Mossberg 500 shotgun - Slugs?

[Beefcake]

This may be a dumb question, but the Mossberg 500 12ga that I use for duck hunting came with a "security barrel". From what I gather, besides being shorter, this is a smooth barrel with no choke to it... would this work with rifled slugs? I looked on the Mossberg website, and they offer a slug barrel with rear sights, but I'm still looking for a use for the 2nd barrel that came with my gun. Is it safe to play with it with rifled slugs to see if I can hit anything?

Read More

 

[Deavis]

Yes - I am able to shoot racketball sized groups with one of those barrels at 25 yards with 1 oz federal slugs. If you dont need the barrel any longer I need another.

 

[ob1]

I have shot dozens with mine (I am still here, so I guess it's ok) The "slug barrels" you see advertised are probably rifled to give a slug better accuracy when fired, but any cylinder (open) choke is ok to my understanding.

 

[UncalledForGabe]

Rifled slugs are usually ok to shoot through an open cylinder. Sometimes its ok to shoot through improved and modified chokes too. RTFM... Read The F... Factory Manual!
Saboted slugs and non-rifled slugs are used with rifled barrels for better accuracy and range. Good luck!

 

[Ian1816]

Good information. I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Beefcake]

I guess I could go get the FM out of the safe, but that's all the way downstairs. So, what about 00 buck out of the hunting barrel with modified choke? Seems like that's okay to do (I've done it with a fixed full-choke shotgun that I had in the past), but thought I should ask in case it puts me at risk of bulging the barrel. Or, do I need to use the "security" barrel with 00 buck as well?

 

[Deavis]

The short barrel is far more portable. I have shot lots of buck through mod choke with no problems...but that was soft lead pelets... a heavy diet of copper plated stuff in a full choke I bet would do some peening... most folks dont shoot it that much.

But some loads actually shoot tighter with fewer fliers through Cyl or IC as they dont deform on the constriction as much, causing flat sided soft lead pellets that open up groups. Across the confines of a house this is really not all that significiant, as the distances are so short, it comes into play at 15-25 yards though.


Best is to take your gun and your specific load, go to range and shoot at distances realistic to your siutation. Measure distance from bedroom door down the hall, or stairs, across family room, etc. then shoot those distances at the range. You might be surprised.