Just wondering what the difference is between a slug barrel and a regular barrel. I realize some slug barrels may be rifled, but can you run different chokes with slugs, is there different barrels for lead vs steel shot?? Can you shoot a slug out of a non rifled barrel? I understand what chokes do, but what makes a gun a skeet gun vs a turkey gun?? Any and all info is greatly appreciated.
Can someone enlighten me on shotgun barrels
- Thread starter Go4snypr
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Slug barrels can be rifled, smooth bore or have a rifled choke, what tends to set them apart from other barrels is the rifle sights on the barrels or mounts for a scope. I've shot quite a few deer with slugs, and all were from smooth bore barrels (mostly modified choked barrels, as that is what my main duck and pheasant shotguns were at the time). The better sights on a slug barrel would be better than what I used back in the day.
The usual difference between a lead and a steel shot capable shotgun is the shotgun a newer shotgun or an old one. Really just about any of the post 1980 shotguns will be steel shot capable, except maybe some of the European shotguns. Steel shot capable barrels are usually thicker (more steel) than the older lead only barrels. An easy example to view would be an old Browing A-5 Belgium barrel compared to a Japanese made barrel.
Turkey shotgun vs. a skeet shotgun - besides the usual obvious Camo, sometimes scoped or with semi-rifle sight vs. wood, blued steel, and a vent rib with a two bead sight system. The main difference is a turkey shotgun normally has some form of full choke - full to extra full, while a skeet gun usually has a skeet choke (which is close to cylinder, but could be as tight as I.C. Turkey loads also tend to be heavy loads with 4, 5, or 6 shot, while skeet loads are light target loads of 8 or 9 shot.
Hope that helps.
The usual difference between a lead and a steel shot capable shotgun is the shotgun a newer shotgun or an old one. Really just about any of the post 1980 shotguns will be steel shot capable, except maybe some of the European shotguns. Steel shot capable barrels are usually thicker (more steel) than the older lead only barrels. An easy example to view would be an old Browing A-5 Belgium barrel compared to a Japanese made barrel.
Turkey shotgun vs. a skeet shotgun - besides the usual obvious Camo, sometimes scoped or with semi-rifle sight vs. wood, blued steel, and a vent rib with a two bead sight system. The main difference is a turkey shotgun normally has some form of full choke - full to extra full, while a skeet gun usually has a skeet choke (which is close to cylinder, but could be as tight as I.C. Turkey loads also tend to be heavy loads with 4, 5, or 6 shot, while skeet loads are light target loads of 8 or 9 shot.
Hope that helps.
thanks for the reply, so can I shoot a slug out of any barrel then or does it have to be a slug barrel?? If i can change choke tubes on my shot gun can I shoot a slug with any of the chokes?? Will shooting steel shot out of an old gun wreck the barrel or just my spread pattern??
You can even shoot sabots out of a smoothbore. Remington sells a full rifled choke (12GA) for this purpose and recommends sabots. However you only get the last maybe 2" that are rifled. I'm not sure how that compares to a fully rifled barrel for stability and accuracy though..
Yep, you can shoot any slug out of just about any barrel. I'd avoid really tightly choked barrels or tubes. Rule of thumb is keep the choke on the more open side (from modified to the open chokes). Rifled chokes are OK, but won't be a good as a fully rifled barrel.
Steel through older guns will cause a ring around the barrel of some shotguns. The ones I remember are an old Browning A-5, a Model 12, and an old Remington 31. All were fixed full choked guns. One of my buddies has an early 70s era Remington 870 with a full choke, and it is just fine. It is probably best to shoot bismuth or one of the substitute steel loads through an older shotgun.
