Have been using buckshot in my Win.1300 with 24 inch barrel with screw in chokes but would like to try Foster Style slugs next do to nearly losing my deer last season. It is a smooth bore naturally and was hoping to receive views as the best and most accurate Foster style to try. Will use Imp. cylinder choke and would like to hear from members as to their views on this type of slugs accuracy. My woods shots are usually restricted to 25 to 30 yards.
Foster style slugs
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As usual I've had different results. I found the lower power Rem slugs to give 1 hole accuracy in my 20 in. Remington 870 slug barrel (IC choke), while the hotter ones, especially Winchesters and Federals, blew the group out to 6 inches. Ditto for my Ithaca 37, except it just isn't as accurate as the Remington and the groups were bigger all around.
I've come to the conclusion that too high a pressure blows out the skirt of the hollow base of the Foster type slug and causes the inaccuracy. But at 25 to 30 yards you don't need a hot load so I'd try the reduced recoil or standard load slugs first and avoid anything labeled Maximum or magnum. The manufacturers have charts online with slug load weights and velocities so you can pick a slower one and hopefully get good accuracy.
I've come to the conclusion that too high a pressure blows out the skirt of the hollow base of the Foster type slug and causes the inaccuracy. But at 25 to 30 yards you don't need a hot load so I'd try the reduced recoil or standard load slugs first and avoid anything labeled Maximum or magnum. The manufacturers have charts online with slug load weights and velocities so you can pick a slower one and hopefully get good accuracy.
Guess the diversity of the answers shows you one important thing. You cannot rely upon others peoples experiences, the only real way to find out is to try a variety in YOUR shotgun and find what it likes. It truly can be that different in different guns and users.
I honestly found just the opposite; but only when i used a slip on recoil pad. Perhaps it is just gun preferance?
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It also may be a slug design change. It's been years since I explored slug ammo. Since then the companies have gone nuts on velocity, and may have had to revise the slug design to get decent accuracy, maybe making the skirt stronger.
But at close range any slug round has more than enough penetration, drop isn't important, so today I'd just try some different options to try and get the best accuracy and ignore the sales pitches based on velocity.
But at close range any slug round has more than enough penetration, drop isn't important, so today I'd just try some different options to try and get the best accuracy and ignore the sales pitches based on velocity.
Only one problem with doing a thorough job of researching how the various slugs shoot in a given gun...the "research" HURTS! I hate shooting slugs off the bench. Shooting them at a deer, you just don't feel the recoil (Ain't adrenaline great?). Off the bench, OUCH!
When I lived in upstate New York, I discovered that my "shotguns only" county allowed handguns, too. Problem solved.
When I lived in upstate New York, I discovered that my "shotguns only" county allowed handguns, too. Problem solved.
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I've found that slugs can get hung up on the front sight bead hole and will deviate in an often erratic direction as a result. I assumed this was because sometimes a spiral rib would encounter the bead hole and sometimes the slug skirt would. Regardless it always seemed to me that rifle-sighted shotguns shot slugs better and I felt that was in some part due to the sight-base screw threads not penetrating into the bore.
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That's because on the bench the top of your shoulder pushes forward, cutting the length of pull you need, so your gunstock is probably too long for that position. It may be a little harder to arrange the support but try shooting for sighting in sitting in a perfectly upright position and hold the butt tightly in the shoulder pocket. If it wont stay there comfortably while you pull the trigger the stock is just too long for you.
I've hunted with a smooth bore Remington 870 for about 40 years now. Way back then, I dissected a bunch of different slugs Winchester, Remington and Federal and miked them and found the Winchesters to be slightly larger in diameter than the rest of them. Consequently, these shot the best and I was able to keep all the shots in a paper plate at about 100 yards. Plenty good deer shooting accuracy. In the past few years I have been using the Brenneke KO slugs and found them to be quite accurate in my gun shooting cloverleaf type groups at 50 yards with my barrel mounted red dot sight. I do not think they are as powerful as the US slugs as I have found two of them on the far side and under the skin of shot animals. Never found a Winchester slug in an animal - it was always a through and through. But as others have said, best to find what shoots best in your gun. I will also add that a clean bore will make a HUGE difference in your group size. I clean the bore on mine with a bronze brush and electric drill. Clamp the barrel in a vise and scrub that bore until it shines. All testing should be done with a clean bore for each brand of slug that you try.
foster slugs
Thanks for reply and advice Gazzer. I have found buckshot patterns erratic with my 24 inch barrel with screw in chokes. Shot doe at 20 yards last fall and only pellet found was in the deer s muzzle area. Am interested in Foster style slugs due to smooth bore barrel with IMP. cyl. choke. As long as I can get accuracy at 25 yards I will be satisfied.
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