Hunting with slugs in non-rifled shotguns

[Rayleigh_Scattering]

Good eye!

That is the pocket where the extractor hook sits when the bolt is all the way forward.

It is supposed to look like that, just with better quality machining.

Looks like the lip got bent in by the extractor. Peening, we call it in the ‘biz.

You can file the sticky-in lip down to being in-profile with the chamber wall.

Don’t put scratches onto the chamber wall, or you’ll cause new extraction problems.

Now I need to go check my el-cheapo 1100 clone for the same thing…

 

[AdamRoby]

I am surprised that the metal could "peen" there, figure the heat treat would make it impervious to that. I guess if there is a word for it, then it is more common than not.
As long as I am there, I will try to smooth out the area, remove any bumps or rough areas.

 

[cosmic]

I wouldnt make the assumption that the barrel has been heat treated... That extractor cut looks a bit banged up, perhaps the barrel nut worked loose at one point while shooting. Go ahead and remove the lip - be careful if you use a dremel. Also, there appears to be some roughness in the chamber at 12 oclock, which may need some polishing.

 

[Rayleigh_Scattering]

>impervious

Just spit-balling here, but seems to me that this is the kind of part you want to fail plastic rather than fail brittle, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it on the softer side.

Jus pur rire I’ll run a hardness test on my Turkish shotgun next week.

 

[Doc Rainbow]

Just some ideas: Brenneke Express or the Hornady 300 grain SST slugs in a 12 gauge would be worth testing in a comparison at the range?

 

[REM700J]

I run a mossburg 500 in 12 gauge. With the factory imp cylinder choke and remington sluggers it will put em all inside a 6 inch circle at 50 yards. That's with an aftermarket front fiber optic pipe for siting. It's under 3 inches at 25. I have always found more open chokes to work better than more constriction with slugs. Sometimes making a foot of difference at 50 yards.

 

[0faustus0]

Just some ideas: Brenneke Express or the Hornady 300 grain SST slugs in a 12 gauge would be worth testing in a comparison at the range?

The Hornady SST is a sabot slug that will not work out of a smoothbore.
That slug needs a rifled barrel ...

 

[AdamRoby]

I run a mossburg 500 in 12 gauge. With the factory imp cylinder choke and remington sluggers it will put em all inside a 6 inch circle at 50 yards. That's with an aftermarket front fiber optic pipe for siting. It's under 3 inches at 25. I have always found more open chokes to work better than more constriction with slugs. Sometimes making a foot of difference at 50 yards.

The 500's come in field/deer combo packages, two barrels, one shorter rifled and one longer smooth bore. That might be an idea, and would maybe take care of both hunting styles.

I smoothed out the edge, and tried to polish as much as possible. I used some 0000 steel wool wrapped around a bristle cleaning brush but it snapped on me before I was done. Looks better, not perfect, but enough to give her a test at the range. I'll also try a few magnums to see if the problem is any better... just not sure when I will get out there again (45 minute drive each way).

 

[cooey43]

Shooting slugs @ 25 yds. will be just fine with ANY barrel or choke. Concentrate on sights
that you like.

 

[Rayleigh_Scattering]

>peening

So, a quick check shows that one of the two barrels did have some bending in of the lip edge. On the second, the lip ends in the rim.

A few strokes with the little file, and then some cleaning up with a popsicle stick wrapped with sandpaper took care of it.

A spent shell is now noticeably easier to slide into the chamber.

Thank you for spotting this.

 

[53Izzy744]

Rifled slugs are for smoothbores

Sabot slugs are for rifled barrels

Ive never heard of turkey loads messing up any choke tubes. Steel shot yes, anything tighter than mod choke can cause issues with steel shot.

My dad shoots slugs out of mossberg 500 fixed full choke, no damage and he has been using that combo for over 20 years with plenty of dead deer.

I use IC choke out of mossberg 500 with challenger magnum slugs and get great results out 50 yrds, thats as far as i can test. My buddy has 3 inch groups at 100 with them and he uses a maverick 88 with a bead (using a sled). Im sure my setup would be similar but have yet to try from that far.

 

[AdamRoby]

>peening

So, a quick check shows that one of the two barrels did have some bending in of the lip edge. On the second, the lip ends in the rim.

A few strokes with the little file, and then some cleaning up with a popsicle stick wrapped with sandpaper took care of it.

A spent shell is now noticeably easier to slide into the chamber.

Thank you for spotting this.

I did not have any spent shells to test, but using my snap caps they seem to go in and out without any effort. Glad this helped you, hopefully my problem is also resolved.

Rifled slugs are for smoothbores
...
Ive never heard of turkey loads messing up any choke tubes. Steel shot yes, anything tighter than mod choke can cause issues with steel shot.
...

I did another post on this. My full choke expanded after only a handful of magnum lead shot (not even steel). Took everything I had to remove it, thought I lost the gun. I replaced it with an extra full turkey choke (Carlson maybe?) and never had any issues with that afterwards.
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2141402-Seized-Choke-Tube

 

[Rayleigh_Scattering]

>magnum lead shot

Same here. A couple of 3" 00 lead wrecked the removable full choke.

Didn't do my shoulder any good either.

 

[cement head]

I did not have any spent shells to test, but using my snap caps they seem to go in and out without any effort. Glad this helped you, hopefully my problem is also resolved.




I did another post on this. My full choke expanded after only a handful of magnum lead shot (not even steel). Took everything I had to remove it, thought I lost the gun. I replaced it with an extra full turkey choke (Carlson maybe?) and never had any issues with that afterwards.
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2141402-Seized-Choke-Tube

I don't know how you are set up for money but I'd buy another shotgun if you can afford to . that metal looks worn and that shouldn't happen unless that shotgun is getting a boat load of shells going through it and it's very old . ditch that gun and stop farting around . let me guess it's made in Turkey or somewhere like that ? I've heard some are good and some are bad. if you don't have lots of money hunt down a Mossberg 500 or a Maverick pump . and if you have a few extra dollars get an older 870 Remington . with 2 barrels . a slug barrel and a longer shot barrel .

 

[Brutus]

I don't know how you are set up for money but I'd buy another shotgun if you can afford to . that metal looks worn and that shouldn't happen unless that shotgun is getting a boat load of shells going through it and it's very old . ditch that gun and stop farting around . let me guess it's made in Turkey or somewhere like that ? I've heard some are good and some are bad. if you don't have lots of money hunt down a Mossberg 500 or a Maverick pump . and if you have a few extra dollars get an older 870 Remington . with 2 barrels . a slug barrel and a longer shot barrel .

Or an Ithaca.

 

[AdamRoby]

I don't know how you are set up for money but I'd buy another shotgun if you can afford to . that metal looks worn and that shouldn't happen unless that shotgun is getting a boat load of shells going through it and it's very old . ditch that gun and stop farting around . let me guess it's made in Turkey or somewhere like that ? I've heard some are good and some are bad. if you don't have lots of money hunt down a Mossberg 500 or a Maverick pump . and if you have a few extra dollars get an older 870 Remington . with 2 barrels . a slug barrel and a longer shot barrel .

Indeed, made in Turkey. I want to get it working enough to trade it in or sell it, then buy something a bit better, ideally. I was hoping to use it for the upcoming Wild Turkey season, but have decided to do crossbow only and start looking for a decent replacement.

 

[cooey43]

Rifled slugs are for smoothbores

Sabot slugs are for rifled barrels

Ive never heard of turkey loads messing up any choke tubes. Steel shot yes, anything tighter than mod choke can cause issues with steel shot.

My dad shoots slugs out of mossberg 500 fixed full choke, no damage and he has been using that combo for over 20 years with plenty of dead deer.

I use IC choke out of mossberg 500 with challenger magnum slugs and get great results out 50 yrds, thats as far as i can test. My buddy has 3 inch groups at 100 with them and he uses a maverick 88 with a bead (using a sled). Im sure my setup would be similar but have yet to try from that far.

I have been shooting Foster ( rifled) slugs thru a rifled barrel for 30 yrs. With a red Dot scope I regularly
get 3" groups @ 100 yards.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

I have been shooting Foster ( rifled) slugs thru a rifled barrel for 30 yrs. With a red Dot scope I regularly
get 3" groups @ 100 yards.

I've had good results as well with Foster slugs out of my Rem 870 with my Hastings barrel on 'er and even better from my Savage 212. Both are scoped.
Me favorite smooth bore 12 is a Win 1400 that I did up for buck & ball use in the bush. Such a handy unit that shoots dandy fer me at similar distance.

 

[Rayleigh_Scattering]

I think a lot of that “worn out” appearance is just what bargain basement manufacturing looks like under the hood.