Shooting various slugs from the new M500 barrel.

[W.R.Buchanan]

So today I went to the range to sight in my new 18.5" M500 barrel with Rifle Sights. The barrel got Vang Comped due to it's primary use as HD with Buckshot.

This was all done at 50 yards with the first shots being Federal Low Recoil Slugs. First shot was right on, 2nd 4" high 1" to right, 3rd shot dead on elevation 5" to the right. Not exactly what I was looking for! This was supposed to be my baseline load, but it sucked.

But I concluded the sights were close enough and didn't need adjustment. These sights aren't the best open sights I've used and will require further attention to get to where they can yield a repeatable sight alignment/picture.

Then I fired 3 Lyman Sabot Slugs. These were loaded with 20 gr of Green Dot, Claybuster Blue Wad .070 card under the slug and Roll Crimped. Nice looking rounds in reloaded Fed Blue Hulls. 1 actually hit the target, the other 2 are some place in the Sespe National Forrest. Useless! I guess we'll try fold crimps next time.

Next up was BPI AQ Slugs. 23 gr Unique new Rio Hulls Roll Crimped. 1 shot near the bullseye, two shots touching on the upper right corner. Almost useless.

Next was 1 1/8 oz BPI Thug Slugs 23 gr Unique, new Black Rio Hulls Roll Crimped. 3 in a line across the lower portion of the target, 2 shots key holed. 1 wad separated and hit the target. Not impressed at all.

Last was STI Slugs with Lead Inserts. 23 gr of Unique and Reloaded in O/F Clear Rio Hulls. 2 touching 1 3" to the right. These actually shot pretty well and I'll alibi the 3rd shot to poor sight alignment.

Forgot to shoot some Lee slugs which were in the box but I just missed them. Maybe next time.

None of these were that impressive, and I have shot better with my 20" M500 with Vang Comped Barrel OFFHAND!

Given that both the BPI slugs are supposed to be OK with smoothbore. I was not impressed, maybe they will do better from a Rifled Barrel, which I will try soon. Otherwise I see no use for them, which is a shame because they do look like a well thought out and executed product..

But once again the STI Slugs showed they are the best and shoot well even in a smoothbore. In the rifled barrel they are golden!

I'll go back and shoot all these loads thru the A5 with both barrels and see what happens.

I'd show the targets but they are embarrassing!

Randy

[megasupermagnum]

I never did have any luck with those Federal low recoil slugs. I think the rest of the slugs simply are not capable to be able to bump up to your backbored barrel. This would be the time to try some thick wads. Maybe a Lee .690" ball in a steel shot wad like the LBC 43. That might be cool too, don't slit the wad, and it may be a non-discarding sabot.

[DougGuy]

The barrel got Vang Comped due to it's primary use as HD with Buckshot.

Using a rifled barrel for buckshot doesn't appeal to me in the least kinda way. Rifling spins the wadding up tremendously and once free of the barrel, centrifugal force scatters the shot like a funnel.

I fired a load of 00 buck at a 4'x8' sheet of plywood from 10yds out of my cantilever mount M500 slug barrel, NOT ONE pellet hit the plywood.

[megasupermagnum]

Using a rifled barrel for buckshot doesn't appeal to me in the least kinda way. Rifling spins the wadding up tremendously and once free of the barrel, centrifugal force scatters the shot like a funnel.

I fired a load of 00 buck at a 4'x8' sheet of plywood from 10yds out of my cantilever mount M500 slug barrel, NOT ONE pellet hit the plywood.

It is not rifled. All Vang Comp does is backbore the barrel except the muzzle. This brings the bore to I think I've seen .745", and leaving the muzzle, presumably about .732", gives it about an IC choke. Unfortunately, unless your slug is .745" or larger, or can bump up to that size, I just can't imagine how it could be accurate. It seems to be the case here.

[tomme boy]

Try Win fosters. They are the largest of the USA made fosters. They have been the most accurate out of 7 different slug guns I have had over the years.

[Hamish]

Randy,

I suspect some or all of the loads you posted might be improved with mylar wraps around the slugs, IF your slug/wads are undersize at the muzzle. Wraps should allow some versatility with your wad choice.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I'm going back tomorrow to see if it was the gun, the loads or me. My other 20" M500 has a Vang Comped Barrel and it shoots those slugs fine @2"/ 50 yards.

I also want to shoot some Lee slugs to see if they perform any better, I'll also take the other cylinder bore barrel along and try that.

I'll bring the other two guns for comparison. That way I'll know what is going on.

We'll see?

Randy

[dverna]

Randy,

For a HD gun, why would you invest in the VCS?.

BTW, lengthening the forcing cone reduces pelt damage but it has no effect on recoil. It did nothing for my CAS shotgun except make money for the gunsmith. But for HD, a tighter pattern makes little sense to me.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Don: I'll use this gun for 3 gun and Front Sight classes which are mostly birdshot, but also buckshot and slugs. The gun shoots alot smoother than before, and the porting did pretty much eliminate the muzzle rise.

The gun seems to have a timing problem that is starting to show itself, and I think I need to replace the Op Rods. It would not feed the round in the magazine and then drop it out the loading port when you cycled the action again. Did it a few times and I need to fix it as that is not what you are looking for in an HD gun. Kind of want Total Reliability.

Randy

[winelover]

When I lived in Michigan, shotguns were required for deer, in the area I hunted. I tested various manufactures slugs in My Remington 1100 (slug non rifled barrel) and Winchester Model 12 (open choke riot length barrel). Turned out the Remington preferred the Remington fosters and the Model 12 like the Winchester fosters............. making it very easy to remember. Both, did OK with the Federal offerings, in a pinch. The BPI hourglass slug had just came on the market, at that time. It was a bust in both guns.............granted they were developed for rifled barrels.

Winelover

[longbow]

How is the fit of those slugs Randy? msm is right if the Vang Comp job opened the bore up that much most slugs will be rattling down the bore.

I found that even just a few thou (like 0.003") undersize slug produce terrible accuracy but if bore size or slightly bigger things improved dramatically.

You might be better off using Lee or Lyman sabot slugs with paper wraps to bring slug diameter up to backbore diameter then let them squeeze down as they meet reduced diameter bore near the muzzle. Or Mylar wraps as Hamish suggested.

My Browning BPS with smoothbore buck and slug barrel shot the BPI AQ slugs (old style) amazingly well but they are too expensive to use for plinking or general blasting. I have to think the new ones should shoot at least as well but probably not in a back bored barrel. Those with paper or Mylar wrap should do better.

If you want to try some of my TC HB slugs I can knurl those to at least 0.735" then with a paper or Mylar wrap they'd fit your bore. I'd have to make a new core pin for thinner skirts to make sure they squeeze down though.

In fact a thought just occurs to me... my Lyman Foster mould casts at 0.705". With plastic wad and 0.020" thick petals they'd be right on 0.745". Might bulge hulls though and not chamber well at that large. Those Lyman Fosters have really thin skirts though so they would bump up at firing and fill the bore in a thinner petal wad or just paper/Mylar patched. Might be better paper?Mylar patched and on a hard card wad column. Just kinda thinking out loud here.

Anyway, if you want some fat slugs I can send you some and if you want to try those thin skirted Lyman Fosters in pure lead I can send you some of those. If cast soft they do obturate.

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

Kent thanks for the offer. I need to shoot some of these loads in different guns. The Federal Low Recoil factory slugs shoot well in my 20" gun and the A5. The 20" gun is Vang Comped as well.

I have a friend who makes Shotgun bore gages and I need to go see him and find out exactly what this new barrel is on the ID. It measures .730 at the Muzzle.

Also just need to shoot it more. I was shooting over a rest, but may have been doing something wrong, as the gun was malfunctioning alot which it normally doesn't do.

I also want to try my unaltered Smoothbore Barrel and see if is is better or worse. Lots of things to try.

Randy