I am NEW to shotguns and just bought a new mossberg 500 20 gauge. It has a rifled barrel on it and I was shooing rifled slugs threw it with amazing accuracy. The ammo boxs stated that rifled slugs should be fired in smooth bores and not rifled barrels. My question is should I only fire Non rifled slugs in my rifled barrel shot gun or can I continue to shoot rifled slugs? Why shouldn't you shoot rifled slugs in a rifled barrel and will it hurt the rifling? Thanks!!

I've done the same thing in mine with no ill effect,,.50 cal sabots perform much better though,at about the same cost,clay

Red,

If it shoots well, keep it up. Rifled barrels are generally designed to shoot saboted slugs.

You should be ok shooting rifled slugs in a rifled bore. The slug is very soft lead. I tested this in a 12ga cantilever scoped bbl. @ 100 yds. Sabots average around 4", rifled slug group was 8" 5 shots. Funny thing was the rifled slug hit higher on the target then the sabots, with the same sight setting, i thought that was strange.

the reasons the slugs are hitting higher on the target is that recoil has a longer time to take effect the slower slug.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
the reasons the slugs are hitting higher on the target is that recoil has a longer time to take effect the slower slug.

true, barrel time/rise can be a factor. I was thinking more on the line of projectile dia. difference. The rifled slug @ .729" and the sabot @ 50 cal. Less air to push going to 100 yds. Both make a difference i guess.

The rifling on the slugs has little to do with rotating the slug for accuracy .They are there so that the slug can pass through a choke without damaging the choke. Try diffrent slugs and pick the most accurate.