Outdoor Forums: smooth bore vs. rifled bore shotgun barrel

Author

Topic: smooth bore vs. rifled bore shotgun barrel

rockind
Junior Member
Member # 15649

posted

so give me some input on smooth vs. rifled barrels. the guy at the gun shop asked "why do i want a rifled barrel, the ammo is double and the performance isnt that much better." is this point valid? my use for the gun will be deer hunting with a 75 yard range. already have a cheap mossberg 500, thinking of getting a different barrel for deer. any input?

Posts: 15 | From: oklahoma city | IP: Logged

wigeonmeister
Active Member
Member # 847

posted

The point is very valid.

Smooth bore barrels are what you will use rifled slugs with. Rifled bore barrels are what you will use sabot slugs with.

Sabot slugs do tend to cost twice as much as their rifled slug counterparts, and quite often sabot slug loads are harder to find.

Posts: 4651 | From: Arkansas | IP: Logged

turkn8r1
Active Member
Member # 14478

posted

If I were going to use the slugs for deer I would go with the rifled barrel. The sabot slugs are more expensive but rifled slug guns are enherintly more accurate and may give you a little more than 75 yards. I want to emphisize a little more. I would take accuracy and consistancy over ammo cost if given the choice.

Posts: 468 | From: southern mississippi | IP: Logged

nicholas bod
Active Member
Member # 14135

posted

Yup, smooth bores will fire them foster slugs very well out to 75 yds and beyond, if you have good sights or scope.

Practice makes perfect!

I would never spend near 20 dollars on five rounds for sabot slugs (x 5 boxes to get zero"d = 100.00 dollars), Just ridiculous. [Eek!]

Most important is to get to know youre property and youre deer, move in closer and know where you will kill you're deer.

A lot of guys use rifled shotgun barrels and sabot slugs cause they don't know what they are doing or know how far the deer will be and lets just say hoping on a "prayer" and paying the price for that prayer.
Maximizing everything to shoot at the maximum range when it's all not nesesary if you do a bit of homework and line up youre deer at 25 yds. [Smile]