Slug questions

[TarpleyG]

I am going to be doing some practical shooting exercises in the future with a local club. They require us to use slugs for some of the events. I have a Winchester 1300 Defender. What type of slugs should I/could I use? Sabot, rifled, etc... Keep in mind, this is practice and I need to stay on the inexpensive side as well.

GT

 

[sm]

Tarpley,

1 oz rifled will be fine, they are less expensive as well. I'd get a few 5 pks to see which bests shoots POA/POI in YOUR gun. Then buy up more of that one. Since most likely you will be shooting a open smooth bore with heavy shot or buckshot as well these work fine.

Sabots work best in rifled bbls or with a rifled choke, and with chokes you wouldn't want to run shot thru them. Does that help or make sense?

So if you use the open smooth bore you can say feed the gun with mixed load, two shots of 00 for a teddy and 2 slugs to fell a steel, for example.

Once you find a load that works buy ( group buy with a buddy). Usually I have better luck with Win and Fed in 1300s...but each has a druther. I'm not all that familar with the new stuff, others can better assist you in that.

Sounds like fun,

HTH

 

[BillL223]

AS per previous post, 1 oz rifled slugs will be fine. I recommend the use of low recoil slugs since you have a pump and cycling is not an issue. Federal Tactical and Remington Low Recoil are popular amongst 3-Gunners. B-P has come out with one specifically designed for practical shooting but they are hard to fine.

 

[foghornl]

Tarpley:

Depends A LOT on your gun. If you have a rifled barrel/choke tube, the "sabot slugs" GENERALLY work better. For a smooth barrel, the rifled slugs are GENERALLY the choice.

F'rinstance, my Maverick Model 88 by Mossberg, with the 18-1/2" cylinder bored smooth barrel, likes the PMC brand of slugs best.

 

[Al Thompson]

FWIW, agree that the RR slugs make sense. For value, the 15 rounds packs of Winchester 1 OZ slugs for 6 bucks at Dick's and Wal-Mart are hard to beat. They work very well for hunting as well.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Smoothbores need the Forster style "Rifled" slugs, or the Brenekkes. Sabots are for fully rifled barrels as was already stated.

And I agree with testing various 5 packs until a leader emerges from the pack.

However....

Those Winchesters are good loads. Used to be my duty slug, and maybe 100 are in the ammo closet still. Get some and use them until you can budget time for the bench work.

The Federal equivalent, the KO Brenneke and those Winnies seem to trade back and forth in various shotguns here as to best. All work well, the KOs seem lightest in kick, then the Winnies, then Feds, but the difference isn't great to me.

HTH....

 

[sm]

OK, I gotta ask a dumb question. Granted, I don't have the training as some of you. I find a load the gun likes, buy a bunch and stick with it. I use the old Win. 1 oz Forster style. I haven't shot much of the Reduced Recoil stuff, therefore my testing is limited.

RR loads, is there any difference in performance, penetration, POA/POI, etc.. Or is this similar to Win. Superlight ( 2 3/4 dr) vs a 3 1/4 dr hunting load. Even tho the recoil is less, the performance is there , if not better, for the task say for dove and quail.

I admit, I find something that works and stick with it. Leary of some "new-fangled" stuff that comes out. I spent a lot of time with pattern boards. I saw new stuff come out that was only designed to impact wallets...not the stuff downrange.

Thanks,
Old hard-headed me.

 

[Denny Hansen]

Another vote for the Winchester 1 oz slugs (load No. X12RS15). It works great in every shotgun I use slugs in.

FWIW, I've gotten some erratic performance with reduced "tactical" loads (without a brain, how can anything be tactical?). Have one fowling piece that seems to like 'em, but the rest hate 'em. As mentioned here many times before, find out what your shotgun likes. They're often more finicky than in-laws.

Denny

 

[sm]

Thanks Denny for the vote of confidence.

I have been using the exact same load (load No. X12RS15) for a very long time.(forever) This load seems to work best in all shotguns I use it in.

I hated to say anything about RR loads because my use has been minimal in comparison to the aforementioned Winchester load. I have not been impressed with the "new-fangled" stuff and this includes mini sized slugs as well ( anything mini-period).

Then again I don't have the training and expertise in some matters like yourself, Correia, Dave and many others here at THR. I admit that. I just had to test for myself and train using the "poor boy method on a farm with more knowledgeable LEO and Miltary fellas willing to share" facility.

I'm just set in my ways I guess, hard to change what works. It is said hold onto to something long enough and it will come back around. So I'm back "in style" with my 1oz slugs , 1911 styles , and old smith K frames-huh?

I've bought the X12RS15 by the cases grabbed some guns and as Dave says BA/UU/R. Testing guns. POA/POI, building materials...any and everything. I just had to know for myself.



Thanks
Steve

 

[Dave McCracken]

I dunno, Denny, some of my inlaws set records in the finicky dept....

sm, I don't use RR slugs. I want as much energy as possible on impact.

Best Buddy saw me centerpunch a yearling's shoulder at maybe 35 yards with a Winchester 1 oz slug. He thought I used a super secret LE round, the impact sprayed blood like a Peckinpah Western and had an entrance wound three fingers wide. I've got big fingers. Recovery distance was measured better in feet.

Other kills with these were not quite as dramatic, but still quick and humane.
While there's no ineffective 12 gauge slugs, the Winnies seem better than most and on par with the Brenneke Uber-Slugs.

 

[sm]

...sprayed blood like a Peckinpah Western

I Know those ...we are getting old my friend.

Well I feel better, I too want as much energy on impact. I know of the wounds on deer of which you speak. I have on other critters as well. I already mentioned I test stuff against materials and cars ( glass, doors,etc.) So I'm not totally nuts or that hard-headed...wait scratch that...still some ongoing debate...

 

[Correia]

Hey I'm not old at all! But I love the Wild Bunch!

 

[Denny Hansen]

Larry, as big as you are, you are the Wild Bunch

Denny

 

[Bob F.]

Not much experience but gotta chime in on the RR's: just as in handguns where I avoid "self-defense" or "personal defense" loads-they're generally downloaded to reduce recoil. I want all the velocity I can get with given wt. (mid-weights in handguns, i.e. 125gr in 9mm).
Having said that, I bought a box of Fed 9mm 115 +P+ (9BPLE) law enforcement only and now I'm afraid to shoot 'em in my Glock 19!