Had to give myself a baseline before I dropped the change for slug gun, so I went out and shot the box of cheap Federals that I bought last December through my Benelli Nova without rifle sights or scope. Shot at cardboard sillouhette:
2 shots @ 25 yards -- 1 in leg/shoulder, 1 in kill zone. However, these 2 shots managed 2 holes each in target -- 1 clean and 1 ragged. Does the plastic wad shoot far/hard enough to cause this?
2 shots @ 35 yards -- 1 in kill zone, 1 miss low and right.
1 shot @ 40 yards -- missed low and right.

Is this par for smooth barrel with rifled slugs? My brother-in-law says this combo is horrible for any sort of accuracy.

Now, I'm ona budget. I would love to get a slug gun w/scope, but if I end up with rifled sights, what kind of accuracy can I expect in relation to the smooth barrel and a rifled with cantilever?