# Shotgun Slug Question



## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

I have a awesome shooting Remington 870 20 ga with a RIFLED slug barrel and a a really good shooting Mossberg 500 12 ga with a RIFLED slug barrel................here is my question ...........i recently bought a RIFLED slug barrel its 24 inches long for my daughters Mossberg 500 youth sized shotgun and i swear to god it NEVER shoots the same place twice in a row WITH IT RESTED ON A BENCH...........it shoots high one shot and to the left and low and to the right the next shot..........it is all over the target......sometimes its not even on the 10 inch round target at all at 40 yards ........i shoot NOTHING but the regular winchester rifled slugs through BOTH of my other guns .........my dad said maybe try a different type of slug because my uncle said you CANT shoot accurately with RIFLED slugs through a RIFLED barrel............if that is true WHY do BOTH of my other guns shoot fine with the Winchester RIFLED SLUGS when they have RIFLED barrels ???? Could it be the slugs ?? Could the barrel just "shoot crooked" or be bent slightly ?? I dont know i am confused...........i thought buying a slug barrel for her gun would make it shoot better............we cant even hit the dang target twice in a row with it from 40 yards out ??? She shot a decent group of shots with the gun with the regular ventilated rib barrel but it always shot alittle low and to the left but at least on the target..............HELP...............youth season is coming fast and we burnt up 25 slugs today and are no where NEAR sighted in. i have NEVER seen a gun shoot so badly !!! Most guns i can get sighted in good with at most 10 shots and NEVER really have to sight them in again .............Oh yeah we are using the rifled sights on the barrel............. NO SCOPES !!

ANY TIPS wold be appreciated...........im thinking about using the regular ventilated ribbed barrel and just scrapping the idea of using the slug barrel at all !!! Its very old and Im afraid MAYBE something is wrong with the barrel i dont honestly know and i really HATE the idea of spending $5 - $10 a box for 5 of the non-rifled slugs or new sabots !!! HELP


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## trackdog (Apr 9, 2005)

i would try remington slugs, i've seen guns do that before. I have never had a problem with remingtons, try 3 or 4 different kinds and you should find what is best for that PARTICULAR gun. That should give you an idea wheather it's the gun or not.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

i think im gonna try some of the remington AND federal slugs (the cheaper rifled slugs that i always shoot) and see how they shoot through it !! i HOPE that helps !!! 

ive NEVER shot anything except the normal $3 -$4 a box slugs through ANY GUN that ive owned and always could get them to shoot a decent group at 40 yards............CONFUSED !!! Of course i buy 50 rounds of Winchester slugs for my daughters gun and they arent gonna work for it !!! This stinks !!


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## howellin4 (May 1, 2008)

Try contacting Mossberg and their customer service. I shoot a Mossberg 500 smooth bore every deer season with Remington non rifled slugs and never have a problem. Hope someone can help.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

brian,rifled barrels are designed to shoot sabots,NOT slugs.my guess is that is your problem.slugs will leave lead deposits in the rifling,which will contribute to inaccuracy.if you want to get the best from that rifled barrel,buy some sabots.they're worth the extra money,to get the extra performance.


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

I've got a 500 rifled barrel too, quit using rifled slugs. I use Hornady sabots, and occasionally Lightfield sabots. 

If you're shooting a rifled slug, the rifling doesn't match the rifling in the barrel so you're not going to get accurate shot placement. Try a sabot, in your guns too and you'll see an increase in performance.


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

I agree with the others. You should not shoot rifled slugs through a rifled barrel. Some manufactures even state this on their boxes. Your breathing will have your impact holes up and down. If your not getting a pattern/group, it sounds like you may be anticipating the recoil, or jerking the trigger. Doing one or the other will throw your point of aim off considerably. 

Moss. 500's have a lot of trigger pull and to the best of my knowledge, they cannot be adjusted (I tried years ago and the gunsmith said he could not do it). I switched to an 870 and had the trigger reduced to 3.5lbs. Best thing I ever did.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I agree with the fouling comments and will add a comment regarding chamber length. If the gun is chambered for 3" and you are using 2.75" rounds, the headspace clearance that the slug ahs to "jump" will also cause additional problems. I had the same problem and switched to 3" which cleared up the problem.


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## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

Shortdrift said:


> I agree with the fouling comments and will add a comment regarding chamber length. If the gun is chambered for 3" and you are using 2.75" rounds, the headspace clearance that the slug ahs to "jump" will also cause additional problems. I had the same problem and switched to 3" which cleared up the problem.


Good point! Didn't even cross my mind.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

guess i will have to buy some of the expensive sabots for the barrel or use the plain barrel with the IMP choke tube in it. 

Guess i should have looked for a smooth bore slug barrel if i wanted to shoot the rifled slugs that ive always shot .............i didnt know that............live and learn i guess !!!


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Before you switch to sabots that barrel is going to require some serious wire brushing with Hoppes#9 to remove all that lead fouling before you can even expect good performance from sabots.


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## OHBMQUINN (Sep 11, 2007)

the rifleing on the rifled slugs is the oppsite twist as the rifleing in your barrel this isnt really safe besides the lead deposits wich has been stated use sabot slugs I use lightfields but there is others to try see wich ones shoot the best groups and stick with them hope this helps


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