Slugs in Nova Pump?

[wildman]

I have a smooth bore barrel Nova Pump. What type of slugs can I shot through this gun

[AndyUK]

Hey Wildman,

 

Using slugs in your Nova is very much a case of trial and error. You will need to try a wide selection of suitable slugs to find out which is best for YOUR Nova.

 

First off, let’s look at the Nova itself. Is it a fixed choke or a multi-choke? I use an Improved Cylinder in my SuperNova, if you have the option you may want to try cylinder, IC and maybe even modified. If it is a m/c make certain that the chokes are firmly in place, they can start to come out if you use a lot of heavy recoiling shells and that is BAD NEWS!

 

Secondly, unless your shooting is limited to ten feet or less you really must have some sort of sights on the gun. You may have factory sights or, if you have a vent rib barrel you can easily attach some of the excellent Williams Firesights or something similar, or maybe you are going the whole way and fitting a low power ‘scope, holosight or red-dot.

 

OK, you’ve sorted the gun, how about the ammo? What are you using the gun for? Practical shotgun? Wild boar? Deer? Tyrannosaurus Rex?

 

If you’re shooting live quarry, you’ll want to use one of the better quality hunting slugs, but NOT one of those specifically designed for use in a rifled barrel. Try a few e.g. Winchester , Federal, Brenneke etc.

 

If you’re shooting IPSC Practical you’ll be shooting a lot more so, cost will be an issue, as will recoil. Use the lightest load which complies with the rules, functions reliably and delivers ‘A’ zone hits at the required distance.

 

So, there’s no simple answer. Get out there, try a few brands and see what works best for YOU.

 

Good shooting

 

Andy

[wildman]

Thanks Andy for all the information. it makes it a little comp. But i guess its the only way to find out. I have a SBII rifiled barrel and the choice was simple winchester Gold Partions they are awesome. I try different brands till I get it right.

 

The choke issue is confusing. Do I have to use a choke in the barrel i have mulit chokes which screw in. I thought about buying a riffeled barrel but???

[AndyUK]

OK. We have two issues there.

 

A) Buying a replacement rifled barrel and then using suitable slugs.

 

B) Multi-choke, multi-choice!

 

 

 

The answer to A) is probably, that you will find it very difficult and expensive to source a suitable rifled barrel for your Nova. If you can - great - but it still takes you back to my original comments about sorting out suitable sights. It is of utterly no practical value having an intrinsically, very accurate shotgun if you do not have a sighting system which allows you to utilise that accuracy! Also, whilst one brand of slugs have proven to be superb in one gun it does not necessarily mean that you will experience a similar situation with the Nova and a rifled slug barrel.

 

B) With the chokes the answer is a little simpler. Don't EVER try shooting without a choke installed! You will wreck the threads in quick time and there is no benefit to using the gun without a choke installed. You will probably find that the cylinder choke is too open, but it does vary from make to make. As I said, I use an IC choke in my Super Nova and the results are OK. I would not be inclined to go tighter than a modified choke otherwise it might be too tight.

 

Having seen what happens when chokes are not screwed fully in, I'd just re-iterate, make sure that it's screwed fully in. Sorry if that sounds like I'm being patronising - it's certainly not intended to be - it's just that I saw a gun with m/c blow off the last four inches of barrel when a shot was fired with a loose choke. The first shot caused the leading edge of the choke to curl into the barrel, where it (loosely) met the threads, the second shot blew off the end. Luckily no major injuries!

 

Anyhow, accuracy testing with different slugs just gives you a great excuse to do some more shooting!

 

Incidentally, can you get the French 'Sauvestre' brand High Velocity sabot slugs? I've not been able to source any here in the UK - I'll probably have to go over The Channel to France to get hold of some.

 

All the best

 

Andy