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Let's talk slugs


Vortec MAX

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OK, I run an optical sight on my M4. I typically use slugs to sight it in. Lately in my 3-gun competitions, they have been making us take shots at a steel plate (maybe 12x16) at 100 yards with slugs.

 

So I would like to open a discussion about which slugs work best for everyone (most accurate) and which chokes they like to use.

 

I shot about 30 slugs yesterday and I am still not happy with my grouping at 100 yards (if you can call it a group).

 

Any advice or experience shared would be appreciated.

 

Mike

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What kind of slugs have you been using? Lead slugs tend to generate the most perceived recoil in my experience. Sabot slugs are similar to buckshot recoil profiles. The choke tends to deform the sabots less and they seem to be more accurate. Specialty slugs like Hexolite32 steel slugs have similar recoil profiles of sabot slugs.

 

It's never going to group like a rifle, since it's a smooth bore.

 

If you're planning on firing a lot of slugs, I'd recommend doing the Limbsaver modification. It'll cut 40% of the bite off of the perceived recoil.

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The M4 is a pussycat. At least compared to a pump. I don't even have a bruise from yesterday. I am shooting Federal Hydra-Shok 1 oz slugs (1,600 FPS). They are part number LEF127RS. I have shot the TruBall slugs before too. I think those might be more accurate.

 

I tried an extended IC, flush IC, and flush cylinder chokes. I had the best groupings with the cylinder choke, but using that would definitely handicap me on the other parts of a 3-gun stage. I am searching for a good combination of slug and choke that will still allow me to knock over the steel knock-off plates with 7.5 shot at 10 yards. It has not been easy. Chokes tighter than IC definitely improve the plate knock down power, but as I understand it, they are not suitable for slugs.

 

My grouping pretty much covered a 12x16 piece of paper at 100 yards. I had hits at the top, hits at the bottom, hits at the left edge, and hits at the right edge. I have done better than that in the past. I would like to keep them in a 10" circle at that distance. Maybe that is asking too much.

 

Mike

Edited by Vortec MAX
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Sabot slugs are similar to buckshot recoil profiles. The choke tends to deform the sabots less and they seem to be more accurate.

 

What brand of sabots have you been shooting through your M4? I have been researching this a little on the interwebs and found this article. The sabot round they tested from a smoothbore keyholed at 50 yards. Sabot slugs are typically intended to be shot through a rifled barrel. If you found one that holds a tight group from your M4, I would like to try some.

 

Mike

Edited by Vortec MAX
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I tried some TruBall slugs tonight. They look much more promising. I shot a 3-shot group with an extended IC choke and a 3-shot group with a flush cylinder choke at 25 yards. Both chokes produced groups with holes that nearly touched. Much better than I was doing with the Hydra-Shok slugs.

 

I will do more testing and get back to you.

 

Feel free to join in the conversation. I feel a little like I am just talking to myself here :)

 

Mike

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One thing I haven't seen anyone write is about cleaning the bore. Benelli barrels have a tendency to lead up pretty bad and heavy leading will greatly effect accuracy. I have shown many people to use the Hoppes Tornado brush to remove lead, plastic fouling from the bore. Take the barrel off, start from the chamber end and scrub the **** out of it. Use it dry, without solvent. If you use solvent or oil it decreases the friction and won't work as well. No, it won't hurt the bore but it will give you a workout. I have a personal custom made 18" SBE Tactical barrel I made, cut off, no choke, M1/M4 style GR sight set up and use Fed 1oz rifled slugs. Still keeps them in a 6" at 100 but most shots I make with it when I hunt are under 50 yards. BTW, makes a **** of a fireball with 3 1/2" buckshot.

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I experienced the lead fouling first hand last night. I still did not get it all out and I scrubbed on it for about 45 minutes with a bronze brush alternated with patches down the bore. You could see gray metal flake on the patches, so I knew it was lead.

 

Nasty stuff. I do hope all that work improved the accuracy some. I will have to look into that Tornado brush you speak of.

 

Mike

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  • 3 weeks later...

I saw mention of the Hexolit32s. They are not bad for accuracy but I've shot them as well as the Dupo28 quite a bit. The 1600fps tru-balls will beat them both for accuracy but between the 2 at 100 yards, the Dupo28 definitely has the edge - probably due to the 1610fps of the dupo and only 1410 from the Hexolit.

 

For flat out damaging stuff the tru-balls can't touch either one but in 3-gun, I don't believe anyone cares about damage, just hitting what they are aiming at and the tru-balls would be my choice for this. I realistically can make headshots 8 for 10 on silhouette targets all day with tru-balls at 100. The others are good out to 75 for that but then start getting squirrely.

 

My usual range doesn't allow buckshot so I shoot slug almost exclusively when I'm there and these are my three primary choices for slugs of any type.

 

I have an IC choke in my M4.

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I think there are steel parts to the Hexolit slugs, so I would not be able to shoot them at steel targets in 3-gun. There is a high danger of ricochet, so they would not be allowed. Steel shot is also not allowed for the same reason. They are a cool design though.

 

Mike

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Yes. They have steel parts so they would apparently be out.

 

I've shot them quite a bit and when they first came out, a lot of folks just thought they were like novelties or something but I took a chance and grabbed a crap-load on the cheap so I've shot quite a few of them and believe they are some incredibly scary little monsters. Both the Dupo and the Hexolit.

 

I think if you give the 1600fps Tru-balls a solid whirl, they will probably serve you well but don't drop down to the low recoils. They too will get squirrely as **** after 75 feet. You can hit stuff but I certainly wouldn't walk into a competition expecting to be able to count on them solidly for much over 50 yards.

 

I've shot the 1600 fps tru-balls out to 200 yards at steel and although they aren't consistent that far, I hit a 16 inch gong one day for 6 out of 10 from the bench which I figured was pretty damn good.

 

Good luck with your search.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I took a couple of photos of the lead fouling that the Tornado brush was able to get out of the barrel of my M4. I can't believe how much was in there. I actually threw the cleaning mat away because I was concerned about getting the lead airborne or scattering it about if I tried to clean up the mat. Next time I will be doing this outside, or using newspaper to catch this stuff. I can definitely see how all this would affect accuracy.

 

Tornado_01.JPG

 

Tornado_02.JPG

 

Mike

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