Sabot slugs in a smoothbore???

[Jay]

Hey All;

I was in a local hardware store and picked up some 20 gauge slugs, made by winchester and are the sabot type. It was too good a deal to pass up, $2/box, so I took the last 5 boxes they had...

What I am wondering is, will these things group okay out of my wife's little 20 gauge 870 with it's smoothbore???

Cheers & Thanks
Jay

 

[12magnum]

no they won't. there has to be some twist some where to make the slug stay it's course. a smooth slug in a smooth bore will just tumble. with a smooth bore , you have to choose one of the brands of "rifled" slugs.

 

[darkshadow]

Would a rifled choke help at all?

 

[RevolverRodger]

In theory rifle choke should help but I guess that trial and error will tell.
Please post the results of your experience

 

[12magnum]

if you have the capacity for screw in choke tubes, then it's just a matter of getting a reifled choke tube, then you can use sabot slugs in a smooth bore.

 

[Jay]

Yes, I was thinking about using the rifled choke tube option... Now to have a look around for one... Anyone have a 20 gauge Remington 870 rifled choke tube laying about?

Cheers
Jay

 

[RePete]

A rifled choke MIGHT help, but get a long one instead of the flush ones.

 

[portchop]

In the last Guns & Ammo magazine I just got a few days ago there's an article about benelli's M2 tactical 18.5 inch barrel 12-gauge shotgun. He tries amongst other things some Hornady sabot loads at 50 yards and still get four inches groupings.

 

[smoking hull]

Might not be accurate, might tumble when it hits the target ( or game) but if it's for plinking, why not? I know I would not stand in front of it...!!!

 

[beretta boy]

That was a very good deal. Sell them off to someone with a rifled barrel for
$ 3 / box !

 

[Hi-Standard]

A rifled choke MIGHT help, but get a long one instead of the flush ones.

Anyone know of a Canadian supplier of the Hastings Sabot Discarding extended choke tubes? I think these would be the cats meow for a smoothbore slug barrel. The American suppliers I have contacted thus far will not ship to Canada I'm getting between 3" and 4" groups with Reminton Sluggers out of my 1100 with the cantilevered 20" smooth bore at 100 yards, which is fantastic, but I am a little concerned about how they might perform on moose sized game. If I could get a 3" group from a sabot @ 100 yards, that'd be great.