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Thread: Foster slugs in rifled barrels

  1. #1
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    Foster slugs in rifled barrels

    This has probably been asked before, but since Fosters are supposed to be full diameter, are they safe and do you see any benefit from shooting them in a rifled barrel? Fosters are cheap and easily available, just got to wondering.

    A concern would be shooting an un lubed projectile through a rifled bore would create a lot of leading. Anyone with experience on this?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master mehavey's Avatar
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    Unlubed <=> smoothbore: no problem.
    Unlubed rifled slugs through extended rifled choke, no problem.
    Unlubed rifled slug through full-rifled barrel ???? (question mark)

    Thick skirt/Full diameter "Rifled" Foster slugs have grooves to accommodate lead displacement when shot through a modicum of choke.

    "Smooth" Fosters are either under-diametered (eg Lyman's cast slug) and/or the skirt is thin enough to squeeze/elongate safely under choke conditions.
    Last edited by mehavey; 12-05-2017 at 08:39 AM.

  3. #3
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    I shoot the generic Wallyworld Foster slugs through a Mossy rifled slug barrel without issue, they cloverleaf a playing card at 100yds for me, filled the freezer more than once with this combination. I never noticed leading, but the Mossy slug barrel is only rifled about the last 10"" or so of bore (last I remember looking in there) so it's smoothbore up to the leade ins. These are fluted slugs, not smooth on the sides.
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    I shoot the Remington sluggers through my 24" Hastings fully rifled barrel and have been doing so for probably 10 yrs, maybe more. No problem at all. Sure, you see a gray haze in the bore after shooting it, but I used to see the same thing after shooting my smoothbore barrel. Since I only use it for deer hunting, I don't shoot it very often. Killed deer out to 70 yds with it, I switched from the Remington solid copper slugs, as I felt they were too expensive. The sluggers are just as effective, and are a whole lot cheaper when you buy the 15 pack on sale. BTW, the buck on my avatar was shot using a slugger.

  5. #5
    In Remembrance bikerbeans's Avatar
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    I shot a box of remington foster slugs out of a 20ga rifled h&r tracker II and they leaded the barrel so bad I couldn't see the rifling. Clean the bore and went back to Breneke attached wad slugs.

    BB

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    Funny this thread just appeared as I just got a rifled barrel for my Browning BPS shotguns. The slugs shoot fine with no leading up, just maybe some land streaks. I've very pleased with it.

  7. #7
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    In my benelli nova, Remington sluggers shoot better than any sabot slug I ever tried in it. I've only ever shot maybe 25 at a time, and never noticed any leading.

  8. #8
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    Shooting Winchester Foster slugs thru my 870 Remington Wingmaster slug barrel with the screw in rifled tube results with my getting about a 5" group for 5 shots at 100 yds from a bench. Using the IC tube also supplied with the barrel resulted in a 12"X16" full target shotgun group. A gunsmith friend once told m3e Winchester are actually a bit larger in dia. to fill the barrel better. Remington slugs he claimed you could hear them rattle down the barrel. Only leading I`ve had was with Remingtons and nothing else.Roberts

  9. #9
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    I remember reading an article on either American Rifleman or Guns & Ammo years ago, about the accuracy of shotgun slugs. They found out that Winchester slugs were the most accurate, with Remington coming up next. There were 2 other brands tested, but fail to remember the names. Improved cylinder choke was deemed the best choke for a smoothbore. They still could not come up with a good reason why the Winchesters were so much more accurate, until they miked them and found them to be around .700" The remaining slugs were slightly smaller, which lead to the conclusion that the less the slug is deformed as it obturates in the barrel, accuracy improves. I've shot either Remingtons or Winchesters ever since. I used to get 2-3/4" groups at 50 yds with my smoothbore I.C. barrel all day long, as long as I did my part. Only went to the Hastings fully rifled barrel, in order to increase my range. Never did shoot the I.C barrel (with open sights) past 50 yds, while I now don't hesitate to take a 70 yd shot with the Hastings barrel (scoped, due to my eyesight)

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    This is all good news. I'm gonna try it, I think. Fosters are cheap at Wally World and they'll probably go on sale with deer season ending Sunday.

  11. #11
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    To revive an older thread, I just ordered a Thompson/Center rifled slug barrel for my Encore. It should come Tuesday. I have a Lyman foster slug mold and have ordered MP's two cavity slug mold for use inside a shotcup. Has anyone here fired foster slugs in a rifled bore? Since I am handloading these, I could lube them with 45-45-10 or I could even powder coat them. Never used slug before but I will be hunting deer with my son in an area of Minnesota requiring slugs. I am leaning towards powder coating the MP slugs, a shotcup and a roll crimp.

    Bob
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  12. #12
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    I wouldn't jump in too deep only for MN firearms deer. There is a real good chance in the next year or two that the shotgun zone will be flat out eliminated. If it were not for Covid, it would have already passed.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Agree with mega. Many states have went from shotgun to rifle with no safety issues or problems. NYS did it gradually and our accident statistics are still low and dropping. As far as soft lead Foster slugs in a rifles barrel they would work but cleaning the lead will probably be a chore. Why not just use what the rifled slug barrels were intended for ?

  14. #14
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    Unless you want to experiment with slug loading, I would just buy some factory sabot slug loads for deer hunting. The Federal sabot loads are relatively cheap. If you do load you own cast slugs in a wad there is no need for coating or lubricant. I have cast, loaded and shot many slugs. Invested in the Lyman 525 12 gauge sabot, the 12 gauge 1 ounce Lee sabot, and the 20 gauge Lyman sabot mounds and handles. So I have spent over $190 on just mounds and handles. Then you have to buy lead and the rest of the components. If you look at it as a hobby it may be worth it, but if you just want to load for deer hunting, I would recommend you just buy the Federal Power Shok Sabots, or the Remington AccuTips. I can easily get 2” groups at 50 yards with the Lyman 525, but am lucky to get 6” groups with the Lee.
    Last edited by Mike Robinson; 04-11-2021 at 06:38 PM.

  15. #15
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    I do want to experiment with slug loading. All my hunting & fishing my whole life has been with things I have made myself as much as possible. At this stage of my life (I'm almost 80) the expense is the least of my worries. I now have a good rifled slug barrel & a couple dozen smoothbores to experiment with. It keeps me occupied. Handloading,casting, swaging & my own small machine shop keep me out of the taverns. I only hunt now with my sons. They seem to be afraid I'll croak out in the woods or duck blind alone. They're probably right. My wife died last October so they look out for me even more. I'm blessed to have sons like that so I'll hunt Minnesota with slugs or my crossbow.

    Bob
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  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Good to know. I just picked up a NEF whitetails unlimited rifled 12 gauge slugger that was never fired from a buddy. Was wondering if I had to shoot saboted slugs though it only. I watched a YouTube video of guys shooting bird shot through them for close self defense work. They through about a 3’ to 4’ pattern at 15 feet! Close counts.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Win94ae's Avatar
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    I had no leading problems, wasn't too precise though.

  18. #18
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    Shooting rifled slugs in my M500's rifled barrel resulted in terrible leading. Others that have tried it, locally, say it works fine. Go figure.

    Midnight - If you're going to enclose your slugs in a wad you won't need to worry about lubing or PC'ing them, they'll never touch the barrel surfaces. My experience with homemade "sabots" was quite good once I got the diameter of the sabot about 0.010" over bore diameter. Those plastic wads won't grip the rifling tight enough to transfer the spin to the projectile unless you squeeze the dickens out of 'em!

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  19. #19
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    Sure it can work. Some of the most accurate sabot slugs today like the Lightfield still have a band of lead that touches the barrel. A half jacket sabot if you will. Many, if not most people shot rifled slugs in rifled barrels for many years until sabot slugs become more popular.

    I've shot rifled slugs through every one of my rifled guns, and never had any issues at all. One of mine even shoots the Remington 7/8 oz slugger better than than any sabot slug I ever tried. For reloads, I have yet to beat the accuracy of a .735" round ball, and get no leading at all.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I only shoot sabots from my rifled barrels because the main advantage of a rifled barrel is accuracy, no hold over and distance. Many of the sabot slugs are lighter and more of a conventional bullet.

    My rifled shotguns are zeroed at 150yrds. At 100yrds the holes are touching.
    I shoot the Hornady SST's which are a 300gr S&W 500 bullet at 2,000fps.

    I can usually find them mid or late season on sale for half price, if I do I buy a bunch of the same lot number. $2 a round isn't plinking ammo but it's a fair price to pay for the ballistics they provide.

    I can shoot fist sized groups at 100yrds with my smooth bore Rem 1100 with Winchester or Remington slugs all day long.
    I can double that with my rifled shotgun.

    I won't lie, that gun kicks like a mule with those loads & can make people recoil shy.

    I have also taken the head off a squirrel at 50yrds knowing where to hold.

    With the development of rifled barreled shotgun and better available although not cheap commercial ammunition the trend now is 20ga, all the accuracy & knockdown power with a lot less kick. The Savage 220's usually like the Rem Accu-tips which is around .45 260gr @1,900fps & also gets a 150yrd Zero.

    With all that said I want to start casting the Lyman pellet slug with a zinc alloy. That would bring the weight of the 12ga 525gr Lyman pellet down to about 330gr & the 20ga 350gr down to about 220gr. (I might try for 250gr.)

    If I could get 2" groups at 100yrds I'd be very happy to use them.

    I might want to try that round ball as well in zinc of course.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check