# smooth bore/ rifled slugs throught a rifled barrel ?



## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

Has anyone shot fostner style slugs through your rifled deer slug barrel? How well did it shoot at distance?


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

Yes, and not very well. If you are looking for a reasonably priced slug for a rifled barrel try light field slugs.


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

Do not shoot rifled slugs through a rifled barrel. I agree with Mad Eye, Lightfield slugs shoot well out of rifled barrels, as do Hornady SST's (my choice) and many other sabot style slugs.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

I have shot Foster style Slugs through both the Mossberg 500 Rifled Barrel and the Remington 870 Rifled Barrel for many years. The Most accurate Fosters are the Winchester 1 ounce Foster Slugs. They gave 2'' Groups at 25 Yards and 6" Groups at 100 Yards with both Barrels. These Guns (3 Mossberg 500's & 1 Remington 870) seemed to shoot with the same accuracy. They are all 12 Gauge Guns. The Scopes on all 4 Slug Guns were (are) Simmons 2.5 x 20mm. Low Power, inexpensive Scopes that have held up well for many years. A higher magnification Scope may tighten the Groups somewhat. The big issue with shooting lead Foster Slugs through a Rifled Barrel is that after 8 or 9 Shots, the Barrel needs Cleaning because the soft Lead clogs up the Rifling. So if you use them, remember to Clean the Barrel after every 8 Shots to keep your accuracy. The other Foster style Slugs were never as accurate as the Winchesters.


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## weasel (Mar 25, 2007)

just use sabots in a rifle barrel not regular slugs as it will mess up your rifling in the barrel i use the remm. copper solids with a leupold scope and it is a tack drive you will be surprised how well the sabots shoot good luck this season


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## wis2ohio (Jan 20, 2012)

Sabots are very expensive but they are great for the money I started shooting winchester super x sabots from a 870 this year they are great my gun kicks like a mule now but it will be worth it in the end


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## bigeye1 (Nov 13, 2007)

I have a mossberg 500 and got tired of spending 12+ a box so I started using remington slugger high velocitys. They are basically a lighter remington slugger. I get couple inch groups at 75 yards. I have been using these for 4 years now, and have had really good success. I'm sure my barrell has lead in the rifling by now, so I have no plans to switch back to sabots with this gun. If I am sitting, or think I will have the opportunity to take longer shots I use my muzzle loader, it is much more accurate.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

wis2ohio said:


> Sabots are very expensive but they are great for the money I started shooting winchester super x sabots from a 870 this year they are great my gun kicks like a mule now but it will be worth it in the end


I about broke my nose the first time I shot the copper solids through my new slug barrel. Just didn't expect that much increase in recoil and almost let the gun get away from me. Afterwards, when I got the bleeding to stop, I started doing the math. Barrel 6" shorter + rifling in barrel increases projectile resistance + just a flat out more powerful load = a whole bunch more kick! That was my first lesson in what a seemingly small change to your normal setup can produce.... I still think about it every time I look down those sights.

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## LilSiman/Medina (Nov 30, 2010)

I use rifle slugs in my rifle barrels. In my mossberg 500 20 gauge at 100 yards I can hit milk jugs full of water. Good enough for me and there is no problem with the rifling


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## johnny fish (Feb 20, 2005)

I have used both rifled slugs & sabots out of rifled barrels on both mossberg500 & remington 870 12 gauges and both are very accurate. Now lets think about rifled barrels ok? the key word is rifled, now when you shoot a rifle is that bullet in a sabot? the answer is no. so when one puts a rifled barrel on a shotgun he is turning that shotgun into a rifle in whatever gauge you are using. With that being said the purpose of the sabot is to fit a smaller caliber bullet to a larger caliber weapon. don't believe that? Just look at muzzleloaders you can shoot .50cal round ball or powerbelt bullets or .44 cal pistol bullets in a sabot. Now look at the size diff. between a 12 gauge foster slug and the bullet in a 12 gauge sabot slug with this being said I hope I have proved a point to some folks.


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

If all you ever want to shoot from the rifled barrel is rifled slugs and never use sabot rounds it will work out fine. The lead left in the rifling in the barrel will essentially and eventually turn it into a smooth bore with a malleable lining. The first several slugs fired from it may not be as accurate, but after the rifling fills in, it will shoot great. The rifle on the slugs will be gripped by the lead left in the rifling in the barrel and it will give good accuracy. Did this with a Mossberg 12 ga. 4 " groups at 100 yds with open sights. Definitely minute of deer.

Now would i suggest doing this with a barrel that costs what a rifled barrel costs? NO. But it will work. Only problem you might have is if you ever decide to switch to sabot rounds. Cleaning the lead build-up from the barrel will be nearly impossible. A Herculean task. It should not permanently damage the rifling, but will take several brushes, lots of solvent, and probably hours of elbow grease to remove.


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