slug

[Gopher Slayer]

I'm going be getting my fabarm shotgun tomorrow. I don't know anything about slugs. Should I run rifled slugs or sabbot slugs or does it matter. Its a fixed choke.

 

[mikeyb]

A fixed choke? What kind of choke (cylinder/IC/mod/full/whatever)? If it's not a rifled choke, you'll want to use rifled slugs.

 

[curtmg]

For a smoothbore shotgun, you'll want to use rifled slugs. The "rifling" on the slugs, is there to let it swage down as it goes through the choke. The slug does not spin, it is stabilized by it's nose heavy shape. If you have a shotgun safe to use modern ammunition in, then it'll be safe to use rifled slugs, even if it has a full choke. A full choke would likely be unpleasant to shoot, and likely have poor accuracy (some old timers, would say it's the only way to go). The only chokes unsafe for rifled slug use, are any extra full or turkey chokes. Typically the more open the choke the better, but every shotgun is it's own beast, so you'll need to try for yourself.

If you had a rifled barrel, you'd want to use sabot slugs, which are VERY expensive, more costly than all but the most expensive magnum rifle ammo. The main raison d'etre of rifled shotguns, are hunting regulations. Some places, it's the only legal way to use an accurate firearm, at medium ranges. Sabot slugs fired through a rifled barrel, do spin, giving enhanced stability, accuracy and range over rifled slugs through a smoothbore. A rifled choke could also be used, but personally, given that the sabot ammo will exceed the cost of a separate barrel within 70 rounds, I'd rather just spring for a full rifled barrel YMMV.

 

[SKS50]

Here is a pretty decent article on the subject.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot45.htm