What Slug?
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Before I had a shotgun with a rifles barrel I used the remington fosters in my smoothbore. You will need to try a few types that you like. Put 5 in a paper dinner plate and you know your slug and range.
Personally, I did not think the rifled choke tube helped much. My results were better with the foster's.
PS - don't use sabots, they are designed for a rifled barrel.
good luck..
Personally, I did not think the rifled choke tube helped much. My results were better with the foster's.
PS - don't use sabots, they are designed for a rifled barrel.
good luck..
There is really no way of knowing which brand of slugs will shoot well in your gun. You have to try diferent brands and see which works in your gun. There are no shortcuts to this.As far as rifled chokes go, sometimes they work,, other times they have no improvement. No one can say what will work in YOUR gun and those that do are full of it I have shot 1000's of slugs in personal research and know, every gun has it's favorites, period. Even my rifled barrels handle different slugs differently.Buy some slugs and try them out, when you find ones that work the best, buy a bunch of the same lot # or you may find that next yeat the new batch don't shoot to the same place or as well. Slugs are cheap now as the hunting seasons are over and stores want to get rid of them.
I have fully rifled barrels, barrels with extended rifle chokes, and barrels with flush rifled chokes. I have found the best accuracy in that order, but not the same slug in each case. For the extended rifled choke barrel, the Fiocchi slug worked best. I was able to get 2.5" groups at 50 yards, good enough for deer hunting in my area of Virginia. You just have to test to find what works best for you.
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476 Posts
1st off, rifled barrels for a 870 can be had for less than $150 new from WM. If that's too much look into Federal TruBall slugs. Rifled (foster type for smooth bore). In short, it's a new design that puts a plastic ball under the back cup of the slug (between the wad and slug itself) it keeps the "cup" of the slug from colapsing and helps it expand properly thru the bore of many different guns. American Hunter had an exelent comparison of many sabot and rifled designed slugs a few months back. ( another great benifit from the NRA, articals like these..Join or re-up today! )
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Federal Tru-Ball
funny you say that, I did try lightfield and had a decent group at 50 yards, luckily 3 days before deer season I dedided to recheck and groups were crap. I put the gun away and havent touched it since. I bet I have shot over $100.00 plus worth of sabots out of this gun and still nothing for groups. My smoothbore 12 gauge with I.C. outshoots this rifled barrel by far..I am going to try the Hornady SST sabots when they come out and after that I am done with this gun,...
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1,378 Posts
Econdave,
I'm assuming you've kept it clean, especially of any plastic-wad buildup from the sabots (they foul up pretty fast--after only 15 to 20 rounds), and that you've checked the barrel's lockup to the receiver and the tightness of the mag cap. If you're using a scope, are the bases and rings all screwed down tight with Loc-tite? Is you scope of adequate quality to handle the recoil generated by slugs?
These are the most common problem areas. With today's rifled barrels, you should be able to punch at least 3" groups at 50 yards (which is about what Fosters would give you in a smoothbore), and one-hole groups at that range are not at all uncommon with high-quality barrels. If you work through the punch-list above and still can't shrink the groups, maybe you need to contact Remington and see how well they stand behind their product. If the barrel is under a year old, I'd think they'd try to remedy the situation.
Good luck.
I'm assuming you've kept it clean, especially of any plastic-wad buildup from the sabots (they foul up pretty fast--after only 15 to 20 rounds), and that you've checked the barrel's lockup to the receiver and the tightness of the mag cap. If you're using a scope, are the bases and rings all screwed down tight with Loc-tite? Is you scope of adequate quality to handle the recoil generated by slugs?
These are the most common problem areas. With today's rifled barrels, you should be able to punch at least 3" groups at 50 yards (which is about what Fosters would give you in a smoothbore), and one-hole groups at that range are not at all uncommon with high-quality barrels. If you work through the punch-list above and still can't shrink the groups, maybe you need to contact Remington and see how well they stand behind their product. If the barrel is under a year old, I'd think they'd try to remedy the situation.
Good luck.
I did notice a lot of plastic build up. I am soaking the barrel and scrubbing with bronze brush to remove it. I bought the barrel at Gander Mountain. I am going to have the barrel drilled and tapped. I had a B-Square mount on it with a Simmons Pro Diamond shotgun scope. I think one of the problems was the mount isnt sitting flat, there is a 1/4 inch gap, on my 12 gauge the mount sits flush. It may be the wrong B-Square mount. I ordered a 20 gauge and they may have sent me a 12 gauge. Pretty frustated with the situation, like I said, spent several dollars in sabots. I even tried shooting iron sights on a bench with a rest and still poor groups. All over the paper at 30 yards...
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Econdave,
Forget about the cleaning for now: I'll bet anything the problem is the "1/4 inch gap" you mentioned between your saddle mount and the receiver. If you have indeed installed a 12-gauge saddle mount on a 20-gauge reciever and you have the kind of slop present that you describe, I'm surprised that you can even keep groups on paper. Simply put, your scope is probably moving with the recoil of each shot you take.
The solution is to get the proper-sized saddle mount and install it tightly to your 870 receiver. Next, install your rings tightly to the saddle rail. Finally, install your scope tightly within its rings. I'd suggest using Loc-tite on all screw threads, and check the maximum recommended torque for each step. You have to eliminate any and all play anywhere in the attachment sequence of scope to gun if you want to get the maximum accuracy out of your gun.
Of course, double-check to make sure your magazine cap is tightened down fully on the barrel lug and that there's no play in the connection of the barrel to the receiver. Now, once you've eliminated all the slop anywhere in your sighting and barrel connections, go ahead and clean that barrel thoroughly. Buy solvent that is specifically formulated for removing plastic wad buildup. With sabots, lead is not the agent that fouls your barrel because it does not come into contact with it. Plastic is. You've got to get any and all of it out of the barrel. A mirror-bright bore should be your goal.
Then, go to the bench with three or four different varieties of sabots, and see what she'll do. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Good luck.
Forget about the cleaning for now: I'll bet anything the problem is the "1/4 inch gap" you mentioned between your saddle mount and the receiver. If you have indeed installed a 12-gauge saddle mount on a 20-gauge reciever and you have the kind of slop present that you describe, I'm surprised that you can even keep groups on paper. Simply put, your scope is probably moving with the recoil of each shot you take.
The solution is to get the proper-sized saddle mount and install it tightly to your 870 receiver. Next, install your rings tightly to the saddle rail. Finally, install your scope tightly within its rings. I'd suggest using Loc-tite on all screw threads, and check the maximum recommended torque for each step. You have to eliminate any and all play anywhere in the attachment sequence of scope to gun if you want to get the maximum accuracy out of your gun.
Of course, double-check to make sure your magazine cap is tightened down fully on the barrel lug and that there's no play in the connection of the barrel to the receiver. Now, once you've eliminated all the slop anywhere in your sighting and barrel connections, go ahead and clean that barrel thoroughly. Buy solvent that is specifically formulated for removing plastic wad buildup. With sabots, lead is not the agent that fouls your barrel because it does not come into contact with it. Plastic is. You've got to get any and all of it out of the barrel. A mirror-bright bore should be your goal.
Then, go to the bench with three or four different varieties of sabots, and see what she'll do. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Good luck.
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What do you shoot at with the slug ? , just out of interest :wink:Spiffy said:
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United Shot,
Here in North America, it would be used for whitetail deer, probably 95%. The remaining five percent might be black bear or any dangerous game at close range or in brushy areas.
As once very rural areas become more populated, use of the rifled slug is mandated as a replacement for centerfire rifles. In shotguns with fully rifled barrels, slugs are accurate out to 125 yards or so and have more than adequate energy to kill cleanly at that range. Unlike centerfire rifle bullets, the relatively low velocity of the slug and its looping trajectory make it drop precipitously after about 150 yards. While rifle bullets can travel for miles, slugs run out of velocity much more quickly--making them an inherently safer alternative for more populated areas.
And with the ever increasing accuracy of fully rifled slug barrels and the sabot slugs being loaded for them, many hunters are foregoing their short-range centerfire rifles in favor of their slug guns. I'd just as soon shoot a slug gun out to 100 yards than a 30-30, a 35 Remington, or a 44 mag. Any slight diminution of accuracy is more than made up for by the far better brush-busting capabilities and retained energy of the slug.
Here in North America, it would be used for whitetail deer, probably 95%. The remaining five percent might be black bear or any dangerous game at close range or in brushy areas.
As once very rural areas become more populated, use of the rifled slug is mandated as a replacement for centerfire rifles. In shotguns with fully rifled barrels, slugs are accurate out to 125 yards or so and have more than adequate energy to kill cleanly at that range. Unlike centerfire rifle bullets, the relatively low velocity of the slug and its looping trajectory make it drop precipitously after about 150 yards. While rifle bullets can travel for miles, slugs run out of velocity much more quickly--making them an inherently safer alternative for more populated areas.
And with the ever increasing accuracy of fully rifled slug barrels and the sabot slugs being loaded for them, many hunters are foregoing their short-range centerfire rifles in favor of their slug guns. I'd just as soon shoot a slug gun out to 100 yards than a 30-30, a 35 Remington, or a 44 mag. Any slight diminution of accuracy is more than made up for by the far better brush-busting capabilities and retained energy of the slug.
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I also have an 870 smoothbore I.C. with sights... shoots overlapping groups @ 35 yards with Remington 3" "sluggers".
Considering I'm actually a rifleman, I was sort of pleasantly surprised.
Considering I'm actually a rifleman, I was sort of pleasantly surprised.
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937 Posts
I had a Remington smoothbore bbl on my 1100 that was extremely accurate with Remington Sluggers. I kick myself for selling it. (I sold it to a neighbor.) 
I also have a Hastings 'Target' Bull barrel for my 870 Wingmaster that shoots Sabots and Remington Sluggers very well. (It has a 2x Leupold EER scope on it.)
Cleaning after the Sluggers is time consuming. Kano Kroil does the 'number' though.
The old BRI Sabots would group three shots touching at 100 yds.
Winchester Platinum Tip 400 gr. sabots shoot very well, too. Not as tight as the old BRI's though. Thankfully, I still have 10 boxes of them.
I miss that old smoothbore barrel, though. For an open sighted gun, it shot very well.
Keith
I also have a Hastings 'Target' Bull barrel for my 870 Wingmaster that shoots Sabots and Remington Sluggers very well. (It has a 2x Leupold EER scope on it.)
Cleaning after the Sluggers is time consuming. Kano Kroil does the 'number' though.
The old BRI Sabots would group three shots touching at 100 yds.
Winchester Platinum Tip 400 gr. sabots shoot very well, too. Not as tight as the old BRI's though. Thankfully, I still have 10 boxes of them.
I miss that old smoothbore barrel, though. For an open sighted gun, it shot very well.
Keith
thanks for your info, I will do that. It still doesnt explain why I couldnt get a group with iron sights, maybe by then the barrel was to fouled with plastic. I take it you dont recomend drilling and tapping the reciever for scoping??? thank you again for your input..
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very interesting thanks :wink:Bonasa said:
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Econdave,
If you can drill and tap the receiver and mount bases on it for less than the cost of a B-square saddle mount, I'd go for it. But I think you'll be looking at somewhere around $50 or $60 to have a gunsmith tap and install bases or a Weaver rail for you. When properly installed, the saddle mount is plenty strong and stiff enough (although it is not exactly pretty or lightweight), and I think you can buy them for about $30. Totally your call on budget and aesthetics of your gun; either solution will give you a rigid, solid mount for your scope--which I think is what you may have been lacking.
And after I posted, I reread your original post and saw your comment about not getting decent groups with iron sights either. As you suggest, that could indeed be attributable to plastic fouling in your barrel. But it could also be attributable to a loose barrel. That's why I suggested double-checking the tightness of your magazine cap against the barrel lug. When the barrel is properly seated, you should be able to grasp the barrel forward of the forearm with one hand and by the receiver with your other hand and not be able to generate any play between the two whatsoever. If you can feel any movement when you twist and tug, you can bet that the recoil is reseating that barrel every time you take a shot--and consequently blowing your groups all over the paper.
Good luck. And remember that it's entirely possible that you may have just gotten a lemon of a barrel. If you follow all of the suggestions offered by others and me on this thread and still can't get decent groups (at a minimum, you should be able to get 3 inches or less at 50 yards), I think you should contact the manufacturer of the barrel about repair or replacement. Is it a Remington slug barrel? Or a Mossberg made for the 870? I own two Mossy barrels, one of which is an iron-sighted 12-gauge rifled barrel for my Wingmaster, and both are tack-drivers (i.e., one-hole groups at 50 yards with Winchester BRI sabots).
You should expect and accept no less. Again, good luck.
If you can drill and tap the receiver and mount bases on it for less than the cost of a B-square saddle mount, I'd go for it. But I think you'll be looking at somewhere around $50 or $60 to have a gunsmith tap and install bases or a Weaver rail for you. When properly installed, the saddle mount is plenty strong and stiff enough (although it is not exactly pretty or lightweight), and I think you can buy them for about $30. Totally your call on budget and aesthetics of your gun; either solution will give you a rigid, solid mount for your scope--which I think is what you may have been lacking.
And after I posted, I reread your original post and saw your comment about not getting decent groups with iron sights either. As you suggest, that could indeed be attributable to plastic fouling in your barrel. But it could also be attributable to a loose barrel. That's why I suggested double-checking the tightness of your magazine cap against the barrel lug. When the barrel is properly seated, you should be able to grasp the barrel forward of the forearm with one hand and by the receiver with your other hand and not be able to generate any play between the two whatsoever. If you can feel any movement when you twist and tug, you can bet that the recoil is reseating that barrel every time you take a shot--and consequently blowing your groups all over the paper.
Good luck. And remember that it's entirely possible that you may have just gotten a lemon of a barrel. If you follow all of the suggestions offered by others and me on this thread and still can't get decent groups (at a minimum, you should be able to get 3 inches or less at 50 yards), I think you should contact the manufacturer of the barrel about repair or replacement. Is it a Remington slug barrel? Or a Mossberg made for the 870? I own two Mossy barrels, one of which is an iron-sighted 12-gauge rifled barrel for my Wingmaster, and both are tack-drivers (i.e., one-hole groups at 50 yards with Winchester BRI sabots).
You should expect and accept no less. Again, good luck.
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