Why I hate shotgun slugs..........

[centershot]

Leading, leading, leading.......Oh, and did I mention leading? This area has been a "Shotgun Only" area since forever, advanced to allowing muzzleloaders around '78, then handguns around '80 and finally allowing rifles last year. Finally! However, some of the Turkey Shoots I attend only allow shotguns. So, I still have a scoped Remington 870 20 ga. smoothbore set up for slug shooting. I've tried them all (REALLY, ALL!) and the Remington 5/8 oz. slugs group the best out of this gun. They will hold a 2 - 2 1/2 inch group @ 50 yds..........for about 12 rounds. Then, the barrel is so heavily leaded the groups open to 8 - 10 inches. Clean the barrel and it shrinks the groups back down again. Ssssssooooooo......... I'm wondering WHY(!) nobody lubes their slug loads (Ya' think a little lube might help a pure lead bullet slide down the bore???). And I'm wondering if anyone here might have an answer to the leading problem? Thanks for your replies!

[Old Ironsights]

Don't use full-bore slugs... use Sabots only.

If you are dead set on using full-bore slugs, clean your gun before you go hunting. How many slugs are you planning on firing at game anyway?

If you REALLY are interested in using pure lead, then cast & load LEE Slugs and put them into regular shot cups (as designed) and you won't have any leading.

[AJMD429]

Saboted slugs shoot flatter and more accurately, even without taking into account the leading issue. Of course if you just gotta have 430 grains of lead hurling down-range, the only other alternative I could think of is if you could use some sort of 'paper-patch' setup.

Breakopen rifled slug-guns made just for saboted slugs are pretty inexpensive, and even the pump guns can usually be set up for them fairly cheaply.

[awp101]

even the pump guns can usually be set up for them fairly cheaply.

Do saboted slugs require something different that regular slugs?

[Old Ironsights]

even the pump guns can usually be set up for them fairly cheaply.

Do saboted slugs require something different that regular slugs?

Depends.

Some Sabots don't work for squat if you don't have a fully rifled "slug barrel"... effectively making your shotgun into a .72 Rifle... which technically makes it a Class III "AOW"/"Destructive device" that as of yet the BATmen haven't sent anyone to prison for...

[awp101]

effectively making your shotgun into a .72 Rifle... which technically makes it a Class III "AOW"/"Destructive device" that as of yet the BATmen haven't sent anyone to prison for...

Oh my, a reason to get one that I hadn't thought of...

[Nath]

Centershot has a smoothbore, I always understood it that sabot's need rifled toobes!

I have not tried slugs in my 20express 870. I have tried patched .562 ball and apart from to much obturation of the soft lead ball and choke issues I would not use them on deer beyond 30yds! I need cylder choke tube before I revisit!

Sayin' all that the lubed patch prevented leading!

Have you tried any breneke?

N.

[Old Ironsights]

Ish.

Yes, most sabot slugs are optimized for rifling, but...

I had a Cylinder Bore smoothbore that shot 12ga Lightfield Slugs better than anything.

Go figure.

[Nath]

Ish.

Yes, most sabot slugs are optimized for rifling, but...

I had a Cylinder Bore smoothbore that shot 12ga Lightfield Slugs better than anything.

Go figure.

Hmmm, note to self,,,,assume nothing!

N

[centershot]

Thanks for your responses guys! I've never tried shooting sabot slugs through this gun, might have to pick up a rifled choke tube and give it a whirl!

[AJMD429]

Some Sabots don't work for squat if you don't have a fully rifled "slug barrel"... effectively making your shotgun into a .72 Rifle... which technically makes it a Class III "AOW"/"Destructive device" that as of yet the BATmen haven't sent anyone to prison for...

I certainly wouldn't try 'rifling' a smoothbore barrel myself for that reason, but as long asall the major stores openly sell 'rifled slug barrels' and guns with them, I'm not uncomfortable owning one.

[madman4570]

Leading, leading, leading.......Oh, and did I mention leading? This area has been a "Shotgun Only" area since forever, advanced to allowing muzzleloaders around '78, then handguns around '80 and finally allowing rifles last year. Finally! However, some of the Turkey Shoots I attend only allow shotguns. So, I still have a scoped Remington 870 20 ga. smoothbore set up for slug shooting. I've tried them all (REALLY, ALL!) and the Remington 5/8 oz. slugs group the best out of this gun. They will hold a 2 - 2 1/2 inch group @ 50 yds..........for about 12 rounds. Then, the barrel is so heavily leaded the groups open to 8 - 10 inches. Clean the barrel and it shrinks the groups back down again. Ssssssooooooo......... I'm wondering WHY(!) nobody lubes their slug loads (Ya' think a little lube might help a pure lead bullet slide down the bore???). And I'm wondering if anyone here might have an answer to the leading problem? Thanks for your replies!

Did you try these two?????
Big difference!
Also they are very accurate and will penetrate about anything.

http://www.brenneke-munition.de/cms/blackmagic.html
http://www.brenneke-munition.de/cms/h_h ... agnum.html

[piller]

I have a Mossberg 500 that came factory with a smoothbore barrel with choke tubes, and a rifled slug barrel with a cantilever scope mount and a scope. It is a shotgun according to the BATFE. Now, I really don't understand why they have a Government agency that has anything to do with alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives all at the same place. Isn't it highly unwise to mix drinking and using firearms, drinking and smoking, drinking and using explosives, and smoking and using explosives?

[Rusty]

I've heard nothing but good about the Brenneke slugs. I bought a 28 ga. H&R not long ago and bought 3 boxes of Brenneke slugs in 28 ga for it but haven't had a chance to try them out yet.

[buckeyeshooter]

I feel your pain, I hate slugs too! I would buy a rifled barrel for that 870 and shoot saboted slugs. They are generally much more accurate at over 75 yards.

[jhrosier]

Don't worry about the over .50 cal rifled barrels. The law does not apply to firearms deemed suitable for sporting purposes.

Jack

[Steelbanger]

Do you think tumbling your slugs in a bit of Lee Liquid Alox would help with the leading? That stuff works!

[Pete44ru]

I feel out of sorts.................

I've had multiple smoothbore, and a few rifles, 12 & 20 gauge slug guns set up for hunting, etc, with iron sights over quite a few years, shooting Foster-type slugs in the smoothies & sabot-types in bbls with rifling - and have yet to experience any "leading".

Plenty of fouling, residue, etc that wiped out with a pass or two of a Hoppe's-loaded cleaning patch, but nothing that ever had to be scrubbed out.

What I HAVE found, in a few instances, is hard chamber residue from early plastic shotshells melting & leaving bits in the chamber, which needed hard scrubbing to remove - why Remington used to (IDK if they still do) provide a special, angled, chamber-cleaning bronze brush with their new pump/auto shotguns.

.

[centershot]

Let me address some confusion.......I do not hunt with this gun, I only use it for the Turkey Shoots at the local clubs during this time of year. I REALLY have tried ALL of the 20 gauge slug loads (except sabots) and the Remington 5/8 oz load is the best in this gun. The barrel on this gun leads badly! I had a 12 gauge 870 that I used to use for big game hunting and that gun would shoot slugs all day long with only minor fouling. But, the 20 ga. I'm using now is a different story! Since I don't reload for the shotgun I guess I'll have to switch to sabots.

[awp101]

Sounds like the barrel might be a little rough and "stripping" the slug a little?

[Nath]

Do you think tumbling your slugs in a bit of Lee Liquid Alox would help with the leading? That stuff works!

That should not be dismissed!

If these ere' slugs have roll crimps how about warming some kinda' lube and dribble some on top! Maybe some will just coat the bore enough to get you by!

How about a candle wax and olive oil mix?

N.

[336A]

Huh, I never had a problem with leading when shooting slugs. I've only had just a little bit of residue that would wipe right out. I love the way slugs hammer deer, it's as if you literally flip switch they drop so fast. I've never had deer react in the same manner when hit with a rifle cartridge. As a matter of fact I just purchased a new 20" vent rib barrel for my Mossberg 12GA 500. Oh I have the rifled barrel with cantilever scope mount that I purchased 20yrs ago now. However I don't relish paying near $15 for a box of 5 slugs. I'll be trying the Federal Truball slugs. Everything I've read about them has been very positive.

[madman4570]

Huh, I never had a problem with leading when shooting slugs. I've only had just a little bit of residue that would wipe right out. I love the way slugs hammer deer, it's as if you literally flip switch they drop so fast. I've never had deer react in the same manner when hit with a rifle cartridge. As a matter of fact I just purchased a new 20" vent rib barrel for my Mossberg 12GA 500. Oh I have the rifled barrel with cantilever scope mount that I purchased 20yrs ago now. However I don't relish paying near $15 for a box of 5 slugs. I'll be trying the Federal Truball slugs. Everything I've read about them has been very positive.

Can say-----those Federals are fantastic.
Something has to be wrong with centershot's gun(barrel)if I had a gun that would not at least shoot (2)5rd boxes of slugs without accuracy going all to heck--------------it would become a birdshot/buckshot gun only period.
Maybe it's just my guns??? but any smoothbores I have I can shoot bunches of slugs through them and only when done couple patches soaked with some bore solvent pushed down the barrel a couple runs------does the trick.

centershot----if those Green Lightnings still foul that barrel like you stated------you got me brother

[centershot]

Madman, the Green Lightnings do not lead the barrel like the Remington's do, but they're nowhere near as accurate either! This 20 gauge was my wife's gun, it gets no use anymore for hunting since we are now allowed to use rifles for big game. I should probably trade it on something new and set up my old 12 gauge for the Turkey Shoots!

[CEMENTHEAD]

Put your barrel in padded vise, saturate the bore with Kroil. Chuck up a rod in a portable drill, attatch your bronze jag, wrap a patch around it and give it a go with JB paste. Nice and slow, full length strokes. My 12 gauge Rem 870 did the same as yours. 20 minutes with the JB and the tendancy to foul was greatly reduced. You would'nt believe the stuff that came out of that barrel that I thought was "clean".

Hope this helps.
Thanks, Tom

[Lefty Dude]

Hone & polish the forcing cone.

[rhead]

I have a Mossberg 500 that came factory with a smoothbore barrel with choke tubes, and a rifled slug barrel with a cantilever scope mount and a scope. It is a shotgun according to the BATFE. Now, I really don't understand why they have a Government agency that has anything to do with alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives all at the same place. Isn't it highly unwise to mix drinking and using firearms, drinking and smoking, drinking and using explosives, and smoking and using explosives?

Let's file a complaint with OSHA. Maybe they will wind up shutting each other down.