Hot to tell if your 20 gauge will shoot slugs.

wolfdog45 · April 6, 2006, 08:20 AM

Hi every one. I know that if a dime fits down the barrel of a 12 gauge that it will shoot slugs but how can you tell if a 20 gauge will shoot slugs?
Thanks for your time.

chemist308 · April 6, 2006, 08:28 AM

They all shoot slugs. Some just don't have much of a choke left afterwards

Seriously though, what is your choke? You'd never dream of putting a slug through a full choke. Improved cylinder is best if you're not planning on an accessory barrel, but rifled slug barrels aren't real expensive--what make and model do you have? My uncle used to put them through a modified choke, and I think this is okay but don't go quoting me on that.

Dfariswheel · April 6, 2006, 02:28 PM

You can shoot ANY standard birdshot, buckshot, or slug through ANY standard choke from Open Cylinder to Full.

Where you get into trouble is shooting slugs through specialty extra-full chokes.

Slugs typically are more accurate when fired through an Improved Cylinder or sometimes an Open Cylinder choke, but it's perfectly safe to shoot them through a Full choke.

Shooting slugs through a Full choked gun is safe and WILL NOT damage the gun.

No gun maker or ammo maker is going to sell ammo or guns that are unsafe with common ammunition or standard choked guns.

mohutley · April 6, 2006, 04:39 PM

I've recently purchased a rifled 24" 12 gauge slug gun. Can anyone tell me what I can or can't shoot in it. I bought it to shoot saboted slugs, but is that all I can shoot, practically speaking?

Dfariswheel · April 6, 2006, 09:33 PM

Rifled shotgun barrels are for shooting sabot slugs ONLY.

Attempting to shoot bird or buckshot has big problems.
First, the barrel leads up like you wouldn't believe, and it's HARD to get it out.

Second, the rifling "swirls" the shot as it exits the barrel, and this causes donut-shaped patterns.
The shot pattern forms a big circle with a large hole in the middle.

Hits on target are purely a matter of blind luck due to the blown pattern.

I wouldn't even attempt to fire a standard slug through a rifled barrel.
Although the slug would almost certainly fire safely, the rifled bore would "strip" the rifled fins on the slug, and leading would be absolutely horrendous.

mohutley · April 7, 2006, 07:25 PM

Yeah - Thanks. I've got the some question and a similar response in the "Harrington..." thread I started in here a while back. But it might be cool to see that pattern.
Too bad the saboted slugs are so expensive.

April 6, 2006, 08:20 AM	#1
wolfdog45 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 324	Hot to tell if your 20 gauge will shoot slugs. Hi every one. I know that if a dime fits down the barrel of a 12 gauge that it will shoot slugs but how can you tell if a 20 gauge will shoot slugs? Thanks for your time.

April 6, 2006, 08:28 AM	#2
chemist308 Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2005 Location: Pocono Mtns, PA Posts: 587	They all shoot slugs. Some just don't have much of a choke left afterwards Seriously though, what is your choke? You'd never dream of putting a slug through a full choke. Improved cylinder is best if you're not planning on an accessory barrel, but rifled slug barrels aren't real expensive--what make and model do you have? My uncle used to put them through a modified choke, and I think this is okay but don't go quoting me on that. __________________ critters: the other red meat Live in PA? PA Firearms Owners Association

April 6, 2006, 04:39 PM	#4
mohutley Member Join Date: February 5, 2005 Location: NC Posts: 97	slug gun I've recently purchased a rifled 24" 12 gauge slug gun. Can anyone tell me what I can or can't shoot in it. I bought it to shoot saboted slugs, but is that all I can shoot, practically speaking? __________________ *Cogito ergo infensus*

April 7, 2006, 07:25 PM	#6
mohutley Member Join Date: February 5, 2005 Location: NC Posts: 97	Yeah - Thanks. I've got the some question and a similar response in the "Harrington..." thread I started in here a while back. But it might be cool to see that pattern. Too bad the saboted slugs are so expensive. __________________ *Cogito ergo infensus*

April 6, 2006, 02:28 PM	#3
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	You can shoot ANY standard birdshot, buckshot, or slug through ANY standard choke from Open Cylinder to Full. Where you get into trouble is shooting slugs through specialty extra-full chokes. Slugs typically are more accurate when fired through an Improved Cylinder or sometimes an Open Cylinder choke, but it's perfectly safe to shoot them through a Full choke. Shooting slugs through a Full choked gun is safe and WILL NOT damage the gun. No gun maker or ammo maker is going to sell ammo or guns that are unsafe with common ammunition or standard choked guns.

April 6, 2006, 09:33 PM	#5
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Rifled shotgun barrels are for shooting sabot slugs ONLY. Attempting to shoot bird or buckshot has big problems. First, the barrel leads up like you wouldn't believe, and it's HARD to get it out. Second, the rifling "swirls" the shot as it exits the barrel, and this causes donut-shaped patterns. The shot pattern forms a big circle with a large hole in the middle. Hits on target are purely a matter of blind luck due to the blown pattern. I wouldn't even attempt to fire a standard slug through a rifled barrel. Although the slug would almost certainly fire safely, the rifled bore would "strip" the rifled fins on the slug, and leading would be absolutely horrendous.