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Supernova - slugs in smoothbore, chokes


Cappy227

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Hi gang, first post! And, it's a result of not being able to find rifled barrels for my new Supernova. So, I'd like to explore the idea of using slugs designed for smooth bore.

 

So first, what choke is best suited for me? I've seen IC and Modified mentioned when using, say, Truball slugs...but I'm not one to go half-assed, I'd like to not only know which slug/choke combo is working for you, but why. I want to understand the concept, too, as a newbie.

 

Thanks!

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Hi gang, first post! And, it's a result of not being able to find rifled barrels for my new Supernova. So, I'd like to explore the idea of using slugs designed for smooth bore.

 

So first, what choke is best suited for me? I've seen IC and Modified mentioned when using, say, Truball slugs...but I'm not one to go half-assed, I'd like to not only know which slug/choke combo is working for you, but why. I want to understand the concept, too, as a newbie.

 

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum, I can't help you a whole lot, but I suggest hornady or federal sabot slugs and a rifled choke a prefer briley. If you want a slug barrel, you might as well get a whole new gun with how pricey they are.

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Hi gang, first post! And, it's a result of not being able to find rifled barrels for my new Supernova. So, I'd like to explore the idea of using slugs designed for smooth bore.

 

So first, what choke is best suited for me? I've seen IC and Modified mentioned when using, say, Truball slugs...but I'm not one to go half-assed, I'd like to not only know which slug/choke combo is working for you, but why. I want to understand the concept, too, as a newbie.

 

Thanks!

 

There is nothing wrong with cheaper slugs. My father-in-law has been killing deer with the 1.99 5 pack winchester slugs all his life. Its what shoots best in your gun that makes the differance.

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Well, due diligence would suggest I should try a variety of slugs to see which shoots the best from my particular firearm, absolutely - but from TruBalls to Federals to Winchesters, where should I start with the choke? IC? Modified? Thanks!

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Well, due diligence would suggest I should try a variety of slugs to see which shoots the best from my particular firearm, absolutely - but from TruBalls to Federals to Winchesters, where should I start with the choke? IC? Modified? Thanks!

Just get a rifled deer choke and you will be fine either constriction will work, pattern with your factory chokes first and see if there is a difference. Usually rifled deer specific chokes don't show restriction.

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Well, due diligence would suggest I should try a variety of slugs to see which shoots the best from my particular firearm, absolutely - but from TruBalls to Federals to Winchesters, where should I start with the choke? IC? Modified? Thanks!

You could try a rifled choke but I feel that they don't help too much. You should pick up a rifled barrel for your SuperNova, they are expensive but if you dont like doing things half assed that is the place to start and you can get them anywhere. What is happening so you fully understand is that the barrel will have a twist inside that causes the bullet to spiral which gives you much better accuracy. With a rifle it is common to see a 1:10 twist which means that every 10 inches you get a full twist. So with a rifled choke you wont get much twisting because they are only about 2-4 inches long, hence the poor results. As for slugs I always reccomend Hornady SST slugs. 2000 fps and a whole lot of nasty. Everything about the slug is cool, check them out in your local store. I bet you the second you look at one you will buy them. They are consistently accurate and are made for 200 yard shots, which is where a rifled barrel and a scope comes into play. Have fun and I hope that I helped.

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You could try a rifled choke but I feel that they don't help too much. You should pick up a rifled barrel for your SuperNova, they are expensive but if you dont like doing things half assed that is the place to start and you can get them anywhere. What is happening so you fully understand is that the barrel will have a twist inside that causes the bullet to spiral which gives you much better accuracy. With a rifle it is common to see a 1:10 twist which means that every 10 inches you get a full twist. So with a rifled choke you wont get much twisting because they are only about 2-4 inches long, hence the poor results. As for slugs I always reccomend Hornady SST slugs. 2000 fps and a whole lot of nasty. Everything about the slug is cool, check them out in your local store. I bet you the second you look at one you will buy them. They are consistently accurate and are made for 200 yard shots, which is where a rifled barrel and a scope comes into play. Have fun and I hope that I helped.

The barrels are outrageously expensive, I would seriously consider a new gun. Hornady slugs are some of the best but I wouldn't make up my mind with cool looks when it comes to ammo.

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The barrels are outrageously expensive, I would seriously consider a new gun. Hornady slugs are some of the best but I wouldn't make up my mind with cool looks when it comes to ammo.

The looks just add to this great ammo. I get great patterns and love its performance. If I was going to recommend ammo on looks I would have suggested Remington's Premier® AccuTip Bonded Sabot Slug, but I haven't tried them so I cant tell you how well they perform. The barrels are expensive, and your right it would be worth getting a new gun for that price but you can still shoot slugs out of a smooth bore, just without the precision of a rifled slug barrel.

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The looks just add to this great ammo. I get great patterns and love its performance. If I was going to recommend ammo on looks I would have suggested Remington's Premier® AccuTip Bonded Sabot Slug, but I haven't tried them so I cant tell you how well they perform. The barrels are expensive, and your right it would be worth getting a new gun for that price but you can still shoot slugs out of a smooth bore, just without the precision of a rifled slug barrel.

I don't mind my guns and ammo performing good and looking good while doing it. I am just saying that because I have been their picking things only for looks. I think if you are only using the gun for deer hunting only I agree with Tyson, you should get a rifled shotgun(barrel). A quality scope is also highly recommended

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I don't mind my guns and ammo performing good and looking good while doing it. I am just saying that because I have been their picking things only for looks. I think if you are only using the gun for deer hunting only I agree with Tyson, you should get a rifled shotgun(barrel). A quality scope is also highly recommended

Good advice, but once that scope goes on there you can forget about bird hunting.

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There is nothing wrong with cheaper slugs. My father-in-law has been killing deer with the 1.99 5 pack winchester slugs all his life. Its what shoots best in your gun that makes the differance.

 

Where can I find $1.99 Winchester slugs? The cheapest I normally see are closer to $5.

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well hotdamn! I finally found someone that shares my passion. I have a smoothbore supernova and I shoot slugs outta the thing all the time. Ive got a carlsons rifled choke tube and I just shoot the cheepo Winchester super X's but there aint much cheep about em. They are 5 bucks for 5. Thats a dollar a pop! but its damn cheeper when target shooting. I have heard wonderful things about brenneke and hornady. I have some brenneke black magic's in the mail, but I wanted the biggest bang I could find for deer hunting. The black magics are 3inch and weigh 1 and 3/8ths ounce and spread to almost a 2 and 1/2 circle when contact is made. But ill post pictures when I try em. But as for the cheepo super X's, I just target shot these bad boys at about 45 yards with nothing but the standard bead open sights. I BUSTED a 8" X 8" crayon box almost every shot.. 4 outta 5 shots to be exact. The last shot was off for the simple reason that I started flinching after shooting 4 in a row because my shoulder started feeling it. But these things (because they are hollow tip) will make a nasty exit wound if shot into a couple of 2X4's! LOL good luck out there buddy.

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Ive got a carlsons rifled choke tube and I just shoot the cheepo Winchester super X's but there aint much cheep about em.

 

I have some brenneke black magic's in the mail, but I wanted the biggest bang I could find for deer hunting. The black magics are 3inch and weigh 1 and 3/8ths ounce and spread to almost a 2 and 1/2 circle when contact is made. But ill post pictures when I try em.

 

When you say winchester super X's you mean the rifled slugs yes? I have carlsons rifled choke too and I tried some remington sluggers (basically the same as super X's as far as I can tell) but the grouping wasn't all that great. But definitely post pictures when you try the back magics, I'll be interested to see how sabots work with that choke. I'm currently in the search for an accurate slug load for that choke so I guess we'll see what happens.

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well do you have a supernova? (Different ammo works better with different guns) Sabots are a bad idea in a smoothbore barrel. The black magics im gettin are supposed to be shot through a smoothbore barrel. *According to their advertisements* They are supposed to give you a 3" group at 100 yards, but im sure that is with a scope and a bench as well. As for the Super X's, they are hollow point (1600 fps) and they leave lead in your barrel like a SOB. It took me forever to clean that damn barrel. The bernnekes are supposed to have something that virtually eliminates (probably just reduces) leading in the barrel, and bore butter will help with that too. But the black magics are some mean mothers. Some people ive talked to wont even shoot them anymore because of the massive recoil, but i just called the pus*ies and ordered some! lol.

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When you say winchester super X's you mean the rifled slugs yes? I have carlsons rifled choke too and I tried some remington sluggers (basically the same as super X's as far as I can tell) but the grouping wasn't all that great. But definitely post pictures when you try the back magics, I'll be interested to see how sabots work with that choke. I'm currently in the search for an accurate slug load for that choke so I guess we'll see what happens.

 

Are you shooting rifled slugs with a rifled choke?

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Are you shooting rifled slugs with a rifled choke?

 

I did try that, but that wasn't my initial setup. First I just tried with cylinder choke. With the cylinder choke the slugs were about 1.5' spread in a horizontal line at 40 yards. Unimpressed I switched to the rifled choke and the slugs were about 1.5' spread in a vertical line at 40 yards...

 

So I'm just poking around trying to find a combo that works. I don't have much in the way of sabot slugs so I'm going to get a few and see what happens with that rifled choke tube. I also heard around here that federal truballs work pretty well so I'm going to grab a few of those as well.

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I

I don't have much in the way of sabot slugs so I'm going to get a few and see what happens with that rifled choke tube. I also heard around here that federal truballs work pretty well so I'm going to grab a few of those as well.

 

 

That should work better!

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I did try that, but that wasn't my initial setup. First I just tried with cylinder choke. With the cylinder choke the slugs were about 1.5' spread in a horizontal line at 40 yards. Unimpressed I switched to the rifled choke and the slugs were about 1.5' spread in a vertical line at 40 yards...

 

So I'm just poking around trying to find a combo that works. I don't have much in the way of sabot slugs so I'm going to get a few and see what happens with that rifled choke tube. I also heard around here that federal truballs work pretty well so I'm going to grab a few of those as well.

Let us know how that works out/how the slugs performed. I am thinking about trying a rifled choke with sabot slugs. I don't shotgun deer hunt much I normally use a 30-06. But I am thinking about using slugs in the brush because I can't take very far shots there anyways, and a slug will hit alot harder.

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I don't shotgun deer hunt much I normally use a 30-06. But I am thinking about using slugs in the brush because I can't take very far shots there anyways, and a slug will hit alot harder.

 

 

Than a 30-06? I don't know for sure so I'm guessing, but wouldn't the 30-06 have more energy than a slug?

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Than a 30-06? I don't know for sure so I'm guessing, but wouldn't the 30-06 have more energy than a slug?

 

Well they are close. From the remington website the muzzle energy of 30-06 180gr maxes at 2967ftlbs, the remington buckhammer 1-3/8oz (601.6gr) has 3232ftlbs of muzzle energy.

 

But as I think we all know a slug like that bleeds energy and accuracy fast so anything past 50-100yrs the 30-06 wins hands down. So if you are in heavy woods all the time and your max shot is 50ft the slug might be a good option.

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Originally Posted by Novaking viewpost.gif

Than a 30-06? I don't know for sure so I'm guessing, but wouldn't the 30-06 have more energy than a slug?

It is close but, energy is not the only factor. Diameter is what I am talking about. A slug is twice as big in diameter. That makes a bigger hole.

 

Originally Posted by agm65ccip viewpost.gif

But as I think we all know a slug like that bleeds energy and accuracy fast so anything past 50-100yrs the 30-06 wins hands down.

If I am correct, the slower a bullet goes while still going all the way through the deer, the more damage it does. The longest shot I can take it the woods is about 60 yards. A slug should have plenty of energy from their.
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Well they are close. From the remington website the muzzle energy of 30-06 180gr maxes at 2967ftlbs, the remington buckhammer 1-3/8oz (601.6gr) has 3232ftlbs of muzzle energy.

 

The Buckhammer and a long rifled choke like a Rhino, would be my first choice if buying a fully rifled barrel is not a good option. The Buckhammer was designed, at least in part, for use with rifled choke tubes.

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If I am correct, the slower a bullet goes while still going all the way through the deer, the more damage it does. The longest shot I can take it the woods is about 60 yards. A slug should have plenty of energy from their.

 

 

Maybe true. But why would you want that damage? For me, I want the least amount of gun I need to kill the deer successfully everytime. More meat on the table. If we were able to use a highpowered rifles of deer, I would use .243,.270,25-06.

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Maybe true. But why would you want that damage? For me, I want the least amount of gun I need to kill the deer successfully everytime. More meat on the table. If we were able to use a highpowered rifles of deer, I would use .243,.270,25-06.

 

I'm not particularly excited about the damage, but slugs are all I can use, here in Illinois we have those pesky rules. Sounds like you know all about them too.

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