Sabot slugs question

postmaster · December 28, 2015, 01:15 PM

Grandson bought me Sabot Accutip Slugs. It says use only in rifled barrel. My shotgun is smooth bore. Will it hurt to shoot them?

Sharkbite · December 28, 2015, 01:18 PM

Not going to hurt anything, but you will prob not get great accuracy out of the smooth bore.

I Would NOT shoot em thru a choke tighter then modified

postmaster · December 28, 2015, 01:29 PM

Thanks for that i'm just going to blow up milk jugs lol

T. O'Heir · December 28, 2015, 01:40 PM

You'll have to be very close to those milk jugs. Won't damage anything, but you'll be lucky to hit anything either. If a sabotted tank gun round means anything to you, they sort of the same idea.

amd6547 · December 28, 2015, 01:57 PM

Years ago, I shot some Remington sabot slugs in a Mossberg 500 with the 24" smoothbore slugster barrel.
I got good accuracy at 50yds, about the same as Foster slugs.

g.willikers · December 28, 2015, 03:35 PM

The lack of sights on smooth bore barrels probably has a large effect on how accurate a sabot round can be.
They are designed for rifled barrels with rifle type sights.

Nathan · December 28, 2015, 03:38 PM

They probably cost him $3 per shot. If he or a friend has a rifled slug gun, that would be a better use of them.

Slugs for a smooth bore are like $.75 to $1 a shot.

Sharkbite · December 28, 2015, 05:59 PM

Quote:

The lack of sights on smooth bore barrels probably has a large effect on how accurate a sabot round can be.

Both my Benelli and my Moss 590 have Ghost ring sights and are smooth bore but wont shoot sabot slugs as well as Foster styles.

FITASC · December 28, 2015, 11:12 PM

Quote:

The lack of sights on smooth bore barrels probably has a large effect on how accurate a sabot round can be.
They are designed for rifled barrels with rifle type sights.

Sights have nothing to do with it; the rifled barrel has everything to do with it.

stagpanther · December 29, 2015, 01:44 AM

Sabot slugs meant for rifled bores need the twist in order to stabilize the slug in flight. What you'll likely get is erratic POI with key-holing of your target. Don't think it will hurt the gun though.

postmaster · December 29, 2015, 07:10 AM

Thanks everyone, since you mention they are $3 a slug, I'll trade them in my local store for a box of turkey loads.

Nathan · December 29, 2015, 07:23 AM

That is typical. Usually, $13 - $20 for a box of 5.

You have a store that will take ammo on trade??

FITASC · December 29, 2015, 03:24 PM

Quote:

I'll trade them in my local store for a box of turkey loads.

Have NEVER seen any store take ammo back for any reason - trade or otherwise. WAY too much liability.

g.willikers · December 30, 2015, 09:48 AM

No need to guess, here's a test of sabots and smooth bores:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-...-bore-barrels/

TimSr · December 30, 2015, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Have NEVER seen any store take ammo back for any reason - trade or otherwise.

Same here.

Shoot 'em. No harm will come. They may be less accurrate than foster slugs, (may not be). You might have to bring in your milk jugs from the 100 yard line, at 25 yards you won't notice the difference.

SARuger · December 30, 2015, 10:21 AM

One of my local stores will trade rimfire only but nothing that could be re-loads.

If they(your store) won't trade you, trade with someone that has a rifled barrel.

If you get the rifled slugs for your smooth bore you will be better off. For blowing up water jugs, 00 buck is fun

stagpanther · December 30, 2015, 11:11 AM

Basically--what that article is saying is sabots for rifled bores will shoot erratically and keyhole when fired through a smoothbore. I have confirmed this with dozens of tries with all kinds of sabot slugs.

The interesting part of the article is that using Brenneke style rifled lead slugs intended for smooth bores appear to fire very well out of rifled bores. Since they are generally cheaper than the modern sabot slugs made specifically for rifled bores that's something to consider--though I suspect there is a bore-fouling price to pay.

postmaster · December 31, 2015, 09:57 AM

They didn't take them back, so I shot a couple at milk jugs. I hit both from about 35 yds with my ghost ring sights. They pack a punch for sure.

Gunplummer · January 1, 2016, 01:00 PM

I used to live on the border of a shotgun area and knew quite a few guys that used shotguns for deer. A couple of them used lead slugs to sight in a new scope on a rifled bore. They said it got them close and was a lot cheaper than starting out with sabots. Notice the big difference with the scope?

stagpanther · January 1, 2016, 01:38 PM

Quote:

I used to live on the border of a shotgun area and knew quite a few guys that used shotguns for deer. A couple of them used lead slugs to sight in a new scope on a rifled bore. They said it got them close and was a lot cheaper than starting out with sabots. Notice the big difference with the scope?

I can see that--but even at 50 yds most hunting rifled bore sabots I have used will impact quite a ways off from other brand slugs, so I might do this to get on paper but wouldn't count on it for final sighting accuracy at 100 yds.

Virginian · January 1, 2016, 01:44 PM

After shooting rifled slugs thru a rifled barrel one had best clean out the rifling before shooting sabots if they expect accuracy. Worse than lead bullets in hot handgun loads.

stagpanther · January 1, 2016, 01:48 PM

Quote:

After shooting rifled slugs thru a rifled barrel one had best clean out the rifling before shooting sabots if they expect accuracy. Worse than lead bullets in hot handgun loads.

Agreed--that's why I said there's a price to pay and I personally am not willing to unnecessarily wear my bore with a bunch of lead cleaning

Skeets · January 25, 2016, 06:42 PM

Lol,just brought back some"fond"memories! Hope your ok and thanks for sharing.

December 28, 2015, 01:15 PM	#1
postmaster Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2011 Location: land between lakes Posts: 140	Sabot slugs question Grandson bought me Sabot Accutip Slugs. It says use only in rifled barrel. My shotgun is smooth bore. Will it hurt to shoot them?

December 28, 2015, 01:40 PM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	You'll have to be very close to those milk jugs. Won't damage anything, but you'll be lucky to hit anything either. If a sabotted tank gun round means anything to you, they sort of the same idea. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

December 28, 2015, 01:57 PM	#5
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,313	Years ago, I shot some Remington sabot slugs in a Mossberg 500 with the 24" smoothbore slugster barrel. I got good accuracy at 50yds, about the same as Foster slugs. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

December 28, 2015, 03:35 PM	#6
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	The lack of sights on smooth bore barrels probably has a large effect on how accurate a sabot round can be. They are designed for rifled barrels with rifle type sights. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

December 29, 2015, 01:44 AM	#10
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 11,789	Sabot slugs meant for rifled bores need the twist in order to stabilize the slug in flight. What you'll likely get is erratic POI with key-holing of your target. Don't think it will hurt the gun though. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

December 28, 2015, 01:18 PM	#2
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	Not going to hurt anything, but you will prob not get great accuracy out of the smooth bore. I Would NOT shoot em thru a choke tighter then modified

December 28, 2015, 01:29 PM	#3
postmaster Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2011 Location: land between lakes Posts: 140	Thanks for that i'm just going to blow up milk jugs lol

December 28, 2015, 03:38 PM	#7
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,331	They probably cost him $3 per shot. If he or a friend has a rifled slug gun, that would be a better use of them. Slugs for a smooth bore are like $.75 to $1 a shot.

December 29, 2015, 07:10 AM	#11
postmaster Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2011 Location: land between lakes Posts: 140	Thanks everyone, since you mention they are $3 a slug, I'll trade them in my local store for a box of turkey loads.

December 29, 2015, 07:23 AM	#12
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,331	That is typical. Usually, $13 - $20 for a box of 5. You have a store that will take ammo on trade??

December 30, 2015, 09:48 AM	#14
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Sabot slugs in smooth barrels test by Boxotruth No need to guess, here's a test of sabots and smooth bores: http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-...-bore-barrels/ __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

December 30, 2015, 10:21 AM	#16
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	One of my local stores will trade rimfire only but nothing that could be re-loads. If they(your store) won't trade you, trade with someone that has a rifled barrel. If you get the rifled slugs for your smooth bore you will be better off. For blowing up water jugs, 00 buck is fun

December 30, 2015, 11:11 AM	#17
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 11,789	Basically--what that article is saying is sabots for rifled bores will shoot erratically and keyhole when fired through a smoothbore. I have confirmed this with dozens of tries with all kinds of sabot slugs. The interesting part of the article is that using Brenneke style rifled lead slugs intended for smooth bores appear to fire very well out of rifled bores. Since they are generally cheaper than the modern sabot slugs made specifically for rifled bores that's something to consider--though I suspect there is a bore-fouling price to pay. __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

December 31, 2015, 09:57 AM	#18
postmaster Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2011 Location: land between lakes Posts: 140	They didn't take them back, so I shot a couple at milk jugs. I hit both from about 35 yds with my ghost ring sights. They pack a punch for sure.

January 1, 2016, 01:00 PM	#19
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I used to live on the border of a shotgun area and knew quite a few guys that used shotguns for deer. A couple of them used lead slugs to sight in a new scope on a rifled bore. They said it got them close and was a lot cheaper than starting out with sabots. Notice the big difference with the scope?

January 1, 2016, 01:44 PM	#21
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	After shooting rifled slugs thru a rifled barrel one had best clean out the rifling before shooting sabots if they expect accuracy. Worse than lead bullets in hot handgun loads. __________________ What could have happened... did.

January 25, 2016, 06:42 PM	#23
Skeets Member in memoriam Join Date: April 6, 2015 Location: Indiana Posts: 583	Aahh! Slugs for Plinking Lol,just brought back some"fond"memories! Hope your ok and thanks for sharing. __________________ Skeets "Over Kill Never Fails"