smooth bore slug barrel
 

I own a smooth bore slug barrel for my 870. I thought I'd save a little money by avoiding buying a rifled barrel. Any experience out there with smooth bore slug barrels and their accuracy? Which slugs would you guys recommend?

no riffling , no slug..jmo try some tripple 0, or 000....this is sendin 3 ....30 cal projectiles...at the target............if i remember right..

I have one for my 1100, at 50 yards, they'll touch...Mine prefers the Remington Sluggers...

I have an 870 with a smooth bore 50yds. is about it. I use Rem. slugs

I have a cheap 12 Guage that I bought from Wal-mart. I'm a Rifle guy but I can hit the paper at 100 YDS with a Rifled slug. 50 YDS is a sure thing. and all this was done without a scope. and the 100 Yard shot was on a gun rest.

and I use the improved choke

No problems out to 100 yards with the Remmington Sluggers out of my Whinchester Ranger. Most of my shots are way less than that. Smoothbores have been throwing rifled slugs a long time.

Bob

I had an experience with this. I used a 16 guage smooth bore with rifled slugs. I watched a ten pt run 40 yds from me and I fired 4 slugs at him and didn't touch him. Watched him run away. Not worth the pain. Trust me!!!!

Based on what I've seen over the years, I'd say 50 to 75 yards is jus about it for the smoothbore's.

a typical 12 ga 000 2.75'' load is 9 pellets, i believe. you mat be thinking of a 410 which is 3 000 pellets.

dixie slugs makes a load called strike 3(i think) its something like 3 .68 cal balls, in 1 shells, id love to try that puppy.

I shoot an 870 12ga smooth bore with open sights. It is more accurate than I am. If your shots will be less than 100 yards your 870 will be good enough. At 100 you should be on the proverbial pie plate, at 50 you should be able to keep a pretty tight group.

I like the Federal Tru-Ball slugs.

Bob

I've found that it can vary quite a bit. For example, my brother has a smoothbore 870 that shot pretty decent out to 75 yards or so. But my Winchester is not nearly as accurate- I switched to a muzzleloader because I couldn't hit anything past 50 yards with it. So some, but not all smoothbores can be accurate. But you're probably going to be limited to 80 yards or so, even with an accurate one.

A rifled barrel will generally be a lot more accurate, and it will extend your range out to 120 - 150 yards if you have a scope.

You asked "what kind of slugs?"
With a smooth bore, the key is to not use Sabot Slugs, they are designed specifically for rifled barrels. Use "rifled" slugs. In my experience, the Brenneke KO's kick some serious butt from a smooth bore with rifle sights. I'm with most here, 75 yds is a reliable maximum. If your going to 100yds, be well practiced and confident in your ability.

I have a Mossberg 500 smoothbore with rifle sights. It shoots Winchester rifled slugs into a 2" group at 50 yds. I'd shoot a deer out to 75 yds, after that it's the sights and my eyes that limit my effective range.

You will see zero pattern if you shoot buckshot through a cylinder choke, which is wht my 500 barrel with rifled sights has. I tried a couple shots at a paper plate at 25 yds. One or two pellets hit the plate.

well I shoot the exact gun. 870, smooth bore short barrel but with a scope. And you would be amazed with the gun off a rest. I'm not the best shot but at 50 yrds I have a 3" group and at 100 yrd I am always inside a pie plate. And not much drop, I don't care what the box says. And oh yea, I shoot the cheapo winchester rifled slugs from walmart. $9 for a box of 15.

I agree, nothing wrong w/ a smoothy and less finicky IMO, although i did get good results from KOs and black magics in a H&R trapper w/ rifled barrel

Shot Remington Sluggers out of a shortbarreled smoothbore on a 870 for years. 100 yards no problem with hitting the boiler room everytime.

Without a scope, they are about equal for accuracy out to about 75 yards in my opinion. You can only hold so tight with those factory sights. The tightest groups I ever got were with my Winchester 1200 which had a (gee, I forget if it was 24 inch or 26" barrell). it had quite a fine bead and rear notch, allowing for a finer hold. Fifferent slugs will certainly group different. Shoot different slugs on different days, to avoid getting flinchy, to check groups. At 50 yards I can keep the slugs touching each other out of my Ithaca with standard Winchester pumpkin balls.

I grew up shooting a 870 with the smooth bore...sited it at 50 and it only has the range of 75. Anything more than that is guessing, unless it is sited for it.

My brother is shooting a Moss 500 with a rifled barrel, 100 yards 2' group.

I hope I don't step on anyones toes but Hunting is like anything else, if you are going to do it you need the right tools, and a smooth bore "slug" barrel is not the right tool!!, Heck for $200 (or less) a person can purchase a rifled barreled H&R (NEF), I just cannot Imagen getting a shot at a nice deer 40 or more yards out and be sitting with a smooth bore "slug" barrel, shooting a smooth bore you point and hope for the best, (about like throwing a rock) with a rifled barrel you aim and if you miss it's you not the gun. also in many states buck shot is not allowed, Do your self a favor get a rifled barrel, Just my opinion Den

Remington Sluggers, I shot them for years out of my 870, I now shoot a rifled 20 gauge Encore, I run SST through it. My slug-master 512 i used Sluggers as well grouped the best through that.

Mnnden,
A properly sighted and practiced with quality slug gun is no guessing game. Yes a rifled firearm with equal sights will probably be capable of more accuracy past certain ranges, but all weapons must be understood for their limitations. Those of us who were raised in shotgun only regions know how to shoot and use them. I do extensive shooting with slugs. I have not found that with open sights I am able to get noticeably better groups with rifled barrels (from a rest) within 50 yards. Most deer in NY are shot well within that. Just as I look at any rifle with open sights as the limiting factor for making a clean shot...about 75 yards (the bead covers too much of the target area past that), so I also limit my shots with a slug gun. I certainly have greater accuracy potential further out than with handguns. Most of the newer muzzle loaders have horrible sights I wouldnt consider taking a shot past 50-75 yards. The shotguns also come into thier own when you are pushing hedge rows or brush fields kicking out deer at relatively close ranges, and we are not talking about buckshot.

I have a smooth bore barrel with rifle sights for my 870.

Mine prefers Winchester powerpoints. At fifty yards, they almost touch. At 100 yards, 4-6 inch group.