Question about using Slugs in smooth bore, full choke

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fingers284

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A buddy of my s i l's brought me an old Rem Sportsman (12 ga. ,2 3/4" ), wants me to clean and function test. He wants to shoot slugs in the gun but after he bought the gun someone told him that you couldn't shoot slugs from a full choke smooth bore. The only experience I have with shooting slugs was 40 yrs ago with the old mushroom head style soft pure lead slugs that were safe to shoot in any gun. Now, some modern slugs have a more solid frame design than the old ones.

Is there any truth to what he has been told or is it common practice to use modern slug ammo in smooth bore full choke guns.
 
do not know about the quality of the steel but it can be done with any modern barrel steel.

have you ever seen a notice on the slug box about do not shot in a full choke barrel?

will it be optimum no for sure but safe yes again depending on the quality of the steel from the barrel.
 
You want the foster type slugs, usually the cheapest on the shelf.
The saboted slugs are for rifled barrels and usually more expensive.
The saboted slugs although more expensive, will not perform well in a smooth bore. Possibly even causing a problem because of the much more robust jacketed slug. Unlikely but possible.
The foster style slugs have been shot out of smooth bore full choke guns for decades without issue.
 
You can shot rifled slugs threw any modern shotgun with a full choke. Rifled slugs are hollow in the base so thy can fill the bore as the gas expanse in the barrel behind the slug.the slug is softer then the steel of the barrels so or will fourm a tight seal and fit threw the choke.stay away from Sabot slugs
 
lanis said:
As a rule, you do NOT shoot slugs with a full choke!
Click to expand...

Umm, as a rule...you are talking out of your knowledge level.
What they call old school rifled slugs are not rifled, those are Brennake ( spelling ?) grooves. They are designed to squish down so they can exit a full choke.
Ever seen a Marlin Goose Gun ad from the day? It was designed to shoot slugs as well as wallop geese. It came D & T for a rear sight to ad accuracy with slugs.
They are only made with a full choke.
Wear your proper PPE and do a bit of research first of course. It's an old shotgun, don't use sabots...it wasn't designed for them anyhow
 
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Shotgun slugs, as a rule, are made out of very soft lead (low antimony and tin content), specifically so they will swage through whatever type of choke you have.

The type of fixed choke in the barrel isn't the issue.

What might be an issue for slugs is the quality of the steel in the barrel. But given that the Sportsman (Remington 11-48) was manufactured between 1949 and 1968, we're talking about modern steel, not old school, pre-WWI steel or Damascus barrels.

tokguy pretty much nailed it. People have been shooting slugs out of full choke shotguns for ages. Avoid Sabot Slugs, and you should be good to go. But inspect the barrel thoroughly first. If it has a lot of pitting, maybe think twice. If it's clean and been well maintained, give'r.
 
The vast majority of shotgun slugs are safe to shoot through any choke from full to cylinder, though accuracy may not be optimal. Consider that when Foster slugs were invented, most people had one shotgun, usually with a full choke, and specialized slug guns didn't exist.

Given the frequency with which this topic comes up, I would like to request to the moderators that this thread be stickied.
 
Pile up of wanna be internet warriors?!

There is absolutely no good reason why one would pick up a full choke for shooting slugs, instead of cylinder or improved cylinder.

Advice is given to OP, who is new with shotguns, not to intermediate or advanced shotgun users, and is meant to help him, not to further confuse him...with potentially using newer or older shotgun with full choke, getting undesirable results.

So yes... no need to shoot slugs out of shotgun with full choke.
Use cylinder or improved cylinder for best results with slugs.
 
lanis said:
Pile up of wanna be internet warriors?!

There is absolutely no good reason why one would pick up a full choke for shooting slugs, instead of cylinder or improved cylinder.

Advice is given to OP, who is new with shotguns, not to intermediate or advanced shotgun users, and is meant to help him, not to further confuse him...with potentially using newer or older shotgun with full choke, getting undesirable results.

So yes... no need to shoot slugs out of shotgun with full choke.
Use cylinder or improved cylinder for best results with slugs.
Click to expand...

http://chuckhawks.com/shotgun_slugs.htm

Perhaps buying a new shotgun or getting the bore changed on the existing one wasn't in the works? Mayhaps, this one was being considered for deer hunting rather than buying a new one?
And as far as Wannabe warriors , it might seem you are the one outside the tent p*ssing in.
Sometimes one uses what one has to it's fullest potential. I'm a Flatlander, I never even saw anything other than a full choked 12 gauge til I was in my 40's.
Shot a few deer with slugs out of a Goose Gun, it wasn't ideal...but it put meat on the table.
I'm no expert, but then again I'm not the one championing incorrect statements.
Perhaps a bit more research is in order before pulling the trigger on it. Even the linked article ( while helpful) is contradictory on many points. But it does admit that the run-of-the-mill Forster slugs are a way to widen a shotguns usage.
Which I'm guessing is the OP's intention?
OP, good luck and stay safe.
 
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20 years ago most of us only had one shotgun for everything. We shot bunny's ducks geese and deer with the same gun.most were 12g pumps with full chokes.i have never seen any kind of problem shooting slugs threw a full choke after 30 years of hunting deer with family and friends in a shotgun only area. Soft lead slugs fit threw a full choke just fine and some can be very accurate.
 
Read the attached article, there is no magic formula. Different slugs work better or worse in different shotguns.
Like most firearms, they have loads that work better in specific guns. No magic formula, trial and error.
 
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