Choke me to death!

[Hogtamer]

Bought some Reminton Slugger rifled 7/8 oz slugs (1800 fps) last week to sight a 4x scope I mounted on my smoothbore 870 28" brrl w/screw in chokes. They produced a 4" group @ 50 yds. shooting the full chokes. Awesome load, huge energy and accuracy. Went out this morning with my 7/8 oz lee slug loads: both Active and Federal 2 3/4" hulls loaded with 36 grns Longshot powder, ww 209 primers, an old Winchester red wad aa12r with 2 - 16 ga nitro cards under the slug for a perfect crimp. Expectations were high and I proceeded to shoot 6 rounds in approximately 3 ft. circle! Went back to the house disgusted for another cup of coffee and decided to shoot again with the improved cylinder choke. Expectations were Zero but all 6 slugs in a 4" group! Yeehaaah! A real boomer with accuracy. Guess I was just choking the lee slugs to death, although the wads only had one petal torn off. The IC choke left the wads undamaged and found them about 30 yds out. BTW, someone commented that the 7/8 slugs were "paper punchers." They sure are, but also punched down a 6" pine tree that I leaned 3/4" plywood against for a target. Also noticed the 7/8 slugs are truly front heavy. Lay them on their sides and they stand up on their noses. Gotta help accuracy and the 1 oz slugs don't do that. Thanks koehlerrk for the slugs!!! Will give them a try @ 100 yds later.

[longbow]

I have had similar results with Remington Sluggers though not through a choke. In fact at least a couple of brands of factory Fosters have shot very well for me but not so with most of the home cast loads. I have had a few that shot reasonably well but not many,

I have been thinking that one of the big issues is wad column and consistency of wad column. That was reinforced recently during discussion with a fellow that told me that the big secret to getting Lyman Fosters to shoot is good solid support under them. I tried again and failed again.

I have had much better results with the wad slugs like Lee and home made wad slugs. The petal thickness and bore fit definitely play a large part.

The choke may have been too much for the Lees and petals got squished or sheared. I find that if the slug/wad fit is a tight push through the bore many recovered wads show damaged petals. A loose slide fit works best for me. Have you tried the Lees through cylinder bore as well? Nothing wrong with 4" groups but those may even shrink a bit with the right load and fit.

Those Remington Sluggers will be bore size so just squeeze down through a choke ~ no wad petals to damage. Did you try them through cylinder bore? They should do as well or better but testing will tell for sure.

Yeah, "paper puncher"! I think they are capable of punching holes in more substantial objects than just paper.

Good shooting!

Longbow

[35remington]

Yep. Like hogs and deer and bears. All "holeable" with the right slug.