Truball Slug

[cptmclark]

Now that I have had the time and nerve to test and shoot game with some of the new (to me) shotgun slugs, some of my questions have been answered, but another one came up.

For the smoothbore I found that the Federal ads are justified and my 20 inch smoothbore 870 really does average less than 1.5 inches at 50 yards. That's the good news. Looking up the ballistics in Federal's website, I find that this one ounce number starts out at the same velocity and energy as your grandma's foster slug, which I always found impressive in on-game performance, but rapidly, and I mean right out of the muzzle, loses speed and energy much faster than the other (conventional?) foster slugs. I see from Federal's on line tables that this loss is mostly accounted for in the first 25 yards. At the longer ranges of 75 to 100 yards, which we now have the accuracy to make reasonable, the remaining energy is WAY below the plain Jane foster slug of the same weight, starting at the same speed and energy. I wonder why. Maybe the wad and ball are included in the advertised weight, resulting in a lighter lead slug?

Would one of you slug gurus pleas enlighten me, as my e-mails to Federal have gone unanswered. Many thanks.

Oh yes, if this is of help to anyone this late in the season, I have taken two average whitetails with the Federal Barnes Expander 1 oz sabot slug. This is the most accurate recipe in my rifled guns, at about 2 inches at 100 yards. Terminal ballistics are only adequate, even with optimal placement. There is great penetration, but not the instant effect we like. More like a typical rifle bullet. I'm still looking for that magic bullet that works like my favorite rifle load. Maybe it's not available. Anyone's experinece to the contrary would be gratefully read.