I am a new hunter and just recently purchased a browning maxus shotgun. I plan on doing a good amount of grouse hunting which requires lots of walking in the woods. I am slightly concerned about running into a black bear so I was wondering if i can shoot a riffled slug out of my shotgun with any choke that I happen to have on the shotgun or do I require a specific type of choke in order to be able to shoot some slugs.
Can I shoot riffled slugs with my shotgun
- Thread starter Viper989
- Start date
I shoot rifled slugs out of my shotgun all the time and its just a cylinder choke smooth barrel. I have also done the same with a coach gun that had, improved cylinder and modified choke in the other barrel. No issues.
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I don't mean to be nit picky here, but there is no such thing as a regular choke.. Its either cylinder bore, improved cylinder, modified choke or full choke.. I am pretty sure that you can send a slug through up to an including modifed choke.. Im not sure about full choke however. I know someone will come through and know if you can or not.
As i said it wont matter, chokes are designed for shot patterns, not for slugs. If a bear comes after you a slug will go through that gun fine. Hell some steel shot wont do him any favours.
I have shot slugs through both chokes.
As i understand it, you should NOT shoot slugs out of a shotgun if the barrel has any kind of choke.They make special barrels for shotguns to shoot slugs that have no choke at all (slug barrel), that been said if that bear was coming and all I had was a slug.
I suppose I can carry some 00 buckshot or 000 buckshot.....i would be ok shooting that with whatever choke I happen to have on my gun and it would certainly do some damage on a black bear.....I prob won't ever need it but rather have something just in case
If you are scared of bears:
1. You are bird hunting - bring a dog (no, a chihuahua is not a dog).
2. Make noise - birds aren't deer. Most bears will spook.
3. If you insist upon a slug, alternate first with 00. Keep a few rounds preferably on a side saddle.
4. For heaven's sake - don 't shoot a 3 1/2 magnum round of 00 out of a full choke. Just don't do it. That's a lot of material all fighting for its own space.
5. Note the difference between a smooth bore slug, and a sabot intended for rifled barrels. Just some FYI.
Good luck - watch out for those berry patches
1. You are bird hunting - bring a dog (no, a chihuahua is not a dog).
2. Make noise - birds aren't deer. Most bears will spook.
3. If you insist upon a slug, alternate first with 00. Keep a few rounds preferably on a side saddle.
4. For heaven's sake - don 't shoot a 3 1/2 magnum round of 00 out of a full choke. Just don't do it. That's a lot of material all fighting for its own space.
5. Note the difference between a smooth bore slug, and a sabot intended for rifled barrels. Just some FYI.
Good luck - watch out for those berry patches
I did some reading and they say that you shouldn't shoot slugs through Full Choke barrels. But IC or Modified are fine, although you can damage the choke through excessive use of slugs. You only want to do it as a last resort so id say your safe i doing so if that situation arises.
Here's something i snagged off the web.
"As others have stated do not shoot slugs through a full choke. You can do it; but it’s very dangerous. It increases the pressures to dangerous levels. And it also causes metal fatigue. In other words you may get away with it several times then BOOM!
A full choke its good for tight patterns with bird shot and buck shot.
The slug may fit in the muzzle from a dissembled shell but that means little. You see when that slug takes off with soft lead it expands, (albeit slightly) but that little bit helps seal it against the .72 cal / 12 ga bore. The restriction of the full choke (less than bore) applies extreme pressure at that point.
And as far as accuracy is concerned it will suck.
UPDATE; I did some research on this question today. And if you are using Foster type slugs you can shoot them out of ANY choke barrel; "according" to the slug manufactures. But I got different answers from a gun manufacture.
Here is what Mossberg says;
http://www.mossberg.com/content.asp?ID=5…
“Can I shoot slugs or buckshot through a "smoothbore" field barrel with Accu-Choke™ tubes? (500/505/535/9200/88/930 models)
Yes, and with sabots or rifled slugs, the more "open" the choke tube, the better the accuracy ("Improved Cylinder" recommended.) The "full" or "modified" choke tubes are preferred for buckshot loads. Slugs, buckshot and steel shot loads are not recommended for use with an extra full "turkey tube" installed, due to the tube's tight constriction. Do not fire any load without a choke tube installed, doing so will damage the internal choke tube threads.
Can I fire slugs through my 935™ or 835® vent rib, Accu-Mag® choke tube barrel?
No, 935™ and 835® field barrels (those with a ventilated rib) are "overbored," and the extra inside diameter may cause the projectile to "wobble" producing unreliable accuracy. A projectile may wedge inside the barrel causing an obstruction. Obstructions of any kind can cause damage to the firearm resulting in damage to the barrel and/or personal injury to you or those around you. Dedicated fully rifled slug barrels are available for the 935™ and 835® models. Other 935™ and 835® Accu-Mag® choke tube notes: Buckshot and steel-shot loads are not recommended for use with an extra full turkey tube installed.
And this is what one slug manufacture has to say;
http://www.brennekeusa.com/web/text/faq.…
It seems some of their slugs can and some can not be shot thru a full choke.
And after searching the web; seems no one can agree on this.
Personally I will stick to not shooting slugs thru a full choke. Because years ago I watched a fellow shoot a slug through an old H&R Topper 12ga full choke and I could SEE the bulge of the slug travel down the barrel.
That was enough for me!"
At best from what I have read there are conflicting points of view. Some slug manufacturers like Brennke say you can shoot their slugs through a Full Choke. I have read a lot that says you should not.
Its up to you what you do. If your talking about Black Bears, just a shot in the air will prob scare them away anyhow.
Here's something i snagged off the web.
"As others have stated do not shoot slugs through a full choke. You can do it; but it’s very dangerous. It increases the pressures to dangerous levels. And it also causes metal fatigue. In other words you may get away with it several times then BOOM!
A full choke its good for tight patterns with bird shot and buck shot.
The slug may fit in the muzzle from a dissembled shell but that means little. You see when that slug takes off with soft lead it expands, (albeit slightly) but that little bit helps seal it against the .72 cal / 12 ga bore. The restriction of the full choke (less than bore) applies extreme pressure at that point.
And as far as accuracy is concerned it will suck.
UPDATE; I did some research on this question today. And if you are using Foster type slugs you can shoot them out of ANY choke barrel; "according" to the slug manufactures. But I got different answers from a gun manufacture.
Here is what Mossberg says;
http://www.mossberg.com/content.asp?ID=5…
“Can I shoot slugs or buckshot through a "smoothbore" field barrel with Accu-Choke™ tubes? (500/505/535/9200/88/930 models)
Yes, and with sabots or rifled slugs, the more "open" the choke tube, the better the accuracy ("Improved Cylinder" recommended.) The "full" or "modified" choke tubes are preferred for buckshot loads. Slugs, buckshot and steel shot loads are not recommended for use with an extra full "turkey tube" installed, due to the tube's tight constriction. Do not fire any load without a choke tube installed, doing so will damage the internal choke tube threads.
Can I fire slugs through my 935™ or 835® vent rib, Accu-Mag® choke tube barrel?
No, 935™ and 835® field barrels (those with a ventilated rib) are "overbored," and the extra inside diameter may cause the projectile to "wobble" producing unreliable accuracy. A projectile may wedge inside the barrel causing an obstruction. Obstructions of any kind can cause damage to the firearm resulting in damage to the barrel and/or personal injury to you or those around you. Dedicated fully rifled slug barrels are available for the 935™ and 835® models. Other 935™ and 835® Accu-Mag® choke tube notes: Buckshot and steel-shot loads are not recommended for use with an extra full turkey tube installed.
And this is what one slug manufacture has to say;
http://www.brennekeusa.com/web/text/faq.…
It seems some of their slugs can and some can not be shot thru a full choke.
And after searching the web; seems no one can agree on this.
Personally I will stick to not shooting slugs thru a full choke. Because years ago I watched a fellow shoot a slug through an old H&R Topper 12ga full choke and I could SEE the bulge of the slug travel down the barrel.
That was enough for me!"
At best from what I have read there are conflicting points of view. Some slug manufacturers like Brennke say you can shoot their slugs through a Full Choke. I have read a lot that says you should not.
Its up to you what you do. If your talking about Black Bears, just a shot in the air will prob scare them away anyhow.
Foster slugs can be safely used in any choke from cylinder through full, though more open chokes are most likely to provide best accuracy. Consider that when Foster slugs were invented in the 1930s, there were no specialized slug guns and most shotguns were either doubles choked full/modified or had a single full choked barrel.
Stick with slugs, not buckshot, for bear protection.
Stick with slugs, not buckshot, for bear protection.
