no doubt you'll hear of better.

I would base the decision on the distance at which you're shooting.

 

[viking499]

I thought about going the rifled slug route to use in Ohio, but decided to take my money and put it towards a muzzleloader. Figure I will use it come slug season. At least it will give me more hunting options and seasons......

 

[jjk308]

Try your particular choice out first in a few loads. My 30 year old (pre rifled shotgun barrels and sabots) Remington Buckmaster, 12 Ga 2 3/4 in. which has a 20 in. barrel in IC will make 1 hole at 75 yards with standard rem sugs - But not with the magnum, maximum or any other brand or hot load or Brennecke slugs, all ow which go all over the place.

Another peculiarity of this gun is that it has a scope, an old low power variable Tasco shotgun scope on a side mount through the pins. Tear it down, clean it, put it together and the scope still holds zero!

Anyway, with very few shots available at over 75 yards I'd be nuts to change anything. It took a doe and a big hog last year.