Slugs/Chokes?

[tdaggett]

Thinking of using my SBE II for a little hog hunting. Any suggestions on cohke tube/slug combinations?

[leftyone]

if your using a slug use only a rifled slug, do not use sabots and use the cylinder choke.

[cksh8me]

Only use rifled slugs if you want to group your gun. As far as chokes it depends on the slug you are using. If the slug doesn't call out a certin size choke then it doesn't matter.

[Duggan]

Smooth bore?

 

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/index.php/cName/12-gauge-slug

 

Check out the Tru-Balls

 

Use a looser choke for more accuracy. While you can shoot a slug out of any choke without damaging the weapon, shooting a slug through a "tight" constriction will deform the slug, degrading accuracy. Use a modified or looser choke if you want to get the most out of your patterns. Lots of people use IC it seems with slugs, but I'm not really a slug expert.

[benelli_boy]

While you can shoot a slug out of any choke without damaging the weapon,

 

It seems like a lot of people at sporting good stores have been telling me lately: "Make sure, whatever you do, only use a 'cylinder choke' in your shotgun if you shoot buckshot AND ESPECIALLY SLUGS!!!!!" I have shot slugs out of Lucille (that's my M4's name), with either a Modified or Improved Cylinder choke (I can't remember which)... Did I damage my gun? Please say no but tell me the truth.

 

Also, Benelli chokes are interchangeable between models, aren't they? My SBE (Edwin) came with an XXXX and Lucille came with XXX (or vice-versa) and I've changed them around -each seems to fit the other well enough. Please advise. TIA.

Edited February 10, 2009 by benelli_boy

[Duggan]

I've already answered your question.

 

You can shoot WHATEVER slug you want (so long as it's not like, hard cast or made of some ridiculous material) through any constriction and you will be 110% fine. The slug will deform and push through the choke LONG before the choke will break/expand and allow some super hard slug to basically push it out of the way.

 

I mean, what are most slugs, 1oz worth of a lead ball traveling at 1600 fps, vs the hardened steel cylindrical choke? It's no contest, especially given that the choke only "compresses" the slug a few fractions of an inch, so the actual areas that need to be "squished" to size are pretty small.

 

Again, you will very likely shoot your best groups with a looser choke that WILL NOT deform your slugs at all, such as a cyl choke ... but as always, the gun store/gun show people are full of **** and should not be trusted.

 

Don't beleive me? You say you've already shot a bunch through tighter choke ... remove your chokes, look at them for cracks, look at the threading for push marks, look for ANYTHING abnormal. I bet you find nothing.

 

-Duggan

 

ETA - As far as being interchangeable, yes they are kind of, in that they are all the same diameter (within the gauge of course), but lots of guns have extended or ultra extended chokes, whereas the m4 is normally run with a flush choke. I guess you could use them ...

Edited February 10, 2009 by Duggan

[benelli_boy]

It had occurred to me that certain gun store people speak poison with two tongues. I definitely got a little spooked, probably by the dramatic conviction of said people against chokes other than cylinder, i.e.: essentially no choke at all. Maybe they were just regurgitating what others (who actually know what they are talking about) had said, referring to the hard cast stuff, and don't understand themselves the difference between lead vs. steal... Or maybe it's all just a big misunderstanding on my part. Anyhoo, thanks a bunch for your input.

 

Lucille appears to be fine and undamaged (back when I was worried, I wasn't sure if possible damage could be some kind of unnoticeable, structural weakening/ slight deformation that would compromise my TRUBALL® shot, or what).

 

On a happier note, though, where the Sam Hill do I find original, Benelli (Internal) Cylinder chokes for these two. Should I call BenelliUSA tomorrow or will they just tell me to call Brownells, etc?

[Duggan]

From what I've heard, you can call CS and get them directly from Benelli.

 

I don't know much about the various choke offerings in all honesty ... which is a bit odd considering how much other stuff I've dabbled in, but I've always just used the full flush choke that came with the gun and it has worked great.

 

Perhaps I'll expand my line of chokes soon.

 

However, if you're looking for choke opinions, talk to Mudhen ... I beleive he has shot like hundreds of various combinations.

[alisske]

I have shot about 10 differnt types of slugs (about 50 rounds of each) and I have also shot buckhammers through a rifled choke, and I am confident when I say the truball shat the best hands down.

 

Now, I have run out of truball and I am shooting everything else I have to save money, but if you are buying off the rack and have any choice, federal truball with a improved choke is the way to go with a benelli M4.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

If you buy a bunch of federal truball and don't like them, I will trade you for some of the ammo I am shooting now.

 

Best of luck.

[Duggan]

I have shot about 10 differnt types of slugs (about 50 rounds of each) and I have also shot buckhammers through a rifled choke, and I am confident when I say the truball shat the best hands down.

 

Now, I have run out of truball and I am shooting everything else I have to save money, but if you are buying off the rack and have any choice, federal truball with a improved choke is the way to go with a benelli M4.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

If you buy a bunch of federal truball and don't like them, I will trade you for some of the ammo I am shooting now.

 

Best of luck.

 

Glad to hear it.

 

(I have 200 truball slugs in my closet, waiting for a warm day)