I have seen and heard this term used quite a bit, but I am not totally sure as to what makes a shotgun a "slug gun"? I am admittedly pretty ignorant about shotguns as I aquired my first one only about two weeks ago. Common sense would tell me that a slug gun is used most optimally with slugs, so does that mean they have cylinder bores? Or do they typically have rifled barrels? My 590 of course has a smooth bore cylinder bore barrel, which I'd say works quite well with slugs (excluding sabot slugs), so would my 590 be considered a slug gun?
What exactly is a "slug gun"?
- Thread starter SC4006
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aarondhgraham
New member
This is a good question,,,
This is a good question,,,
I too would like to know this.
Aarond
.
This is a good question,,,
I too would like to know this.
Aarond
.
g.willikers
New member
The term slug gun describes what you feel when firing a 3" magnum 12 gauge slug for the first time.
While some people will say that a shorter barreled shotgun with rifle sights is a "slug gun", to me those are just tactical shotguns that are intended to be able to shoot slugs or buckshot and can shoot birdshot.
To me, and I think if you will look through what the manufacturers say, and call a "slug gun" it means that it has a rifled bore as opposed to a smooth bore. The most accurate smooth bore shotguns I have had were the FNH SLPs largely due to the thicker and chrome lined barrel. 3-4" at 100 yards was no problem with most ammo. Most smooth bore shotguns with full diameter slugs are going to be in the 5 to 10 inch range (some more) for 100 yard groups, but a "slug gun" will do far better than that.
I have recently been testing a bunch of things with slugs and rifled slug barrels in general. Yes, birdshot patterns are laughable. Buckshot patterns are pretty poor as well. But with high velocity full diameter slugs I have been able to shoot 100 yard groups in the 2-4" range and with sabots in the 1-2" range. I shot a 3 shot 0.57" group with Hornady out of an M2 this past weekend. I normally shoot 5 shot groups, but with premium slugs at $2+ each, I am doing just 3. While slugs from smoothbores are about a 100 yard proposition, I have shot sabots through rifled barrels with accuracy out to 200 yards. I plan to go to 300 yards next week.
To me, and I think if you will look through what the manufacturers say, and call a "slug gun" it means that it has a rifled bore as opposed to a smooth bore. The most accurate smooth bore shotguns I have had were the FNH SLPs largely due to the thicker and chrome lined barrel. 3-4" at 100 yards was no problem with most ammo. Most smooth bore shotguns with full diameter slugs are going to be in the 5 to 10 inch range (some more) for 100 yard groups, but a "slug gun" will do far better than that.
I have recently been testing a bunch of things with slugs and rifled slug barrels in general. Yes, birdshot patterns are laughable. Buckshot patterns are pretty poor as well. But with high velocity full diameter slugs I have been able to shoot 100 yard groups in the 2-4" range and with sabots in the 1-2" range. I shot a 3 shot 0.57" group with Hornady out of an M2 this past weekend. I normally shoot 5 shot groups, but with premium slugs at $2+ each, I am doing just 3. While slugs from smoothbores are about a 100 yard proposition, I have shot sabots through rifled barrels with accuracy out to 200 yards. I plan to go to 300 yards next week.
Slug gun
Shortly after I was a kid, slug guns made their debut. In those days there were no saboted slugs only the hollow, weight-forward Foster slugs. The Brenneke slugs and sabots came later, as did rifled shotgun barrels. When I was a kid, the only sight(s) on a shotgun was the traditonal round bead near the muzzle. Then, some tests were done and it was discovered that the seemingly lack of accuracy associated with such guns and the Foster slugs was due to poor sighting with the bead-only.
Enter the paste-on sight. The first rudimentary attempt at improving a shotgun's accuracy was a short (under a foot), piece of stampted metal with a front sight and a rear sight that could be attached on the barrel, near the receiver with what amounted to as two sided sticky tape. It was not long after that when shotgun makers began to produce short barreled shotguns with both a front sight and a rear sight. The slug gun was born.
In short, a "slug gun" is a shotgun with features (short barrel, front and rear sights, maybe a scope, and nowadays, rifling), that make it dedicated to the shooting of slugs...nothing more, nothing less.
Shortly after I was a kid, slug guns made their debut. In those days there were no saboted slugs only the hollow, weight-forward Foster slugs. The Brenneke slugs and sabots came later, as did rifled shotgun barrels. When I was a kid, the only sight(s) on a shotgun was the traditonal round bead near the muzzle. Then, some tests were done and it was discovered that the seemingly lack of accuracy associated with such guns and the Foster slugs was due to poor sighting with the bead-only.
Enter the paste-on sight. The first rudimentary attempt at improving a shotgun's accuracy was a short (under a foot), piece of stampted metal with a front sight and a rear sight that could be attached on the barrel, near the receiver with what amounted to as two sided sticky tape. It was not long after that when shotgun makers began to produce short barreled shotguns with both a front sight and a rear sight. The slug gun was born.
In short, a "slug gun" is a shotgun with features (short barrel, front and rear sights, maybe a scope, and nowadays, rifling), that make it dedicated to the shooting of slugs...nothing more, nothing less.
Traditionally slugs were full bore diameter (nominally 0.73" but most slugs are around .690"). They can be forster style, brenneke style and there are others. Some have a piece of material glued to the bottom to stabilize, plastic or fiber, disk, fins, etc.
A sabot is not unique to shotguns. Sabots can be used in muzzle loaders as well as handguns and centerfire rifles. It is merely a bore diameter "cup" in which a smaller diameter bullet is placed, usually, 60-90% of the original bore diameter. The smaller, lighter (better BC and SD) bullets are launched at higher speeds and with rifling, stabilized therefore having better accuracy.
Some states will not allow sabots for ML or SG in some seasons. The best sabots out of shotguns are very accurate and some have enough energy to kill a deer out past 300 yards.
There are 437.5 grain in an ounce, so a one ounce slug in a forster design is maybe 1500 or 1600 fps max in a 2 3/4" 12 gauge shell. Even though some market the forster style as "rifled" they have NO spin stabilization added and are just a hunk of hurtling lead. There are 12g sabots with 285 to 325 grains (+/-) that launch from 1800 to 2200 fps with spin stabilized benefits from a rifled bore. Some are even faster.
A sabot is not unique to shotguns. Sabots can be used in muzzle loaders as well as handguns and centerfire rifles. It is merely a bore diameter "cup" in which a smaller diameter bullet is placed, usually, 60-90% of the original bore diameter. The smaller, lighter (better BC and SD) bullets are launched at higher speeds and with rifling, stabilized therefore having better accuracy.
Some states will not allow sabots for ML or SG in some seasons. The best sabots out of shotguns are very accurate and some have enough energy to kill a deer out past 300 yards.
There are 437.5 grain in an ounce, so a one ounce slug in a forster design is maybe 1500 or 1600 fps max in a 2 3/4" 12 gauge shell. Even though some market the forster style as "rifled" they have NO spin stabilization added and are just a hunk of hurtling lead. There are 12g sabots with 285 to 325 grains (+/-) that launch from 1800 to 2200 fps with spin stabilized benefits from a rifled bore. Some are even faster.
slug gun
A "slug gun" is most often a bolt action shotgun with a rifled barrel and both front and rear sights or a scope. Ithaca made a shorter barreled version of the model 37 which was a smoothbore with rifled sights intended to shoot slugs only...called it the Deerslayer.
I have a smoothbore 18.5 inch rifle sighted barrel for a semi-auto...meant for slugs.
Here is a picture of a bolt gun made a few years ago by Mossberg...the 695:
This is five shots at 50 yards:The high one was the first shot. the hole below is four shots.
This is five shots at 100 yards
This is the ammo:
A "slug gun" is most often a bolt action shotgun with a rifled barrel and both front and rear sights or a scope. Ithaca made a shorter barreled version of the model 37 which was a smoothbore with rifled sights intended to shoot slugs only...called it the Deerslayer.
I have a smoothbore 18.5 inch rifle sighted barrel for a semi-auto...meant for slugs.
Here is a picture of a bolt gun made a few years ago by Mossberg...the 695:
This is five shots at 50 yards:The high one was the first shot. the hole below is four shots.
This is five shots at 100 yards
This is the ammo:
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In the catalogues of the 60s and 70s you see slug guns are generally short (20" being most common) barrel versions of the regular guns, usually fitted with rifle sights.
They are smooth bore, and open (cylinder) choke. They were not "tactical", they were not riot guns, nor trench guns, they were hunting guns for deer or bear.
Slugs improved, barrels got rifled, and sights became scope mounts, other than that, they're still about the same.
A folding stock and tacky-cool rails does not make it a slug gun. It makes it something I shan't discuss in polite company.
Forster slugs are called "rifled" slugs, because they have fins that look like the rifling grooves of a barrel. They do not impart spin as it flies, despite generations of tales saying so. Their purpose is to provide a space for the slug to compress when fired through a tighter than cylinder bore choke. You can safely fire rifled slugs through a full choke barrel. Usually you don't get as good accuracy as you do from a cylinder bore, which is why the open choke is recommended.
They are smooth bore, and open (cylinder) choke. They were not "tactical", they were not riot guns, nor trench guns, they were hunting guns for deer or bear.
Slugs improved, barrels got rifled, and sights became scope mounts, other than that, they're still about the same.
A folding stock and tacky-cool rails does not make it a slug gun. It makes it something I shan't discuss in polite company.
Forster slugs are called "rifled" slugs, because they have fins that look like the rifling grooves of a barrel. They do not impart spin as it flies, despite generations of tales saying so. Their purpose is to provide a space for the slug to compress when fired through a tighter than cylinder bore choke. You can safely fire rifled slugs through a full choke barrel. Usually you don't get as good accuracy as you do from a cylinder bore, which is why the open choke is recommended.
No, actually they don't. But they work MUCH better from a rifles barrel (much more accurate)
Well thanks for the vast amount of information everyone.
I'd think that even though my 590 was designed as a combat shotgun, it still has plenty of hunting potential with slugs. It's got a polymer stock & forearm, but definitely isn't tacticool; I'm not really into that stuff.
I'd think that even though my 590 was designed as a combat shotgun, it still has plenty of hunting potential with slugs. It's got a polymer stock & forearm, but definitely isn't tacticool; I'm not really into that stuff.
My slug gun, 870 Express 3" 20g with two barrels. A rifled/cantilevered Sabot slug barrel with a Nikon Omega blackpowder scope and a smooth bore rifle sighted slug barrel for when its to wet for a scope. This is my go to deer rig along with my .44mag SBH, one or the other.
Its very accurate and ideal for the area I hunt.
75yds off hand with smooth bore/rifled sights
100yds on a bag, with rifled barrel/Nikon scope. This seasons "sight in" target
Its very accurate and ideal for the area I hunt.
75yds off hand with smooth bore/rifled sights
100yds on a bag, with rifled barrel/Nikon scope. This seasons "sight in" target
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The rifled bore barrels are for Sabot slugs where as the smooth bore or rifled chokes are for the rifled slugs.
Its confusing
My scoped barrel is rifled and uses the much more expensive Sabots. My sighted smooth bore barrel uses the rifled slugs, which are cheap.
Accuracy is very close between my two barrels. Plenty accurate enough for a deer or bear. I consider the outer limits of the 20g slug to be around 110-120 yards but I try to keep my shots under 100 yards for good measure.
A slug gun is basically a shotgun shooting slugs. It can have whatever barrel you want technically. Typically they have no choke, very little choke, or a rifled barrel. A dedicated slug gun would have rifle sights or a scope, but that's not required. It's also a marketing term. For instance, Mossberg has the Slugster. It's a smooth bore with no choke or rifled barrel, has rifle sights. But technically, in my mind it's a shotgun loaded with a slug, but typically it's a shotgun dedicated to shooting slugs.
Nickel Plated
New member
A slug gun is whatever the marketing department decides it is. Any shotgun can shoot slugs and any shotgun can have rifle sights or scope mounts. There's nothing special about "slug guns". It's a marketing term.
Jim Watson
New member
Bernardelli makes - or made, have not seen one even advertised in some time - a double barrel slug gun. Smooth bore but with open sights.
Once upon a time you could have a Walther double sighted for Brenneke slugs.
CSMC has made a pretty little rifled 20 gauge. I don't know if it is still available, the RBL shotguns were replaced by the A10.
http://www.csmcspecials.com/product_p/professional.htm
Once upon a time you could have a Walther double sighted for Brenneke slugs.
CSMC has made a pretty little rifled 20 gauge. I don't know if it is still available, the RBL shotguns were replaced by the A10.
http://www.csmcspecials.com/product_p/professional.htm