Please school me on slugs

[HokeySon]

What is the purpose of slugs? (I have seen that some folks hunt with them, but why?)

Do you need a rifled barrel for slugs? What kind of range and accuracy do these things have? (same questions for smooth bore, if you can use those).

I assume you cannot use any chokes with a slug, is that correct?

thanks.

[Dirtbiker]

People hunt with them because they carry a HUGE amount of energy. Slugs are normally 1oz or greater in weight.

If you have a smooth bore shotgun buy rifled slugs.

Don't shoot slugs in anything tighter than a modified choke.

Rifled barrels work best with sabot slugs.

Accuracy will vary gun to gun but can get as good as 1-2" at 100 yards.

[Hank Dodge]

Slugs are generally used on big game where a shotgun is the only firearm allowed to hunt with. There are many areas that have restrictions against the use of rifles. The are generally rifled slugs shot out of a std. smooth bore shotgun with either and open or improved choke. The effective range is generally accepted to be about 75 yards.

From a tactical standpoint, using a slug effectivly increases the range and gives the user "rifle-like" qualities from a shotgun.

[Echidin]

The purpose of hunting with slugs is for larger game. You wouldn't take #8 bird shot on a deer hunt.

You don't need a rifled barrel to shoot slugs out of your shotgun, a smooth bore barrel will also shoot slugs just fine. In terms of accuracy and the types of slugs, if you do have a rifled barrel you'll fair better with sabot slugs. I've never shot a sabot slug through a smooth bore, but I've heard the slug is more likely to tumble and your accuracy is probably going to suffer. I'm not saying they won't work, but they probably won't get you what you're looking for. Do you have a scope mounted on your shotgun?

[Ballistic043]

about 6-7 months ago at burro canyon i proceeded to put 3 federal sabot slugs on 28" paper at 100yd. smooth bore barrel, mossberg 590. groupings were humorous but all there-guessing maybe 10 inch grouping. i was actually suprised i got them all on paper.

so it will work but YMMV and its obviously not designed for that. the sabot which encloses the projectile, needs to get its spin from the rifling in the barrel as it travels-then the sabot sleeve seperates in midflight and your left with a nice 50 caliber projectile spinning to its target


now, the best rifled slugs i have used, are FED-LE truball-low recoil. very stable and great groupings through my 930 SPX. probably the best rifled slugs you can buy and certainly the best ive ever used.

[Tallship]

Here's why you use a slug in shotguns:



24" rifled Mossberg barrel on an old 600 AT frame with 3X scope at 50 yds.

[HokeySon]

Great information all. Thanks. think I will go buy me some slugs and check it out.

[Z ME FLY]

Shooting slugs isn't THAT bad depending on what you are shooting them out of. If you have a single shot or a sxs it may hurt a bit because of the light weight of the shotgun. Trust me, I had a single shot and shot only a few before my shoulder went ouch. In a pump it is a lot easier to deal with.

[IrishPirate]

What is the purpose of slugs? (I have seen that some folks hunt with them, but why?)

Do you need a rifled barrel for slugs? What kind of range and accuracy do these things have? (same questions for smooth bore, if you can use those).

I assume you cannot use any chokes with a slug, is that correct?

thanks.

Yes many people hunt with them. A properly trained slug can follow a scent trail better than any bloodhound or retriever. They have a range or a few miles and are extremely accurate, but very slow in getting there without proper motivation. Choking slugs is considered animal cruelty and will not be tolerated.













sorry, had to. The purpose of slugs is the same as any other bullet. Slugs are larger than most bullets (12ga) and therefore transfer more energy into the target. higher energy transfer equals greater damage equals higher probability of a "clean" kill.

sabot slugs need rifled barrels and can be absolute tack drivers!! you can get rifled slugs for smooth bores and the accuracy won't be as great, but it's still pretty good usually (depends on the slug). not completely sure on the range, but it's probably no more than 200-250 yards for an accurate shot. I'm sure they travel farther, and i could be wrong about the 200-250, but that's my best educated guess.

unsure about chokes too.....

[XeroSasEnchros]

about 6-7 months ago at burro canyon i proceeded to put 3 federal sabot slugs on 28" paper at 100yd. smooth bore barrel, mossberg 590. groupings were humorous but all there-guessing maybe 10 inch grouping. i was actually suprised i got them all on paper.

I had the same out come with the same slugs out of my 18" smoth bore mossberg 500 with bead sight while kneeling at around 90-100 yards. I didnt think it was possible to be that accurate with my set up. I was very suprised.

[tyrist]

Increases the effective range of a shotgun. Also slugs cause massive trauma resulting in very quick take down.

[eccvets]

you shoot slug, animal you point at fall down dead, everybody happy.

very simple

[wadalaba]

jesus that picture is gross.

[luchador768]

I had a trauma patient come through our ED that had been shot in the chest from the side with a 12 ga. slug through a car door. He was DOA. The trauma surgeon had just picked up his first gun, a Mossberg 500 8 shot, and he was curious about the damage that the sulg did to the mans tissue. We did a chest x-ray and the damage was amazing! The slug penetrated his left arm and shattered it and traversed the length of his torso, right to left, destroying his lungs, heart and diaphram. The anatomy was severly disrupted. The 12 ga slug has an incredible amount of energy on target.
Peter

[odysseus]