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Lee 12 ga Slugs in a Smoothbore


Cella's Dad

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No, It wont damage your gun.

You can shoot ALL type of slugs in your smoothbore regardless of the choke installed, safely ( even a full choke).

Now, accuracy is a different story of course and you already know that your smoothbore will suffer.

 

You can actually buy a rifled choke that will help accuracy some, but if you plan on doing this much you should spring for the rifled barrel for your Nova.

 

-CR

 

[ 06-14-2005, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: Coloradoryan ]

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Thats justification if I ever saw it!!

tongue.gif

If you are going to be using your smooth bore for a little while, try to stick to non saboted slugs if you can. Sabots will have trouble seperating if they are not spinning ( centrifical force of rotation opens the fingers evenly and the air catches the fingers and seperates the two ). With out the spinning they may not come off evenly which will effect accuracy, or possibly not come off at all and hit the target with the slug itself. They are still completly safe to shoot in your smoothbore but just an FYI when choosing slugs for your gun.

 

Take care

 

-cr

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All the previous information is on the mark. I've read that sabots through a smoothbore MAY actually become unstable, pitch & yawl in flight ... roll rather than rotate. Go to ww.tarhunt.com and click on the tab labeled "Shooting Guide." Work your way through the headings down the left margin. They will not directly address your smoothbore situation, but you will learn a lot about the differences between shooting a rifle and shooting a slug gun. There are small but very significant shooting technique differences that make a HUGE difference in accuracy. How you use your front hand on the stock forend for example is critical. I did a lot of reading on slugs, slug guns, ballistics and the foibles of sending a single projectile through a shotgun, before purchasing an SBEII slug gun, mounting a 3-9 x 40mm scope, and testing $$$ worth of various high end slugs. The results of which lead to harvesting 15 deer in the "shotgun only" state of NJ last season. I spoke with and shot alongside a lot of guys who were shooting smoothbores and many of them were having excellent results with the relatively common, readily available and well proven "Remington Slugger." I've read that Brenneke type slugs work well through smoothbores and are good for tough game like boar because they penetrate deeply with little expansion.

 

One suggestion is to do as much practicing as possible at 25, 75 and even 100 yards as well as the recommended testing of ammo at 50 yards so you know how the gun/slug combination you choose shoots when that big one shows up on your radar screen. It will define your equipment/shooter limitations. Oh ... and after you clean the gun, be sure to send a "fouling shot" down the barrel before the hunt. A lot of the guys first shot after cleaning their gun was 2, 3 or even 4 inches higher than normal at 50 yards. Plenty enough to cause an unexplained miss when magnified out to 100 yards or so. Another thing I found was that different ammo brands and even different loads in the SAME brand produced huge differences in point of impact. So bring enough of the brand and load you choose after testing. Grabbing a few odd slugs from one of your buddies during the hunt because you run out ain't like borrowing #4's during a duck hunt. Hope this helps ... good luck.

 

[ 06-14-2005, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: Butch-M ]

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Butch, you and Ryan of Colorado haev help big time. thank you both so much. I will check out that website. I am always up to learning.

 

I am disappointed I cannot use my rifle but understand why, this hunting area is very close to non-hunting recreation and a freeway. I am actually amazed they allow hunting in the first place!

 

Thanks again.

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what was failed to be mentioned before was the fact that you can simply use a rifled slug in the smooth barrel. I would not go for the new shotgun because you are only going on one outing and probably don't plan on using the shotgun all the time. and even If you just wanted to have fun target shooting with slugs, they cost a lot of $$$$$. If I were you I would just go with the smooth bore with the rifled slugs. they are pretty accurate.

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I have been shoot 1oz rifled slugs at paper several times a year for the last 14years. I am shooting an 870 with a improved 18" barrel with no chokes. I was told the rifled slugs work even better in the imp over the mod. Anyway, what I wanted to say was they are good out to about 75 yards. I can hit a small teenager size target from the prone position. I know my rounds drop 3 1/2 " at 75 yards. So you might want to test your drop at the range first. Outside of 50 under a little stress will be tough. Good luck.

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