Shooting slugs out of my Winchester 1300 shotgun

[Modeler]

I own one pump shotgun, a Winchester 1300. I'm interested in shooting slugs out of it if for no other reason than I like versatility in my guns. I understand that I can shoot slugs out of a smoothbore, but it will be less accurate than if the barrel was rifled. I also understand that I have two options for rifling, a fully rifled barrel and a rifled choke with a rifled barrel being superior.

What kind of accuracy can I expect out of a rifled choke versus a rifled barrel? I'm looking for groups at 50 and 100 yards; which one would be adequate for deer hunting? Would I be better off buying a new, dedicated slug gun?

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[bearingman]

Why would you shoot those little white tail deer with slugs, there wouldn't be enough left for a good cookout. Once saw a non-resident come in with his 4 tags filled -the whole batch didn't dress out to 100 lbs. Maybe you have bigger deer there than we had in Sitka.

 

[Joe13]

Smooth bore should shoot modern slugs out to 100 yards reasonably with only minor practice has been my experience.

 

[OutlawHoss]

I'm a big fan of slug barrels. Mossy's and Rem's have inexpensive barrels that are easily swapped out. My Mossberg 500 has three barrels I use: 19" defense barrel (a chopped down fixed mod choke vent rib barrel; the vent rib keeps from aiming too high as is very possible with a single beaded cylinder choke defense barrel), an adjustable choke 26" (24" maybe) vent rib barrel, and an integral scope mount slug barrel (rifled barrel). I'm not familiar with the Win 1300, but if you can buy different purpose specific barrels, you have a very versatile package. Much better than a rifled choke which is only a half measure compared to the potential of the sabot slug in a slug barrel.
In my experience, a sabot slug in a slug (rifled) barrel with a simple fixed 4x scope, along with the newest of slugs now available, you can get a group with sub-vital zone accuracy out to 125 yards. Some people shoot out to 200, but that's more for 'let's see what this can do' kind of thing at the range, not a good hunting practice as the 300-400 grain (rough estimate, 437.5gr is 1 ounce) has a very 'rainbowed' ballistic path.

 

[Modeler]

Why would you shoot those little white tail deer with slugs, there wouldn't be enough left for a good cookout. Once saw a non-resident come in with his 4 tags filled -the whole batch didn't dress out to 100 lbs. Maybe you have bigger deer there than we had in Sitka.

I don't hunt whitetail... Blacktails. And I hunt in Oregon, and maybe back to Alaska in the late fall. We'll see.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have seen about a 4'' group with slugs from a rifled choke 870 at 100 yards, that's the best I could get from a rest! Funny thing, My '97 Winchester with 21'' barrel and no choke shoots almost the same GO figure! Any way, that's been my experience!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I agree with Joe.
Its been my experience that with practice , you do not give up much in the way of accuracy out to 80 yards or so.
Granted my "Slug" shooting is with a patched round ball , 80 grains of 2F and a .600 round ball out of a flintlock northwest trade gun.
All of which translates to a flintlock .20 gauge shotgun with a cylinder bore.
Andy

 

[Certaindeaf]

Smooth bore should shoot modern slugs out to 100 yards reasonably with only minor practice has been my experience.

Ditto.. even with a bead.
Is your 1300 the Defender model with sights? Sights help.
The thing about rifled barrels or inserts, they'll tend to seriously pinwheel shot due to the shot column being "spun".. and of course a smoothbore won't do that.

 

[OutlawHoss]

I think you can use foster slugs for normal ranges found in Oregon's forests for deer (definitely under 100yds). I'm seeing people get tighter groups than 4" with slugs in a slug barrel, but it's kind of academic at that point as you're definitely making a kill shot with 4" group performance at 100 yds.

 

[Modeler]

My 1300 is the hunting model, so a short magazine. The available slug barrels are relatively hard to come by and are all either used or NOS. There are a couple on E-Bay, one with currently bidding around $170 and the other with a "buy it now" price of $269.95.

Or I could get a new Mossberg 500 with both barrels (smooth and rifled) for $450~ and sell the 1300.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Mossy 500's are pretty solid, though i don't remember ever seeing the "double barrel" kit having a rifled option, only the 28" and 18" HD barrels.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Cabelas and other "national chain's" sell Dear hunting packages that have both barrels! Don't remember, but I think they also have a scope rail extension for the Slugger barrel too!

 

[Modeler]

Mossy 500's are pretty solid, though i don't remember ever seeing the "double barrel" kit having a rifled option, only the 28" and 18" HD barrels.

It's not a package that I've ever seen in any local gun shops, but it shows on their website so I could probably order it. MSRP is $491, so I figure it will be somewhere around $450.

500 Combo Field/Deer | O.F. Mossberg & Sons (http://www.mossberg.com/product/500-combo-fielddeer-54243/)

 

[Ura-Ki]

Cabelas shows the Mossberg 535 combo for $399 up to $489 depending on which version you get! The cheaper one dosn't have the scope mount, has iron sights and wood stocks, the scope version is camo synthetic Both have 3 1/2" chambers!

The Remington 870 is also available in a dear combo but while it is a better rig, it's also 5 + big ones!!!

 

[Joe13]

I grew up with my dad's Remington made off brand gun so I'm biased towards them over mossburgs but have always thought the Rems fit and finsh was a bit more refined then Moss.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have had both Rem and Moss for years and years, both work flawlessly! The Rem just feels a little better and the fit and finish is a little nicer, but both just work! If I had to choose one over the other, I would have a hard time, but it would have to be Remington!

 

[madmax]

Rifled berrel are for sabot slugs. Easy 250 to 300 yrd shots with 4x scope

 

[madmax]

Rifled slugs are are to be used in a smooth bore. Easy 100 yrd shot. The are called rifled becouse they look like they have rifling. They are designed to sedge for a better seal and to shot with a choked barrel with out damage

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I grew up with my dad's Remington made off brand gun so I'm biased towards them over mossburgs but have always thought the Rems fit and finsh was a bit more refined then Moss.

I'm with you on that one, Joe! However, I'm not sure that it still holds true! I've seen poor fit and finish on both brands!

 

[mjbskwim]

Smooth bore should shoot modern slugs out to 100 yards reasonably with only minor practice has been my experience.

Maybe a little further than that
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