Do I need a special barrel to shoot slugs ?

Question

I bought a Maverick by Mossberg Shotgun recently with s***w in chokes (full and Improved Cylinder). I would also like to take it deer hunting. A Few people have said that its ok with the improved cylinder choke but very bad with any other choke. I just need to know if i can shoot slugs using the improved Cylinder choke or if i need a separate barrel.

Answer 1

Use the improved cylinder tube to shoot Foster-type slugs.  They should be reasonably accurate out to about 50 yards.  You might try getting a rifled choke tube and shooting a sabot slug.  They are much more accurate and should increase your effective range to about 100 yards.  You'll have to take it to a range to see just how accurate, though.  A rifled choke tube will set you back less than $20.  

Shoot often and shoot well.

Answer 2

I tried shooting a (foster) rifled slug out of a full choke with my Mossberg the other day and I can say the recoil was way worst then an Improved cylinder

Answer 3

slugs were invented for people who could only afford to have one gun, a shotgun, and who wanted to hunt ducks and other birds, but then load slugs for deer and bear

Slugs will work fine in your gun with the improved cylinder choke.

Back when slugs were first invented, most guns just had one fixed choke (double barreled guns had a different choke in each gun, one for up close one for further away)  This was most commonly the "modified" choke, but in some cases the full choke.  Slug makers made absolutely sure that slugs would work fine in guns with fixed modified choke, but chokes aren't exact so while they tried hard to make sure the slugs would work fine on full choke, they weren't as perfect.

You can always shoot slugs fine with improved cylinder choke

you can always shoot slugs fine with modified choke

you can PROBABLY shoot slugs fine with full choke, but why risk it?

I'd also suggest buying a s***w in modified choke for when you go duck or pheasant or grouse or even squirrel hunting

Answer 4

I shot slugs from my bird barrel and it was deadly accurate...

Answer 5

You can shoot foster type slugs thru your barrel with no problems.... It is important you use the improved cylinder choke.... It is more "open" so to speak..... See the below article at chuckhawks on slugs.... Do not use Sabots. They require a rifled barrel and will not work efficiently thru your smooth bore barrel....