The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: MAUSERMAN on January 13, 2021, 02:42:48 AM
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Stupid question of the day. Is it safe to shoot slugs threw a full choke? Is it unsafe to shoot slugs threw any type of choke? I’m just trying to clear up somethings I’ve heard people say on the subject
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Short answer is maybe. The safe answer is no.
Never shoot anything from a screw in choke barrel with the choke removed.
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Stupid question of the day. Is it safe to shoot slugs threw a full choke? Is it unsafe to shoot slugs threw any type of choke? I’m just trying to clear up somethings I’ve heard people say on the subject
Actually it's a very intelligent question that isn't asked enough. The old, cheap Foster type slugs, yes. Other more specialized slugs meant for rifled shotgun barrels should be checked BEFORE shooting them. Several reasons for this. First, is the fact shotgun slugs, like most ammunition, are more advanced today than ever before. Second, is the fact shotgun chokes made today are made with all but unlimited degrees of constriction.
Years back before screw in chokes you basically had FULL, MODIFIED, and IMPROVED CYLINDER. Today most all shotguns are coming from the factory equipped with a set of screw in chokes, and constrictions can vary greatly. Especially with some of the, "Super Full" Turkey chokes that extend well beyond the muzzle. Many handicap Trap chokes are also of these much tighter constrictions. They can potentially cause issues with some of these more specialized slug loads.
Add to that the types of slugs available to shotgun shooters today is all but limitless. Today I would advise anyone before shooting ANY slug through ANY screw in type, or bored in FULL choke, to cut open a slug load of the same type you wish to shoot, remove the slug itself, and see if it drops through the choke, and out on to the ground. Also, check the wad base by trying to push it through the barrel with a cleaning rod. If you meet with ANY resistance from the slug, STOP. And do not shoot them. If the wad base can be pushed through with no more resistance than a plastic shot cup used for bird shot or Trap loads, you'll be OK.
There are simply far too many slug loads, along with varying degrees of chokes available today, to avoid this procedure. And still be able to shoot them with any degree of certainty of safety.
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One more reason to stick with buckshot.
Not to mention there is no such thing as a "rifled" shot gun barrel.
There are shot guns converted to 12 bore rifles, shot guns, by definition, are unrifled.
What do you get from a 12 bore as opposed to a real rifle ?
1 Massively reduced capacity
2 reduced range and penetration
3 Ballistic evidence ;D
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No comment on slug barrels vs normal.
I am amazed at our capacity to pour money into hunting deer these days! We hunted while smoking, pooping near our blinds, didn’t use doe vagina juice or other stuff designed to catch a hunter more than the hunted! :). We managed to get venison, regardless!
On that note, we can’t use rifles here for deer but you may use muzzle loaders throughout the shotgun season.
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Not to mention there is no such thing as a "rifled" shot gun barrel.
There actually is. Believe it or not, there has been a lot of experimentation with rifling shotgun barrels. I have a Trap barrel for my Remington 870 that has STRAIGHT rifling in it. The concept behind it was to STOP the wad cup from spinning on it's own as it traveled down the bore. This was supposed to allow a better separation of the wad cup and the shot payload as it left the muzzle. Which in turn was supposed to allow for better more consistent patterns.
Did it work? Beats me. I couldn't tell any difference. Either at the patterning board, or on my score sheet. Hastings was the manufacturer. It was a quality barrel with good machining, no tool marks, and very good bluing that matched the rest of the gun. It was just one of those ideas that didn't pan out.... At least for me.
https://www.hastingsdistribution.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=1
They also make rifled shotgun barrels that have twist. 1 in 34" for 12 gauge. 1 in 26" for 20 gauge. My straight rifled barrel was sold under the name "Wadlock". It appears they're still being made. However, I never realized the, "7-10% improvement in pattern density". Believe me, if those numbers were legit, every Trap shooter on planet Earth would be using them.
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Again, nothing specific but the daughter meathead has a Savage 20 ga bolt action slug gun that’s as accurate or nearly as accurate out to 150-175 yards as his muzzle loader!
And, the specs show that 20 ga slug guns are better than 12 ga using identical ammo.
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Back to the beginning:
Only shoot slugs through a Cylinder Choke. If you have a regular sabot or slug, you can use a rifled barrel. If you have a "rifled" sabot or slug, use only smooth bore barrel. Never use a rifled screw in choke - The effect of the fast moving slug or sabot suddenly hitting the rifling can tear the choke tube out of the end of the barrel.
Using a reduced choke barrel or choke tube can cause dangerous damage to the gun and the shooter.
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The reason for the "rifling" on a rifled slug isn't to make it more accurate,It's to allow the slug to swage down if fired in a tight choked gun, Lead is a lot softer than steel and will deform a lot easier. I agree that you shouldn't shoot a sabot slug through a tight choked gun, that could cause damage to a thin walled shotgun barrel.