Shooting Slugs Through a Waterfowl Gun with an IC Choke

thegazelle

thegazelle

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Hi there, I seem to be getting a mixed bag of information from what I can read on the internet (I suppose that's the nature of the beast). Thought I'd check with you all here for your perspective.

I just got a new (to me) SuperNova Max7 12ga waterfowl gun, 28" barrel. Came with 3 chokes: F, M, IC. I already have a 12ga SuperNova but it's the tactical one (18" barrel) that is full smoothbore and doesn't come with chokes and has no threads for tubes. I have shot countless slugs through that and it's a hoot.

I was planning to take my new Max7 to my club Sunday and test it out. My club only allows the shooting of slugs. I already put the IC choke in there, since I know not to run slugs through it without a choke and risk wearing out the tube threads. I did that initially on my old Vinci before I realized a waterfowl gun should have a choke in it during any type of shooting.

There seems to be conflicting information out there whether there are adverse effects on the gun and choke on a waterfowl shotgun when running slugs through it (these will be foster slugs - Score Low Recoil, Remington Sluggers, Mili Slugs, etc). I believe ideally I should run it with a cylinder choke, but the gun didn't come with one so as I recall, Improved Cylinder works as the next best thing. I suppose I can always go to my LGS and buy a custom cylinder choke.

I do realize that no one buys a Waterfowl gun through which to consistently shoot slugs, and I don't plan to be the exception.

Any feedback would be welcome, thanks.
 
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Foster type slugs vary quite a bit in size, or at least they used to. I remember a Guns & Ammo magazine article from the early 90s about this, they reported that Federal were the biggest, right around 0.730", while Remington were the smallest, coming in under 0.700".

I don't remember all the results, but I do believe the conclusion was the Remingtons actually gave best performance with full choke, for the simple reason that it meant the slug had decent contact with the barrel at the moment of exit, if nowhere else.

Anyway, I grew up in low-rent part of Ontario, where slugs were required for deer hunting but most farmers had no interest in parting with the cash for a dedicated slug gun or even slug barrel. I would pretty much guarantee that most deer killed in that area were dropped with slugs that travelled through the same choke the guy hunted ducks with, which most of the time would have been modified, or full. I wouldn't worry about whatever it is you're worrying about, at all.
 
Unless stated on the box all foster slugs are safe through chokes up to a regular full choke. I have shot slugs in my semi auto duck gun through a mod choke. I'm not a huge fan, but that's because a 3" slug cycles the action too hard for my liking on my gun, not because there is any issues regarding the choke.

I have more open chokes like skeet and IC, but I mostly use MOD regardless of what I'm shooting through my shotguns.
 
I have one choked barrel that gives me good bird and buck patterns as well as great slug accuracy out to 50m from a full choke, have had zero problems with it for years and I’m shooting harded cast slugs like a 2 3/4” challenger magnum slug. They say right on the box for use in any choke, don’t think I’d try slugs through anything like a Turkey choke but I haven’t ever needed a Turkey for anything.

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Foster slugs are designed to squeeze through a choke .... and the general consensus is that it is safe to shoot Foster slugs through chokes up to a Full choke.

And whenever I need to convince myself that I am still in "Safe Territory" .... I watch this video .... :)


 
Thanks for the feedback folks. I was reading stuff about how running slugs on a choked barrel will wear out the choke, cause incredible felt recoil, possibly contribute to catastrophic barrel failure and rupture, etc. etc. Nice to hear some actual real-life experience. I know that I was running slugs through my old Vinci choke-less until someone told me that I probably caused irreversible damage to the choke tube threads. Given that I got this SuperNova for a superb deal and it is in impeccable condition (previous owner just bought it last year but he ended up getting a BPS that was a better fit for him when duck hunting), I just wanted to take it to my club and check it out before putting it away until next duck hunting trip.

I am not generally much of a shotgun guy (my experience pretty limited to my old 20ga 870, which I used for skeet of all things, my M4, the old Vinci, and the aforementioned Supernova Tactical). I went online to see if I could find a slug choke and almost choked at the prices of these things. Seems like there is equal amount of debate over whether modified or improved cylinder works best . I already installed the improved cylinder and honestly it's more for function than for accuracy with the slugs - I did buy the gun for waterfowl - I just don't want to damage the choke testing slugs through it...I also have the Federal Truball slugs which I plan to use.

Thanks again for the feedback, my friends...
 
thegazelle said:
Thanks for the feedback folks. I was reading stuff about how running slugs on a choked barrel will wear out the choke, cause incredible felt recoil, possibly contribute to catastrophic barrel failure and rupture, etc. etc. Nice to hear some actual real-life experience. I know that I was running slugs through my old Vinci choke-less until someone told me that I probably caused irreversible damage to the choke tube threads. Given that I got this SuperNova for a superb deal and it is in impeccable condition (previous owner just bought it last year but he ended up getting a BPS that was a better fit for him when duck hunting), I just wanted to take it to my club and check it out before putting it away until next duck hunting trip.

I am not generally much of a shotgun guy (my experience pretty limited to my old 20ga 870, which I used for skeet of all things, my M4, the old Vinci, and the aforementioned Supernova Tactical). I went online to see if I could find a slug choke and almost choked at the prices of these things. Seems like there is equal amount of debate over whether modified or improved cylinder works best . I already installed the improved cylinder and honestly it's more for function than for accuracy with the slugs - I did buy the gun for waterfowl - I just don't want to damage the choke testing slugs through it...I also have the Federal Truball slugs which I plan to use.

Thanks again for the feedback, my friends...
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Never heard of a dedicated slug choke... got a link?
 
thegazelle said:
Thanks for the feedback folks. I was reading stuff about how running slugs on a choked barrel will wear out the choke, cause incredible felt recoil, possibly contribute to catastrophic barrel failure and rupture, etc. etc. Nice to hear some actual real-life experience. I know that I was running slugs through my old Vinci choke-less until someone told me that I probably caused irreversible damage to the choke tube threads. Given that I got this SuperNova for a superb deal and it is in impeccable condition (previous owner just bought it last year but he ended up getting a BPS that was a better fit for him when duck hunting), I just wanted to take it to my club and check it out before putting it away until next duck hunting trip.

I am not generally much of a shotgun guy (my experience pretty limited to my old 20ga 870, which I used for skeet of all things, my M4, the old Vinci, and the aforementioned Supernova Tactical). I went online to see if I could find a slug choke and almost choked at the prices of these things. Seems like there is equal amount of debate over whether modified or improved cylinder works best . I already installed the improved cylinder and honestly it's more for function than for accuracy with the slugs - I did buy the gun for waterfowl - I just don't want to damage the choke testing slugs through it...I also have the Federal Truball slugs which I plan to use.

Thanks again for the feedback, my friends...
Click to expand...


Thegazelle, slugs (Foster slugs) are very safe to shoot through removable chokes and up to a Full choke (I haven't tried turkey chokes yet). And, I bet that shooting larger steel shot is creating much more stress to the choke and the choke threads and the muzzle of the barrel .... than Foster slugs ...

Lead is very soft .... and Foster slugs are pretty thin walled .... They just squeeze trough whatever ....
 
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Shooting Foster slugs through IC or Mod chokes isn't going to harm the barrel or the chokes. But, be sure to check the choke tube to verify that it's fully threaded in before shooting (and, if it were me, I'd check again occasionally thereafter). Don't get paranoid and over tighten either, but a loose choke tube can contribute to thread damage and/or a cleaning challenge.
 
You’re fine with cyl, Imp, or mod chokes shooting slugs thru your waterfowl gun. I’ve been shooting slugs thru my mod choke for years, works great. Especially the score stuff, very accurate! Like mentioned just make sure your threads are clean and your chokes are tight. Have fun, be safe!
 
Oh, I'm not sure if this is your first gun with chokes or not, but if you don't already have/use it you should buy anti seize for the threads.
 
Suther said:
Never heard of a dedicated slug choke... got a link?
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A buddy of mine at my club told me about them...was texting him this afternoon as well...he has some for his Beretta shotgun. Not sure if these are gun specific. I know they have performance/competition ones and extended ones, but this is totally not my area of expertise. Appreciate your insight, as always.
 
straightshooter said:
Shooting Foster slugs through IC or Mod chokes isn't going to harm the barrel or the chokes. But, be sure to check the choke tube to verify that it's fully threaded in before shooting (and, if it were me, I'd check again occasionally thereafter). Don't get paranoid and over tighten either, but a loose choke tube can contribute to thread damage and/or a cleaning challenge.
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Thanks for the tip. With my Vinci and Supernova Chokes, it seems like the tightening is pretty fool proof (with the fool being moi) - it looks like the tightening just stops suddenly with no chance of going past that point. Given the cost of these chokes, I kind of wish I kept the 5 pack of chokes when I sold my Vinci, but since it all came together I sold it all together. Previous owner went on a single duck hunt and went to shoot a round of skeet, all with the modifed choke before he decided the BPS fit him better so I became the recipient of the barely used Supernova which he only got last Fall.

I am sure to a degree, I am fretting about nothing but I am somewhat ignorant in these matters and just like medical advice online, there is much of it that can conflict, which causes more consternation than necessary.
 
Suther said:
Oh, I'm not sure if this is your first gun with chokes or not, but if you don't already have/use it you should buy anti seize for the threads.
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My Vinci had chokes. I never used the anti-seize but will go look into that tomorrow and get some. Thanks.
 
TAPPHOUSE said:
You’re fine with cyl, Imp, or mod chokes shooting slugs thru your waterfowl gun. I’ve been shooting slugs thru my mod choke for years, works great. Especially the score stuff, very accurate! Like mentioned just make sure your threads are clean and your chokes are tight. Have fun, be safe!
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That's awesome because I have flats upon flats of the Score stuff. The new Mili slugs kind of resemble the Score ones...interestingly enough even though the company is HQed in South Carolina, in small print on the box it says made in Canada. Doesn't look like Challenger cheddite hulls so wonder if Score was subcontracted to make Mili as well. I agree - I have been running Score for years out of my M4 and performance has always been excellent with those rounds.
 
If it’s not some pos Turkish gun or choke tubes I wouldn’t worry about it, pretty sure there was a thread not long back about some Turkish choke that was bulged from either slugs or steel shot. If it’s a good brand of choke it should be plenty strong and handle a lead slus just fine, when I get a new shotgun I will pattern it and shoot slugs through all chokes from cyl to full at a couple distances. There’s always one or two chokes that give me great patterns at 15 & 30m and shoots slugs to poa out to 50m, generally it’s mod or imp mod in Rem or Truchoke but I have one barrel where it’s a full Winchoke.
 
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