unrifled slug barrel for buck shot??

[fightingquaker13]

I have recently purchased a Maverick 88 security model in cylinder bore (the way God intended). My initial thought was that I wanted to use the thing for HD as well as for thick brush hog hunting. I naively thought that I could pick up a set of Mossbergs' very fine ghost ring sights and I would be done. Alas, I ignored the tacticool epidemic. These puppies are going for about $75 +/- plus the $30 to install. Survey says, Hell No. However it is easy to pick up a 24" unrifled used mossy slug barrel with sights for about $60. This is where I'm leaning. The question is this. Buck in a rifled slug barrel gives an awful doughnut shaped pattern. How does it do in smooth bore slug barrels?
FQ13

[Hazcat]

Much better.  You do not get the 'swirl' effect.  But my question is why not shoot buck from the barrel you have?

If it is short (18) and you might use it for hog or deer past about 30 yards then I can see the purchase BUT an unrifled 24 is NOT going to give you LONG distance.  Maybe 50-60 yards (best) or a bit longer with the rifled slugs.

[fightingquaker13]

Much better.  You do not get the 'swirl' effect.  But my question is why not shoot buck from the barrel you have?

If it is short (18) and you might use it for hog or deer past about 30 yards then I can see the purchase BUT an unrifled 24 is NOT going to give you LONG distance.  Maybe 50-60 yards (best) or a bit longer with the rifled slugs.

I was looking to be able to use slugs. I was thinking the saboted (foster) slugs out of the 24" would give me 75 to 100 yards. Probably 75 and under as I'll be down in Big Cypress mostly. If you or any one has experience with slugs, I'd appreciate it as I'm ignorant. I can always get the rifled barrel cheaply, I just lose the versatility of being able to shoot buck also.
FQ13

[Hazcat]

75 yards with good slugs is definitely do-able with the 24.  When I said 50-60 I meant with buck.

[Bigcat]

For many years in New York, we could only use slugs. Most of the non-rifled barrels were 18-20" and would shoot a group under 4" with the old style slugs. I have seen some folks shoot buck shot out to 60 Yards with the regular Improved cylinder barrell.

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

Good article hits on some good points..

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/hunting/guns-shooting/gf_aa106503a/
http://www.gameandfishmag.com/hunting/whitetail-deer-hunting/gf_aa106402a/

[m25operator]

Not treading on toes here, but buckshot  is not predictable beyond 25 yards for game, and only 18 yards on humanoid targets, with a cylinder bore barrel, 00 buck in question, smaller buck shot is worse. Some of the new stuff like Hornaday tap, supposedly  is giving better accuracy than ever before, but I have not tried it. If you want to send it to Vang for one of his jug choke barrels, that changes. Shot gun smooth bores are just like, rimfires, nothing is guaranteed, try different ammo and log your results. Try your present barrel 1st, slugs usually do well, and try more than one brand, weight etc... My bedside shotgun is a 20" slug barrel, with rifle buckhorn sights, I replaced with meprolight tritium. It shoots buckshot, birdshot and slugs well. Not as slow as ghost rings. But it won't shoot 00 buck in 8" past 25 yards with premium ammo. If you have a shotgun shoots 00 buck into 8" at 50 - 60 yards, and it is not a bolt action, I want it.

[ccd]

The Federal buck shot loads with the Flite Control wads are nothing short of revolutionary as far as extending shotgun distances. Their Tru Ball slug loads are also usually the most accurate slugs in smooth bores also. Of course for HD scenarios most common dove loads would be much better(safer),not to mention cheaper.