Rifled Shotgun Slugs or a Rifled Shotgun Barrel?

In this week's video, we look at the differing combinations of shotgun slugs and barrels available. When is it appropriate to use a rifled slug? When would you use a slug that is not rifled?
Thanks for watching. New videos post every Thursday!
FIREARMS USED
12 Gauge Mossberg 500 Combo Field/Deer
AMMUNITION USED
12 Gauge Hornady SST Slugs
12 Gauge Remington Slugger Rifled Slugs

[@ericbergfield6451]

This is one of those questions I've had on my mind since Doom II back in 1994. I can rest in peace now that this has been answered.

[@misfitledoux1312]

Rifled bore or choke for best results with all slugs. Rifled slugs do get some spin from the veins on the slug, but those are mainly for squeezing through choked bores.

[@JP-xh1cm]

The only major downside of firing soft-lead rifled slugs in a rifled shotgun barrel is the excessive lead fouling left in the rifling.

[@Mark-qq9cd]

Thanks for this video. I appreciate your comments on being well trained, know your weapon and bullets performance, and making sure that we hunt in a humane manner. Good message.

[@patrickdittmer6516]

I have tested rifled slugs in the rifled barrel of my Remington 870 vs a few different sabot slugs out of the same barrel and what I found is that the soft lead slugs are not only way cheaper but are also more accurate. The twist rate on the soft lead slugs is overridden by the fact that the rifling on the barrel cuts into the slug and seams to make it go straighter. The only way to test which is more accurate is to group several shots. The tighter group wins. Then adjust your sights or scope to move the group. Firing a single shot to test which is more accurate out of a slug barrel tells an experienced shooter nothing. You only re-enforced that you have to adjust your sights if you change ammo due to variances in the bullet, powder charge and other variables. I would agree that the sabot is not going to be as accurate out of a choked smooth bore with a bead sight, but the rifled slug won't be either due to the fact that bead sights were designed to be used with shot not slugs.

[@dhooter]

We used to get outstanding accuracy with Breneke slugs with rifled barrels. Farthest I was comfortable was 75 to 80yds. They did not have a sabot

[@swere1240]

i can hit steel at 100 all day with my 870 with a 28 inch smooth barrel with a bead sight. i use federal truball 2 3/4 inch rifled slugs and have great luck. and the furthest ive really ever had to shoot was about 80 yardss where i hunt here in iowa. and that was a doe at a full sprint that i hit in 3 shots.

[@patrickdittmer6516]

@@swere1240 i also hunt in Iowa. Several years ago i bought a rifled Barrel for my 870 because i wanted to get more accurate. Then i started buying expensive sabot slugs to fire out of it. In the long term i learned that lead slugs out of that rifled barrel gave me a tighter group than the sabot slugs did. Thats the point i was trying to make. For years everyone in Iowa used rifled slugs out of our smooth bore shotguns and had decent luck. Now days i rarely carry a shotgun during season because my .350 legend is way more accurate and forgiving on the shoulder.

[@tatoo190]

It amazes me how much info is out there about every kind of bow hunting & even long range rifle hunting, but so little about shotgun slug hunting for deer.

[@wolffzambelli2701]

Excellent no BS video!...Subscribed

[@ditzydoo4378]

I use the Winchester BRI 50 caliber Sabot-Slug. This round was developed by Ballistic Reseach Industries many years ago for Police use in their smoothbore (Cylinder-choked) cruiser shotguns. Winchester bought them out and makes it to this day, though their marketing department has incorrectly labeled the box for "Rifled-Bores". This slug was designed to be shot from any 12-Gauge shotgun regardless of bore type. Just use a cylinder bore choked barrel. The slug is super accurate and flat shooting.

[@AmmoMart]

Thank you for watching and sharing that information with our viewers! That is what I like most about doing these videos.....the knowledge base out there is incredible! Thanks again and happy hunting.

[@ditzydoo4378]

@@AmmoMart your very welcome. ^~^

[@eddiewhite9759]

I agree the BRI slugs are designed after and sabot round for modern day tanks. The hour glass shape is also nose heavy just like the rifled slugs. I have a few boxes of the original and the winchester loads they are designed for smoth bore shotguns and will work in fully rifled and rifled choke tubes. The rifled slugs have and hollow base just like and smoth foster style slug cast from and Lyman mold. Then there are slugs like the Lyman 525 that's shaped like and air rifle pellet.

[@ditzydoo4378]

@@eddiewhite9759 Yep. the hourglass shaped slug is weight biased like a badminton shuttle cock so that the airflow over the rear skirt keeps the slug level and true even as it loses speed. (edit) my spelling is utter rubbish at times.

[@DonutVIP]

I was super lucky to find a cantilever barrel fully rifled 22inch for my browning gold, this year deer season going to change by alot, been using smoothbore for 3 years now and really want to reach out to 50 plus yard. Sabot slug are expensive but hella worth it

[@MrZee1967]

great video for newbie shotgun users like myself😁

[@jakesgreat]

So while this video is extremely well done and very informative. It’s not exactly true, a rifled slug doesn’t actually have rifling. A foster type slug has ridges cut into it to be able to compress through a choke tube. It gives the lead a place to go. They don’t truly spin like a saboted slug would. They more so fly like a badminton birdie. Technically you can fire a rifled slug through a rifled barrel and achieve pretty impressive accuracy. The catch to that is the soft lead fouls the barrel faster diminishing accuracy at a faster rate. But for hunting purposes you typically aren’t shooting more than 3 times very often so it works if need be. You just have to thoroughly clean the barrel after every couple of shots when your sighting in. He’s right shotguns and slugs are some of the most misleading things out there.

[@dhooter]

I told him in another comment to watch Taofledermaus. He tests this in depth. I used to use Breneke rifled slugs through a rifled barrel with outstanding groups out to 80yrds. They said right on the box For Rifled Barrels lol. No sabot bullet to bore slugs. They did have the so called "rifling" but that was for exactly what you stated. To allow they to crush down through choke tubes. Hell you can fire them through full chokes with no ill effect

[@anton1949]

You are absolutely correct. 'Rifled slugs' LOL

[@jovianlitany]

Thanks for this. I did not know about this difference.

[@AmmoMart]

Glad I could help and hope you have a successful hunting season.

[@ignacioquintanavega415]

It's easy: - Rifled barrels with sabot slugs - Smooth barrels with NO sabot slugs (rifled or not). The only thing you have to know.

[@mattmcg0verndotcom]

Great video

[@jeffhays1968]

The optimum rifled shotgun is probably 20 ga. Much less drop on long shots, plenty of energy left to take deer. 200 yard shots are more than likely with 20 ga, not so much with 12 ga.

[@OGbqze]

Load em hotter

[@nobodyspecial1852]

I used to just go full or cylinder, cheap (small) birdshot and smooth slugs only for simplicity, set my guns for either/or and call it good..... there is so much nuance now that I care to look. I think breach actions with heavy barrels not slopping inside a receiver help too. I'd like to see those versus bolt actions, I wonder if bolts are gaining another big step in potential there.

[@Me2Lancer]

Thanks for sharing. Bottom line, use rifled slugs in smooth bore shotguns and unrifled slugs in rifled shotgun barrels. This is the practice I've always followed.

[@jeffreyrush521]

@John Gallagher it is true

[@shogunguy]

@John Gallagher lmfao

[@i_smell_chicken8007]

The rifled slugs usually don’t have a sabot. Now the rifling is for those who back in the day had a fixed choke on their shotguns. It lets the rifled ones through there without the barrel exploding. The sabots on the other hand actually increase the performance of the rifled barrel due to how rifling works(creating an gas flow which makes the bullet rotate and therefore more stable). So using a rifled slug don’t really matter if your on no choke. Much like a sabot doesn’t do no difference in a blank barrel. if you don’t believe me try it out use some logic and then you might find out what does the most sense.

[@stephenembrey883]

Oh sorry for butting in again but I totally agree with you I don't hunt deer, I just don't like the taste. I grew up eating venison and I just don't want anymore. With the Biden ministration, I may have to suck it up

[@stephenembrey883]

Seriously, you don't have to worry about ballistic coefficient or any magical numbers at all with a shotgun slug as it's a 50 yard gun. It doesn't matter if a slug tumbles or if it's stable through any barrel which is obviously going to tumble or anything; for what you're doing and what you're hunting you could use anything stuffed into that case including rocks.

[@richellediallo3628]

Great video ❤

[@dustinrhodes7103]

Awesome video very informative and well broken down!

[@corycarlson8712]

Great video.. I have always hunted with rifles so I was not familiar with the rule of not wanting to use 2 of the same. Great video

[@AmmoMart]

Thank you so much for viewing and taking the time to comment. I am glad it was helpful to you and I had a hunch it might not be as widely known as people think. Be safe and I hope you have a great hunting season!

[@dburnett3257]

Need to test several manufacturer's slugs for overall accuracy. There is a difference.

[@dhooter]

You should watch Taofledermaus. He tests this theroy in depth. The grooves on a rifled slug only impart a very slight if any rotation. But that same slug through a rifled barrel imparts a very high spin rate. He uses a very expensive high speed camera to see this spin stabilization.

[@Pays2Win]

Grouping in a follow up video would be very beneficial in proving your point. Good video.

[@stephencarrier6465]

I use a Benelli with full rifled barrel and a 3 x 9 scope, at 100 yards it's almost as accurate as a rifle with most slugs.

[@tonyfranklin9083]

Great lesson on shotgun slugs !

[@bigtrev761]

🇦🇺😎👍We aren’t allowed pump action shotguns in Australia just in case. They’re categorised as semiautos

[@yvesf5355]

very good information. ,thank you

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Thanks. Appreciate the demonstration.

[@NC-xk1eg]

Good comparison video. 👍

[@puregameplay7916]

You should only be shooting sabots through a rifled shotgun barrel. Do another test with JUST sabots in the rifled barrel, vs JUST foster slugs in the smooth.

[@usnairframer]

Good information. I have very limited shotgun choices out here in Japan, which is why I have a Beretta A303 made in the late 80's, so I make up for the lack of a rifled barrel with rifled slugs and a red dot sight. Will probably upgrade to a 4x scope though while I wait to get a better shotgun.

[@cheetoz6902]

I agree 100% . It is absolutely critical to make a ethical harvest for the sake of the animal. I appreciate your videos . Thank you

[@AmmoMart]

Thanks for watching our channel and I firmly believe that ethical hunting is the only thing that will preserve our hunting rights! I hope you have a great white tail season and hope to hear from you in the future!

[@benfromalbuquerque6083]

You made shotguns super tacticool! Next up I want to see riding lawnmowers.

[@TheArby13]

The first shot pattern looks more like a shot load and not a slug. Also on every shot the shotgun is canted to the right.

[@ZorroDaddy]

Great topic, thanks, keep it up.

[@tomhism]

My 1100 with hastings barrel shoots like a rifle. Hornady sst.

[@stephenembrey883]

I guess yawls population is so close together you have to deal with stuff like that, I can't even imagine it from Texas. The next nearest house maybe 25 miles away from where I live.

[@draganbalzic4493]

Would have been nice to have explained why there are rifled slugs… It allows a slug to pass through a choke much more easily and with far less catastrophic results than a smooth slug.

[@wildweasel6898]

Yep rifled slugs don't even impart spin stabilizing properties. It just allows it to get past a choke without problems. Not many people know that

[@TomVerstraeten-x9z]

What was the weight of the slug compared to sabot? Makes a world of difference. A single shot doesnt show you anything without groupimg your shots. I've shot cheap winchester slugs in my Remington rifled barrel for years 99% of my deer are head shots.

[@ronnierocket2869]

Agreed, size of groups is more helpful than single point of impact. I have no idea if the sights are zeroed and it seems unlikely they could be in the unadjustable case.

[@rumdog117]

Really good video. Have to look at what my ammo is and the shot guns we own. Haven't ever looked to see if they were rifled. Just thought most come smooth bore. If you ever get a chance, a video on chokes would be much appreciated. We have one with a choke and a couple with out, with a 410 circuit court Rossi that has a removable choke depending on whether you are shooting slugs or buck and bird shot. I'm sure that one is rifled. Thanks for your time and effort in making these.

[@AmmoMart]

I appreciate your advice and we are preparing a video on chokes so watch for that in the future.

[@awadheshkumar1420]

Nice information,love from india

[@independentthinker8930]

Jeff and OG have shown it many times

[@camarof1r]

Velocity would be helpful, but thanks for a good video.

[@peterpinkhover6910]

THEY MAY COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER TOO

[@carbonspyder235]

I don't think you know how to aim a shotgun with out sights that is why you hit high with smooth bore you need to use top of receiver ? I know you are trying to help some but you are right you are not a deer hunter and I'm just guessing but you probable don't rabbit hunt either ?

[@DrLanceFarr]

Rifled shotgun barrels are for s abbots. Smooth shotgun barrels are for rifled slugs. It is that easy.

[@Tonyrocket]

What if I shoot rifled slugs out of my smooth bore with a rifled choke?

[@stevepauley2437]

How exactly do the Brenneke slugs work? They say for rifled or smooth barrels, on the box.

[@TisiphonesShadow]

Now, show what happens with buckshot from a rifled barrel.

[@tonydaniels4057]

If you're shots are 100 yrds or less rifled slugs through a rifled barrel are excellent. Sabots are a waste of money at that range.

[@jasonlopez4855]

I shot a rifle faster slug out of a mod. Smooth bore and notice that the groves was all gone I'm looking at it rate now ⁉️ if all the groves get smashed how does it spin in the barrel. I got both rifle barrel and smooth bore.

[@flyingwrenchesautomotive]

3 shot groups of each to truly show the real story here.

[@JamalGood-l1r]

Outstanding informative video sir!

[@29madmangaud29]

Wow, I've never shot a slug in a shotgun. i've only shot buckshot, and different types of Buck and bird shot,

[@gb123-ej8wh]

People who have hunted deer for years know enough to put rifles slugs through their smoothbores and either for rifles barrels. Foster slugs can be fired from rifles barres but sabots should only be shot out of rifles barrels

[@garrymorris5293]

Good video what choke were u using.

[@jamesoliva9531]

I don't do it myself, however I have hunting friends who have been using foster slugs in a rifled barrels for "DECADES" . With outstanding results. (Consistent 1 shot kills) at well over 100 yds. Why did you not test fire the fosters with a smooth bore sighted slug barrel? I am sure you would have had even better results. Remember foster slugs are generally heavier and wider than the sabot's giving the shooter a slightly greater margin for error.

[@NorthRiverGuide]

That's just his wild theory that he can't even explain, or even put up a video comparing groups of rifled vs smooth bore with rifled slugs. Where the rate of twists arent fighting eachother. Out of a smooth bore the rate of twist of the slug only makes around a half revolution in 20yds from catching air with the grooves with a faster rate of twist than a rifled barrel. All the rifled barrel is doing is speeding up the spin of the rifled slug causing greater gyroscopic stability. The barrel is not spinning it quicker than the grooves in the slug are angled. As for margin for error, that's a big yes and no, depending on construction of the slug. It can be argued that a sabot slug offers a better margin for error with its increased accuracy, and tends to have a higher velocity with a higher b.c. value which means that velocity is retained downrange, so depending on the slug design could mean very violent expansion and hydraulic shock of a sabot slug vs jist a chunk of lead going through. The initial diameter difference doesnt really mean too much in projectiles that expand when it comes to margin for error.

[@sandybarnett7502]

Been nice to have had a scope on your shotgun

[@gordylee8421]

“Sab-it” 🤦🏽

[@roccoc.8425]

Have you ever hit a deer with either set up?

[@bsmith2947]

Just say Sabots are more accurate out of a rifled barrel.

[@bobg3633]

I watched a video of a guy using buck shot at 100 yards to shoot a deer. I commented why would you do this?? He legit ask why?...

[@Jameskenomis3]

I wonder if rifled slugs even spin?

[@JP-xh1cm]

Rifled slugs do spin, but the rotation is so minuscule that it makes little difference in the flight trajectory of the slug.

[@NorthRiverGuide]

Yes, around half a revolution over 20yds. Which is peanuts

[@Rusty-Brown_]

*******DO A SLUG BARREL LENTH VELOTSY TEST** 2-***24***28***INCH I HAVE 5 BARRELS FOR MY SLUG GUN****!!!!!!

[@diehardsandman]

Love that comment "Because you don't know what your doing" Go pound sand...lol

[@stephenembrey883]

This could have been made into a five minute video.

[@69Bushrider]

They change the law You could hunt in Ohio with few calibers rifle.

[@onpsxmember]

Is there a brand that offers like sights mounted or rds mounting one the barrel itself to keep zero for the chosen ammo?

[@nathanlambshead4778]

Thanks for the video. I always say that smooth bore with smooth slug equals a knuckle ball pitch. You just don't know where it is going to wander off to. What is your opinion about rifled choke tubes?

[@nobodyspecial1852]

I had a benelli that threw them into a ragged hole from muzzle to maybe 30 yards, then it went wild and I couldn't hit a 4'x4' target after 30 yards. When they tumble they don't drift they scatter like roaches. Smooth on smooth is great till it isn't, I'm fine with it for CQB/breacher roles but not hunting.

[@nathanlambshead4778]

​@@nobodyspecial1852 Interesting. Have you tried Brenneke slugs in it? In my .410 smooth bore (Stevens) the Brenneke slugs are accurate at 30 yards, but still stabilizing. At 45-50 yards they are even better, cutting a clean hole. Not sure after that since i have not tried them at further distances. I would hunt close woods deer with it, but in .410 nothing further than about 65 yards. Brenneke's flight control seems to be a winning design.

[@nobodyspecial1852]

@@nathanlambshead4778 I don't think I've used them, definitely not in that particular shotgun. I don't have it anymore, I didn't like it that much.

[@9unslin9er]

If it has a RIFLEd barrel, is it still a SHOTgun? 🤔 Personally, I find Sabot slugs to be an incredible waste of money. And are more of a solution to a bureaucratic problem. Remington Accutips were $3 a round pre-pandemic. Now they're probably double. Foster slugs will start to tumble at 25yds *out of a smoothbore, but will still hit point of aim. For states banning bottleneck cartridges, .44mag will do the job ethically.

[@AmmoMart]

Totally agree on the .44magnum! That will definitely harvest a whitetail. Hope you get a trophy this season!

[@PerceptionVsReality333]

I agree that rifled barrels in a shotgun are a waste of money. Save the $200+ & buy a $40-$50 rifled choke for Foster slugs & more shotgun ammo instead. Those rifled chokes stabilize the slug upon exiting the barrel making them scary accurate.

[@9unslin9er]

@@PerceptionVsReality333 On the other hand, they make some pretty kooky slugs out there. If you're into making things explode in interesting ways, a rifled barrel can offer endless entertainment. Check out TAOFLEDERMAUS for some laughs.

[@Br1dK0Sp3c]

Nah a rifled barrel is extra heavy and twice as thick as a smoothbore it will handle much higher pressures which is why sabots are usually loaded at much highe velocities then fosters, sabots fly further faster with expectional accuracy and spin just like a rifle bullet they also penetrate way better then a foster slug You can buy sabots that leave the muzzle at 2000fps and handload them to go even faster any modern day sabot will leave foster slug in the dust there's no comparison of course the only downside to sabots is limited availability and cost of rounds

[@PerceptionVsReality333]

@@Br1dK0Sp3c I've seen 3" magnum sabots with advertised velocities of up to 2,500 fps but those were expensive AF at $19.99 for a box of 5 rounds. That's just under 5K ft/lbs of energy upon impact! That's more powerful than 45-70 lever rifles imagine the recoil, those would obliterate just about anything in north America.

[@cougarhunter8304]

The rifling on rifled slugs does nothing and dont cause it to spin. Out a smooth bore barrel a rifled slug flys straight because its nose heavy and flies like a badminton bird facts proven on slow motion

[@coldsteel.and.courage]

I've seen rifled slugs in slow-mo that rotate. Not sure if it's enough to matter but they were definitely rotating.

[@c.miller3802]

I'm thinking you are a non hunter . As in you've never killed anything .

[@anthonyhaddix3598]

You are doing the hunting, as well as the shooting community a great dis-service by disseminating erroneous information. The sabot slugs are nearly all of the "diablo" or air gun pellet shape, and are self stabilizing "drag stabilized" and not only do not require rifling to perform, and are sometimes actually adversely affected by it. Whereas the rifled slugs are composed of a more malleable material, and are designed to conform to the contours of the barrel. They were originated in a time when rifled barrels for shotguns were unheard of. You will also note that the direction of the rifling on the slug, and that of the barrel are the same, and as such will compliment rather than conflict. Also the rifling of the slug alone imparts such an insignificant rate of spin as to have a negligible effect on accuracy, you will also note that the sabot slug in your test impacted nearly dead center to point of aim and high, that is what holdover is for.

[@zachbojorquez5286]

It's a rifle barrel not a rifled shot gun barrel 😂 no such thing .a rifle is defined as having rifling just as if I take a 410 barrel and bolt it on a 41 mag does not make it a shotgun

[@codyrivenburgh6007]

False….. “rifled” slugs… aren’t really rifled…. They are grooved so they swish thru chokes…. The word rifled is a long standard gimmick to get guys to buy them and it worked for ever……. Can u shoot rifled aka foster slugs thru a rifled barrel? Yes u can…. Will it hurt accuracy? Maybe. Maybe not?…. Depends on the gun and the load…….with it hurt anything? No…. It will cuase some pretty good lead build up in the rifling but that’s about it………. Sabots….. can u shoot them thru a smooth barrel? Sure… are they gonna be accurate? No not at all they will tumble pretty bad….. are they safe in a smooth bore? Well thru a cylinder bore ya prolly fine…. Thru any tighter chokes? No they won’t squeeze down like a lead foster slug so would cuase a pressure spike and possibly blow up the gun

[@kelvinnaidu6329]

Bla blah blah blah ...not much said .

[@88kaa65]

Sabot is pronounced (say-bo) Not Sabit

[@1rukie]

Great video

[@boomerrangerron]

You did a good job on this video analysis. A properly mounted scope would have helped a great idea in terms of your accuracy. I've had a lot of experience shooting slugs, and killing deer with them, and you can get two-inch groups at 50 yards with FOSTER slugs simply by adding a rifled choke tube to the front of an improved cylinder barrel. Of course, all fully rifled barrels including the Mossberg and the SAVAGE bolt actions require a sabot loading. Ohio as well as Maryland have now approved the use of any straight-walled cartridge for deer hunting like the 45.70 or even a 44 magnum. the 300 Blackout is the preferred round now in an AR platform from what I've heard from friends hunting in Ohio. I'm still shooting a Savage 220 with a Nikon 3 - 9 scope and getting exceptional 100-yard groups with the correct ammo. Mine prefers the Remington 260 gr. Accu Tips.

[@michaelboyle9512]

This is a great video! I just found out there's rifled slug for smooth bore barrels. Now I'll know how to buy the right ammo. I appreciate it.

[@lynnmiller4929]

Fi n ally figured out how to comment. I subs. to you channel, I agree with you 100%. Tks n I will follow your shows. Remember, Bottles n Bullets don't mix..

[@subdawg1331]

wow thanks ... answered my questions