I currently shoot sabots in a rifled barrel shotgun, but due to the high price of sabots, I am considering trying cheaper rifled slugs instead. I know it's not an intended combination, but if you've tried it, what kind of accuracy is there to be had?

My Remmy 870 keeps to a few MOA. Would like to keep that.

Due to the price of sabot ammo I rarely practice with my shotgun. I shoot before season to verify scope and thats about all. I shoot my other rifles and guns allot, but I feel your pain on buying sabot ammo. That being said, it's worth the price to me. I've got a mossberg 695 that shoots amazingly, and it's worth buying 3 boxes a year to me. One thing I do is buy the ammo on sale. Usually around january or so stores like Di**'s sporting goods will have good prices/ rebates on ammo. When I see it on sale I buy a couple boxes. Or you could spread out buying them. Instead of all at once buy one box a month throughout the year until you have what you need. I wouldn't shoot rifled slugs in a rifled barrel though. If you need to use the cheapy rifled slugs go back to a smoothbore.
-Jake

Bulzeye, it woul make on sense to shoot a rifled slug in a barrel with rifling and the grooves already on the rifling would most likely clash with the rifled barrel giving you poor accuracy. Rifled barrels were made for saboted slugs, the slugs are smaller than the barrel bore and the plastic sabot takes the rifling causing the slug to spin giving accuracy. don't try to skimp on your ammo, it is what does the job for you.

If the OP has his gun sighted in with sabots, IMHO it shouldn't take but two or three shots to verify it's still on before the season opens. Two boxes of shells should last a couple years or more I would think. If that cost is spread out over that time ,it would seem to be pretty much insignificant in the scheme of things when you look at gas prices getting you too and from each hunt, for instance.

I guess I am the only respondent to have actually tried this. It shot about the same as a rifled slug that was shot rough a smoothbore barrel. Not too bad - but not too good either.

I shoot Brenneke Black magic magnum rifled slugs and it says for smoothbore or rifled barrels right on the box. I have a 24" smooth bore barrel, but I got a rifled choke tube for it this year to see if it helped. It shoots about a 3" group at 100 yards. plenty good for me

Rifle slugs are an improvement on slugs/pumpkin balls (as we called them).

A rifled shotgun barrel was an improvement on a smooth bore shotgun barrel.

A rifle slug shot from a rifled shotgun barrel is now the most accurate - given the ammo the gun shoots the best (as a rule - OK !).

Nope, I have tried this as well, with the thought of trying to save money. You can get a decent pattern and kill deer, but everything I read was that it eventually harms the rifling in the barrel. Not sure I believe that or not, but didn't want to chance it. What I did observe is that when I sighted back in with sabots, I had to move the scope setting about 12 inches from where the rifled slugs were centering.

Why would you want to use the more expensive barrel if your going to use slugs designed for the cheaper barrel?

I say use the barrel/slug combo that is designed to go together one way or the other.

If the cost of saboted slugs are a consien consider reloading. Not a whole lot of cost in hand loading a few shells a year. Check ballistic products for sabots and roll crimper, other things can be bought from a local reloading supply shop.

Al