Ok I just want to make sure that I have my information correct because I think the sporting shop I want to screwed up.

 

I have a remington 870 super mag express.

 

I want to shoot slugs out of the stock barrel in order to shoot deer in Jersey.

 

So they sold me a remington skeet choke and remington buckhammer lead slugs.

 

Now I just want to make sure that the choke is the right choke, that the slug will actually be able to travel through it as to not cause any damage to my shotgun, I think it should be fine.

 

But my biggest concern is, shouldn't they of sold me rifled slug since I don't have a rifled barrel on my shotgun??

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

Matt,

 

I am by no means an expert, but here's what I think I "know" on shotgun slugs:

 

If your shotgun is a smooth barrel, then you want a "rifled", aka brenneke or foster slug:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_slug#Brenneke_Slugs

 

 

If your shotgun has a rifled barrel, then you want a sabot slug.

 

The "rifling" on brenneke/foster slugs is not to make them spin. Instead, the "rifling" is actually fins on the outside circumference of the slug designed to deform and allow the slug to pass through a choke.

 

My understanding is that you shouldn't run brenneke/foster slugs through anything more restrictive than an "improved cylinder" choke. You might want to ask on a shotgun specific forum to get other opinions/experiences on what chokes people are regularly shooting slugs with.

 

Before I ever shot my first slug with my shotgun, I cut open a slug to see how it would pass the improved cylinder choke. It was more than scary to see that the slug wouldn't go through the choke by hand; in fact it would have taken a hammer to get it to pass:

 

 

However I was assured by multiple people this is "normal", and that the slug would deform when shot through a choke at full force.

 

I sure was tense the first time I pulled a trigger on a slug through my shotty, but it passed right through no problem and I've been surprised at how accurate they are. Probably shot about 50 slugs since. The only thing I've noticed is that they tend to loosen the choke up in the gun unless I really screw it in tightly beforehand.

awesome thanks a lot for the post, that helped a lot. Do you happen to know of any good shotgun forums laying around.

 

Also what brand slug are you shooting. These remington buckhammers cost me 13.00 bucks for 5 slugs, that is crazy expensive if you ask me. Also do you know if you can actually reload these shells, or can you only buy em new.

 

Thanks

Matt

BTW, a shotgun slug was the only projectile, other than a monster .45-70 510 grain rifle round, that they tested at the "box of truth" that was able to completely penetrate a slab of bullet proof glass:

 

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot6.htm

 

 

And the only projectile that completely blew apart a padlock in one shot:

 

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot5.htm

 

 

They're powerful at short ranges!

awesome thanks a lot for the post, that helped a lot. Do you happen to know of any good shotgun forums laying around.

 

Matt, try shotgunworld:

 

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/index.php?

 

 

 

Also what brand slug are you shooting. These remington buckhammers cost me 13.00 bucks for 5 slugs, that is crazy expensive if you ask me. Also do you know if you can actually reload these shells, or can you only buy em new.

 

Thanks

Matt

 

I bought a hundred Sellior & Bellot slugs last year, I think they were a buck a piece or under. I can't really recommend their 00 buckshot as it smokes like crazy, but the slugs have worked well for me so far (the only slugs I've shot so far).

wow those are some crazy pictures. Almost makes you want to keep slugs loaded in the shotgun for home defense

 

And thanks for the link, im headed over there right now to do some reading and I will check out those slugs as well b/c I paid almost 2 bucks a slug, thats insane!

Also, no idea on reloading. Try asking at shotgunworld, lots of experienced shotgunners there.

Ok, here's the lowdown as far as I understand it. I figured i'd post it here, so if someone had the same question, its right here for them.

 

If you are shooting from a smooth bore barrel you have two choices:

1. You can go out and buy a rifled choke tube, they run about 35 bucks no biggie. Then you can shoot any normal slug through your gun. You can shoot slugs like sabot sluts etc, just as long as they are NOT rifled slugs.

2. You can go out and buy either a Cylinder or an Improved cylinder choke tube. The pro's say to use a Improved Cylinder, I'm assuming its tighter so better accuracy. Now you can go out and buy winchester, federal, remington and brenneke KOs rifled slugs to now shoot through your gun. These slugs are more on the cheaper side than a sabot slug, but you are limited to your distance.

 

With a rifled slug, your max distance is going to be about 75 yards, they say its getting touchy at 100, but its doable. Also with a smooth bore barrel you are limited to your sighting options. For me, I'm going the old route, iron sights all the way!

 

ORRRR you can go out and buy a rifled barrel whether it be with a cantilever or not. With a rifled barrel you can shoot the sabot and etc slugs. With these slugs, 100+ yards are easily obtainable but they recommend you go to a range and do some testing. With this setup, your sighting options are endless so pick away.

 

What I've come down to is this

I am going to go out and buy an improved cylinder and some rifled slugs from a couple of the manufactures. I am going to go to the range and test them out, and see what works best for me. I plan on hunting deer in Jersey this year. If I end up liking deer hunting in Jersey, I am probably going to go out and buy a H&R ultra slug hunter shotgun. Its a break away, single shot shotgun. You can find it brand new for about 250 bucks or about the same price as a good remington rifled barrel for my existing 870.

 

Then you always have the trusty blackpowder setup, which is a whole season by itself in Jersey that you can also look into.

I hope this rant helps someone someday as I never knew all the options that I had and don't trust everything someone tells you at a gunshop just because its a gunshop

Is the accuracy increased when using the improved cylinder over the cylinder?

I bought a hundred Sellior & Bellot slugs last year, I think they were a buck a piece or under. I can't really recommend their 00 buckshot as it smokes like crazy, but the slugs have worked well for me so far (the only slugs I've shot so far).

 

I bought a box of S&B 4 buck just because being able to *see* the pellets inside the clear shell gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Correct me if I am wrong but don't you have to have rifle type sights on a shotgun to hunt with slugs in NJ ?

Correct me if I am wrong but don't you have to have rifle type sights on a shotgun to hunt with slugs in NJ ?

 

Correct. Rifle sights or a scope.

or a red dot I believe