Slugs: fixed choke vs removable chokes?

[0faustus0]

Maybe it is just me ... or maybe it is just a coincidence … or maybe there is some common knowledge out there that I have missed so far ... but my removable choke barrels are pretty lousy at creating tight groups with slugs …

Over the last couple of years ... I have tested many different slugs out of a whole bunch of guns.

In general my Remington fixed choke barrels (12ga Fixed Improved Cylinder) shoot slugs pretty well. Normally I can get a 2 inch group at 50 meters or a 4 – 5 inch group at 100 meters … out of those barrels ... and with Federal Truball slugs. And I have now tested 4 of those 870 Police barrels/guns with fixed chokes … the results are pretty consistent.

However, all my 870 removable choke barrels don’t even get close to that …. and I tried all kinds of ammo … and all kinds of chokes ... :-(

I got one of my 870 Police shotguns threaded for chokes recently. Before, that gun was shooting 2 inch groups at 50 meters with Federal Truball slugs. Now with removable chokes … no matter what choke or ammo I am using … I can’t even get close to that ...

Anybody else seeing or experiencing the same or something similar?

Is anybody getting 4 -5 inch groups at 100 meters with a smoothbore barrel with removable chokes? If yes, can you share your setup? Gun, ammo, choke?

And I am talking about these kind of groups ... with a smooth bore shotgun ...

What am I missing?

 

[Butcherbill]

Opposite results for me, all my barrels that are threaded for chokes out perform my fixed choke guns. I’m using Rem choke, Winchoke, Truchoke and Fabarm’s proprietary chokes. I’m not shooting slugs out to 100y though, 50y mainly with the odd 75y for holdover reference.

 

[Big Bad]

I can remember buying 16 G slugs where it was specifically stated on the box that they were best fired through the full chokes, ie the ones that every commonly owned Eaton's catalogue type shotgun had. I guess nowadays you should look up the ammo online to see if they state any such suggestion.

 

[53Izzy744]

Only ever shot slugs through removable IC chokes, but i have friends who swear by using MOD. I may need to try some out to test that theory.

My dad uses an old 28 or 30inch fixed full mossberg 500 and uses slugs for deer and always hits what he shoots (as far as i know lol) although he isn't taking 100yrd shots with the front bead. He also uses what looks like the first sabot slugs ever made. So figure that out.

 

[brybenn]

I've noticed fixed chokes are superior to choke tubes with regards to slugs and bird shot
Most of my slug shooting is done at a much shorter range of 40 yards and I do go to 50 and 75 but rarely past 50 anymore. My eyes are just not good enough and I find the bead covers to much of the target
One thing I have noticed is with softer slugs the hotter the powder charge is the more accurate they are. I'm thinking it's because the base is pushed out to ride the barrel better I'm not sure. Hs6 will always out perform 700x with my home made slugs. Since I don't use slugs for far shooting I've settled on 7/8oz lee key drive slug cast fairly soft but water quenched over the same charge I use for my 7/8oz skeet loads. I'm getting about the same average velocity of 1200 to 1260fps and at 25 yards my fist covers 5 holes. I consider that good enough for my purposes. My rifled slug barrel will rip a ragged hole if using a group of 5 shots
For use in my sxs guns some guns show tighter groups with the full choke while others prefer the mod choke

I haven't tested slugs in my newest sxs with choke tubes yet in 12ga
My 20ga sxs showed a unique tendency to print truball slugs 8" low at 30 yards. A shot from each barrel on paper almost matched the barrels when they were pushed again the target. Shot is printed perfectly 5050 patterns but the truballs were 8" low. I was disappointed as I wanted to use it as a bear and grouse gun but I'm not one to have to hold over for a 25 yard shot. I haven't tested any other slugs in that 20ga though. I was using removable ic and mod chokes. I'm content on using it as a bird gun so I never tested further

It seems with smoothbores there are only generalities and the only fixed rule is you have to shoot it to see what it does and use it within those limits. It is fun though

 

[m1008]

Did you try rifled chokes?

 

[todigy]

Only ever shot slugs through removable IC chokes, but i have friends who swear by using MOD. I may need to try some out to test that theory.

My dad uses an old 28 or 30inch fixed full mossberg 500 and uses slugs for deer and always hits what he shoots (as far as i know lol) although he isn't taking 100yrd shots with the front bead. He also uses what looks like the first sabot slugs ever made. So figure that out.

I shot a lot of deer with those BRI's out of a fully rifled 11-87. I don't use them anymore, but they sure were accurate.

 

[BattleRife]

Results might vary based on slug / wad fit. I distinctly recall an article in Guns & Ammo magazine years ago about slug accuracy, the author disassembled and measured all the various brands of cartridges. He found slug measurements that varied from something like 0.685" to 0.730". Undersized slugs might respond well to tight chokes.

 

[351 power]

every gun is different to me and i have to find the sweet spot. that said i get some great groups from a maverick 20ga and a screw in ic choke tube

 

[danastles]

My experience is they're all different Fixed choke or removable choke.when shooting, and all shoot different with different ammo. I find with ghost rings or rifle sights I can dial slugs in much better.

 

[Great North Guns]

Fixed chokes in general are better than screw-in chokes, on cheap guns in particular chokes are treated as an afterthought.
It takes money to make a removable choke that’s as good as a built in choke.