Ok to shoot slugs in turkey choke?

[kootne]

Grew up in rifle country, my Dad was a rifle guy, always been one myself. But I got a Win. 37A a few years ago and got the idea to make a gun I could shoot grouse, waterfowl, deer and turkeys with and leave it in the jeep year-round. Sort of a Boy Scout, "be prepared" gun. I cut the barrel back to 20", silver soldered on a Brownell Winchoke adapter, stuck a extra tight turkey choke in it and it shot grouse loads and turkey loads like a rifle. This year I thought to try some slugs in it and what I found at the sporting goods store here in town was a couple boxes of Federal "shorty" 1 oz. 1-3/4" 1200 fps shells. So I took it out and shot a couple, they shot right where pointed and then I noticed I still had my turkey choke in. Is this bad? I sure hope not because the simpler the better and if I didn't think about it this time, I will forget again sooner or later. Next someone will say don't shoot steel duck shells in the turkey choke either.
Voices of experience will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dennis

[Hogtamer]

Yes you can is the easy answere since you've already done it but Xtra full choke choke and slugs is begging for trouble.

[Ozark mike]

Only rifled slugs in a full choke

[CastingFool]

I don't think I would make it a practice of shooting slugs through an extra tight turkey choke. What's the constriction? Remember a slug mikes around . 700"

[bikerbeans]

a friend of mine left the turkey choke in his 1187. We were setting up for early goose season when i noticed he had the wrong choke. He hunted with the turkey choke and steel shot and the barrel and choke were not damaged. He decided to leave the turkey choke in his 1187 and hunted at least three goose and duck seasons that i know of with the turkey choke.. The steel shot did not damaged his 1187. He has since passed, and one of his sons is still waterfowl hunting with the 1187.

BB

[pashiner]

Just because it can be done doesnt mean it should be done. Get a cheap cyl or IC choke for slugs. They'll shoot more consistently, and you definitely won't hurt the gun.

[gunauthor]

Google Carson's chokes and order something more open. I'd advise changing out that turkey choke.

[centershot]

Back in yesteryear, when my area was shotgun-only for big game, I used full power Remington Sluggers in my 870. Through experimentation I found that my full-choke tube gave the best groups, aroud 4" at 50 yards. So that's what I used, for years. A friend, who is a Hunter-Ed. instructor told me I would blow up the barrel. Well, that never happened, I was probably saved from that fate by the Gubbermint allowing us to use rifles some years ago. I have a couple of X-tra full turkey chokes but haven't fired slugs thru them. The only use they see is the annual Lucky Shoots each fall where I manage to win a turkey or two. I haven't ben tempted to shoot steel shot thru them.

[kootne]

The turkey choke I have measures .680", now. The choked portion is beyond the barrel. The barrel is .865" OD. The slug loads were rifled slugs I believe.
Maybe the best thing to do is try some other chokes, I have a modified and an improved. Maybe see which one works with the steel shot best and then try to find loads for the other purposes that work best with the same choke and just leave that one in. I know the last thing to be thought about while bailing out of the car after some critter is be sorting through chokes.

[cwlongshot]

Most companies expressly recommend against it. As long as you understand what your doing could result is results your likely not Expecting...

CW

[CastingFool]

I read an article years ago in the American Hunter about shooting slugs. They found the less constriction, the accuracy was much better. They were shooting foster slugs, sabots were not available at the time. Brand of slugs also made a difference.

[DougGuy]

Would you cram a .700+" slug into a .680" push thru sizer at 1,600+fps? I wouldn't!

If you took that choke off and held it in a vise, and you opened up a slug shell and got the slug out of it, try and push the slug through the choke at the vise, tell us how hard it is to beat it through there, how big of a hammer you used, etc.

In other words, you are basically shooting a 12ga with an obstructed barrel.

[megasupermagnum]

I would not recommend it, but it isn't as bad as some think either. Shot passing through a choke has a lot more resistance than you would realize. A slug is a maybe, but I wouldn't. Steel shot, absolutely do not shoot steel in that. Steel shot is far harder on chokes than rifled slugs.

That said, the very worst thing that can happen is your choke splits, and possibly buggers up the threads. It is not an obstruction, and I really doubt it would cause harm to anyone. Rifled slugs are designed to pass through chokes, but turkey chokes are an exception. Do not shoot any other kind of slug besides a rifled slug through a tight choke.

My recommendation is to change the choke tubes. A Full choke, .030" constriction is safe with rifled slugs and steel shot, yet will throw a plenty tight pattern for turkey.

[garrisonjoe]

Generally, the "extra full" turkey choke tubes will (sooner or later) be damaged by shooting slugs or steel shot (unless specially marked for steel). And heavy chokes are not commonly recommended by the shell manufacturers to be used with buckshot, either. Carlson's is a major manufacturer of choke tubes - they explicitly deny warranty coverage on turkey choke tubes if slugs are used.

[murf205]

Dennis, if you want to shoot slugs in that gun, check on a rifled choke tube. I have a friend who has one in his Bennelli and that thing will shoot every bit as good as my Hastings barrel on my 870, especially with the grey box Winchester BRI slugs. BTW, is Elk Horn Antiques still located up river on the Kooteny? I stayed there in one of the little apartments back in 1984. Price was $7.50 per night IIRC.