# Smooth bore slug barrel vs. field barrel



## kernal83 (Mar 25, 2005)

What is the difference between shooting rifled slugs out of smooth bore slug barrel and out of a field barrel with a cylinder or IC choke tube? Does anyone use their regular field barrel for slugs, any choke tube recomendations?


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Shoot foster type slugs out of any smooth bore gun. The rifling is on the slug to impart spin for stability. The more open the choke the better.

If you have a rifled barrel of choke tube you should shot a slug with a sabot, the barrel handles the spin.


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## kernal83 (Mar 25, 2005)

Yea I understand that, but is there any difference between shooting foster trype slugs out of "slug barrel" vs shooting them out of your regular field barrel with an open choke?


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

no difference.i believe a cylinder(open)choke and slug barrel are basically the same.i/c is close and still a good choke for slugs.


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## bronzebackyac (Apr 19, 2005)

Really the only difference is that you would have sights on the slug barrel and not just a bead to aim with.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Lundy said:


> The more open the choke the better.


With no sights other than the bead take a few practice shots to determine your effective range for sighting and grouping. Every gun is different.

The way you describe shooting these slugs, smooth bore shotgun, no sights, modified to open chokes, is the way 90% of the deer hunter hunted for deer in Ohio when I started back in the late 60's. We killed deer somehow


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I thought you should only shoot rifled slugs out of a rifled barrel


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Brian.Smith said:


> I thought you should only shoot rifled slugs out of a rifled barrel


Depends on what you mean by "rifled slugs"??

Slugs with sabots are designed to be shot from a rifled barrel. The slug itself has no rifling, the sabot engages the rifling in the barrel to impart the spin for stabilization and then fall of shortly after leaving the barrel. The is no advantage to shooting these slugs in any smooth bore barrel, a slug barrel(smooth bore) or a non slug barrel. 

A foster type slug has the rifling on the slug itself and it's own velocity and resistance through the air creates the spin for stabilization, just like an arrow with vanes does. Shooting these all lead slugs through a rifled barrel does nothing for you and can hurt performance. The rifling can become loaded with lead and it's trying to spin the slug at a different rate that the rifling on the slug itself. These slugs are designed for smooth bore barrels, slug barrel or the old trust rabbit gun. The manufacturers suggest as open of chokes as possible.

There will be some that will say the I've shot sabot type slugs out of a smooth bore and hit a gnats butt at 150 yds, and they may have, but that is not the intent nor design of these slugs. These slugs all need to spin to be stable in flight. A sabot slug through a smooth bore does NOT spin. It really boils down to how do you spin the slug to stabilize it during it's flight, which method is the most efficient, thus providing a wider selection of bullet options and downrange performance. The rifled barrel with a sabot utilizing slug is a clear winner, but both types will easily kill deer very dead, there are no degrees of dead.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Rifled slugs is a just another term for standard (Foster) slugs.
As Lundy said the rifling is actually on the outside of the slug .
In theory,these rifling grooves are supposed to impart some spin on the slug therefore increasing accuracy.
These slugs are designed for smoothbore barrels only.

For the ultimate in accuracy,go with a rifled barrel and Sabot slugs.
I know some do it but,I will never shoot standard Foster slugs through my Hastings rifled barrels.
Too much lead fowling will occur real quickly leading to accuracy problems.
The great thing about shooting Sabots is only the outer nylon jacket ever touches the inside of the barrel.

Damn Lundy....you beat me to it!


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

good info from lundy.

except this


> there are no degrees of dead.


 i beg to differ,as i feel about half dead lately


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Sorry Rick, I forgot about you


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## kernal83 (Mar 25, 2005)

I think I will just use a cylinder choke, and putting a b-square mount and red dot on my new 870 SM. Thanks for the help. I have some shooting to do now.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

misfit said:


> i feel about half dead lately


Rick,

The Bottle is Half FULL.... You Should Say: I Feel About Half Alive Lately!


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

LOL.thanks bryan.i kinda forgot my own "half full glass" optomism


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

Thank you guys for clearing that up for me


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## m_miller (Jun 2, 2005)

What if you have a field barrel and a rifled choke tube? Should you shoot sabots or rifled slugs?


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