Shot in slug barrel?

shepherddogs · November 19, 2008, 08:39 PM

I'm looking at a shotgun with a slug barrel. I've never owned one and was wondering if you could fire buckshot or birdshot through one. It's a smoothbore according to the owner, but I didn't look to verify this. What choke would you expect it to be for shooting slugs?

rantingredneck · November 19, 2008, 08:45 PM

Smoothbore slug barrels are just fine for shot. Typically Mossberg slug barrels are cylinder bore and Remington slug barrels are improved cylinder or remchoke.

shepherddogs · November 19, 2008, 08:50 PM

I intend to go back and check tomorrow. What if it turns out he is mistaken and the bore is rifled?

rantingredneck · November 19, 2008, 09:12 PM

You can shoot shot through it, but you'll get some degree of lead fouling in the grooves and the patterns will stink. Spinning shot column throws a donut shaped pattern. It's not unsafe to shoot it but you'll have some cleaning work to do and the results will be less than stellar.

shepherddogs · November 19, 2008, 09:13 PM

Thanks for the info Rant.

rantingredneck · November 19, 2008, 09:24 PM

No prob. What brand shotgun is it?

If you check the left side of the barrel you should see markings indicating what constriction it is.

Superhouse 15 · November 19, 2008, 09:29 PM

I have a rifled barrel in the shop that blew when the owner fired a birdshot shell and the wad plugged the barrel. The next shot blew the barrel. It looks like the friction of the rifling on the wad dragged it to a stop and made it a barrel obstruction. If it is truly full length rifled, don't risk it.

rantingredneck · November 19, 2008, 09:32 PM

That's interesting. Was it a full power load or was there the possibility that it was a squib?

Given that most slugs for rifled barrels have a plastic sabot you would think friction of plastic on rifling alone would not cause the problem.

shepherddogs · November 19, 2008, 09:41 PM

Its a Charles Daly. I just like it because its short (22" barrel) and light 6.6 lbs. When I look at their website they show a fully rifled model and one with an extended rifled tube. It doesn't have the tube and the guy says it isn't rifled so I dunno. It may be missing the tube.

rantingredneck · November 19, 2008, 09:46 PM

Not much help here on the CD's other than that their interchangeable choke barrels are typically are compatible with the remchoke system so that if it is a removable choke barrel you'll be able to find chokes for it pretty easily.

Good luck.

November 19, 2008, 08:39 PM	#1
shepherddogs Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 1,007	Shot in slug barrel? I'm looking at a shotgun with a slug barrel. I've never owned one and was wondering if you could fire buckshot or birdshot through one. It's a smoothbore according to the owner, but I didn't look to verify this. What choke would you expect it to be for shooting slugs?

November 19, 2008, 09:29 PM	#7
Superhouse 15 Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2007 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 844	Shot I have a rifled barrel in the shop that blew when the owner fired a birdshot shell and the wad plugged the barrel. The next shot blew the barrel. It looks like the friction of the rifling on the wad dragged it to a stop and made it a barrel obstruction. If it is truly full length rifled, don't risk it.

November 19, 2008, 09:32 PM	#8
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	That's interesting. Was it a full power load or was there the possibility that it was a squib? Given that most slugs for rifled barrels have a plastic sabot you would think friction of plastic on rifling alone would not cause the problem. Last edited by rantingredneck; November 19, 2008 at 09:47 PM.

November 19, 2008, 08:45 PM	#2
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Smoothbore slug barrels are just fine for shot. Typically Mossberg slug barrels are cylinder bore and Remington slug barrels are improved cylinder or remchoke.

November 19, 2008, 08:50 PM	#3
shepherddogs Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 1,007	I intend to go back and check tomorrow. What if it turns out he is mistaken and the bore is rifled?

November 19, 2008, 09:12 PM	#4
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	You can shoot shot through it, but you'll get some degree of lead fouling in the grooves and the patterns will stink. Spinning shot column throws a donut shaped pattern. It's not unsafe to shoot it but you'll have some cleaning work to do and the results will be less than stellar.

November 19, 2008, 09:13 PM	#5
shepherddogs Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 1,007	Thanks for the info Rant.

November 19, 2008, 09:24 PM	#6
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	No prob. What brand shotgun is it? If you check the left side of the barrel you should see markings indicating what constriction it is.

November 19, 2008, 09:41 PM	#9
shepherddogs Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 1,007	Its a Charles Daly. I just like it because its short (22" barrel) and light 6.6 lbs. When I look at their website they show a fully rifled model and one with an extended rifled tube. It doesn't have the tube and the guy says it isn't rifled so I dunno. It may be missing the tube.

November 19, 2008, 09:46 PM	#10
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Not much help here on the CD's other than that their interchangeable choke barrels are typically are compatible with the remchoke system so that if it is a removable choke barrel you'll be able to find chokes for it pretty easily. Good luck.